A Spanish, an English, and a French account of the enormous challenges in maintaining a colonial presence in North America and of the potential national loss-of pride, wealth, and possibility for expansion-if nations abandoned these...

Four original source accounts, and four related maps, of successful English, French, and Spanish settlements in North America and the Caribbean that explain the qualities of these settlements and their reasons for permanence and prosperity.

During the religious upheavals of the 16th century, a body of men and women called Puritans sought to reform the Established Church of England from within. Essentially, they demanded that the rituals and structures associated with Roman...

A site covering Frank Lloyd Wright from 1922-1932. Specific information on how his architecture was designed with the environment in mind. The Exhibition was at the Library of Congress from 1966 until 1997.

John Winthrop rose to power in social, spiritual and political circles and served as Massachusetts state governor for twelve years. His views are documented in "Journal." Click on "John Winthrop Activities" for related materials.

Provides a few statistics on slaves in Maryland and Virginia and then contrasts the lives of field hand vs household or urban slaves.

Biographical information and details about the themes and style of Bradstreet's poetry. Includes quotations from her poem "To My Dear and Loving Husband."

This site provides an explanation of the influence of the frontier on the landed gentry and the role of education in the society.

Essay on the fight between Dutch and British colonial powers over New Amsterdam which eventually resulted in British dominance and the renaming of New Netherland to New York.

This lesson focuses on William Bradford and his Of Plymouth Plantation, a history of the Plymouth Colony. It features a short biography of William Bradford including his trip to America on the Mayflower and being elected long-term...

Meet the people of colonial Williamsburg! Content includes a focus on the life of African-Americans, colonial children, tradesmen, and elite members of society. Special focus is also placed on the lives of George & Martha Washington,...

Discover facts about the raid at Deerfield, Massachusetts. This feature describes the attach of the colony, as well as the ally relationship between the French and Native Americans. Provides three pages of information, as well as an...

Primary source material with introductory notes, classroom discussion questions, and supplemental links focussing on thoughts and events of rebellion in the colonies between 1775-1776 preceding the American Revolution.

A six-page discussion of the mix of cultures that converged in the colony of Jamestown and the challenges this presented. These cultures were the English settlers, the indigenous Powhatan people, and the African slaves. Despite many...

John Winthrop's "Model of Christian Charity" was delivered as a sermon aboard the Arabella, as the Puritans approached their destination of Massachusetts Bay in 1630. The speech spells out his vision of the society they hoped to create...

This site provides links to a variety of coins used in the colonies and in the confederation. Extremely detailed.

The history of the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island is told in story form. It tells of the conflict between England and Spain to establish a foothold in the New World, the voyages arranged by Sir Walter Raleigh, the establishment of a...

Unit explores, through a series of videos from notable scholars, the effects of the trade in slaves and of slavery itself on the new Americans of the time and helps students to understand how history, and the telling of history, affects...

After the War of Independence, Americans were unable to agree on the form of their federal government. This unit explores how those conflicts played out as the new Republic defined its identity in relation to other nations.

A biography of the Marquis de Lafayette, the French nobleman who came to the colonies at the age of 20 to volunteer to fight against the British in the American Revolution. This article offers an interesting look into the politics...

Learn what economic, political, and social factors led to the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution. In this lesson, students learn what caused the colonies to declare independence from Great Britain and...

No group has played a more pivotal role in shaping American values than the New England Puritans. The seventeenth-century Puritans contributed to our country's sense of mission, its work ethic, and its moral sensibility. Today, eight...

This site features an online facsimile of the letter written by the Spanish Ambassador to the United States in which he criticized American President William McKinley. Its publication generated public support for a war with Spain over...

This is a site for a 14-day United States History unit on the events leading up to the American Revolution. The point of this unit is to help students form an understanding of events by using multiple primary accounts (teaching...