Young scholars examine how religion affected arguments justifying American independence. They read and analyze primary source documents, and write an essay analyzing how Americans used religious arguments to justify revolution against a...

Ninth graders determine what the Enlightenment had to do with the American Revolution. In this historical perspectives lesson, 9th graders examine the ideals of Enlightenment philosophers as they view a PowerPoint presentation. Students...

This McDougal Littell learning exercise provides a graphic organizer for US History class members to record information on the causes and effects of events like France entering the war, the British closing Boston harbor, passing the...

The third in a series of 16 resources that examine the philosophers and philosophic ideas that are the underpinnings of the US system of government, focuses on the Enlightenment and the ideas of natural rights, the social contract, the...

Which document introduced the idea of limited government? What is the official beginning of the American Revolution? From the colonial period to the establishment of the Constitution, this assessment includes 40 multiple choice questions...

Beginning with the experience of hearing that lockers in school will be taxed, through analysis of political cartoons and informational text, and culminating in a debate between loyalists and patriots, your class members will engage in a...

One of the best strategies for learning is to teach what you know to others. Your young historians will be divided into groups and assigned an Enlightenment philosopher that they will then research and present to their classmates. 

Get historians writing about the American Revolution using this short-answer instructional activity! Three big-picture prompts are aimed at guiding deeper thinking and preparing students for later discussion and application. They...

After studying American Romanticism, present your class with this two-page quiz. Since they originally followed a PowerPoint presentation (not included), you'll have to fill in some holes during instruction to prepare them for this quiz....

Students examine the key ideas of the Enlightenment. Using primary source documents, they discuss how the Enlightenment allowed for the rise of democratic ideas. They identify the origins of the American Revolution and the drafting of...

Ninth graders consider the impact of Enlightenment philosophers. For this European history lesson, 9th graders examine the influence of the Locke, Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Rousseau as they research their democratic ideas.

For this early American history worksheet, students draw diagrams of that feature the responsibilities of each of the 3 branches of the federal government and then create their own original visuals that highlight the formation of...

In this early American history activity, students create posters that feature the branches of government as established by the U.S. Constitution. Students also research founding ideals of the nation and use Venn diagrams to compare and...

Delve into the causes, effects, and key players that initiated the American Revolution. A one hundred year span (1750-1850) is covered in 25 slides beginning with colonial rivalry and ending with the National Convention. A great way to...

Wow, chapter one must be really long! The history review game that your class is about to play covers concepts that range from the Enlightenment and the Crusades, to the Conquistadors and the slave trade. There is a lot of information...

Ninth graders examine political theories. In this European history lesson, 9th graders research the work of philosophers Locke, Voltaire, Montesqueiu, and Rousseau. Students create PowerPoint presentations based on their findings.

The core ideas of the Enlightenment—reason, knowledge, and freedom—represented a rebellion against the despotic control of absolute monarchs. As part of the study of the movement, class members assume the voice or either a monarch or an...

The four major trends of the 18th century (The Enlightenment, the Great Awakening, British global ambitions, and economic disagreements) are the focus of a PowerPoint that places in context such influences as deism, mercantilism,...

Similar to the rebirth of knowledge of the Enlightenment and Renaissance periods, David Brooks claims that today, we are developing a revolution in consciousness, exploring the depths of our nature and coming away with a new humanism....

An episode from a world history video playlist on the French Revolution presents a very rapid review of the key events of the revolution. It then provides viewers with the narrator's rationale for considering the French Revolution more...

Your students will be able to understand the dynamics and details of the Korean War after viewing this video, which discusses the political and economic influences over Korea after WWII. From General MacArthur to Kim Il Sung, all of the...

Eleventh graders analyze the significant events in the founding of the United States. They read and analyze text, role-play famous Colonial Americans, write a biographical journal entry, and develop a thesis and write an essay in...

The 18th and 19th centuries saw so many political revolutions around the world that it's difficult to consider the importance and influence of the revolutions that affected each country differently: the agricultural and industrial...

Students explore Enlightenment and Neoclassical art.  For this visual arts lesson, students compare and contrast images of architecture from both styles. Students create visual art designs that feature the ideals of the Enlightenment.