American history from 1820-1861 is interwoven with the history of the Capitol as it was expanded to accommodate a growing government body. A timeline of significant events in the debates over slavery, the addition of free and slave...

Our Documents is home to one hundred milestone documents that influenced that course of American history and American democracy. Includes full-page scans of each document, transcriptions, background information on their significance, and...

A good look at the views of the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania just prior to and during the Civil War. Read about Democratic president from Pennsylvania, James Buchanan, and his views about the importance of slavery in the national...

This site details events surrounding the era known as "Bleeding Kansas" due to the conflict surrounding slavery in what is now Kansas.

The Dirksen Congressional Center provides abundant lesson plans on all aspects of the US Congress and the US Constitution. All lessons contain time frames, objectives, and links to material, and are built around Bloom's taxonomy.

After reading this section of the chapter on "Creating Republican Governments", students will be able to identify the central issues of the 1787 Constitutional Convention and their solutions and also describe the conflicts over the...

This section of a chapter on "Westward Expansion" explains why the North and South differed over the admission of Missouri as a state and how the admission of new states to the Union threatened to upset the balance between free and slave...

The official site for the Henry Clay Estate presents a biography and a timeline of important events in Clay's life. Other topics of interest: Henry Clay the Statesman, the Attorney, the Farmer, Henry Clay and Abraham Lincoln. Click on...

What a wonderful resource for researching the attempts to solve the issue of slavery prior to the Civil War, and the eventual ratification of the 13th Amendment. Find a timeline of legislation limiting the spread of slavery from 1787...

An exhaustive look at the first Congress during George Washington's presidency. Find out about the precedents that were set and the interpretations that had to be made about the new Constitution. A fabulous site from George Washington...

The issue of slavery was a contentious one during debates in the Constitutional Convention. Read about the various issues, the quotes of several of the delegates, and see how the word "slave" is not even mentioned in the Constitution....

A large site that tracks the history of the Nebraska area begins with the formation of the earth, moves through the earliest human activity in Nebraska, and then through proto-historical and historical Nebraska. The Kansas-Nebraska Act,...

A complete look at the administration of James Monroe and the policies of the Era of Good Feelings. You can read about the domestic policies, foreign affairs, and important decisions of the Supreme Court made during the Monroe...

Read the U.S. Congressional resolution approving the annexation of the Republic of Texas to the United States. Links are provided to additional sites.

In a nutshell, you can find out the problems the new nation had under the Articles of Confederation and the process resulted in a new constitution.

An excellent distillation of the many issues addressed in the Reconstruction period in the South in the twelve years after the end of the Civil War.

Find out about the duties of the legislative branch of government. Check out Ben's Guide!

Find everything you want to know about Millard Fillmore's presidency in this excellent site from the Miller Center.

This site gives a biography of President James Monroe. From the left-hand toolbar, select information about his life before presidency, campaigns and elections, and also domestic affairs. Links to the first lady, cabinet members , and...

Read about federal politics during the Gilded Age and why not much was accomplished during this time.

After reading this section, students will be able to explain the major events that occurred during the Secession Crisis and describe the creation and founding principles of the Confederate States of America.

Examines how the women's rights movement began and how it evolved over time, followed by a look at the development of the African American civil rights movement and the different leaders that emerged during the Progressive Era.

This section from a chapter on "The Era of Reconstruction" explains the reasons for the collapse of Reconstruction and describes the efforts of white southern "redeemers" to roll back the gains of Reconstruction.

A comprehensive overview of the domestic issues facing Andrew Jackson in his presidency, from the "spoils system" to veto of the bank recharter to his Indian removal policy.