City University of New York
Presidential Elections and the Electoral College
To understand the controversy surrounding the US 2000 presidential election, class members investigate the rationale behind the Electoral Collage, the intimidation involved in the election of 1876, and the 2004 American League...
K20 LEARN
Electoral College: Does My Vote Count?
How can a candidate get the most votes, yet still lose the race for the presidency? This is has happened more than once in American history, including in the elections of 2000 and 2016. Using an activity for creating group notes, young...
Curated OER
The Brief American Pageant: The Resurgence of Conservatism
Take a short trip back in time with this presentation, which details the political and electoral contexts of 1980's and 1990's America. Covering the Gulf War as well as domestic economics, these slides feature easy-to-read charts and...
Curated OER
1912: The Election that Changed the Century
The presidential election of 1912 was a turning point in American politics. Whoever won would reshape the political spectrum. Learn about the key issues, each party's politics, and the four men who wanted to become president: William...
US House of Representatives
“The Fifteenth Amendment in Flesh and Blood,” The Symbolic Generation of Black Americans in Congress, 1870–1887
The reading of a contextual essay launches a study of Black Americans who served in Congress from 1870 through 1887. Young historians identify the African Americans who served during this period, investigate the ways they won national...
Curated OER
Following the Leaders
Examine the historic election of Pope Benedict XVI and reflect on the challenges he faces as the new leader of the Catholic Church. This New York Times lesson investigates how other world leaders are chosen in different forms of...
C-SPAN
2016 Electoral College Map
The electoral college can be confusing for citizens of any age. Clear up misconceptions with a handy printable map that details how many electoral votes are allotted to each state, as well as a history of modern elections, complete with...
C-SPAN
Presidential Primary Challengers
A formidable opponent can shake up the election of an incumbent president. Class members explore the results of the elections of 1912, 1968, 1976, 1980 and 1992 using video clips. A chart helps pupils organize their thoughts and...
C-SPAN
Historical Presidential Campaign Announcement Analysis
Using the announcements of presidential candidacies, pupils consider how contenders make their initial arguments to the public. A worksheet helps structure collaborative work to analyze 10 video clips. Writing prompts allow for extension...
Curated OER
The Election of 2008: Primaries and Caucuses
Students examine the American presidential election process. In this presidential election activity, students discover details regarding the campaigns of McCain and Obama in the 2008 election. Students create timelines that feature the...
Curated OER
Introductions to Elections and Government
Eighth graders explore the process of election. In this elections and government lesson, 8th graders complete a K-W-L chart and research the Internet to complete a fact sheet and report on to their peers. This lesson is day two of a two...
Curated OER
The Brief American Pageant: The American People Face a New Century
The political landscape of Y2K is the focus of this series of slides, which cover the later years of the 20th century. Charts detail the poverty and social welfare rates in the 20th century, as well as a pie graph displaying the sources...
Curated OER
Presidents and the Constitution: George W. Bush and the Case of Bush v. Gore (2000)
Students examine the impact of court decisions. In this Supreme Court lesson, students read the Bush v. Gore case study regarding the presidential election of 2000. Students take notes on the case and respond to discussion questions...
HISTORY Channel
The American Presidency Grades 7-9
As part of a study of the American Presidency, groups investigate five topics: Campaigns and Elections, Role and Responsibilities, Life in the White House, Assassination and Mourning, and Communicating the Presidency.
C-SPAN
Evaluating Historical Presidential Campaign Ads
Political ads flood the airwaves each election cycle. An activity including more than a dozen political ads from iconic presidential campaigns helps learners unpack how the sausage gets made during election "silly season." Using the...
Curated OER
INVITING CANDIDATES TO CLASS
Students explore the election process by researching politcal platforms, inviting candidates to speak, surveying registered voters, and running a mock election.
Curated OER
Convey Ideas in Writing
Use the platforms of the 2004 presidential candidates to bring persuasive writing to your class. Young voters identify the three issues most important to them in the election and research the issues and candidates' positions. They write...
Independence Hall Association
American History: From Pre-Columbian to the New Millennium
Need an online resource to supplement the paper textbook in your classroom? An all-encompassing website covers historical events throughout the last half of the second millenium, leading right up to the third. From the pre-Columbian...
Curated OER
Bush Re-Election Campaign Revisited
Learners examine the direct role played by George W. Bush in the 2004 election campaign. They compare these campaign conditions and tactics with those in the 1992 presidential election, and present information in the form of a Powerpoint...
Curated OER
President George Walker Bush
A short article on President George W. Bush awaits your students. After reading the article, students answer six multiple choice questions about Bush and his presidency. Answers appear at the end.
Curated OER
Current Events Quiz #3
Useful as a blast from the past, this current events activity is outdated (Fall 2001). Many global events are part of these fifty questions, but quite a few of them are very specific to pop culture and sports. This could be helpful in a...
Student Handouts
Foreign Affairs
Inform your class about foreign policy during the Reagan administration. The resource includes a reading passage that gives an overview of foreign policy decisions made during the Reagan administration and nine questions for pupils to...
Curated OER
Dictating the Future
Read the article "Bush Lays Out Goals for Iraq: Self-Rule and Stability" and examine the keys points from President Bush's speech. Whether presented in written text or as an audio bite students will work in groups to research world...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Analyzing Political Campaign Commercials
Imagine a lesson that models for learners how to separate facts from opinions. How to detect bias. How to evaluate a source of information. How to identify propaganda. Although designed for middle schoolers, the activities in this packet...