National Endowment for the Humanities
On This Day With Lewis and Clark
Walk in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark as they discover the wonders, beauty, and dangers of the American frontier. After gaining background knowledge about Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase, young explorers use primary...
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Consequences of the Sedition Act
Learners research and discuss the consequences of the Sedition Act. They illustrate the difficulty of balancing security needs and personal freedom using an example from John Adams's presidency.
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Four Famous Faces
Each one of our quarters is embellished with a famous face or image representing the state it came from. This lesson uses South Dakota's state quarter to get kids thinking about monetary value, what the president of the United States...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Argument of the Declaration of Independence
When in the course of a course on historic American events, it becomes necessary for learners to examine, with decent respect, the Declaration of Independence, it becomes evident that there are six separate and equal parts of that...
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Jefferson Administration
Students research the major domestic issues that were present during the administration of Thomas Jefferson including the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory, Lewis and Clark's expedition, and his foreign policy. They investigate...
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Thomas Jefferson Lesson
Students demonstrate reading comprehension skills, including reading strategies, inference, literal meaning, and critical analysis.
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I'm Number One!
Fourth graders complete a unit of lessons on the first seven presidents of the U.S. They conduct research, write a four-paragraph essay, and create posters and speeches for a simulated campaign convention.
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A Wolf by the Ear
Students examine Thomas Jefferson's complex and contradictory relationship with slavery.
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Lewis and Clark for Grades PreK-2
Students read the "The Journey Begins" article and discuss why people want to discover new lands and why it is still exciting today. They are introduced to the idea that Lewis and Clark sent back discoveries to President Thomas...
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The Declaration of Independence: From Rough Draft to Proclamation
Students discover how the Declaration of Independence transformed from a draft to a treasured historical document. For this Declaration of Independence lesson, students discuss the context in which Jefferson wrote the document and...
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The Declaration of Independence: From Rough Draft to Proclamation
Students discover the purpose of the Declaration of Independence. In this colonial America instructional activity, students compare the original draft by Thomas Jefferson to the final draft of the Declaration of Independence.
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The Presidential Nominating System
Students examine the process by which candidates for U.S. president are nominated by the Democratic and Republican parties. They identify the differences between primaries and caucuses and key terms and issues related to the primary...
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Holding a Wolf by the Ears: Race, Economics, and the Complexity of Thomas Jefferson
Eleventh graders explore the era of slavery when Jefferson was President. In this United States History lesson, 11th graders participate in a class discussion that is led by the teacher. A PowerPoint presentation on the topic is...
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Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, Lincoln
Students study four of the most influential and important presidents in United States history. In this United States presidents lesson, students learn the facts and histories to four of the most influential presidents in history - George...
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The Monroe Doctrine: Whose Doctrine Was It?
Was James Monroe the sole contributor of the Monroe Doctrine? Young scholars study the doctrine and cite evidence to show contributions of John Quincy Adams and Thomas Jefferson in its formulation.
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President's Day Scramble
In this President's Day worksheet, students review presidential history as they read a sentence about each president and unscramble words in each of the sentences.
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President William Jefferson Clinton
In this reading comprehension learning exercise, students read a passage about President Clinton and answer 7 multiple choice questions.
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New $1 Coins Honor U.S. Presidents
Elementary schoolers examine money, then read a news article about new coins being produced by the U.S. Mint. The teacher introduces the article with samples of American money and a vocabulary activity, then students read the news piece...
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U.S. Mint Releases New Jefferson Nickel
Students share their knowledge of Lewis and Clark, then read a news article about the redesign on the U.S. nickel to commemorate Lewis and Clark's expedition. Introduce the article with a discussion and vocabulary activity, then students...
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Are U.S. Presidents Leaders or Figureheads?
Fifth graders, using a graphic organizer, analyze three presidents.
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Thomas Jefferson's Concept of America
Students study Thomas Jefferson's concept of America. They read a chapter from the book, Thomas Jefferson's America, and discuss its main events comparing it to current events. Role-playing a citizen from the 1790s, they write a letter...
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Worksheet #57 Questions- Citizen Jefferson
In this Thomas Jefferson quiz, students define the meaning of several terms to demonstrate their understanding of elements of this founding father's life.
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Using Primary Sources: Letters from the Presidents
Students research the life of a president by reading personal letters on the American Presidents web site, and explore the ways that the character and personality of the president affected the ways they handled historical events.
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Paths to the Presidency
Seventh graders investigate a timeline of the career paths that US presidents took before they became the president. They how these career choices prepared these men for the presidency.