Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Constitutional Rights Foundation: Conflict of Cultures: President Polk and the Taking of the West

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Lesson and activity on conflict of cultures in which students study U.S. overtaking lands of Mexico and California and form policy on property rights and citizenship of conquered cultures. Activity guidelines, questions for discussion...
Primary
American Presidency Project

American Presidency Project: State of the Union Addresses and Messages

For Students 9th - 10th
This site compiles all of the State of the Union addresses and messages by all the presidents in U.S. history (except William Henry Harrison and James A. Garfield).
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Library of Congress

Loc: Portraits of the Presidents & First Ladies

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection from the Library of Congress of formal and informal portraits of the US presidents and their first ladies.
Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Portrait Gallery: 1846: Portrait of a Nation

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site provides a glimpse into the United States in the year 1846. James Polk was president and the Westward Expansion was in full force. The site has nice historical photographs.
Website
Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Hard Road to Texas 1836 1845: The Election of 1844

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about the election of 1844 and the views of the two candidates, James Polk and Henry Clay.
Website
Ducksters

Ducksters: Biography of President James K. Polk for Kids

For Students 9th - 10th
Study the biography of the 11th president of the United States named James K. Polk.
Handout
Google Cultural Institute

Google Cultural Institute: James K. Polk

For Students 9th - 10th
This visual website from Google Cultural Institute shares background information and photos about James K. Polk.
Graphic
Curated OER

James Polk

For Students Pre-K - 1st
James Polk
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Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Clip Art Etc: James Polk

For Students 9th - 10th
The eleventh President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1845 to March 3, 1849. Polk was born in Mecklenburg county, North Carolina, but mostly lived in and represented state of Tennessee.
Website
PBS

Pbs: New Perspectives on the West

For Students 9th - 10th
This in-depth resource presents a history of the American West from pre-Columbian times until World War I with profiles, documents, and images. It encourages visitors to link these into patterns of historical meaning for themselves....
Handout
Sacramento Bee

The Sacramento Bee: Polk Is Caught in the Rush

For Students 9th - 10th
This site discusses James K. Polk's place in the gold rush of California in the 1840's.
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Curated OER

James Polk

For Students 6th - 8th
Biographical site about former president James K. Polk. Read on to learn about his presidency and view a picture of him.
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Curated OER

Wikipedia: National Historic Landmarks in Tennessee: James K. Polk House

For Students 9th - 10th
This house, built in 1816 was the home of future President James K. Polk for several years when he was a young man.
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Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Clip Art Etc: James K. Polk

For Students 9th - 10th
James K. Polk, president during the beginning of the Mexican War.-E. Benjamin Andrews 1895
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Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Clip Art Etc: James K. Polk

For Students 9th - 10th
James K. Polk, eleventh president of the United States, known for his expansionist policies.
Graphic
Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Clip Art Etc: Leonidas Polk

For Students 9th - 10th
Leonidas Polk (April 10, 1806 - June 14, 1864) was a Confederate general who was once a planter in Maury County, Tennessee, and a second cousin of President James K. Polk.
Graphic
Curated OER

Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Clip Art Etc: Sarah Childress Polk

For Students 9th - 10th
The wife of James K. Polk. She was First Lady of the United States from March 4, 1845 to March 3, 1849.
Handout
White House Historical Association

The White House Historical Association: The Presidents

For Students 9th - 10th
Complete biographies and photos of all past presidents.
Article
Other

Global Security: 54 40 or Fight

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the significant territorial changes that took place in the United States under the presidency of James K. Polk. These included the annexation of Texas, the settling of the dispute with Great Britain over claims to Oregon...
Website
Digital History

Digital History: War With Mexico [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about the reasons President James Polk presented to Congress as justification for a declaration of war against Mexico. Find Polk's war message and the rebuttal by Congressman Davis.
Article
Charles I. Kelly and Lawrence E. Kelly

Many things.org: In 1845, Republic of Texas Faces a Choice

For Students 5th - 8th
An explanation of the difficulties the Republic of Texas encountered when deciding whether to join the Union. Also discusses President James Polk's efforts to expand the territories held by the United States, which brought him into...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: "American Blood on American Soil"

For Students 5th - 8th
President James Polk's desire was for the United States to stretch from sea to shining sea. See what happened when his overatures to Mexico to buy the land north of the Rio Grande River were spurned. Take a brief vote to see if Polk was...
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American Presidency Project

American Presidency Project: Election of 1844

For Students 9th - 10th
Online resource that provides detailed data for the presidential election of 1844 won by Democratic candidate, James K. Polk.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: 54 40 or Fight

For Students 5th - 8th
See how James Polk's plan to claim the Oregon Territory, which had been shared with Great Britain since 1818, led him to victory with the slogan, Fifty-four forty or fight. Read about the settlers who traveled the Oregon Trail and why...

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