Students explore the meaning behind Mexican corridos. In this Mexican Revolution lesson, students discover details about the war and its leaders as they read, analyze, and write their own corridos.

A three-part lesson gives light to the Unites States expansion from the view of Texans, New Mexicans, and Californians. Through videos and written activities, scholars work collaboratively to research specific individuals and their...

Seventh graders comprehend the importance of the Regulator-Moderator War through John W. Middleton's memoir. They comprehend how the different motivations held by each faction began the conflict. Students are shown the map of Shelby...

Students explore the American cattle industry history. In this United States history and reading comprehension cross curriculum lesson plan, students read an article about the history of longhorn cattle, then answer comprehension...

Students explore the Underground Railroad routes. In this map skills and Civil War lesson, students use map and globe reading vocabulary and skills to track the routes the slaves followed from the Bahamas to the United States and from...

This lesson can be used in American history, social studies, and geography courses in units on westward expansion and the Civil War.

The student will measure the width of the horns on drawings of longhorn cattle and then convert the measurements from inches to centimeters and from inches to feet.1. Review with students the steps required to measure an item and to...

Learners examine how Americans justified Westward Expansion. In this American history instructional activity, your historians will watch a Manifest Destiny Powerpoint presentation and discuss each slide then participate in...

Pupils deduce from reading political party platforms from the 1840s-1860s which party and what year the platform is from. They analyze the foundations and political philosophies underlying the platforms and the parties.

Young historians research one of the most colorful periods in US History: the cattle drives of the 1800's. They research the three most popular trails, and complete mapping and writing assignments about each one. The lesson has many...

In this Westward Expansion worksheet, students read assigned textbook pages which describe  Manifest Destiny and respond to 33 short answer questions.

Students read about the history of cattle trails and complete language arts, math, social studies, and more activities about barbed wire. In this barbed wire lesson plan, students read poetry, research changes over time, draw cattle...

Middle schoolers discover how manifest destiny and westward expansion are related. Using the Internet, they research the beginnings of the movement of manifest destiny and how it influenced people moving westward. They discuss the...

In this cattle industry worksheet, students read about the industry and Joseph McCoy. A series of level 1-4 activities comprises page 2 of the worksheet.

In this social studies activity, students look for the words in the puzzle that are related to the theme of the word search. Spelling skills are worked on.

Students draw three cattle trails that passed through Indian Territory, using a written description of the trails and will create a diary of trail life. Students research a historical trail as assigned. Students share their information...

Explore the Texas Navy, which "provides a unique insight into the early Republic, its politics and personalities and its fight for survival." This online exhibit is organized into various detailed sections including "The First Navy,"...

Article in which the author takes us through the history of Texas from the time Americans arrived and settled in the area to annexation, and finally, war with Mexico over the territory. With photographs and links to related resources.

Read about Santa Anna's retaliation after the siege of Bexar, and the battles on sea and on land that followed. This site's strength is its collection of primary texts from this period in Texas' history: "Broadside calling for all men to...

Article on the era of westward expansion and the resulting Mexican American War. The author demonstrates how Manifest Destiny and frontier settlement led to the annexation of Texas and ultimately war with Mexico over the territory.

Read this letter by Sam Houston through which he "asks for American help in preventing uprising in Nacogdoches, 1836." This site includes images of the original letter, as well as line-by-line transcription of the handwritten text.

A map of Mexico and southern United States showing the campaigns and battle sites of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). The map shows the territory acquired from Mexico after the war, and the routes of Taylor, Wool, Kearny, Doniphan,...

A map of Mexico and southern United States showing the campaigns and battle sites of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). The map shows the routes of Taylor, Wool, Kearny, Doniphan, and Scott, the pre-war boundaries of the United States...