Curated OER
The French Revolution
Plenty of events and attitudes incited the French Revolution. Your class will learn all about the causes, effects, and changes that took place during and after this war. Each slide is put together in an easy-to-follow fashion, with...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lesson 2: Chief Executives Compared: The Federalist Papers
Fix the Articles of Confederation or develop a new constitution? That was the question facing the Founding Fathers. Several of those in favor of a new constitution published a series of essays, collected in the Federalist...
Center for History Education
Women's Rights in the American Century
Today, many young people find it hard to understand why it took over 150 years for women in the United States to get the right to vote—why there was even a need for the suffrage movement. As they read a series of primary source...
Curated OER
Worksheet #43: The Constitutional Convention
In this Constitutional Convention worksheet, students select answers from a word bank to complete ten fill-in the blank questions.
Judicial Branch of California
Articles of Confederation…Well, They Were Trying!
Different currencies, multiple armies, unreliable protection from thieves: class members experience these challenges playing a game that demonstrates life under the Articles of Confederation. After playing the game—which takes them on a...
National Constitution Center
To Sign or Not to Sign: The Ultimate Constitution Day Lesson Plan
Students examine the ratification process. In this U.S. Constitution lesson plan, students discuss the ratification process and read a play based on the process. Students debate the ratification process and determine whether they...
Curated OER
The Supreme Court: The Judicial Power of the United States
Middle schoolers investigate some basic facts about the Supreme Court by examining the United States Constitution and one of the landmark cases decided by that court. The operation of the Supreme Court forms the focus of the lesson.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lesson 4 James Madison: Internal Improvements Balancing Act—Federal/State and Executive/Legislative
Who has the power? The founding fathers asked the same question when the United States was formed. Learners explore issues that arose during Madison’s presidency that raised constitutional questions. Through discovery, discussion, and...
Curated OER
The Constitution and The Bill of Rights
Students explore the Constitution, the convention and the Bill of Rights with a wide variety of on-line activities including the framers, primary sources, court cases and games.
Curated OER
Constitutional Amendments And Gay Marriage
Upper graders critically examine the history and process of amending the U.S. Constitution in light of the current issue facing the courts on legalizing gay marriage. They read a variety of articles, watch news clips, and develop a...
Curated OER
Constitutional Amendments and Gay Marriage
High schoolers study the legal battles involving same-sex marriage. They examine primary sources and a video regarding the 14th amendment and its implications for gay marriage. They analyze a report of a California case that was sent to...
Advocates for Human Rights
The Rights of the Child
Dr. Seuss wrote " A person's a person, no matter how small." The elementary resource uses Dr. Seuss's book Horton Hears a Who to explore children's rights in an engaging way. Young academics listen to the story, participate in group...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
George Washington: General, President, Slave Owner
Times change; behaviors that were once considered acceptable can be seen in a very different light. Middle schoolers revisit the legacy of George Washington in a three-day lesson plan that uses primary sources to reveal Washington as a...
Curated OER
Presidential Biography: Bicentennial Quarter
A biography is a type of literary genre that everyone needs to be familiar with. Here, the class will read two different biographies of George Washington and discuss how they are similar and different, then decide weather they can glean...
Curated OER
The Constitution: What's in It...Exactly?
Seventh graders examine the U.S. Constitution. In this American government lesson, 7th graders listen to a SMART Board-supported lecture about the branches of the U.S. government. Students write responses based on the lecture.
Curated OER
A Dream and an Idea: Searching for a Roadmap to Create a Country
Students listen in on American historical events. In this colonial America lesson, students participate in an activity that requires them to watch video segments that feature Revolutionary War battles and the Constitutional Convention....
Curated OER
Political Differences 2
A single slide provides students with a graphic organizer to fill out about political differences. Categories include state representation, The House, Missouri, and California. Tip: Save this PowerPoint to use as a template for more...
North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studies
Federalists v. Anti‐Federalists
Here is a solid lesson plan to support your instruction on the Continental Congress and the Articles of Confederation. It includes close analysis of primary source images, a guided notes template and answer key, and many key...
Multieducator
Constitution and Federalist Papers
This reference app provides full text of the Constitution, including the amendments, as well as Madison's Journals, the Federalist Papers, Virginia Convention documents, and more. It also includes notes that provide additional...
Curated OER
The Constitution: Drafting a More Perfect Union
Young scholars analyze an unknown primary source document to determine its origin. In this Constitution lesson, students read primary source documents and contrast and compare the evolution of the drafts of the Constitution. Young...
Curated OER
Why A Bill of Rights?
Examine conflicting viewpoints in this lesson, in which middle schoolers write their own proposal for including a Bill of Rights in the Constitution. As a class, they discover how the Bill of Rights was not a planned document to be...
West Virginia Department of Education
A State of Convenience: The Creation of West Virginia
Ever wondered why there is a West Virginia but not an East Virginia? The resource answers questions like this one and more as it takes an in-depth and detailed look at the history of West Virginia and how it became a state. Several...
Curated OER
The U.S. Constitutional Tradition
Students study the Constitution and then in an interactive group activity create a "Second Constitutional Convention" specifically designed to evaluate and trim down the number of amendments.
Curated OER
United States Constitution Framers
Eighth graders discover details about delegates to the American Constitutional Convention. In this U.S. Constitution lesson plan, 8th graders research information about 9 delegates to the convention and then write paragraphs about the...