Students are introduced to an early American inventor, Eli Whitney, and his experiences with the Patent Office. The economic importance of the cotton gin and its impact on slavery are also addressed.

Students review the U.S. patent laws by researching Eli Whitney's petition for a renewal on his cotton gin patent. They examine documents to assess the impact of the cotton gin, role-play the patent hearing and discuss the effects of...

Fourth graders study Eli Whitney and the cotton gin. In this lesson on the cotton gin, 4th graders use primary and secondary sources to gather information about Eli Whitney, the cotton gin that he invented and how it changed the south.

North and South: two opposite directions and two opposite economic and social systems in time of the Civil War. Pupils peruse census websites and primary source photographs to understand what life was like for the everyday person before...

Women's lifestyles before the Civil War made a huge impact as a point of causation. Give middle schoolers the opportunity to view firsthand the lives of women before the Civil War. They analyze primary source documents, view photographs,...

Fifth graders examine the manufacturing of cotton. In this cotton and slavery lesson, 5th graders review background information about cotton and slavery. Students examine a real cotton ball and discuss why it was painful to pick....

North is to factory as South is to plantation—the perfect analogy for the economy that set up the Civil War! The first lesson in a series of five helps teach beginners why the economy creates a driving force for conflict. Analysis of...

Students explore how technology has slowly changed the world, starting in the 18th Century.  In this United States History lesson, students work in teams to complete numerous activities that compare and contrast life before and...

Fifth graders explore the cotton plant. In this cotton lesson, 5th graders research the process of growing cotton. Students explore the economic and cultural differences in the states that grew cotton for trade and industry.

Sixth graders investigate the farming process for cotton and its impact on the United States history. In this cotton farming lesson, 6th graders read background information on the cotton farming process and discuss the role of slavery in...

American life before the Civil War was very different from American life today. To show this difference in a full spectrum, learners compare two communities that illustrate the differences between Northern and Southern life. Throughout...

Students examine cotton production and milling. They compete in a hand-ginning contest to realize how difficult it was to separate the seeds from the fibers of cotton. They discuss why Eli Whitney's cotton gin was an important invention.

Seventh graders complete a unit of lessons on the reform movements of the mid-1800's in the U.S. They participate in an Internet scavenger hunt, analyze primary source documents, and develop and perform a simulation of a mid-19th century...

Students read a story from MotherGooseCaboose.com prior to answering a series of questions about it. After examining the story for patterns, they compose their own tale including a title and details.

Students analyze the ways slavery shaped social and economic life in the South after 1800, methods of passive and active resistance to slavery; escaped slaves and the Underground Railroad, and the ending of the Atlantic slave trade.

Sixth graders investigate the origins of clothing production. In this Social Studies lesson, 6th graders examine the components of agriculture involved in making clothes. Students research cotton.

Students conduct research and present their findings in a persuasive manner. Then they work in groups to enhance the development of cooperative work skills. Students also present their findings through persuasive skills in writing and/or...

Greek Revival architecture and the Civil Rights Movement? Sure! Examine how the Lyceum and Circle, two historic buildings located on the campus of the University of Mississippi, relate to integration and the 1962 riot on the university...

Middle schoolers explore the impact of cotton. For this economics lesson, students listen to a lecture presented by their instructor on the Southern crop of cotton and its impact on the South prior to and following the Civil War. Middle...

Students learn about inventions of the Industrial Revolution and their impact on life. In this Industrial Revolution lesson, students look at how the Industrial Revolution changed the work experience from farms to factories. They tell...

Imagine recycling food scraps and using them to make paper. The directions are all here in a seven-page packet that details several paper-making strategies.

Fifth graders read about the cotton industry in America and demonstrate the roll of slaves picking and removing seeds from a boll of cotton. The relationship between slaves and cotton production is established.

Students recognize the dynamic changes in themselves and in agriculture that have occurred through the years. They are shown pictures of a baby or students are asked to think of their little brothers or sisters or themselves in...

Students cite the importance of the steam engine, cotton gin and steel making process. They describe conditions in cities due to increased industrialization. They explain how the living and working conditions led to the development of...