Curated OER
Battle of New Orleans
The last battle during the War of 1812, was the Battle of New Orleans which is outlined in this detailed PowerPoint. This particular battle is described from the beginning until the end, when General Andrew Jackson became a hero....
Curated OER
Writing Exercises: World War II, #1
Has your class just finished reading about WWII and you need a way to let them show what they know? Hand them this three-question writing prompt. They'll need to describe the role Winston Churchill played in the war, the Rape of Nanking,...
Curated OER
The American Revolution: Strategies and Battles
What were the differences in war strategy of the American Colonists and the British Army? Here you'll find listed are the strengths, weaknesses, and major differences between each of the armies that fought in the Revolutionary War. The...
National Constitution Center
Born in the U.S.A: Music as Political Protest
Though often used in shows of patriotism, Bruce Springsteen's 1985 song "Born in the U.S.A." is critical of America's role in the Vietnam war and its treatment of American veterans. High schoolers analyze the song's lyrics in an activity...
University of California
The Civil War: Lincoln’s Speeches
Abraham Lincoln is responsible for uniting the states during the most tumultuous periods in American history, and for his elegant oratory that kept the Union believing in its cause. Young histoians analyze various speeches by America's...
Smithsonian Institution
Mexican War
Did you know that without the Mexican War, the United States would not include the states of Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, Utah, and even parts of Colorado? Scholars learn a variety of interesting facts about the...
DocsTeach
The SS Quanza and European War Refugees
World War II not only resulted in major loss of life, but it also displaced thousands of people. An eye-opening activity uses primary documents to explore the refugee crisis during World War II. Scholars compare the event to modern-day...
Digital Public Library of America
Women in the Civil War
Vivandieres and cantinieres, nurses and soldiers, loyalists and unionists. A primary source set provides young historians an opportunity to investigate the many roles women played in the United States Civil War.
Curated OER
Writing Exercises: World War II, #2
Comprehending the role of key players and events of WWII is a task all learners must undertake. Here, they respond to three critical thinking questions regarding the roles Roosevelt and Stalin played during the war as well as Germany's...
Middle Tennessee State University
Help Is on the Way: Civil War Women and Relief Work
The role women played in the Civil War, especially in relief efforts, is the focus of this seven-page resource. Groups examine primary source materials to determine how this work reflected and expanded the traditional roles women held in...
Polk County Public Schools
The French and Indian War
Sharpen those pencils and get to writing with a series of document-based questions about the French and Indian War. High schoolers focus on maps, letters, and other primary documents from the 18th century before answering writing prompts...
Polk Country Schools
The Death of Abraham Lincoln DBQ
The assassination of Abraham Lincoln was a pivotal moment in American history, but what were the immediate effects throughout the newly unified country? A document-based question focuses on the consequences of the first...
Curated OER
The Home Front
Young historians explore life on the home front during the Civil War with primary documents and a series of writing prompts. They also watch a presentation and use a worksheet to compare how communication methods have changed over time....
American Battlefield Trust
1861: The Country Goes to War
While the firing on Ft. Sumter may have seemed like a sudden event, the long march to war spanned decades. Using games and a presentation, class members review the events that led up to the fateful April day in 1861 when brother turned...
DocsTeach
Comparing Civil War Recruitment Posters
African Americans fought in the Civil War, and they were recruited by both the Union and the Confederacy! By comparing the wording of posters—one directed at freedmen and another to the owners of enslaved people—young historians discover...
DocsTeach
The Civil War: Celebrate or Commemorate? Debate Definitions
Match game for the win! Build learners' historical vocabulary using an interactive matching game. Class members match each term to its definition with a tap. A writing prompt rounds out the lesson, leading to further discussion on how...
DocsTeach
Baseball on the World War I Homefront
Are sports essential to American life? Young historians ponder the question as they examine letters between the owner of the Boston Red Sox and Navy Secretary Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War I. The owner wanted two star players...
Avi Writer
Sophia’s War: A Tale of the Revolution Teaching Guide
Sophia's War, Avi's novel that tracks the adventures of Sophia Calderwood, a fictional character, as well as the true stories of British Major John Andre and General Benedict Arnold during the American Revolution, is the anchor...
DocsTeach
Cultural Diplomacy and Propaganda During the Cold War
There's a fine line between diplomacy and propaganda. Young historians consider that boundary by examining documents from the Cold War, including memorandum about the lunar program and Peace Corps in addition to a propaganda film. Using...
The New York Times
'The Century's Bitterest Journalistic Failure'? Considering Times Coverage of the Holocaust
Rich with primary sources and additional resources, this plan asks class members to think critically about newspaper coverage of the Holocaust. Focusing in particular on the analysis of the article "150th Anniversary: 1851-2001: Turning...
Smithsonian Institution
Who Am I?: A History Mystery
Who Am I? Scholars go online to gather clues and evidence to uncover just who was involved in the American Civil War. They use hands-on Internet activities to come to an understanding of the roles soldiers and civilians played in the...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Doing Oral History with Vietnam War Veterans
Get the story from those who experienced it. Engage learners with a structured oral history project involving Vietnam War era veterans. By conducting thoughtful interviews, class members learn what it was like to serve in the...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and Escalation of the Vietnam War
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution propelled America's involvement into a bloody conflict—and it was based on a fallacy. Using the resolution and other documents from the Vietnam War, including declassified documents, young historians...
Digital Public Library of America
African American Soldiers in World War I
Finding good primary source materials to support any study of history can be a challenge and time-consuming. A set of 11 primary source letters, images, and text excerpts provide young historians with an opportunity to sharpen their...
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