Students examine the contributions of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson to American Independence. In small groups, they conduct Internet research, read and discuss primary source documents, and complete a chart.

Students explore daily life and its influences in the late 1700s for two families in different colonies- Delaware and Massachusetts by becoming historical detectives. After gathering information from artifacts to make inferences about...

Fifth graders investigate the connection between taxes and government services.  In this economics lesson, 5th graders discuss the process and benefits of paying sales and income taxes.  Using calculators, students compute the...

High schoolers examine slavery in the revolutionary and colonial eras of the United States. In this slavery lesson, students investigate the presence of slavery in early America, the language of the Constitution, and the intent of the...

Use this presentation to help English learners prepare for their upcoming citizenship test. It includes questions 51-100 from the History and Government section of the exam (questions 1-50 can be found in a different presentation, linked...

If your kids are curious about the American Revolution, help them understand more about its background with a reading passage and comprehension questions. Kids use context clues to answer each question, some of which require more...

The reading passage here uses the example of the American colonies to introduce imports and exports. After reading the text, class members respond to five questions, which require pupils to find facts in the text and form opinions...

Observe Constitution Day with a instructional activity that delves deep into the who, what, why, when, where, and how of the U.S. Constitution. Scholars read a short informational text then answer 10 questions—short answer and multiple...

How did the beginning of the Vietnam War factor into the Cold War with the Soviet Union? As part of a study of American involvement in Vietnam, class members read a letter address to President Kennedy and his response in which...

While less well known than the event in Boston, the Yorktown Tea Party was equally decisive in turning community sentiment against Great Britain. To gain an understanding of why the colonists objected to the Tea Act, young historians...

Students examine the Declaration of Independence. In this colonial America lesson, students read literature regarding the document as well as excerpts of the document itself. Students also perform a Reader's Theatre script based on the...

Students complete five worksheets which correspond to the five problems the American government faced and the five solutions they instituted, accompany this lesson. They select and research one of the steps in this plan and write a...

In this social studies worksheet, 4th graders complete multiple choice questions about government, wars, natural resources, and more. Students complete 30 questions.

An outstanding lesson on the Thirteen Original Colonies, and the settling of Pennsylvania by William Penn is here for your learners. Valuable discussion takes place regarding how the colonies were settled, and some excellent handouts are...

Students play a game about taxation where they have tax collectors that simulate the feelings and reasons that led to the American Revolution. In this taxation lesson plan, students learn about why the people in the colonies were so...

Fourth graders explore the events leading up to the Mayflower Compact. In this government lesson, 4th graders have a teacher-led class discussion on the importance of government, then complete a worksheet on the topic.

Students examine the expectations that colonists had for lives prior to the revolution. In this colonial America instructional activity, students read primary documents that feature the perceptions of white men and minorities during the...

Fourth graders complete a unit of lessons on the development of the U.S. government. They examine the main ideas of the Declaration of Independence, develop a class translation of the preamble to the Constitution, create a flow chart,...

Students understand some causes of the American Revolution. Students learn the viewpoints of the loyalists and the American Revolutionaries. Students learn a timeline of facts which they use to compare and contrast the views of the...

Students study the United States flag. In this American history and government lesson plan, students define and give examples of familiar symbols.  Students design a classroom flag.  Students identify and describe the American...

Young scholars focus on the First and Ninth Amendments of the Bill of Rights. Before visiting a museum, they examine the Americans with Disabilities Act. During the visit, they work together with a museum member to watch a video and...

1776 was a year of political upheaval in the American colonies. Academics examine the Maryland Constitution to understand the desire to break with Great Britain. Young historians learn about Maryland's efforts to extend rights to its...

Compare and contrast the goals, types of government, interactions with Native Americans, and other important features of the Spanish, British, and French colonies in the Americas with this graphic organizer.

Are learners heavy sighing at the idea of reading a primary source, written in a language that is difficult to understand and in cursive? Look no further, because the resource breaks down the Declaration of Independence in an...