C-SPAN
Political Polarization
Dive into the political breach with pupils and explore the reasons for political polarization. Using clips from C-SPAN that include discussions from reporters and scholars, class members consider what is causing the political fault lines...
Curated OER
Political Ideological Spectrum
Students explore the ideologies of the American political spectrum. For this American politics lesson, students examine the characteristics and platforms of liberals, conservatives, libertarians, and moderates. Students complete the...
Curated OER
Creating a Cartoon of the Philippine-American War
During the Industrial and commercial expansion of the United States, war broke out between America and the Philippines. Explore conflict, American Imperialism, and political cartoons with this creative project. Learners view the film,...
Curated OER
The Art of Political Cartoons in Revolutionary America
High schoolers analyze political cartoons. In this colonial America lesson, students examine the provided political cartoons and respond to analytical questions about each of them.
Curated OER
American Jews and Civil Rights
Tenth graders examine the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's and how American Jews were involved. They discuss the responsibilities of any minority or ethnic group. They consider the process of change in politics as well.
National Endowment for the Humanities
"An Expression of the American Mind": Understanding the Declaration of Independence
Learners research the structure of the Declaration: introduction, main political/philosophical ideas, grievances and assertion of sovereignty. They analyze the ideological/political origins of the ideas in the Declaration. Students...
Center for History Education
The Founding Fathers and the Constitutional Struggle Over Centralized Power
Believe it or not, the Constitution was America's second attempt at a democratic government. Academics travel back to the past to explore the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation that would eventually lead to the Constitutional...
Curated OER
Political and Social Origins of the Civil War
Students examine the difference in politics in the North and South during the Civil War. Using that information, they discuss how politics and ideologies led to the war. They explain the causes and effects of the war and evaluate the...
Curated OER
Causes of the American Revolution
Students answer the question of: How did England impose its political and economic control over the colonies? They create a comic strip depicting the event of the Boston Massacre. Students complete a Wordstoming activity to anticipate...
Curated OER
America's Civil Rights Movement
Eleventh graders explore, analyze and study the background to America's Civil Rights Movement through the court system, mass protest, public opinion, political cartoons and legislation. They research Rosa Parks, Brown vs. Board of...
Curated OER
Lena Horne: Race and the American Artist
Students examine how race played a critical role in Lena Horne's life. They conduct Internet research, participate in a class debate, write a letter, and create a presentation based on their Internet research.
Curated OER
Coming to America: U.S. Immigration
Analyze primary source documents relating the conditions under with prompted American immigration. Learners will analyze information in order to create a six-panel pamphlet. Much of the lesson is not available but the key objectives are....
Curated OER
His Story/Her Story/Your Story
Students read a variety of biographies to gain insight on the experiences of an African-American's life. Individually, they try to determine the time period it was written and compare the event with ones that occured in their own lives....
Curated OER
Violence Prevention
Compare and contrast the ideologies of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle schoolers conduct research regarding civil rights and rhetorical strategies used in political speechs. They examine the strategies that both men employed...
Curated OER
McCarthysim
Eleventh graders explore and analyze the impact of the Cold War at home and how the fear of communism and nuclear war affected American life throughout the Cold War. They study what role Senator Joseph McCarthy played on American fears...
Curated OER
The Road to Democracy
Eleventh graders examine the road to the American Revolution. In this American Revolution activity, 11th graders read Thomas Paine's works and identify the issues that the colonists had with the British government.
Curated OER
How far have we come in the "Freedom Struggle"?
Eleventh graders assess an appreciation for the sacrifices made to achieve fundamental rights in our society. They analyze how far we've come to explore what more needs to be done in the "Freedom Struggle." Each student completes a...
Curated OER
Women's Suffrage
Tenth graders examine the role of women in the early 1900s. In groups, they use the internet to research groups who favored or opposed giving women the right to vote. To end the lesson, they note the methods used by women to finally gain...
Curated OER
The Glorious Revolution, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution
Students relate the Glorious Revolution, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution through web based research and scenarios.
Curated OER
The Origins of American Government
Pupils create an advertising campaign to persuade the Founding Fathers to adopt a particular political philosophy. Working in groups, they conduct research about a certain political philosophy. Students create a pitch to be made to the...
Curated OER
The Civil War: On the Homefront
Eighth graders examine the role of Indiana soldiers in the Civil War. In this American Civil War lesson plan, 8th graders listen to a lecture about the involvement of Indiana soldiers in the war and then analyze letters written home by...
Smithsonian Institution
A Ticket to Philly—In 1769: Thinking about Cities, Then and Now
While cities had only a small fraction of the population in colonial America, they played a significant role in pre-revolutionary years, and this was certainly true for the largest city in the North American colonies: Philadelphia. Your...
Curated OER
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X: A Common Solution?: Lesson Plan
Students explore the ideological and political development of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X through primary source documents. They identify the various personal, social, and political factors that influenced Martin Luther King,...
Curated OER
Moot Court
Students research and discuss court cases in preparation for Moot Court. Student attorneys research precedents involving their cases, while student justices research political ideology of Supreme Court Justices. Student attorneys then...