Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Should the Colonists Have Revolted Against Great Britain?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Should the Americans have taken the plunge and revolted against Great Britain? Using documents, including the famed Common Sense and a Loyalist response, pupils conduct a lengthy investigation of the question. The interesting resource...
Primary
Teaching American History

Teaching American History: Religion in America: 25 Core Documents

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of 25 primary documents traces some of the central themes in the long, complex story of religion and politics in American history. Investigate the documents to comprehend religion and its relationship to American life.
Primary
Internet History Sourcebooks Project

Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook: Alexis De Tocqueville: Democracy in America

For Students 9th - 10th
Excerpts from Democracy in America, a book by Alexis de Tocqueville published in 1898.
Primary
University of Florida

Baldwin Library: The Parson's Miracle: Christmas in America Hezekiah Butterworth

For Students 1st - 3rd
This is an online photocopy of the original text of the children's book The Parson's Miracle: Christmas in America by Hezekiah Butterworth (c1894), includes two Christmas stories: "The Parson's Miracle" and "My Grandmother's...
Primary
American Rhetoric

American Rhetoric: Edward M. Kennedy: "Faith, Truth and Tolerance in America"

For Students 9th - 10th
This is the text, audio, and video [4:27] of Senator Ted Kennedy's speech "Faith, Truth and Tolerance in America" delivered on October 3, 1983, at the Liberty Baptist College (Liberty University), in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Primary
CommonLit

Common Lit: "America and I" by Anzia Yezierska

For Students 6th - 8th
This is an essay about Anzia Yezierska, an immigrant from the Russian-Polish border, and her struggles adapting to living in America. A specific purpose for reading and vocabulary notes are provided. This site offers links to paired...
Primary
Massachusetts Historical Society

Massachusetts Historical Society: A Set of Plans and Forts in America, 1765

For Students 3rd - 8th
A digitized version of a book published in 1765 by Mary Ann Rocque, widow of John Rocque, topographer to the Duke of Glouchester. Contains images of the thirty plans of forts in North America. Published after the English victory over the...
Primary
PBS

Africans in America: Revolution: Significance of Dunmore's Proclamation

For Students 9th - 10th
A brief interview with Betty Wood, professor of history, on the significance of Dunmore's Proclamation to Loyalist plantation owners, Patriot plantation owners, and, in particular, the slaves themselves. From PBS.
Primary
PBS

Pbs: Cet: Africans in America: Lincoln's "House Divided" Speech

For Students 9th - 10th
Short history and text of Abraham Lincoln's "House Divided" speech given in 1858. Click on the link to see the text of the speech. Click on Teacher's Guide for teaching resources.
Primary
Smithsonian Institution

National Portrait Gallery: Picturing Business in America: Hedcuts

For Students 9th - 10th
This site describes the use of distinctive portrait heads, known as hedcuts or dot-drawings, in the Wall Street Journal.
Primary
PBS

Africans in America: Venture Smith's Narrative on Buying His Freedom

For Students 9th - 10th
Here is the original text from Venture Smith's narrative on how he purchased his own freedom and his families, and his life afterwards.
Primary
National Humanities Center

National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Living the Revolution: America, 1789 1820: Politics

For Students 9th - 10th
Primary source materials from the post-Revolutionary War period in America, 1789-1820, which depict the sense of politics in a newly formed nation with a developing national identity. Includes reading guide, questions for discussion and...
Primary
University of Nebraska

U. Of Nebraska: Railroads and the Making of Modern America: Tourism and Mobility

For Students 9th - 10th
Primary source materials that focus on how the railroads facilitated travel and tourism in America in the mid-1800s. Includes railroad timetables, anecdotal accounts, traveler advice, charts, illustrations, and lots more.
Primary
National Humanities Center

National Humanities Center: America in Class: America in the 1920s: Machine: Automobile

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Humanities Center presents collections of primary resources compatible with the Common Core State Standards - historical documents, literary texts, and works of art - thematically organized with notes and discussion...
Primary
US Army Center

U.s. Army Center of Military History: Defense of the Americas 7 December 1941 2 September 1945

For Students 9th - 10th
This brochure from the Army's Center of Military History gives an extensive account of the little-reported on American theater of World War II. Read about the preparations for hemispheric defense, the few breaches of the defense, and the...
Primary
PBS

Pbs Africans in America: Forten Letter to Cuffe

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about James Forten's opposition to Paul Cuffe's American Colonization Society, which sought to recruit African-Americans to emigrate to Africa in the early 19th century. In addition, this site provides a link to the text of Forten's...
Primary
PBS

Pbs: Cet: Africans in America: David Walker's Appeal

For Students 9th - 10th
A description of the impact of David Walker's "Appeal" calling for slaves to revolt. Click on the link to read the original text. Click on Teachers Guide for teaching resources
Primary
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: Blackface Minstrelsy in Modern America

For Students 9th - 10th
This collection uses primary sources to explore blackface minstrelsy in modern America.
Primary
Teaching American History

Teaching American History: A Radio Address to the Democratic Clubs of America

For Students 9th - 10th
On July 24, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered this radio address. He urges to keep the principles of America in the forefront and begs participation of the younger citizens to involve themselves in the decisions.
Primary
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian: National Museum of the American Indian: Queen of America

For Students 9th - 10th
Pocahontas is that rare historical figure who captivated people in her own time and in every generation that followed. Take a closer look at the story of Pocahontas and Captain John Smith in this Frieze of American History from the...
Primary
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: African American Soldiers in World War I

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection that uses primary sources to explore the experiences of African American Soldiers in World War I.
Primary
Other

History Buff: Colonial America Newspapers and Transcripts

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This site contains a brief history of newspapers in colonial America. Also provides links to the texts of the papers themselves, looking back at the actual words used in American Colonial newspapers.
Primary
National Humanities Center

National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Living the Revolution: America, 1789 1820: Religion

For Students 9th - 10th
Primary resource material on post-Revolution America, 1789-1820, which explores the topic of religion and national identity in the early republic. Includes questions for discussion and links to supplemental material.
Primary
National Humanities Center

National Humanities Center: America in Class: America in the 1920s: Modern Democracy

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Humanities Center presents collections of primary resources compatible with the Common Core State Standards - historical documents, literary texts, and works of art - thematically organized with notes and discussion...

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