Curated OER
Do We Need a Permanenet International Criminal Court?: War Crimes, Violence, International Law and Politics, Nuremberg
In this lesson plan, students explore the history, relevance and current application of international tribunals for war crimes. Students look at cases from the Nuremberg trials, Tokyo trials and the Bosnian War.
City University of New York
The 15th and 19th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
Who gets to vote? Learn more about struggles for suffrage throughout United States history with a lesson based on primary source documents. Middle schoolers debate the importance of women's suffrage and African American...
Curated OER
Denying Civil Rights
High schoolers continue their examination of the United States Constitution. Individually, they identify events in which the government has limited our civil rights and write an essay. In groups, they debate the issue and answer...
Curated OER
Abraham Lincoln and Reconstruction
Students study Presidential Reconstruction during the Civil War years. They examine the role of the Executive Branch of government, especially in wartime. They investigate the complex issues of how Congress took on the role of...
National First Ladies' Library
Executive Order 9066: Japanese-American Internment
Students analyze conditions under which sections of United States Constitution are superceded, research history of Native Americans, African Americans, and Japanese Americans, and debate policy of reparations for various minority groups...
Stanford University
Beyond Vietnam
On April 4, 1967 Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his speech "Beyond Vietnam." The controversy that followed is the focus of a three-lesson unit that asks class members to consider the political and social implications of King's...
Annenberg Foundation
Egalitarian America
What does a true American represent? Scholars investigate the equal rights era of the 1960s and 1970s in the 20th installment of a 22-part series on American history. Using photographic, magazine, written, and video evidence, groups...
Curated OER
History: Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts
Students read a letter by Shaw to his wife after the Union raid at Darien, Georgia; then will draw conclusions about it. Students debate about the Emancipation Proclamation as well as the possibility of allowing blacks to serve in the...
Curated OER
Bill of Rights
US history classes explore constitutional rights as they relate to court cases involving teens. Your class must already be familiar with the Bill of Rights before beginning this series of exercises. In preparation for a debate-style...
US House of Representatives
Legislative Trends and Power Sharing Among Hispanic Americans in Congress, 1977–2012
Bilingual education, voting rights, and Congressional redistricting come up often in the news. Explore these topics from another view—the perspectives of Hispanic members of Congress. Activities include an article with comprehension and...
Curated OER
Andrew Jackson and the Use of Martial Law and the Suspension of Habeas Corpus
Learners explore the use of martial law at the Battle of New Orleans. In this Andrew Jackson lesson, students analyze primary documents pertaining to the move by Jackson to use martial law in the battle. Learners then consider situations...
Curated OER
Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858
Students examine the transcripts of the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates and create a platform for each candidate in the 1858 Senate race. They utilize the candidates' arguments to explore the historical and political impact.
Curated OER
Wall to Peace: Deconstructing Divisions Among People and Cultures
Students analyze quotes and poetry related to relationships in society. In this civics instructional activity, students participate in small group debate game and focus on communication skills that reinforce civil discussion. Students...
Curated OER
Pachyderms on Planes! The Amazing Angolan Ambassadors
Students investigate international aid by researching the history of Angola. In this world crisis lesson, students investigate the history, civil wars and poor economy of Angola and discuss ways to turn the poor nation around....
Curated OER
Government: War Powers Limitations
Students examine historic examples of authority during wartime. They interpret the Fifth Amendment. They debate the merits of the Patriot Act.
Curated OER
Who’s Got Rights? An Introduction to Human Rights and Human Rights Defenders
Pupils explore human rights issues. In this social justice lesson, students examine human rights as they read segments of the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights," discuss photographs with human rights implications, and play a human...
PBS
Abraham Lincoln: Man versus Legend
Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest presidents ever ... right? Scholars research the accomplishments and struggles of the Lincoln presidency. They uncover facts, materials and information via video clips, primary, and secondary...
Historical Thinking Matters
Scopes Trial: 5 Day Lesson
Did Scopes violate the Butler Act? Why did so many Americans follow the Scopes trial? See analytical reading in action with a fantastic five-day lesson plan in which class members consider the historical context that provoked public...
Museum of Tolerance
The Pursuit of Democracy and Diversity: The Trial of Pro-Social Injustice in Historical Documents and Accounts
Class members investigate The Indian Removal Act of 1830, U.S. Theft of Mexican Territory Timeline, and President Abraham Lincoln’s letter to Horace Greeley, 1862, and then conduct a mock trial of each of these documents to determine...
Curated OER
Eisenhower's Foreign Policy
Good for setting the context for 20th century foreign policy issues, these slides describe key points in Latin America, the Middle East, the Far East, and Europe. US or World History classes will appreciate the concise list on each...
Curated OER
Focused Learning Lesson
Tenth graders analyze an issue discussing the rights of citizens. They debate after they have formed an opinion and argue the points and evaluate who had the stronger argument.
Curated OER
Confict, Consensus, and Conclusion
Young scholars debate the key issues dealing with women's rights and the rights of African Americans during and after the Civil War. They analyze the women's rights movement in relationship to the desire for suffrage. They utilize the...
Curated OER
Give Peace a Chance
High schoolers research protest songs of the Vietnam War era. They search for information on the artists and motivation for the lyrics. They interview people who remember the music from that era and bring back information they found.
Curated OER
Have Minorities Gained Acceptance
Students cite evidence gathered from magazines about how much Blacks are accepted into the mainstream of American life. They support their conclusions by writing an answer to an essay question.