Student Handouts
Letter from Christopher Columbus to Luis de Sant Angel Announcing His Discovery (1493)
When Christopher Columbus landed, he found many things to comment on. Have your class read this letter that he wrote to Luis de Sant Angel in 1493. The text is split up into sections. Each section is paired with two to three...
College Board
2018 AP® United States History Free-Response Questions
Learners explore the the Age of Imperialism using primary sources and an authentic College Board documents-based question. Other prompts explore the economic changes brought about by the American Civil War, technology, mercantilism, and...
Mr. Roughton
Roman Empire
Does the United States parallel the Roman Empire in any way? Young historians work with four documents in order to answer this query as part of a structured DBQ assignment.
Curated OER
Excerpt: Cecil Rhodes' Confession of Faith (1877)
Consider the words of Cecil Rhodes after reading this short excerpt from his publication, Confession of Faith. Upper graders read the excerpt then answer two questions analyzing the view of Africans toward his praise of British...
US National Archives
WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – Battle of Britain
Had Britain not emerged as the victors of the 1940 Battle of Britain, World War II would have ended much differently—and the world as we know it would be catastrophically altered. Learn more about this pivotal moment that kept the Nazis...
College Board
2014 AP® Chemistry Free-Response Questions
More than half of AP Chemistry test takers earn a high enough score to get college credit. Improve that statistic by using past test questions including precipitate, molarity, and chemical equations to prepare for a future exam. The...
Curated OER
The Two Sides of the Declaration of Independence
Budding historians read six documents related to grievances that led to the writing of the Declaration of Independence. They then craft an essay in which they discuss the perspective of both the colonists and the king. This DBQ could be...
Curated OER
A Document-Based Essay on Korean Social Change
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary resources. In this Korean history lesson, students examine the provided information on life in Korea. Students respond to the questions that accompany each source. Students then...
Curated OER
Document Interpretation Exercise
Dorothea Lange’s photograph, Migrant Mother, and The Paycheck by Rick Nahimias, provide learners with an opportunity to practice their document interpretation skills. After a careful study of the images, class members develop a detailed...
College Board
2017 AP® World History Free-Response Questions
Religion and politics have a complicated history. How were they intertwined with wealth in Europe and Asia in the Middle Ages? Learners explore the question using a prompt based on primary sources. Other activities allow individuals to...
Curated OER
French Revolution: The Declaration of Pillnitz
Answering document-based questions increases critical analysis and comprehension skills. The class reads a passage from The Declaration of Pillnitz then answers three critical thinking questions.
US National Archives
WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – Deception and Bluff
World War II left the British desperate for help in any form—including in the form of a magician! High schooler conduct research on Jasper Maskelyne, a stage magician who used his talents to deceive the Germans on the war front, before...
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Document Analysis: The Mayflower Compact
Here's a great comprehension worksheet that models for young readers how to focus on short sections of a complicated text and then to create a summary of the entire document based on their understanding of the sections.
Curated OER
Revolution of 1848 - Alexis de Tocqueville
Document-based questions are a great way to increase understanding of a primary source document or prepare learners for a class discussion. Here, they'll read an excerpt from Alexis de Tocqueville's speech regarding the revolution of...
US National Archives
WWII: Western Europe 1939-45 – Invasion
Without the benefit of history, Western Europe in the 1940's had no idea what was about to befall them. Class members use primary sources, including political cartoons, videos, and internal documents, to analyze how much of a threat...
New York State Education Department
Global History and Geography Examination: August 2010
Three major faith traditions have shaped world history: Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. Using secondary sources from textbooks, as well as primary source documents, such as Aztec legends, pupils explore the interplay of these...
US National Archives
Eastern Europe 1939-45 — Camps
Britain's decision not to bomb German death camps in World War II has provided many questions for historians, but with a primary source analysis lesson, high school students may be a step closer to finding out the truth. Learners read...
Curated OER
Seneca Falls Convention: Declaration of Sentiments
The Seneca Falls Convention was an amazing outlet for the female voice during the time of women's suffrage. Learners will read a short, but powerful excerpt from the Declaration of Sentiment, as spoken at the convention. They'll answer...
iCivics
DBQuest: The Nashville Sit-In Movement
What was it like to be a part of the sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement? Learners consider the question and whether the protests were effective using an online documents-based investigation. The program allows for virtual...
Curated OER
Excerpt from Livy's History of Rome
Investigate Rome through the eyes of Titus Livius Patavinus ("Livy"), a Roman historian whose book, History of Rome, is the focus of this text-analysis worksheet. A short excerpt gives scholars material to answer 3 comprehension and...
Curated OER
Performance-Based Assessment Practice Test (Grade 10 ELA/Literacy)
Get an idea of how your class members might perform on the Common Core tests with a comprehensive practice test. The assessment includes literary and informational passages for learners to read an analyze. Pupils respond to a series of...
Curated OER
Performance-Based Assessment Practice Test (Grade 11 ELA/Literacy)
Support your eleventh graders with a practice assessment for the Common Core tests. The practice test features a series of literary and informational passages and related multiple choice and essay questions. An online version is also...
New York City Department of Education
Colonial America and The American Revolution
How did the founding of the American colonies lead to a revolution? Use the essential question and sample activities to guide learners through a series of history lessons. Additionally, the packet includes effective strategies to...
National Woman's History Museum
Stacey Abrams: Changing the Trajectory of Protecting People’s Voices and Votes
In this project-based learning lesson plan, young social scientists investigate Stacey Abrams' campaign to protect the voting rights of people across the nation. Investigators learn how to annotate assigned articles, watch videos, and...