Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Monroe Doctrine: U.S. Foreign Affairs (circa 1782-1823) and James Monroe

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers read the test of the Monroe Doctrine then list the key points and discuss its central tenets.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who are the Women of the Pacific North West: 1830-1870?

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Learners view a picture from the Vancouver National Historic Reserve and discuss the people in the picture. They locate Cromwell's Map and discuss the villages located close to Fort Vancouver. Students read information regarding the role...
Website
Discovering Lewis & Clark

Discovering Lewis & Clark: The Louisiana Purchase

For Students 9th - 10th
Website detailing the events leading up to the Louisiana Purchase and the actual deal that took place.
Primary
US National Archives

Our Documents: The Louisiana Purchase Treaty (1803)

For Students 9th - 10th
A fantastic site from the Our Documents group that allows visitors to see an original copy of the Louisiana Purchase Treaty of 1803. This treaty allowed the United States to purchase a tract of land west of the Mississippi River that was...
Primary
Yale University

Avalon Project: The Louisiana Purchase 1803

For Students 9th - 10th
A series of primary source documents all related to the Louisiana Purchase. Includes the text of the final agreement, speeches by Jefferson and others. Great stuff!
Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Louisiana Purchase (1803)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this map-based lesson, students learn the historic importance of the Mississippi River, why the U.S. was determined to maintain access, and how the United States acquired the land that made up the Louisiana Purchase.
Primary
PBS

Pbs: Archive of Thomas Jefferson's Documents

For Students 9th - 10th
A PBS website that contains Jefferson's views on political, religious, social, personal, and intellectual freedoms in the form of his original documents. Contains the Louisiana Purchase agreement. Tied to a larger site on a Jefferson...
eBook
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: Society After the Louisiana Purchase

For Students 9th - 10th
Essay outlines events before and after the Louisiana Purchase from Jefferson convincing the French to cede New Orleans in 1803, to the expedition of Lewis and Clark in 1804.
Website
Digital History

Digital History: The Louisiana Purchase

For Students 9th - 10th
Find out about the serendipitous sale of the whole of the Louisiana Province by Napoleon to the Americans for $15 million dollars.
Primary
US National Archives

Nara: American Originals: Louisiana Purchase Treaty

For Students 9th - 10th
Wonderful NARA site that provides pictures of the original treaty and agreements of the Louisiana Purchase. Brief introduction discusses the amount of land purchased and the cost per acre described by the Purchase.
Activity
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: Louisiana Purchase

For Students 3rd - 8th
This Library of Congress timeline series discusses the Louisiana Purchase.
Activity
Other

Gateway New Orleans: Louisiana Purchase

For Students 9th - 10th
Read a description of the terms of the Louisiana Purchase. There is a map to show the land that was included in this deal.
Handout
The History Cat

The History Cat: Us History: Louisiana Purchase

For Students 9th - 10th
Covers two topics related to the growth of the new United States - the Louisiana Purchase and the settling of the Great Plains. How the Louisiana Purchase came about as a result of a decision by Napoleon is explained. The Great Plains...
Article
Siteseen

Siteseen: American Historama: Louisiana Purchase, 1803

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides the history of the events leading up to the Louisiana Purchase, the negotiations, the treaty, and the Constitution, together with numerous facts about the event.
Lesson Plan
White House Historical Association

White House Historical Association: Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Territory

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Information with lesson plan for grades 9-12 about Thomas Jefferson and the events surrounding his decision to purchase the Louisiana Territory.
Primary
Library of Congress

Loc: Thomas Jefferson: The West

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource explains Jefferson's interest in westward expansion while showing and describing many original documents.
Article
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Us History: 1800 1848: The Louisiana Purchase and Its Exploration

For Students 9th - 10th
In 1803, Jefferson made a controversial decision that effectively doubled the territory of the United States while transgressing his own views of proper presidential authority.
Activity
Scholastic

Scholastic: Grolier: Lewis and Clark: Louisiana Purchase

For Students 3rd - 8th
A summary of one of the largest land purchases in history, the Louisiana Purchase.
eBook
World Wide School

World Wide School: Thomas Jefferson

For Students 9th - 10th
An extensive online biography of Thomas Jefferson written by Edward S. Ellis. Includes a search index, a large set of questions, special study ideas, and several essays on Jeffersonian topics.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Westward Expansion: The Louisiana Purchase

For Students 5th - 8th
Read about the fortuitous purchase made that doubled the size of the United States. See why Napoleon was willing to sell the land, and find out about the quandary Thomas Jefferson was in as he had to go against his strict construction...
Primary
PBS

Pbs: Louisiana Purchase: April 30, 1803

For Students 9th - 10th
This PBS site provides images of all pages of the original Louisiana Purchase, with a transcript.
Article
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Us History: 1800 1848: Jefferson and the Turn of the 19th Century

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about Thomas Jefferson and his most influential action as president, the Louisiana Purchase.
Lesson Plan
Huntington Library

Huntington Library: The Corps of Discovery: The Lewis and Clark Expedition [Pdf]

For Teachers 5th
In this lesson, 5th graders learn about westward expansion and the Lewis and Clark expedition. Includes background information for the teacher. Students explore primary and secondary resource readings on the Louisiana Purchase, President...
eBook
OpenStax

Open Stax: Partisan Politics

For Students 11th - 12th Standards
By reading this section of a chapter on "The New Republic", students will be able to identify key examples of partisan wrangling between the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans, describe how foreign relations affected American...