Learners defend the Constitution against a group of Senators who decide that all media must be approved by the government, all Americans must take a loyalty oath, join an official U.S. religion and subscribe to approved clubs.

Pledge your loyalty to the king and the Stamp Act or sign an oath against the tax. After simulating an in-class tax for school supplies, young historians consider the reasons for the Stamp Act and similar colonial policies. The...

Eleventh graders analyze a chart comparing U.S. census data from 1850, 1880, 1900, and 1920. They read a handout summarizing immigration legislation from 1882-1996 and create a graph charting how open / closed U.S. immigration is over time.

Test your government students' knowledge of the National Government with this review worksheet. Posing five true/false questions and five multiple choice questions about elements of the National Government, this activity could serve as a...

Students review the Bill of Rights. They interpret how the American Government violated these rights with regard to Japanese Americans during World War II. They write down the violations of the Bill of Rights during Japanese ...

Students examine the American Revolution and the Articles of Confederation. They, in groups, participate in different activities.

Students investigate themes of justice and rights while reading the novel Farewell to Manzanar. They research contemporary civil rights issues and write reports. They also research the background of internment camps during World War II.

Easily broken into pieces for several class sessions, this presentation is a great way to transition your class out of a Civil War unit and closer to the 20th century. Engaging photographs, including relevant maps and humorous political...

Students create a first person account of life in the middle ages from the perspective of a king, noble, knight or peasant. They view and discuss a Discovery Channel video then research the roles and responsibilities of their class...

Young scholars identify the location, purpose, and details of the 2 Internment Camps in Arkansas for Japanese-Americans during WWII.

Young scholars consider the role of the British monarchy. In this Royal Family lesson, students access selected Web sites that require them consider what they know about royalty and whether or not they agree with the perks royalty enjoy.

In March, 1947, President Truman issued an executive order requiring that all Federal employees take a loyalty oath swearing loyalty to the United States. This was a time of fear of Communists and the Soviet Union. Read the entire...

Read the actions taken against a postal worker, who, as a federal worker, was subject to the vague loyalty oath. Find out what the charges where against him and what happened to him.

This lengthy article in the Prologue Magazine, a publication from the National Archives, details the operations of the Attorney General's List of Subversive Organizations, or AGLOSO, which was used in compiling information based on...

Read about one of the truly black eyes in American history when Senator Joseph McCarthy was able to make false accusations against politicians and ordinary citizens alike, claiming they had communist leanings and were enemies of the...

On this site you can view an original copy of the document and and also an easy to read version of the complete text. There is also a brief summary of the history behind the bill.

A four-page discussion of Reconstruction from the plans Lincoln made while the Civil War was still raging to the end of Reconstruction with the election of Rutherford B. Hayes.

A very clear document outlining the various reconstruction plans, the problems for both whites and blacks during Reconstruction, and the amendments added concerning the abolition of slavery, civil rights, and suffrage. Requires Adobe...

Using a Thomas Nast political cartoon from 1864, the author explains Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction, a plan that was never to be carried out.

A great chart comparing Lincoln's and Johnson's reconstruction plans with the plans offered by the Radical Republicans.

Part of a larger project about Abraham Lincoln as president, this page discusses the Reconstruction plans put forth by Lincoln, the Congress, and Andrew Johnson. Student comparison activity is included. Author is gifted education teacher...

Here's a concise timeline that highlights the important facets of reconstruction from the announcement of Abraham Lincoln's reconstruction plans to the end of reconstruction at the election of Rutherford B. Hayes.