As part of a study of voting rights in the US, class members examine Constitutional amendments connected with voting and the role of the Electoral College in the election process.

Are learners heavy sighing at the idea of reading a primary source, written in a language that is difficult to understand and in cursive? Look no further, because the resource breaks down the Declaration of Independence in an...

As part of a study of post Civil War era, young historians investigate the changes in voting rights during the Reconstruction Era (1863-1876), the fraud involved in the Hayes-Tilden presidential election of 1876, and efforts by Pap...

The United States Civil War resulted in the highest mortality rate for Americans since the nation's inception. Delve deeper into the causes for the drastic separation of states with a history lesson plan that features analysis charts,...

A timeline can be a powerful learning tool because it reveals a pattern in events. While few would consider St. Augustine, Florida a hotbed of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, a selection of background information and a timeline of...

How did major historical figures, such as Henry David Thoreau, Susan B. Anthony, and Mohandas K. Gandhi, explain and defend their beliefs in nonviolence? Your learners will begin by studying the backgrounds of these individuals, and then...

What did abolitionists have in common with those working for women's rights? How has the Native American struggle for voting rights differed from the struggles of other groups? Class members examine the 15th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, and 26th...

Who was Lorenzo de Zavala to the Texas Revolution, and how did he change the Alamo? Find out using an educational resource that asks learners to fill out graphic organizers and respond to short-answer questions to further solidify their...

Churches have been tax-exempt since the founding of America, but should they be? Pupils ponder the question as they browse the website in preparation for a class debate or discussion. They research the history of tax-exemption for...

In this worksheet of the preamble to the Constitution of the United States, students are given the 14 lines of text to read and evaluate.

Students consider diversity in democracies. In this democratic values lesson, students read an article titled, "Minorities in a Democracy." Students respond to discussion questions about the article.

Learners distinguish between the privileges of being a U.S. Citizen and privileges that are forfeited if not a U.S. Citizen.  For this history lesson, students analyze the rights of people in a democratic society through research,...

The first legal gay marriage in the United States occurred in Massachusetts in 2004. Since then, countless others have tied the knot. Scholars decide whether gay marriage should be legal by reading a history of the issue, analyzing the...

High schoolers examine violence in video games. In this American history instructional activity, high schoolers read an article on the link between video games and violence. High schoolers respond to discussion questions and debate the...

Explains why the Articles of Confederation were not strong enough to hold the country together. One result was a farmers' rebellion in Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays, which was precipitated by a debt crisis that caused many farmers to...

A short biographical sketch on George Wythe, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention from Virginia.

Take a journey back in time through the "Garden State" of New Jersey. A brief of overview of this historical state, as well as fascinating photographs enrich this site from The Library of Congress.

Take a journey back in time through the "Garden State" of New Jersey. A brief of overview of this historical state, as well as fascinating photographs enrich this site from The Library of Congress.

A compendium of primary resources that are valuable pieces of American history, as well as exhibitions, teaching resources, and bibliographies. Together, this site is a goldmine of materials for studying constitutional history.

Multi-faceted site with hypertexted links to Jefferson's writings, summary of the events leading to the Constitution and the failure of the Articles of Confederation; included is Jefferson's original draft of the "Bill for Establishing...

Learn about the United States Mint and how it was created by the Constitution. Details on coins the Mint has produced, its role in U.S. history, and growth.

A biography of this delegate from North Carolina to the Constitutional Convention. He was a strong federalist and helped with persuading North Carolina to endorse the new constitution. He later served as a Congressman.

George Washington wrote of the period between the Treaty of Paris and the writing of the Constitution that the states were united only by a "rope of sand."Disputes between Maryland and Virginia over navigation on the Potomac River led to...

An entry on the Butler family who owned large plantations on the Sea Islands. The "patriarch" was Pierce Butler who also served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention.