Ben Franklin was the only American to sign The Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris, and the US Constitution. An interesting resource explores his role in the latter by comparing the US...

The last battle during the War of 1812, was the Battle of New Orleans which is outlined in this detailed PowerPoint. This particular battle is described from the beginning until the end, when General Andrew Jackson became a hero....

Students explore the meaning of freedom.  For this U.S. History lesson, students research the Declaration of Independence and how it relates to American freedom by completing activities and a mock trial.

Students discuss the Declaration of Independence and the violation of those rights in colonial times. They compare it with the Declaration of Sentiments and why women felt their rights were being violated. They write their own personal...

American women have been working toward equal rights since the ink dried on the Declaration of Independence. Focused on the words and actions of Sojourner Truth, Shirley Chisholm, and Venus Williams, a language arts lesson takes eighth...

What would it have been like to have heard the debate on the issue of slavery at the Constitutional Convention of 1787? With this resource, you are given the opportunity to read through a reconstruction of speeches on the topic with your...

Explore key moments in American history with the click of a mouse! Learners read 50 questions from different eras in early America, and watch the rest of the presentation to find more questions to answer.

Students complete a unit of lessons on the documents, symbols, and famous people involved in the founding of the U.S. government. They create a personal bill of rights, write a found poem, design a flag, conduct research, and role-play...

Eighth graders identify the main ideas of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. They read and discuss text, read and summarize a section of the Declaration of Independence in small groups, and write a paper on why the colonists felt it...

Students investigate how American colonists felt they would be impacted by conflict with the British. In this colonial America instructional activity, students examine the Declaration of Independence, papers from the Committees of...

The fourth in a five-instructional activity unit examining human rights and personal responsibility asks class groups to investigate a current rights issue, and using the provided graphic organizer, summarize the issue, consider which...

The various peace proposals, made by both sides, to end the Revolutionary War come under scrutiny in this final lesson of a three-part series on the war. Class members read primary source documents and compare them with military...

Students define the words: republic, Articles of Condederation, survey, Northwest Ordinance, republicanism, ordinance, ratified, and Northwest Territory. They view the video Charlie Brown Constitution.

Eighth graders interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this American Revolution lesson, 8th graders examine the Battle of Fort Moultrie and create their own historical narratives regarding the event.

Clear and relevant images and text are used to describe the American Revolution. The text and facts given are short and will keep your students' attention, but would be best suited to accompany a lecture from the teacher about the Stamp...

Learners explain the Patriot attitude toward the British monarchy, which helps them embrace the Founders' reluctance to have a strong executive under the Articles of Confederation as well as their desire to build in checks of executive...

Students explore the significance of National Documents. In this National Documents instructional activity, students read handouts regarding the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Students complete...

The final lessons in this section of the Standing Up for Democracy unit ask class members to consider ways they can help create a "more humane, fair, and compassionate environment" in their communities. For context, learners study how...

After learning about the growing revolutionary sentiment among colonists, class members work in small groups or pairs to design a political cartoon.

Young scholars investigate Thomas Jefferson's intentions for the Declaration of Independence. In discussion, they consider what parts of the document are most useful today and to what purposes does it address the most. Finally,...

Eighth graders participate in a lesson that focuses on the study of the Declaration of Independence. The freedoms outlined in the document are discussed. Students make connections between philosophy and the writing of the Declaration.

Fourth graders explore U.S. history by creating a timeline of the Colonial era. In this American Revolution lesson, 4th graders identify and discuss the conflicts that led to the revolution and list ways people deal with conflicts....

Students examine the significance of the 8/30/99 vote in East Timor, which determined the territory's independence from Indonesian rule, by analyzing an NYT article to explain actions/reactions.

Students examine what they know about American Indians past and present, then research key issues facing American Indian tribes today. To synthesize their learning, students write letters taking the perspective of an American Indian.