Students act as investigative reporters and research battles or events of the War of 1812. They write an original article, which may include a map, drawing, or illustration.

Thomas Jefferson remains one of the most fascinating figure in American history, both for his innovative contributions to the United States government and his remarkably contradictory personal life. A series of discussion questions and...

Ken Burn's epic documentary miniseries The Civil War, broadcast in 1990, was the most-watched PBS program ever. A question sheet helps viewers keep track of events in the first episode of the documentary.

Students examine democratic values. In this democratic ideologies lesson, students discuss individual rights and rights of the group. Students also discuss the implications of the priorities made in democratic societies regarding rights.

Eleventh graders examine how President Lincoln formulated the principles of the Declaration of Independence as the goal of the American Union.  In this American Government activity, 11th graders read and analyze primary sources...

In an engaging activity on universal and unalienable rights, learners work in groups to establish a democratic nation and determine what principles they want to protect to ensure a democratic society. They conduct a "rights auction" in...

Here is a great interactive idea that may need a little refining. Students play 3 rounds, where they answer questions explaining how different countries have gained independence throughout history. While this resource has music and...

Young scholars examine Thomas Jefferson's complex and contradictory relationship with slavery.

Students explore U.S. history by reading biographical material in class. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson, students identify the life of Franklin and the events that led him to become one of America's first heroes. Students complete an...

Eighth graders discover how the Seneca Falls Convention aided women's rights. In this Declaration of Sentiments instructional activity, 8th graders use the provided worksheet to analyze the document and compare it to the Declaration of...

In this Declaration of Independence worksheet, students fill in blank pictures of scrolls with information they know about the Declaration of Independence.

For this influence of the Enlightenment on America study guide worksheet, students read the notes provided and add notes of their own regarding the frameworks for the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution.

Class members adopt the persona of real figures in American history, Patriots and Loyalists, research these individuals to determine their stance, and then debate the question of whether or not to declare independence from...

It's time to test those skills! Assess pupils' knowledge of US history and government with short answer questions, multiple-choice items, and essays. The resource serves as a standardized test that functions well for a final exam....

Consider and examine the roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict during the turn of the century. The topics covered in this presentation are not fully explained but are a perfect accompaniment to a full lecture. Issues to examine include The...

In this United States history worksheet, students utilize a word bank of 10 terms or phrases to answer 10 fill in the blank questions about the nation declaring its independence. A short answer question is included as well.

Middle schoolers cite connections among Franklin's Albany Plan of 1754, his Plan of Confederation of 1775 and the U.S. Constitution and/or the Declaration of Independence. In an essay, they give examples of the philosophical and...

From 1500-2000, an interactive timeline details important events related to Latino Americans. Next, to each date are small, yet informative blurbs—some of which include videos. 

Has equality always existed as an unalienable right in the United States? Use this worksheet to chronicle the history and progression of equality in major documents and speeches throughout American history. The graphic organizer asks...

Lesson 6 of this extensive unit finally has your class begin to work their way through specific articles from the text of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Before examining the rights actually detailed in the...

A continuation of the previous lesson, which is part of a larger group of lessons on human rights (see additional materials). Here, in Lesson 7, your class will explore more articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. After...

What does an ad reveal about a culture, or about the values of its intended audience? Class members examine a series of runaway slave ads—one of which was written by Thomas Jefferson—and consider what these primary source documents...

A panoramic view of the European revolutions of the 19th century ties these slides together, which feature paintings and maps to illustrate the effects of each revolution. Details and information about the Greek, Belgian, French, and...

Students analyze a copy of the Declaration of Independence to discover how it was adopted, approved, and signed. The tone and style of the document are analyzed for intention through an exploration its the language and vocabulary.