Is, as Walt Whitman contends, America’s “almost maniacal appetite for wealth,” the heart of the American dream? Class members grapple with this question as they read David Brooks’ article “The Commercial Republic,” and quotes that...

Work on your map skills with a packet of activities about the river basins in the Democratic Republic on Congo. Learners study the maps provided before answering the geography questions and writing an acrostic poem about the region.

The conclusion of the American Revolution brought about a new conflict—choosing the stye of government for the newly formed United States. Using the views of both Federalists and Anti-Federalists, learners work in pairs and groups to...

While the French Revolution could be considered inspired by the American Revolution, it created thorny problems for the new United States. Should the United States get involved and be drawn into a European drama? Was the US strong...

"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union..." These familiar lines begin the Preamble to the Constitution, but do learners know what they mean? A close reading exercise takes a look at the language of the...

Provide learners with an excellent resource focused on the Cold War Era. Starting in 1945 and going all the way to 1991, the Cold War Era included major historical events, such as the Berlin Wall, Warsaw Pact, the Korean War, and the...

The German youth faced an onslaught of propaganda when they went to school, thanks to the Nazi regime led by Hitler during World War II. Pupils relate their education experiences to German youth by analyzing primary source readings,...

How difficult was it for everyone to get voting rights? Understanding voting rights and the fight to get them for everyone in the United States can be tricky for some learners. However, they are clarified after engaging in the...

Fifth graders listen to and discuss the music of the Civil War Era in order to better explain society during this time period. They identify the musical instruments and write their own word to accompany the music of one of the songs.

The Roman Civil War, marking the end of the Roman Republic, will captivate your learners! Meet the dictators, senators, and military powers such as Tiberius Gracchus, Gaius Marius, Octavian, Marc Anthony, and Julius Caesar as they fight...

How did Rome become such a vast and successful empire? The resource outlines the geography, neighboring colonies, politics, key players, and the significant factors that led to Rome's success as a ruling nation. Images, clear...

Who were the enslaved people in colonial America? Using ads from enslavers looking to recapture escaped people, young historians put faces and identities to them. Primary sources, such as wanted ads, help scholars reconstruct who these...

What do hula hoops and the American system of government have in common? Using hands-on station activities, pupils consider the roles of the three branches of government. A script for teachers and writing prompts help round out a...

While the French were once the allies of Americans, the Napoleonic Wars saw the United States almost drawn into a war with its one-time friend. Wars in Europe threatened to draw in the early republic. A primary source-based activity...

Groups research participatory democracies and compare the role and rights of citizens in ancient history with those in recent U.S. history. Guided by a series of questions, individuals compose a persuasive essay in which they discuss the...

Unlike the mighty Casey, you can hit a home run with this worksheet that uses Ernest Lawrence Thayer’s “Casey at the Bat” as a model of a narrative poem. Young fans must identify the characters, the time and place, the sequence of events...

Learners familiarize themselves with the geography and culture of the Dominican Republic. In this Dominican Republic lesson plan, students use the given scenarios as starting points to analyze the geography and culture of the Dominican...

Explore the struggles, laws, and government of Early Rome. Great images and easy to follow information make this a great accent to any lecture on Ancient Rome and the Early Republic.

With graphic images and powerful statements, this presentation will open viewers' eyes to the violent and turbulant events of 20th century China. From the Japanese Invasion of 1937 to the striking images and implications of Tiananmen...

Where did the inspiration for the US government system come from? From the ancient Greeks and Romans, of course. Scholars define nine terms relating to Greek and Roman government, complete a graphic organizer, and list the greatest...

Your history students will be on the edges of their seats during this fascinating presentation, which details the abolition movement and slave life during the Antebellum period in the American South. Students will be left agape at the...

Free Trade and Sailor's Rights! Pupils dive into America's first declared war, the War of 1812. They analyze the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison through diary entries and historical reasoning. To conclude the lesson, they use their...

Imagine sitting down with representatives of your school to write a new student handbook. What arguments would ensue? How would compromises be made to finish the project? Scholars research the Constitutional Convention using a directory...

Introduce your class to topics relating to the Cold War through a brief reading selection. Class members read the passage and answer four questions, which are provided on the bottom of the page.