Activity
The History Place

The History Place: English Colonial Era 1700 to 1763

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from The History Place provides a timeline of important events that occurred in the United States during the early- and mid-18th century. The information provided is in-depth and worth checking out.
Primary
Bartleby

Bartleby.com: Cambridge History of Eng and Am Lit: Chauncy and Wigglesworth

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a detailed essay discussing Charles Chauncy and Edward Wigglesworth, two men who were religious leaders in early 18th century colonial America.
Article
A&E Television

History.com: The First Thanksgiving Celebration

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Native Americans shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first...
Handout
University of Groningen

American History: Outlines: The Literature of Exploration

For Students 9th - 10th
Had history taken a different turn, the United States easily could have been a part of the great Spanish or French overseas empires. Its present inhabitants might speak Spanish and form one nation with Mexico, or speak French and be...
Handout
University of Groningen

American History: Outlines: Louisiana and Britain

For Students 9th - 10th
One of Jefferson's acts doubled the area of the country. At the end of the Seven Years' War, France had ceded to Spain the territory west of the Mississippi River, with the port of New Orleans near its mouth -- a port indispensable for...
Article
A&E Television

History.com: What Did the Three Continental Congresses Do?

For Students 9th - 10th
During the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress became America's de facto government. Over a period of 15 years, from 1774 to 1789, the Continental Congress underwent a profound evolution. Starting out as a temporary group that...
Website
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Colonial Williamsburg: Politics in Colonial Virginia

For Students 9th - 10th
This site explores the politics involved in Colonial Williamsburg, leading up to the American Revolution. Content focuses on famous speeches, documents, and influential people.
Website
US Department of State

U.s. Department of State: Albany Plan of Union, 1754

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn all about the Albany Plan of Union from this article from the U.S. Department of State. Find out why it was proposed, what the plan would provide for, and the results.
Website
The History Place

The History Place: American Revolution

For Students 3rd - 8th
The History Place provides this timeline broken into six different sections that highlight the important events from the early European exploration of America through to the United States becoming a country. Features include informative...
Handout
Curated OER

National Park Service: Ellis Island: Colonial and Early American New York 1609 1890

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides an overview of the history of New York and of how the United States government came to acquire Ellis Island. Fort Gibson was built there prior to the War of 1812 to serve as a strategic post in case of attack.
Website
Digital History

Digital History: The Age of Constitution Writing [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
See how colonial and state constitutions differed and how the idea of a social contract between a government and its citizens is reflected in the state constitutions. The second half of this site gives an abbreviated text of the Articles...
Interactive
Quia

Quia: American Colonial Government and Policies

For Students 9th - 10th
Review your knowledge of the early American government with these interactive games. Play concentration, matching, flashcards, or click on "list of terms" to see the vocabulary used in each activity.
Handout
University of Groningen

American History: Documents: Documents

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Browse U.S. historical documents according to historical period or search documents via search engine.W.11-12.9b US Doc Analysis
Website
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: Square Dancing

For Students 3rd - 8th
Square dancing has been part of American culture since the colonial settlers blended their varied traditions together. Contains historic photos, and an audio track of "Gents Go Center." Requires RealPlayer.
Activity
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: u.s. & the Netherlands

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource is an overview of the relationship of the Dutch West India Company and the settling of New Netherlands under the "patroon" system, which brought many Dutch colonists to the New World.
eBook
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: The End of New Netherland

For Students 9th - 10th
Essay on the fight between Dutch and British colonial powers over New Amsterdam which eventually resulted in British dominance and the renaming of New Netherland to New York.
eBook
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: The Dutch in British America

For Students 9th - 10th
Essay on the plight of New Netherland Dutch colonists in the one hundred years after the British took control of Dutch colonies in America.
eBook
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: Revolution

For Students 9th - 10th
Essay on the Dutch alliance with pro-Revolution American colonists. Outlines reasons for the sentiment to support American independence as well as strategy involved.
Activity
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Harcourt: School Publishers: James Fort Rediscovered

For Students 3rd - 8th
Jamestown was the first settlement in the United States in 1607. Once thought to have washed away with the James River, historians have found 10,000 artifacts related to the settlement.
Article
PBS

Africans in America: Revolution: 1750 1805

For Students 9th - 10th
Part of a detailed PBS site which describes "the history of racial slavery in the United States, this section focuses on slavery from 1750-1805.
Website
Other

The Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The Centennial Museum is an academic support and outreach unit of the University of Texas at El Paso focusing on the natural history and the indigenous, colonial, pre-urban, and folk cultures of the border regions of the southwestern...
eBook
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: The Towns of New Netherland

For Students 9th - 10th
Essay on the growth and development of towns settled by the Dutch in and around present day New York City. The author provides interesting details about leaders and landmarks.
Graphic
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian American Art Museum: Young America in Art

For Students 9th - 10th
An historical site from the Smithsonian American Art Museum that shows the growth of America through art work by over 45 artists. This site by the Smithsonian Institute has fascinating images showing American artists depicting the...
Website
PBS

Wnet: Thirteen: Slavery & Making of America: The Slave Experience: Men, Women & Gender

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about issues related to slave gender roles at this PBS series site that features illustrations and documents dating back to the Colonial, Antebellum, and Reconstruction periods in American history.