Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: State Constitutions
The new states did a great deal of experimentation within the bounds of the new republican ideals. Read about three very different takes on how a state should be organized governmentally.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Growing Opposition
George Washington's cabinet had strong personalities with often opposing opinions. Read about the differences between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson in regard to Hamilton's financial policies for the new country. See why these...
A&E Television
History.com: American Presidents: James Madison
This easy-to-navigate site has James Madison's biography, significant events in his life, an image gallery, and several video clips.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: George Washington: The First Administration
Read about George Washington's presidency. See why his role was so important in setting precedents to be followed by future chief executives. Find out about some of the warts in his personality too, all of which made him more human.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Election of 1860
The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 was a watershed moment for the union of the country. Read about the political conventions, several candidates, and the votes that were split among them. Find a map that shows how the electoral...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Iroquois Tribes
The Iroquois were a group of five tribes linked by their language and similar culture. Read about why the Iroquois were such a great example of the elevated role of women in the tribes, the complex lifestyle they had, and their political...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Unsettled Domestic Issues
The new United States government faced many threats to its success. Read this overview of the possible problems.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Making Rules
Follow the incremental process that the colonial leaders took over a ten-year period of time making new rules that would finally result in independence from Great Britain. See how many of them really didn't plan on independence, but that...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Societal Impacts of the American Revolution
A look at how the ideals of the American Revolution shaped the new American Republic. Many ideals were not implemented immediately but the seed had been planted.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Freedom: A History of Us: Forgetting the Constitution
Read the story of a young Japanese-American girl whose family was sent to an internment camp after Pearl Harbor.
Digital History
Digital History: Hamilton, Jefferson, First National Bank of the Us [Pdf]
As with so many other ideas, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton were on opposite sides of the formation of a national bank. Read why Hamilton thought it was a great idea, why Jefferson opposed it, and what they each wrote to...
Other
U.s. Supreme Court: Miranda v. Arizona, 384 u.s. 436 (1966)
A complete and in-depth history of the 1966 U.S. court case of Miranda v. Arizona.
The Dirksen Congressional Center
Congress Link: Lesson Plans
The Dirksen Congressional Center provides abundant lesson plans on all aspects of the US Congress and the US Constitution. All lessons contain time frames, objectives, and links to material, and are built around Bloom's taxonomy.
US Government Publishing Office
Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: Rights of Citizens: The Bill of Rights (Grades 6 8)
Ben's Guide is a fun way to present US laws to students grades K-12. This site presents a brief history of the Bill of Rights. Links to related sites are available.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Andrew Johnson National Historic Site
The "Constitutional President," Andrew Johnson lived in this Tennessee historic site for 24 years. Peruse the history, culture, and photographs about the 17th president of the United States. Educators can take advantage of resources....
Curated OER
National Park Service: Andrew Johnson National Historic Site
The "Constitutional President," Andrew Johnson lived in this Tennessee historic site for 24 years. Peruse the history, culture, and photographs about the 17th president of the United States. Educators can take advantage of resources....
Illinois Institute of Technology
Oyez Project
The OYEZ Project is a vast multimedia relational database on the U.S. Supreme Court that contains abstracts for all leading constitutional decisions of the Court, authoritative oral arguments in streamed media format, and a 360-degree...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Articles of Confederation
This lesson looks at the development of the constitutional government in the United States. Students use technology to explore history concepts.
Siteseen
Siteseen: Government and Constitution: Shays Rebellion
Learn interesting facts about Shays Rebellion whose primary cause was the economic crisis in the country and the taxes introduced to pay the war debts incurred during the War of Independence.
Siteseen
Siteseen: Government and Constitution: The Federalists
Fun facts and an overview of the Federalists, the first American political party and formed by Alexander Hamilton, the Secretary of the Treasury, John Adams, and Gouverneur Morris.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Drafting the Constitution
Problems with the new government of the United States led to rethinking the rules of governing. Read a brief overview of what the results were.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: George Washington
A brief overview of George Washington and his importance to the success of the new nation, the United States.
OpenStax
Open Stax: Franklin Roosevelt and New Deal 1932 1941: Rise of Franklin Roosevelt
Examines the election of 1932 and why Franklin Roosevelt appealed to voters. After the election, the country had to wait a whole four months, called an interregnum, before Roosevelt's inauguration, prompting Congress to amend the U.S....
OpenStax
Open Stax: Debating Democracy
By the end of this section of a chapter on "Creating Republican Governments," students will be able to explain the development of state constitutions, describe the features of the Articles of Confederation, and analyze the causes and...