Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Foreign and Domestic Entanglements

For Students 5th - 8th
Read about the many facets of Ronald Reagan's foreign policy during his presidency. Find out about support for anti-Communist fighters, detente with the USSR, and the Iran-Contra scandal.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Kennedy's New Frontier

For Students 5th - 8th
Read about John Kennedy's vision for America upon his becoming president. Find out about the space race with the Soviet Union, and expanded social programs for the poor and elderly in America.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Trust Buster

For Students 5th - 8th
Theodore Roosevelt, as a Progressive president, wanted government to work for all the people, not just the rich. See how he used legislation already in place, the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, to sue what he considered "bad" trusts in order to...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Progressives in the White House

For Students 5th - 8th
Read a brief overview of the three presidents, two Republican and one Democrat, who believed in an activist government to help all the people, and pushed for legislation to reflect their views.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Growing Opposition

For Students 5th - 8th
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...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The South Carolina Nullification Controversy

For Students 5th - 8th
The nullification controversy began as an economic dispute between north and south. See how the question about tariffs resulted in a states' rights issue in South Carolina. Read about what President Andrew Jackson was going to do about...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: "American Blood on American Soil"

For Students 5th - 8th
President James Polk's desire was for the United States to stretch from sea to shining sea. See what happened when his overatures to Mexico to buy the land north of the Rio Grande River were spurned. Take a brief vote to see if Polk was...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Sickened Economy

For Students 5th - 8th
The U.S. economy in the 1970s staggered and fell in the 1970s. Read about the reasons for the depressed economy marked by high inflation and high unemployment.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Presidential Election Partners

For Teachers 9th - 10th
As a presidential election approaches, have young scholars recruit an adult "election partner" to discuss and debate candidate selection and important issues related to the campaign. Becoming an active participant in the civic process...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Tet Offensive

For Students 5th - 8th
The Tet Offensive showed the resolve of the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese. See how the continuing war, with no end in sight, began to shift public opinion away from support for the war, and read about how Lyndon Johnson made some...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The War Against the Bank

For Students 5th - 8th
Read about Andrew Jackson's animosity toward the Second Bank of the United States and some reasons for his feelings. Was his veto of the Recharter Bill good for the country? Take the little survey to express your views.
Handout
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: "Massive Resistance" and the Little Rock Nine

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about the famous civil rights protest in Little Rock, Kansas in 1957 when nine African American students attempted to enter Central High School on the first day of school. Despite the presence of federal troops at the school for the...
Primary
Other

Amdocs: First Open Door Note, by John Hay

For Students 9th - 10th
A diplomatic note sent to the U.S. ambassador to Germany from John Hay, Secretary of State, giving a brief outline of the U.S. concept of the Open Door policy for China.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Tirangular Diplomacy: u.s., Ussr, and China

For Students 5th - 8th
A discussion about Richard Nixon's foreign policies and his idea of triangular diplomacy where he used the rivalries between the USSR and China for U.S. advantage.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Years of Withdrawal

For Students 5th - 8th
Winding down the war in Vietnam took several years. Read about Richard Nixon's plans for Vietnamization and "peace with honor." Find out how other events in Vietnam pushed the antiwar movement to even more demonstrations.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Wilmot's Proviso

For Students 5th - 8th
Congressman David Wilmot, even before the end of the Mexican-War, proposed legislation that would outlaw the expansion of slavery into the new territory, should the United States acquire it. Read about his reasons for proposing the...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Claiming Victory From Defeat

For Students 5th - 8th
A list of the reasons for the War of 1812 is followed by an overview of the important battles of the war and the terms of the treaty that ended it.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Decision to Drop the Bomb

For Students 5th - 8th
Was it necessary to drop the atomic bomb on Japan in order to save lives? Were the consequences worse than the waiting for a surrender of Japan? Read this discussion of the decision to drop the bomb, find out about the possible motives...
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: 54 40 or Fight

For Students 5th - 8th
See how James Polk's plan to claim the Oregon Territory, which had been shared with Great Britain since 1818, led him to victory with the slogan, Fifty-four forty or fight. Read about the settlers who traveled the Oregon Trail and why...
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Making History Personal

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson fosters an understanding of a major event in American history. It uses this event to guide students into research of how the event affected an 'ordinary' person's life. Each student will be responsible for interviewing...
Article
Immigration and Ethnic History Society

Iehs: Carly Goodman, "Debating Diversity: The Diversity Visa Lottery"

For Students 9th - 10th
This article focuses on the history of the Irish immigrants in the 80s and 90s who fought for ways to enter the US legally, the diversity in America, and the impact of the election of President Trump.
Primary
Internet History Sourcebooks Project

Fordham University: Modern History Sourcebook: Lbj and Ho Chi Minh Letters

For Students 9th - 10th
Two letters: one written by Lyndon Johnson (1908-1973 CE) to Ho Chi Minh and the other Minh's response. Johnson is testing the waters for a peace settlement while Minh insists that the Vietname War was provoked by the US and can only be...
Handout
Other

Lloyd Sealy Library: u.s. Elections 1972 2020: Elections

For Students 9th - 10th
This page lists the various US presidential elections from 1972-2020 and the two main candidates who ran for their respective parties and who won the election for that year.
Website
Other

Aerostories: Gary Powers' Misadventure

For Students 9th - 10th
An excellent resource for learning about the U-2 spy plane flown by Francis Gary Powers that was shot down over Russia in 1960. Contains a very detailed examination of the origins of spy plane missions plus fabulous details that bring...

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