Foundations of American Government

Which document introduced the idea of limited government? What is the official beginning of the American Revolution? From the colonial period to the establishment of the Constitution, this assessment includes 40 multiple choice questions...

Why do people create governments? Where did we get our ideas about government? This is a fantastic introductory lesson for your American government class that begins by reviewing the philosophies of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke in...

Students explore the foundations of America. In this early American history lesson plan, students watch Discovery video segments regarding the Boston Massacre, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of...

Explore early American documents that qualify as primary sources. Tenth and eleventh graders use the provided worksheets to analyze the texts of the Articles of Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation,...

Students explore the form and function of American government. In this political systems lesson, students explore unitary, conferderation, and federal forms of government as they create products that note details regarding each.

"If you could start from scratch, how would you redesign the oval office?" The formation of the United States government was a carefully calculated and collective process. With this video, your class will imagine themselves as founders...

Students examine historical perspectives. In this Boston Massacre lesson, students watch "The Story Behind the Boston Massacre," and conduct further research on the event. Students debate the Patriot and British perspectives of the event.

What a fun way to learn about the making of the American Constitution! This video does a great job of describing the circumstances that existed for the delegates in Philadelphia in 1787, where in a just a few days, they would effectively...

High schoolers research the American Memory collection to explore the African-American experience from 1897 to 1953.