US History
Letter from President Millard Fillmore to the Emperor of Japan (Teaching with Documents)
Submitted by Jennifer Bauduy on Tue, 07/28/2009 - 11:36am--Marvin Pinkert and Lee Ann Potter
A letter from President Fillmore plays a key role in overcoming Japan’s “closed country” policy.
Order of Argument in the Case [em]Brown v. Board of Education[/em] (Teaching with Documents)
Submitted by Jennifer Bauduy on Tue, 07/28/2009 - 11:11am--Kahlil Chism, contributing author, and Lee Ann Potter, editor
The Order of Argument in Brown v. Board of Education is a short document, but it can launch students on a long voyage of understanding of this milestone case.
An End and a Beginning: The Fiftieth Anniversary of [em]Brown v. Board of Education[/em] (Looking at the Law)
Submitted by Jennifer Bauduy on Tue, 07/28/2009 - 11:03am--James H. Landman
Fifty years ago this May, the Supreme Court decision on the case of Brown v. Board of Education changed the course of American history. Here is the background to the judgment that outlawed segregation policies in public schools.
Virginia’s New Hamster: A Thirteen States Mnemonic
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 4:06pmNancy L. Gallenstein
This humorous short story assists students in memorizing the original 13 states of the Union in 1776.
Piecing It Together: America’s Story in Quilts
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 4:03pmJudith R. Marrou
Like the United States, a quilt could be described by the words "e pluribus unum" -- out of the many, one.
Ribbons and Beads: Native American Art Reveals History and Culture
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 3:54pmAva L. McCall
The textile arts are a valuable means by which students learn about the history of specific Native American nations.
The Garbers: Using Digital History to Recreate a 19th-Century Family
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 3:51pmCheryl L. Mason and Alice Carter
An online archive, "Valley of the Shadow: Two Communities during the American Civil War", provides primary sources for elementary students.
Documents and Civic Duties (Teaching with Documents)
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 2:48pm—Lee Ann Potter
A one-sentence letter from school boy Anthony Ferreira to President Ford stating, “I think you are half right and half wrong ” is one of several primary sources featured in this article that highlight for students the value of responsible citizenship.
Teaching Civics with Primary Source Documents (Teaching with Documents)
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:57am—Lee Ann Potter
Thomas Jefferson was shocked when war veteran Jacob Koontz wrote to him asking for presidential help seven years after Jefferson’s presidential term had ended. A look at Jefferson’s letter noting Koontz’s lack of civic awareness highlights for students the importance of civic literacy.
Literature, Literacy, and Legacy: Teaching about the Civil Rights Movement
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:54am—Elizabeth K. Wilson and Kathy Shaver Wetzel
The authors describe how a novel, such as The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963, can draw students into the study of the civil rights era.
