US History
Lesson Plan: New England and the African Slave Trade
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:30am—Choices for the 21st Century Education Program, Brown University
Although many people in the United States think of slavery as a Southern institution, New England has a more complex history of slavery and slave trading than many realize.
Learning about the Civil War through Soldiers’ Letters
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:28am—Joseph Hutchinson
Letters home from young soldiers give students a close-up view of the Civil War; their sense of empathy further deepens when they must use their imagination and write their own letters home.
Enduring Lessons of Justice from the World War II Japanese American Internment
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:26am—Nancy P. Gallavan and Teresa A. Roberts
Investigating the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II helps students develop an appreciation of constitutional rights and civil liberties.
The U.S. in Iraq: Confronting Policy Alternatives
Submitted by Jennifer Bauduy on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:25am--Choices for the 21st Century Education Program, Brown University
This lesson plan enables students to consider the principal alternatives facing U.S. policymakers in Iraq and to formulate their own points of view.
Telling Tales:The Teaching of American History through Storytelling
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:25am—Tony R. Sanchez and Randy K. Mills
Teachers can relate the excitement, paradox, and importance of American history to students by conveying the challenges of life in the past with stories. [John Adams, in court, defends British soldiers after the Boston Massacre. Abigail Adams, speaking to her neighbor, defends the right of James Prince--an African American--to attend the local school.] --> read more »
Harvest Ceremony—Beyond the Thanksgiving Myth
Submitted by Jennifer Bauduy on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:24am--Johanna Gorelick and Genevieve Simermeyer/The Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of the American Indian
While the modern story of Thanksgiving describes the original feast as a friendly gathering of neighbors, in reality it had much more to do with political alliances, diplomacy, and an attempt at peaceful coexistence.
Documents Related to the Flu Pandemic of 1918 (Teaching with Documents)
Submitted by Jennifer Bauduy on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:22am--Raphael Mazzone and Lee Ann Potter
As World War I neared its end, a worldwide epidemic claimed more victims than the war itself. The two featured documents recall the loss of life and havoc in the United States.
Examining a Seven-Flag Chieu Hoi Pass: A Primary Document from the American War in Viet Nam
Submitted by Jennifer Bauduy on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:18am--Ted Engelmann
A close analysis of the Chieu Hoi pass, dropped over areas of Viet Nam to encourage enemy surrender, provides a unique approach to studying the Viet Nam war.
Connecting with Our Pioneer Past: Letters from the Homestead
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:18am—Gary Fertig
In the process of creating homestead dioramas and writing letters from the perspective of pioneers, students learn how geography and natural resources affect the economics and social relations of a community.
The Shadow War (Looking at the Law)
Submitted by Steven Lapham on Mon, 07/27/2009 - 11:16am--Michelle Parrini and Charles F. Williams
A renewed U.S. government emphasis on espionage to guard against future terrorist attacks brings with it a host of legal challenges concerning the identification and exposure of covert agents and their legal rights.
