Students examine what they know about American Indians past and present, then research key issues facing American Indian tribes today. To synthesize their learning, students write letters taking the perspective of an American Indian.

Pupils research the symbols of America, present their research to the class, write a paper about being an American and write their own Declaration of Independence.

Students read excerpts from several Freedom Documents, evaluate amount of freedom guaranteed by each document, and rank documents on scale to determine which grant greatest and least amount of personal freedom.

Learners complete a unit of lessons on the documents, symbols, and famous people involved in the founding of the U.S. government. They create a personal bill of rights, write a found poem, design a flag, conduct research, and role-play...

In what year was the Declaration of Independence signed? When did Thomas Edison successfully test the first light bulb? After your young historians quiz themselves on questions like these, they will have the opportunity to learn more...

The Articles of Confederation sounds like one big, fancy title to middle schoolers. Here, scaffolded steps help to ease novices into understanding this all-important American document. Discussion questions, lesson activities, and ideas...

The last battle during the War of 1812, was the Battle of New Orleans which is outlined in this detailed PowerPoint. This particular battle is described from the beginning until the end, when General Andrew Jackson became a hero....

Students cite connections among Franklin's Albany Plan of 1754, his Plan of Confederation of 1775 and the U.S. Constitution and/or the Declaration of Independence. In an essay, they give examples of the philosophical and political...

In this Fourth of July worksheet, students read 7 words or phrases in a word bank that pertain to Independence Day. Students read the clues and fit their answers in a crossword puzzle.

A fan of Ari's Crispin trilogy? Here is a packet that contains study guides for all three Crispin novels: The Cross of Lead, At the Edge of the World, and The End of Time.

Students look at the primary sources that emerged from the Exodus (the Ten Commandments) and the War of Independence (the Declaration of Independence) and examine how each attempts to construct a free society and a definition of freedom....

Students read selections from the Declaration of Independence, Northwest Ordinance of 1787, and the Wilmot Proviso of 1846. They contrast the maps of 1820 and 1854 to analyze developments in the national debate over slavery. They...

In this Independence Day word search worksheet, students read the definition of Independence Day at the top of the page before they locate 16 words that are given in a word bank. They use letters from the puzzle to write the name of the...

Consider and examine the roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict during the turn of the century. The topics covered in this presentation are not fully explained but are a perfect accompaniment to a full lecture. Issues to examine include The...

Class members investigate The Indian Removal Act of 1830, U.S. Theft of Mexican Territory Timeline, and President Abraham Lincoln’s letter to Horace Greeley, 1862, and then conduct a mock trial of each of these documents to determine...

Eighth graders explain the meaning of the Declaration of Independence. They view a political cartoon of the period, then do a writing assignment for homework. They write about how they would feel if the British were calling them traitors.

Middle schoolers focus on the First and Ninth Amendments of the Bill of Rights. Before visiting a museum, they examine the Americans with Disabilities Act. During the visit, they work together with a museum member to watch a video and...

Class members adopt the persona of real figures in American history, Patriots and Loyalists, research these individuals to determine their stance, and then debate the question of whether or not to declare independence from...

As part of the study of women's history, young scholars examine Chester Comix's strips about the Seneca Falls Convention and four 19th century leaders in the struggle for equal rights. After researching other elements of the Suffrage...

For this Independence Day worksheet, students alphabetize 7 terms pertaining to the Fourth of July. Some begin with the same letter; all are multiple words. Example: Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party.

Students discuss aspects of the Statue of Liberty and create their own personalized statue. Students use symbols to represent themselves in their own drawings of the Statue of Liberty.

Learners explore documents that serve as the foundation for American democracy. They, use the Foundations of Our Constitution which consist of three components: (1) a reading with discussion questions, (2) an interactive activity, and...

Students read excerpts of the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution. Using the documents, they identify the ideas of how the government should be run. In groups, they develop a skit that encourages people to be...

Take a moment between your World War I and World War II units for this presentation, which focuses on the territorial implications and changes after the end of World War I. Your class will appreciate the radical loss of land and power of...