Students study the inauguration process as well as what the constitution states about who succeeds the President of the US when the office is emergently vacant. They discuss the role of government and the events leading to Lyndon...

In this Abraham Lincoln maze learning exercise, learners trace a path in a simple maze that will take Abraham Lincoln to the White House. On the sides of the maze, students read 7 interesting time- line facts of the life of this famous...

With only a handful of notes and several great images, this slide show asks learners to consider the importance petroleum has played in current conflicts with the Middle East. This could accompany a full lecture on the subject, but it is...

Your class is in for a treat with this outstanding PowerPoint on World War I. The presentation is loaded with facts, maps, important personalities, and discussion questions on the war. Additionally, there is a wonderful video called,...

Students identify President Reagan's domestic and foreign policy, describe America's attitude toward communism, list characteristics which endeared Reagan to the American people, and explain why some Americans spoke out against Reagan's...

Students use a news article about the celebration of the Lincoln Bicentennial to answer questions about Abraham Lincoln and the celebration. In this current events and US history lesson based on a news article, students participate in a...

After the Revolutionary War, the success of the United States was far from guaranteed. Foreign powers coveted the new land, and Great Britain challenged American sovereignty. Learners consider the challenges facing the new nation using...

You may have many ideas, but asking the public what they want is probably the best approach. Learners act as the student council president and conduct a survey to determine the needs of the school. They then analyze the data using...

Students view the video "Jefferson's Blood" and complete a series of activities, dealing with both Thomas Jefferson's public and private life, in order to better explain Jefferson as a man and politician.

Here's a worksheet to help your class envision the Lewis and Clark expedition. Your young historians read a one-page article on the expedition, use context clues and a dictionary to define eight terms from the article and write a...

The world is a big place, so it only stands to reason that different forms of government exist. Democracy, autocracy, oligarch, monarch, and dictatorship are all defined. An extensive explanation of US government system is also included....

Analyze a seminal speech from the 20th century with an activity focused on President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address. After reading an excerpt from the address, pupils use a worksheet to practice their reading...

While the French Revolution could be considered inspired by the American Revolution, it created thorny problems for the new United States. Should the United States get involved and be drawn into a European drama? Was the US strong...

What was the Truman administration's position on foreign policy during the Cold War? Class members respond to an excerpt from President Harry S. Truman's "Truman Doctrine" with three questions in the space provided.

Invite your young historians to consider how the first president of the United States envisioned the future of the new nation with this primary source analysis worksheet on George Washington's Farewell Address.

After reading a brief excerpt from a letter written by Abigail Adams to her husband and future president of the United States, John Adams, your young historians will practice their reading comprehension skills and identify what Abigail...

If called, would you go? Should the US government have the power to impose a draft during any war? The Selective Service Act of 1917 (aka the Conscription Act of 1917) authorized the drafting of men into the military for only the...

A New Order in Europe calls for a new lesson plan! This third plan in a series of four sequential lessons encourages high schoolers to read primary sources about the development of the New Order and follow up their knowledge with a...

Students read, review, and write about the presidential inauguration as it appears in the media. They use local local and national newspapers to gain information about the inauguration. Students develop their own editorial on the...

Students explore the beginning of the United Colonies that were formed in 1774.  In this history lesson, students discuss the Articles of Confederation and then answer questions about the events surrounding the development of the...

Students research the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg. In this Gettysburg lesson, students analyze journals and letters written by the Gettysburg soldiers. Students define Civil War soldier vocabulary words. Students compare and...

Students, in groups, gather information about the sculptor Gutzon Borglum and the four presidents he carved in the South Dakota mountain, Mt. Rushmore. Groups create a Rock 'n' Roll President brochure.

A lot has happened in the month of October in the past 100 years or so. Kids fill in the blank for 31 events, each of which occurred on a day in October. Each event can be found in a New York Times article from the past 100+ years....

Ever wish your class could travel back in time and witness the making of the Constitution firsthand? This plan makes the classroom come pretty close. Eighth graders simulate the process of creating a constitution and design their own...