This unit deals with the struggle between proslavery and antislavery proponents which exacerbated sectional discord and culminated in secession of the southern states and the Civil War. The lessons would most appropriately be taught as a prelude to the Civil War and as a culmination of units on the heightened sectional conflict resulting from…

This teaching unit represents a specific "dramatic moment" in history that can allow students to delve into the deeper meanings of selected landmark events and explore their wider context in the great historical narrative. Studying a crucial turning point in history helps students realize that history is an ongoing, open-ended process,…

Focusing on the great convergence of Native Americans and Spaniards in the American Southwest introduces students to the indigenous Anasazi, the Spanish Colonists, and the ensuing conflict of cultures culminating with the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. This unit is based on and uses primary resources taken from documents, artifacts, journals, diaries,…

Presents a lesson plan based on primary sources related to General William Tecumseh Sherman and the Civil War. Provides recommended questions for student discussion and writing assignments. Includes excerpts from primary documents and a list of document sources. (CFR)

Presents a high school lesson plan on the struggle over ratification of the Treaty of Versailles and U.S. participation in the League of Nations. Includes a timeline of events, four primary source documents, and biographical portraits of two opposing senators. Provides student objectives and step-by-step instructional procedures. (CFR)

Presents a high school history lesson based on the National Standards for United States History. Considers the effect of the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence on free and enslaved African Americans. (CFR)

Presents a high school lesson plan about U.S. government policy regarding Native Americans that is based on the National Standards for United States History. Includes a map, a reprint of a painting, and five primary source documents. Provides student objectives and step-by-step instructional procedures. (CFR)