Points out the importance of the Tarawa landing in the Gilbert Islands during World War II, and recommends teaching about the event. Provides detailed analysis of the November 21-24, 1943, amphibious assault by U.S. Marines. Examines the rationale for the location, timing, and type of attack. Identifies key personnel. Includes intelligence map of…

This biographical essay focuses on Elizabeth Cady Stanton's strict religious upbringing and her conversion to a more rationalist ethic. Discusses Stanton's involvement in the abolitionist movement and draws parallels between the ideals of Jacksonian democracy and the early suffragette movement. (MJP)

Discusses a database used by honors high school U.S. history students learning about the Spanish-American War. Reports that the students compiled the database. Includes some of the historical background of the war, questions for study, a database key, and a table showing U.S. senators' votes relating to the War. (SG)

Discusses the development of the modern U.S. Thanksgiving celebration from the earlier traditions of ancient English harvest festivals, solemn religious observances, and the commemoration of the Pilgrims' landing known as Forefathers' Day. Presents primary source material including excerpts from journals by William Bradford and Abraham Lincoln's…

Discusses the sparse coverage of religion in United States history textbooks. Presents four such textbooks' explanations of the stories of Christopher Columbus and the Massachusetts Bay Colonies. Underscores the relative absence of detail about the religious underpinnings of the two historical situations. Identifies other U.S. historical events…

Critiques U.S. military assumptions concerning the war in Vietnam. Discusses the North Vietnamese strategic approach to gaining control of South Vietnam. Traces the history of the Vietnam War, analyzing specific U.S. military operations in Vietnam and reasons for their failure. Contends that U.S. strategic ethnocentrism lead to defeat in Vietnam.…

Presents a lesson plan designed to enhance student understanding of the value of history study. Focuses on David Laushey's 10 values of the study of history. Creates a series of discussion vignettes based on these concepts. Includes questions for study and a list of vignettes for classroom discussion and problem solving. (NL)

Describes the significance of the election of 1800 in the development of political parties in the United States. Contends that Alexander Hamilton's view of the United States Constitution was dangerous for the new nation and led to a permanent split in the Federalist Party. Includes a resource bibliography for teachers wishing to incorporate this…

Discusses the lack of common knowledge among today's students, illustrating the societal and political consequences of education which fails to provide all students with some basic, agreed-upon foundation of shared knowledge. States that the re-establishment of a common national vocabulary is possible, workable, and necessary for preserving the…

Presents a lesson plan which allows students to grapple with significant questions about the U.S. Constitution while they develop important critical thinking skills. Entitled "The Constitution, the Public, and Voting," the plan encourages skills such as evaluating generalizations, evaluating reasoning by analogy, and recognizing unstated…

Outlines reasons why teaching about Vietnam is important. Presents the results of a survey designed to find out what New England teachers are teaching about Vietnam. Critiques textbooks on the Vietnam War, and offers teaching strategies for Vietnam War instruction. Recommends the use of maps, films, and videos. (RW)

Suggests that the integration of geography activities into U.S. history courses is a remedy for the lack of geography awareness displayed by today's students. Summarizes 14 activities from the "U.S. History I Map Activities" book which are designed to familiarize students with the physiography of the United States. (KO)

Presents a lesson in which students are asked to analyze a preindustrial New England town according to its social and economic characteristics. Students are then asked to make hypotheses about how the town might have changed socially and economically with industrialization. Gives instructions for implementation. (KO)

Examines a primary source-based kit that describes the life of a young woman factory worker in early 19th-century New England. The kit includes five document sets, utilizing maps, newspaper articles, deeds, letters, poems, and other artifacts. The document sets illustrate various topics including mill life and personal life. (MJP)

Surveys U.S. history texts to determine the coverage given to eastern European immigrants. Reports that Poland is most extensively covered and that the amount of coverage of other eastern European peoples increases with Polish coverage. Suggests a correlation between the frequency an ethnic group is cited and the size of its population in the…