Maintains that students must learn to seek the significance of events in history, to ask the question "Why?" in order to draw meaningful conclusions that may be transferred to their own lives. (JDH)

Maintains the enduring public fascination with the Civil War provides opportunities and dangers for history teachers. Reviews changes in historical interpretations of the Civil War. Asserts that recent scholarship suggests that both the South and North fought to preserve doomed social systems. (CFR)

Discusses the probable impact of computer technology on schools and teaching. Argues that computers and the Internet can best be used to supplement or make more efficient the traditional tasks of the historian; problems arise when technology is used in ways that distract the student from fundamental tasks. (DSK)

Maintains that, although historiography and historical interpretation of the American Revolution have led to new questions and new answers, historians have become more sensitive to the complexity of that event and era. Presents an extended annotated bibliography of research and writing about the American Revolution. (CFR)

Asserts that the study of history involves more than the passive absorption facts, dates, names, and places. Maintains that real historical understanding requires students to engage in historical thinking, to raise questions, and to marshal evidence. Describes skills for five types of historical thinking. (CFR)

Advocates a topical approach to teaching United States history as more practical and effective than a chronological approach. Briefly explores the topics of reform, expansion, revolution, and the presidency; and shows how they could be used to teach about nineteenth century U.S. history. (Author/AEM)

This article identifies six problems that teachers routinely encounter in teaching about the U.S. Constitution and suggests practical ways to overcome them. Among the problems covered are the heavy concept load and difficult reading level. (Author/BSR)

Uses five myths about the Constitution of the United States to help students better understand the basis for and the ratification of this important historical document. Among the myths included are the heart of the Constitution is the Bill of Rights and the Constitution was created by reactionary commercial interests to maintain the status quo.…

Offers criteria for an ideal history course from a student's point of view. Teacher preparation, use of primary source materials, simulations, and other involving methods are recommended. While validating these recommendations, a teacher responds that inadequate content preparation, heavy teaching loads, and increasing bureaucracy may mitigate…

Using the National History Day theme for 1985, "Conflicts and Compromises in History," this article provides basic information about the history day program, four sample forms to aid high school teachers in submitting projects, and guidelines on how students should develop their projects. (JDH)

Presents a lesson plan which shows how to integrate primary source material gathered during a field trip to a local historical society into a history or social studies class. Includes primary source material from an 1825 diary and a list of discussion questions. (JDH)

Discusses the value of journals for understanding a historical period. Suggests that social studies students be encouraged to keep journals to understand better the difference between something written at the time and a later description of the same event. Lists examples of journals from historical periods that may interest students in journal…

Reviews developments and key books in the field of urban history within the United States. Notes that the field has come a long way since Arthur Schlesinger, Sr. wrote THE RISE OF THE CITY in 1933. Concludes that current trends emphasize narrative, readability, and an attempt to appeal to a wider audience. (JDH)

Argues that by looking at Progressives' different attitudes toward the draft during the war, we can see more clearly some of the features of Progressivism as its adherents grappled with problems of war and peace. (JDH)

An excellent way to teach history is by focusing on the lives of individual historical figures. History is the story of living persons, who for good or ill have made history as it is. To understand history, students must learn about the men and women who shaped events. (RM)