The Civil War ended in 1865. From 2011-2015, Civil War sesquicentennial events took place around the nation. The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium used the opportunity to feature two exhibits on the critical role that the river played during the Civil War. Both exhibits highlighted contributions to the war effort by the surrounding…

The authors of this article examine several controversial U.S. monuments and offer teachers a rationale, resources, and suggested activities for incorporating these historical monuments into classroom instruction. The authors discuss why controversial issues should be discussed in the social studies classroom through the critical examination of…

In this paper we aim to describe how secondary school teachers explain multicausal historical events. To that end, we recorded and analyzed seven classes on "The discovery and colonization of America". The results show that secondary school teachers do not simply deal with history as a catalog of actions, characters and dates. On the contrary,…

This lesson plan is based on Suzanne Collins's book, "The Hunger Games." Katniss and Gale know about District 12 and the surrounding woods. Additionally, from television coverage, they know that there are twelve districts and the Capitol. District 13 used to exist until the rebellion. But where are these districts now that the geography…

Given the current national debate over immigration reform and the plethora of anti-immigrant policies, practices, and laws, school curriculums should include materials that will allow students to learn about, and reflect on, the impact this debate has on the lived realities of those most impacted. Specifically, teachers and their students will…

This manuscript provides a historical and pedagogical framework for American educational and sociopolitical responses after national tragedies (e.g., Pearl Harbor, 9/11). Moreover, this research explores the overt xenophobic and ethnocentric tendencies (exacerbated by media forums) after these events, which triggered resurgence in a sort of…

In this article, the authors offer social studies educators a way to deepen students' understanding of civil disobedience as a democratic and nonviolent means of instigating social change. The authors explore the concept of civil disobedience from a historical perspective and examine the justifications and ramifications of each historical example.…

This study guide is a product of the Idaho Humanities Council (IHC). The guide is the result of IHC's July 2002 summer institute for teachers held at Albertson College of Idaho (Caldwell). Twenty five Idaho teachers participated. They explored U.S. Constitutional issues and political decisions and participated in a simulated congressional hearing…

Lesson plans for secondary teachers based on documents and objects found in the Hershey Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania comprise the document. The Museum seeks to make its resources available to teachers who are not able to bring their students from the classroom to the Museum. Photocopied reproductions of the documents are provided for the…

Intended as a local history unit for secondary students in southwest Missouri, materials in this packet focus on a major battle in the Civil War. After reading a narrative and examining maps of the area, students study the impact of the battle on Missouri history, learn more about the environment and cultural history of the area, and develop an…

This lesson, for grades 7-12, correlates with Era 8, Standard 3c of the National History Standards for United States History: "evaluate the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and assess the implication for civil liberties." The lesson provides background on the internment of Japanese Americans during the war and…

Soaring mountain peaks, glaciers, deep-blue lakes, and lush forests delight the senses of visitors who drive on Going-to-the-Sun Road through Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana. The construction of the Going-to-the-Sun-Road, dedicated in 1933, made this experience available to the many visitors who come to the park by car. Building this…

In 1893 the last monarch of Hawaii, Queen Lili'uokalani, was overthrown by a party of U.S. businessmen, who then imposed a provisional government. Soon after, U.S. President Benjamin Harrison submitted a treaty to annex the Hawaiian Islands to the U.S. Senate for ratification. In 1897, the treaty effort was blocked when the Hawaiian Patriotic…

Paterson, New Jersey, was established in the 1790s to utilize the power of the water that cascades through the Passaic River Gorge. Massive brick mill buildings lined the canals that transformed the power of the falls into energy to drive machines. These mills manufactured many things during the history of this industrial city. In the late 19th…

Designed to help Illinois teachers bring local history into the secondary social studies classroom, this manual contains reproductions of 38 county records from the years 1818 to 1880. Each document, which is reproduced in an original and typewritten form, is accompanied by a teacher's guide containing an outline of the historical context of the…