The essays and annotations in this publication provide an opportunity for citizens and students to consider not only the history of the Northwest Ordinance but also basic and enduring issues in U.S. political life. The book is divided into three main parts. The first part provides a background to the Ordinance and its passage by the Confederation…

Teachers are discovering that students want to understand the politics of the Vietnam War. Faced with the paucity of resources, some teachers developed their own instructional materials. A list of 27 books and videotapes on the Vietnam War is included. (MLF)

Describes a role-playing activity designed to show how the United States began its involvement in Vietnam. Provides sample handouts assigning students to support either the French or Vietnamese side of a debate. The teacher assumes the role of President Truman who must decide which side will receive U.S. support. (GEA)

This article describes the activities of a secondary social studies teacher as she involved her class--and eventually the entire school--in activities to support the restoration of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The students raised over $1,000 by producing an ethnic foods cookbook, holding a raffle, and selling buttons. (JDH)

Materials cited and discussed should prove useful in integrating the Korean involvement into the writing and teaching of secondary and college level U.S. history texts. (RM)

Outlines the many uses and value of historical newspapers, available on microfilm, for secondary school teachers in a number of classroom disciplines, including reading, social studies, English, and more. (SR)

Unit 3 of a six-unit series on Indiana state history designed to be taught in Indiana secondary schools tells the story of Indiana from 1829 to 1908. Chapter 1 discusses national issues in an Indiana context. The effects of social movements such as Abolition, the underground railroad, and the Fugitive Slave Law on Indiana politics are examined.…

Describes the history surrounding the 1897 Hawaiian Petition Against Annexation that is stored in the National Archives and Records Administration. Explains that the petition is revered by native Hawaiians because it demonstrates that the Hawaiians opposed annexation by the United States. Provides teaching activities in relation to the petition.…

Presents a look at the local culture of Tampa, Florida at the turn of the century and how it responded to a massive influx of troops waiting for action during the Spanish-American War. At that time, Tampa was a multiethnic city that included many Cuban-, Spanish-, and African-Americans. (MJP)

Identifies the uses of plat books in teaching history and historical geography focusing on Washtenaw County in southeast Michigan as an example. States that plat books offer maps that indicate land ownership in addition to property location and size. Discusses French land claims and the Land Ordinance of 1785. Includes maps. (CMK)

These teacher developed lessons focus on the impact of the New Deal and World War II on east Tennessee. The forum for developing the lessons included a series of lectures by experts in 20th-century scholarship and interpretation, tours, and experiences at historic sites in the region. During the week long program, teachers traveled throughout east…

Encountering the U.S. Civil War on a smaller, human scale makes the conflict more approachable, vivid, and real. Rivers Bridge State Historic Site (South Carolina) offers a glimpse of the Civil War on such a scale. The small area allows visitors to comprehend the entire battlefield, its tactics, and to see how veteran troops near the end of the…

In 1777, out of the confusion, fear, and chaos of battle, soldiers of the Continental Army forged a victory over professional British and German soldiers near Saratoga (New York). The two battles fought there changed the course of the American Revolution and insured the independence of the former British colonies that became the United States of…

At the First Battle of Manassas (Virginia) in 1861 many Union doctors fled the battlefield in fear. Those who remained found themselves without adequate medical supplies or ambulances for their patients. As the U.S. Civil War progressed and casualties mounted, military surgeons became more adept at caring for the wounded. By the Battle of…

Addresses the origins and development of "Electronic New Jersey," a collaboration between high schools and Rutgers University that integrates historical sources with learning activities through a website comprised of six topical learning modules. Describes the learning modules. Considers why "Electronic New Jersey" is an…