The Great Compromise From: Gilder-Lehrman Grade Level: MS, HS, College Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period or Less Length of Reading: Pages Link: Analyzing the Great Compromise, 1787 Excerpts from the Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, and Articles of Confederation are presented (2-5 pages each, 11 total). Students answer the questions provided and fill out a graphic organizer. Students then design a compromise of their own, an advertisement, or a political cartoon. Gilder Lehrman resources are free but you must log in. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS, College: This lesson is meant for middle school, high school, and college students This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. AI generated Virginia vs New Jersey. Adobe Firefly, 19 August 2025.

Mexican American War: Role Play, Reading, Textbook Critique From : Zinn Education Project Grade Level: MS, HS Remote Ready: With minimal modifications Time: 2-3 class periods for all activities Length of Reading: Pages Link: US Mexico War: "We Take Nothing by Conquest, Thank God" Available in Spanish. 3 separate yet overlapping activities are detailed here. In the first, students read a bio and introduce themselves as someone involved in the Mexican American War. In the second activity, students read a 9 page article on the War from Howard Zinn and journal about it. Finally, students read a half-page textbook description of the Mexican American War, answer questions, and discuss. Each student is assigned one of 21 actual historical people from the Mexican American War. Students read their paragraph bio, slap on a name tag and engage in a meet and greet as their assigned person, asking provided questions and writing down answers. Students read 9 pages (provided) from Howard Zinn's "We Take Nothing by Conquest, Thank God" (and/or other suggested media). Students then write a "talk-back" journal. They pick out several sections from the reading that they found interesting, important, confusing, or peculiar. Then they detail their reactions. The class discusses what they've written as well as student questions and provided questions. Textbook critique: Students read a half page section on the Mexican American War from a textbook, answer questions, and discuss. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS: This lesson is meant for middle school and high school students This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. Writing Exercise: This activity requires a writing assignment such as a discussion post, journal entry, or lengthy response to a prompt. Almost all of our activities require students to answer questions with short responses, but this icon refers to a slightly longer writing assignments. A depiction of two panels from The Great Wall of Los Angeles , a mural by Judy Baca. Source: JudyBaca.com

Be Washington From: George Washington's Mount Vernon Grade Level: MS, HS, (College) Remote Ready: Yes! Time: 1 Class Period Length of Reading: None Link: Be Washington Choose to be George Washington in 1 of 4 interactive scenarios: The Battle of Second Trenton, The Newburgh Conspiracy, The Genet Affair, or The Whiskey Rebellion. In each scenario, players assess the situation, listen to advice, and make decisions. Each scenario takes about 20 minutes. You can elect to play "Host" style where the teacher controls the game and students vote on which decisions to make. Or you can let students play individually in single player mode. Because the game does not give much background, teachers should consider the supplentary materials. Click on the question mark at the beginning to find teacher materials, background info, primary sources, and lesson plans for each scenario. The game has beautiful graphics, though the acting leaves something to be desired. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS, (College): This lesson is meant for middle school and high school students; however, we think it would be well suited for college too This Activity Involves: Game: When this icon is present, students play a game (video, board, puzzle, strategy, etc). Leutze, Emanuel. Washington Crossing the Delaware . Wikimedia Commons, 19 August 2025, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Washington_Crossing_the_Delaware_by_Emanuel_Leutze,_MMA-NYC,_1851.jpg .

What Did Lincoln Think About Slavery From: Zinn Education Project Grade Level: HS, (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period Length of Reading: Pages Link: A War to Free the Slaves? Students read excerpts from Lincoln's first inaugural address, the original proposed 13th Amendment (which preserved slavery), and the Emancipation Proclamation. Students answer written and discussion questions to address how Lincoln's intention to keep or do away with slavery changed. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: HS, (College): This lesson is meant for high school students; however we think it would be well suited for college students too This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. Image: Magee, J. L.. “Emancipation. And by virtue of the power and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves, within designated states and parts of States are, and henceforeward [sic] shall be free!” Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/scsm000450/. Accessed 6.10.2010.

Articles of Confederation From: Gilder Lehrman Grade Level: MS, HS, College Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period Length of Reading: Page Link: Articles of Confederation Seven student groups are each assigned a different section of the Articles of Confederation (see link for Articles and section recommendations). Each group summarizes their sections on large sheets of paper. These sheets are then hung around the room. Students do a gallery walk while filling-out a T-chart with the pros and cons of the Articles. The class then discusses what they found. Gilder Lehrman resources are free but you must log in. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS, College: This lesson is meant for middle school, high school, and college students This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union between the states of New Hampshire . [Williamsburg: Printed by J. Dixon & W. Hunter] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

Reconstruction Meet and Greet From: Zinn Education Project Grade Level: (MS), HS Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period or Less Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: When the Impossible Suddenly Became Possible: A Reconstruction Mixer Role play. Each student gets a half-page description of one of 21 people who fought for African American or women's rights after the Civil War (examples include Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Frederick Douglass, African American politicians, etc). Students meet and greet each other in character, asking one of 8 provided questions. Added bonus: students practice social skills. Finally the class discusses using provided questions. Click "Download to Read in Full" to get to the PDF instructions (you actually have to do this twice). < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (MS), HS: This lesson is meant for middle school students; however, we thing it would be well suited for high school students too This Activity Involves: Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, -1911 . Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

George Washington's Manners From: Gilder Lehrman Grade Level: MS, HS, College Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period or Less Length of Reading: Paragraph Link: George Washington's Rules of Civility Here's a short, easy, fun activity. Read the list of manners George Washington copied down as a young man. Act them out. Which manners are still relevant? Discuss them as a class. Gilder Lehrman resources are free but you must log in. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS, College: This lesson is meant for middle school, high school, and college students This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. Stuart, Gilbert. George Washington. The Met, 22 August 2025, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/16584 .

Twelve Years a Slave (Paragraphs and Census Records) From : DocsTeach Grade Level: (MS), HS, (College) Remote Ready: Yes! Time: 2-3 Class Periods Length of Reading : Paragraphs Link: Twelve Years a Slave Students read several short sections from Twelve Years a Slave (just a paragraph or two each) along with corroborating documents (sections from 3 different census records are featured). They answer questions online and have the option to write 3 paragraphs online answering overarching questions. Students enter their teacher's email address with their written responses, and their answers show up via a link in your inbox. While this is remote ready (and we love it). We would recommend paraphrasing the questions into your LMS so that they are easier to access and grade. OR The full written version of Twelve Years a Slave is available for free online from Documenting the American South (University of North Carolina Chapel Hill). It's 110 pages printed. OR Watch the film. Unfortunately, we don't have a free link. It is rated R so it's not suitable for all audiences and others will need a permission slip. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (MS), HS, (College): This lesson is intended for High School students; however, we think it would be great for Middle School and college students too This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Writing Exercise: This activity requires a writing assignment such as a discussion post, journal entry, or lengthy response to a prompt. Almost all of our activities require students to answer questions with short responses, but this icon refers to a slightly longer writing assignments. Image: Population Schedule for Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, New York; 1840; Population Schedules for the 1840 Census, 1840 - 1840; Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/census-saratoga-springs , May 23, 2025]

Native American Policy From: Gilder Lehrman Grade Level: MS, HS Remote Ready: With modifications Time: 1-2 class periods Length of Reading: Pages Link: Native American Policy Jigsaw with 6 primary sources documents on Native American assimilation and Indian removal. Each document is 1 page long printed. Students write summaries of docs and/or answer questions. Comparison worksheet provided. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS: This lesson is meant for middle school and high school students This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Keppler, Joseph Ferdinand, Artist. Our Indian policy - a house of cards / J. Keppler. N.Y.: Published by Keppler & Schwarzmann. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

Lewis and Clark's Treatment of Native Americans From: Digital Inquiry Group Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College) Remote Ready: With modifications Time: 1-2 class periods Length of Reading: Pages Link: Lewis and Clark SAC Students read docs (5 docs, each 1 page or less) and fill out graphic organizer. "Students are [then] assigned to teams to locate evidence [within the docs] to support or refute the claim that Lewis and Clark were respectful to Native Americans." And they discuss their conclusions in groups of 4 with 2 people refuting and 2 people supporting. In the last 10 minutes of the debate all 4 group members work to build a consensus. Includes background info and slides for brief lecture. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College): We put these in parentheses because there is no specified age group for the activity; however, we think it would be well suited for middle school, high school, and college students This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. Image: “Captain Lewis shooting an Indian.” Library of Congress,Philadelphia: Printed for Mattheew Carey, 1810, https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2001699660/. Accessed: 8.15.2020.

Slavery From: SPLC Learning for Justice Grade Level: MS, HS, (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: Depends Upon Lesson Length of Reading: Pages Link: Teaching Hard History After clicking on the link above, scroll to the "We the People" artwork and the "The American Revolution and the Constitution (1763-1787)" Heading. And then choose the Summary Objective that most interest you. Also see "Summary Objective 7" below the "Slavery in the Early Republic (1787-1808)" heading and brick flag artwork. You will be linked to a short list of wonderful online resources and their descriptions. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS, (College): This lesson is meant for middle school and high school students; however, we think it would be well suited for college too This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Secondary Source: This activity utilizes secondary sources. Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Image: Ilkay, Captivity , File #129222009, Photo, Adobe Stock, 5/23/25, stock.adobe.com .

An Early History of Slavery (African and Indigenous) From: SPLC Learning for Justice Grade Level: MS, HS, (College) Remote Ready : With Modifications Time: Depends Upon Lesson Length of Reading: Pages Link: Teaching Hard History Framework This site features short, curated lists of wonderful online resources and their descriptions, organized by topic. Follow the link, and scroll to the ship artwork and the "Pre-Colonial and Colonial Era (to 1763)" Heading. And then choose the Summary Objective that most interests you. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS, (College): This lesson is meant for middle school and high school students; however, we think it would be well suited for college too This Activity Involves: Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Secondary Source: This activity utilizes secondary sources. Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Image: Ilkay, Captivity , File #129222009, Photo, Adobe Stock, 5/23/25, stock.adobe.com .