13 Colonies Song From: Parlay Universe Grade Level: MS, HS Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: Depends upon which lesson(s) you choose Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: Settlement of the 13 Colonies Check out the 3 min video, Settlement of the 13 Colonies , for a fun hip-hop summary of the economies of the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. Then answer a couple questions (provided), and then respond to 2 classmates' answers. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS, HS: This lesson is meant for middle school and high school students This Activity Involves: Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. Image: Listen. , ca. 1901. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012648364/.

Reconstruction Video Series From: Facing History and Ourselves Grade Level: HS Remote Ready: Videos: Yes! Activities: With Modifications Time: Depends Upon Chosen Activities Length of Reading: Pages if Choose Activities Link: The Reconstruction Era and the Fragility of Democracy Watch this documentary video series where the experts walk your students through Reconstruction with the aid of photographs. There are 6 videos. They are 12-16 minutes each. There are activities to accompany a few of the videos. Activity for Part 1 in the video series: Students reflect on power structures in their own lives. Then they watch part one in the Reconstruction video series (12 min). They answer questions. Teachers have the option to assign up to 4 primary sources and the class discusses. Activity for Part 3 in the video series: Students analyze 2 political cartoons and answer provided questions. Then they watch 9 min of streaming video (The Political Struggle, part 3 in the series) and answer provided questions. Next, Students read a loyalty oath created by President Andrew Johnson during Presidential Reconstruction. Teachers can set up a "Big Paper" discussion on this doc (students answer questions and respond to other comments on large pieces of paper). Thereafter, students watch the second part (7 min) of the Reconstruction video; this part is on Radical Reconstruction. And students answer questions. Finally, students read about the Reconstruction Acts of 1867 and do another Big Paper Discussion. Activity for Part 6 in the video series: Students watch a 13 min video (part 6 in the series) and read a primary source. Students answer questions about each and then discuss what they will do to about race relations moving forward. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: HS: This lesson is meant for high school students This Activity Involves: Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Juneteenth Emancipation Day Celebration, June 19, 1900, Texas by Mrs. Charles Stephenson via Wikimedia Commons

1860 Election From: Zinn Education Project Grade Level: HS, (College) Remote Ready: No Time: 1-2 Class Periods Length of Reading: Pages Link: The Election of 1860 Role Play Role Play. Each of 5 groups is assigned a role: Abraham Lincoln, Western Farmers, Northern Factory Owners and Merchants, Southern Plantation Owners, or Northern Workers. Each role has a one page description group members read. Then each group discusses and answers provided questions about what their group's issues are going into the 1860 election. Next, half of each group travels to another group to discuss common issues and differences. The Lincoln group will weigh their campaign strategy then all members will go to different groups to campaign and listen to groups concerns. In the next class period, the teacher (or a volunteer) gives a speech for each 1860 election candidates Douglas, Bell, and Breckinridge based on a provided outline. Anti-textbook suggests handing out the provided platform outline of each candidate instead of the speeches. The Lincoln group gives a speech that they have prepared. Finally, each group votes for the candidate that most aligns to their wants and needs. After the votes are tallied, the class discusses the outcome in character. < 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: Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. J. Sage & Sons. Lincoln & Douglas in a presidential footrace . No. 1. Buffalo, N.Y.: Published by J. Sage & Sons. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

The Constitutional Convention of 1787, Lesson 1 From: EDSITEment! Grade Level: HS, (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: Depends on which activity you choose Length of Reading: Pages Link: Lesson 1: The Road to the Constitutional Convention This lesson focuses on the Articles of Confederation and its problems. All 3 activities within this lesson use primary sources. The second activity involves a short role-playing activity. And the third involves creating a timeline. Though long, this lesson is definitely worthwhile. So let's see if we can help break it down so you can pick the parts you like. Activity 1: Each of 7 groups gets 1 primary source on the issues colonists had with the Articles of Confederation (1 page each). Students answer written questions and then groups present to the class on their document. The class fills out a graphic organizer with info from the presentations. Activity 2: Students read the Articles of Confederation (2 pages). Each of 7 groups answers a discussion question. Groups then present their answers to the class. Then, as part of a role playing game on the issues Congress had under the Articles of Confederation, each group is assigned a state. The state representatives debate a resolution. Each state gives a 1 minute speech on their support or dissention to the resolution. Each state (group) gets one vote. The teacher reads the potential consequences of each vote outcome (provided). Activity 3: All students read Federalist No 15 (2 printed pages with small print). Then each group of 2-3 students is assigned a primary source (1-2 pages each) on an event leading up to the Constitutional Convention. Groups each make a 5x7" card with essential info on their event and present on that material to the class. Then the teacher creates a timeline with the cards. Lesson 2 in the same series is under the "Constitution" heading. < 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: Howard Chandler Christy, Signing of the Constitution, Oil on Canvas, Architect of the Capitol, 5/23/25, https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/signing-constitution .

John Smith and Pocahontas From: Digital Inquiry Group Grade Level: (MS), (HS) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period or Less Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: Pocahontas Did Pocahontas really rescue John Smith? Play the clip of the rescue from the animated movie; you might find this on YouTube. Then read 2 very short accounts from the actual John Smith. Both describe his capture and encounter with Powhatan (Pocahontas's father). But the accounts have some key differences. Students fill in the graphic organizers with a partner. Teachers have the option to assign short documents on what a historian said about each account in the longer version of this lesson. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (MS), (HS): There is no specified age group for this activity; however, we think it would be well suited 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. Frost, John. A history of the United States; for the use of schools and academies Year: 1854 . Wikimedia Commons, 19 August 2025, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Smith_Pocahontas_Image_from_page_44_of_A_history_of_the_United_States_for_the_use_of_schools_and_academies_(1854).jpg .

How and When Did People Originally Come to the Americas? From: James W. Loewen's Book Teaching What Really Happened, Chapter 6 Grade Level: (HS), (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1-2 Class Periods Length of Reading: Pages Link: None There were no humans in the Americas up until about 16,000ish years ago (although estimates vary widely). When and how humans migrated to North America, depends upon who you ask. In his book, Loewen recommends the following. Put students in groups of 2-3. Have each group conduct internet research on a particular field of study and how experts in that field explain the migration of people to North America. Then have students put their findings into their own words and present. Those fields of study interested in the migration, according to Loewen, are: History (including oral history and ethnohistory) Cultural Anthropology (the study of human societies and cultures) Physical Anthropology (the study of physiological and biological characteristics and how they developed) Archaeology (the study of prehistory and history via the excavation and study of artifacts and remains) Glottochronology (the study of languages and how they change) Epidemiology (medical discipline studying diseases) Human Genetics (chromosomes, traits, and that jazz) Botany (the study of plants. How did cotton and Sweet potatoes come to the Americas?) < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (HS), (College): There is no specified age group for this activity; however, we think it would be well suited for high school and college students This Activity Involves: Research: This activity requires that students do research. Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. Image: AlexCaelus, Early human migration, footsteps across continents, the great journey of our ancestors , File # 746284108, AI Generated, 5/23/25, Adobe Stock - stock.adobe.com .

Ads Recruiting Black Soldiers and Laborers From: Docs Teach Grade Level: MS Remote Ready: Yes! Time: 1 Class Period or Less Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: Comparing Civil War Recruitment Posters Students compare a Union ad recruiting black soldiers with a Confederate ad asking slave owners to provide slave laborers. Students answer 4 questions. Armed with their teacher's email address, students can write the answers to the provided questions and send them to their teacher within the Docs Teach site. Teachers will have to click through an email link from each student though. So Anti-textbook recommends paraphrasing the questions into your LMS so that written answers are easier to grade. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: MS: This lesson is meant for middle school students This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Two unidentified soldiers in Union cavalry uniforms with Sharps rifles and Colt revolvers. [Between 1861 and 1865] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

Constitution Scavenger Hunt From: Teaching American History Grade Level: MS, HS, (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1-2 Class Periods Length of Reading: Pages Link: A Walking Tour of the Constitution Day 1: In groups, students create an outline of the Constitution. Here's an example: "I. Article I: Everything about Congress." Day 2 (or as homework): Students complete a Constitution Scavenger hunt, using their outlines as a road map. < 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. Group Work: This activity calls for working in pairs or groups or having a group discussion. Image: Howard Chandler Christy, Signing of the Constitution , Oil on Canvas, Architect of the Capitol, 5/23/25, https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-campus/art/signing-constitution.

Nullification Crisis From: Gilder Lehrman Grade Level: MS, HS, College Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 2 class periods Length of Reading: Pages Link: The Nullification Crisis Students read an excerpt of the Tariff of 1828. They are divided into groups; each group reads a particular (1-4 page) response to it. On the second day, the class does a fishbowl discussion of the tariff and responses to it while answering provided discussion questions. < 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.

Manifest Destiny From: Digital Inquiry Group Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College) Remote Ready: With minimal modifications Time: 1 class period or less Length of Reading: Pages Link: Manifest Destiny https://inquirygroup.org/history-lessons/manifest-destiny Students check out a painting, a map, and 2 very short primary sources on Manifest Destiny (totaling 2 pages). They answer questions on the map and questions for discussion < 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. Crofutt, George. “American Progress.” Library of Congress, c1873, https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/97507547/ . Accessed: 6.14.2020.

Native American Creation Stories From: Exploring US History Grade Level: College is specified but we think it would be great for high school students too. Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: Native American Creation Stories Read sections of creation stories from the Ottawa, Sioux, and New Netherlands. Then answer questions. Some background knowledge of Biblical creation stories might help with comparison questions. < Back Next > More Information: Grade Level: (HS), College: This lesson is meant for college students; however, we think it would be excellent for high school students too This Activity Involves: Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Adobe Stock

Gettysburg Address From: Gilder Lehrman Grade Level: MS, HS, College Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period Length of Reading: Paragraphs Links: The Gettysburg Address OR The Gettysburg Address: Identifying Text, Context, and Subtext There are 2 lessons on the Gettysburg Address available here. The first lesson is called "The Gettysburg Address." Common Core. This lesson plan is subdivided into 5 lessons, but there's no reason that it couldn't be synthesized into one class period. Lessons 1, 2, and 3: Students read the Gettysburg address (1/2 page) and then fill out graphic organizers for each of the 3 paragraphs. In lessons 4 and 5, students analyze how the word "dedicate"--used 6 times in the speech-- changes meaning. Finally, students answer 3 questions. The second lesson is called "The Gettysburg Address: Identifying Text, Context, and Subtext." In this one, students examine the Gettysburg Address with the help of worksheets that lead students through a literary/rhetorical analysis. < 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. Image: Nostrand, D. Van. “Abraham Lincoln, president of the United States of America” in Portrait Gallery of the War , Frank Moore, ed. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abraham_Lincoln.jpg. Accessed 6.14.2020.