Spirituals Song Lyrics From: Digital History Grade Level: (HS), College Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period Length of Reading: Pages Link: Spirituals No dedicated activity here but several very interesting resources. Read Harriet Tubman's song lyrics and answer questions about their coded meanings. Read the story behind Amazing Grace, read the lyrics, and listen to a recording. Read spiritual lyrcis and identify the Biblical references. And check out Library of Congress collections related to Southern music. A few links are broken. And again, you'll have to come up with your own questions or assignment. < 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. Secondary Source: This activity utilizes secondary sources. Image: Listen. , ca. 1901. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012648364/.

Is the Union Binding Mock Trial From: EDSITEment! Grade Level: HS, (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 2-3 Class Periods Length of Reading: Pages Link: Abraham Lincoln on the American Union: "A Word Fitly Spoken," Lesson 2: The First Inaugural Address (1861)--Defending the American Union Mock Trial. 3 groups: Unionists, Secessionists, and Judges. Question: "Is the Union of American States Permanent and Binding, or Does a State Have the Right to Secede?" Each side reads its own docs and fills in the worksheets. Docs include Lincoln's first inaugural address and South Carolina's secession doc, like the aforementioned lesson. But this lesson includes a couple more docs and worksheets to keep everyone's thoughts organized. Judges read both side's docs. < 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. Gates, Jas. , Publisher. Civil War envelope showing Patriot labeled "Secured" holding the Constitution and Zouave soldier labeled "Defended," with message "The Union forever" . [Cincinnati: Jas. Gates Pub] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

Louisiana Purchase and Manifest Destiny From: Parlay Universe Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College) Remote Ready: With minimal modifications Time: 1 class period or less Length of Reading: None Link: Louisiana Purchase and "Manifest Destiny" Students watch a 3 minute video on the Louisiana Purchase then look at the painting "American Progress." Students answer questions and then comment on the comments of 2 classmates. < 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: Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Jose Gil. "Louisiana Purchase." Adobe Stock, 15 August 2025, https://stock.adobe.com/images/louisiana-purchase/1357909?prev_url=detail .

Mission US Interactive Game: Mission 1 From: Mission US on PBS Grade Level: MS, HS, (College) Remote Ready: Yes! Time: 1 Class Period Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: For Crown or Colony This immersive, interactive game is a hoot. In "Mission 1: For Crown or Colony," students become the avatar of a young apprentice as he does his job and observes revolutionary activities in Boston in 1770. Students will each need to sign up and log-on if playing online. An iPad app is also available. Teachers might just let students play and discuss afterward; this game has sneaky ways of teaching students history. More teaching activities based on the game can be found by clicking on "Educators" then "All EDUCATOR MATERIALS." < 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). MarySan. "Play Games have fun neon sign with game pad, bright signboard, light banner. Game logo neon, emblem. Vector illustration." Adobestock, 20 August 2025, https://stock.adobe.com/images/play-games-have-fun-neon-sign-with-game-pad-bright-signboard-light-banner-game-logo-neon-emblem-vector-illustration/442215355?prev_url=detail .

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 .

Analyze a 1775 Newspaper From: History Matters Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: Analyze a Colonial Newspaper Read this 1775 newspaper article about a protest in Rhode Island during the Revolution where patriots burned British tea. What makes this resource so special is the link to five short 1-5 minute audio clips from a Smithsonian historian who is analyzing the same article. < 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. The New York Gazette or the Weekly Post-Boy. New York: Printed by J. Parker and W. Weyman, September 13, 1756. The Robert Charles Lawrence Fergusson Collection. https://www.americanrevolutioninstitute.org/discover-the-collections/newspapers/ .

Examining Passenger Lists; Virginia vs New England From: Digital Inquiry Group Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College) Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: 1 Class Period or Less Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: Examining Passenger Lists Have students compare a list of passengers headed to Virginia with another list of people headed to New England. They fill out a graphic organizer and answer a couple of questions in pairs or groups. < 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: Vinckeboons, Joan. Map of Atlantic Coast of North America from the Chesapeake Bay to Florida. [?, 1639] Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/2003623403/.

Slave Voyages From: Slavevoyages.org Grade Level: MS, HS, College Remote Ready: With Modifications Time: Depends upon which lesson(s) you choose Length of Reading: Paragraphs Link: slavevoyages.org Slavevoyages.org has amazing resources, including databases on the Trans-Atlantic and Intra-America slave trades, maps, images, and lesson plans. Watch the Slave Ship in 3D Video , a 4 1/2 minute film, which shows a digital recreation of a slave ship voyage. Then either: Try Researching the Transatlantic Slave Trade , a database scavenger hunt from slavevoyages.org. It acquaints your students both with the slave trade and database searching skills. OR Check out Slave Voyages Lesson Plans . Each lesson plan has an abstract you can read before downloading it. OR Check out these slave trade maps on slavevoyages.org and have students answer these questions from Cheryll Cody, featured on the AHA website . More Info, Reviews, Bookmark it to Your Profile < 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. Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Map Activity: This activity asks students to examine map(s) (interactive or standard). Image: Unknown, Slave Barracoon, Sierra Leone, 1840s, Drawing, Slavevoyages.org , 5/23/25, https://www.slavevoyages.org/resources/images/category/Places/34/detail .

Was Andrew Jackson a Hero or a Villain? From: Parlay Universe Grade Level: (HS), (College) Remote Ready: With minimal modifications Time: 1 class period or more Length of Reading: Pages Link: Heroes or Villians in U.S. History: Andrew Jackson Students check out two short articles and two videos. These articles are 4+ and 2 printed pages respectively. Skip the article in step 2; it's the same as in step 1. The videos are 15 min and 10 min long respectively. Then students answer questions about whether he was a hero or villain. Finally, they respond to 2 of their classmates comments. < 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: Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Primary Source: This activity utilizes primary sources. Secondary Source: This activity utilizes secondary sources. Andrew Jackson . Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, .

Guns, Germs, and Steel. Episode 2: "Conquest" From: National Geographic Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College) Remote Ready: Maybe Time: 63 min Length of Reading: None Link: None Learn why Pizarro and his Spanish Conquistadors conquered the Inca, instead of the other way around. If your school (likely a community college or college) subscribes to the Films on Demand database, you and your students might be able to watch this online for free. < 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: Movie: This activity involves a clip, film, or documentary. Image: Domingo, A group of Spanish conquistadors in steel armor stand amidst a misty jungle, shields and swords ready for battle. The dense forest emphasizes the danger and mystery of their journey , File #1114977343, AI Generated, Adobe Stock, 5/23/25, stock.adobe.com .