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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: Declare the Causes

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Offers lesson plans that guide students to understanding the structure of the Declaration of Independence. Throughout the course of the instructional activity, students will be working on writing their own declaration of grievances...
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Primary
US National Archives

Our Documents: Virginia Plan (1787)

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Read the complete text of the Virginia Plan that proposed a strong central government consisting of three branches. You can also view images of the original drafts.
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Primary
US National Archives

Our Documents: A National Initiative on American History, Civics, and Service

For Students 9th - 10th
Our Documents is home to one hundred milestone documents that influenced that course of American history and American democracy. Includes full-page scans of each document, transcriptions, background information on their significance, and...
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Primary
US National Archives

Our Documents: Our Documents Welcome Page

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Explore 100 selected milestone historical documents relating to American History. Click on the link to the list of links to documents. RI.11-12.8 seminal U.S. texts, W.11-12.9b US Doc Analysis.
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Primary
PBS

Pbs Liberty!: Congress Adds a Bill of Rights

For Students 9th - 10th
Informative site recounting the events of December 15, 1791, when the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution. Learn about the Bill of Rights and the freedoms it was designed to protect!
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Primary
Yale University

Colonial Charters, Grants and Related Documents

For Students 9th - 10th
Scroll to Massachusetts and link to the colonial documents establishing the colonies' earliest forms of government and laying the foundation for self-governing and eventual independence from England. Beginning with The Charter of England...
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Website
PBS

Pbs: The Perilous Fight: America's World War Ii in Color

For Students 9th - 10th
Online home of the PBS documentary "The Perilous Fight" provides access to an eclectic array of color photographs and films of World War II at home and abroad. Overviews, contextual clues, maps, letters, and similar resources can be...
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Activity
Library of Congress

Loc: Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention

For Students 9th - 10th
The Library of Congress provides several hundred documents relating to the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention. Content includes drafts of the Constitution, journals of Congress, resolutions, proclamations, committee...
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Primary
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Gilder Lehrman Institute: American History Collection

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] Housed at the New York State Historical Society, this extensive collection of more than 60,000 documents detailing the political and social history of the United States is searchable and allows students...
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Primary
The History Place

The History Place: The Declaration of Independence

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from The History Place provides both relevant pictures and the full text of the Declaration of Independence. An audio version is also available. Click on "American Revolution Main Index Page" for information on the war itself.
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Primary
US National Archives

Our Documents: Mc Culloch v. Maryland

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about this landmark Supreme Court case on the issues of federal power and commerce. Provides an image of a document from the case files and a transcript of the opinion delivered in 1819 by Chief Justice John Marshall.
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Primary
US National Archives

Nara: Teaching With Documents: Teaching With Documents

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Site from National Archives provides copies of primary documents that can be used while presenting various topics in U.S. history.
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Primary
University of Groningen

American History: Documents: Jefferson's Draft:declaration of Independence

For Students 9th - 10th
A draft of the Declaration of Independence with changes from the original indicated by brackets.