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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Growing Into Public Service: William Howard Taft's Boyhood Home

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils research the role that education, family values, and respect for civic duty played in forming the leadership skills of the Taft family. They list and examine jobs held by William Howard Taft before he became president.
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Graphic
Library of Congress

Loc: Portraits of the Presidents & First Ladies

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection from the Library of Congress of formal and informal portraits of the US presidents and their first ladies.
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Primary
American Presidency Project

American Presidency Project: State of the Union Addresses and Messages

For Students 9th - 10th
This site compiles all of the State of the Union addresses and messages by all the presidents in U.S. history (except William Henry Harrison and James A. Garfield).
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Unit Plan
US National Archives

Nara: Teaching With Documents: Political Cartoons

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Offers teaching activities, four political cartoons, and a narrative about reforms proposed by three major presidential candidates in 1912: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson.
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Primary
Mount Holyoke College

International Relations: William Howard Taft: Dollar Diplomacy

For Students 9th - 10th
President Taft's 1912 comments on his foreign policy that substituted "dollars for bullets."
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Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Woodrow Wilson: Win the Election of 1912

For Students 9th - 10th
In this interactive feature, you'll get the chance to form your own political party and try your hand at winning the Presidential Election of 1912. The election of 1912 featured four candidates: Woodrow Wilson, William Howard Taft,...
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Website
PBS

Pbs: American Experience: Election of 1912

For Students 9th - 10th
American Experience's website on Woodrow Wilson gives a good summary of the election of 1912, an election based on philosophy rather than the personalities of the candidates. This was an election in which four parties ran credible...
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Website
PBS

First Measured Century: The Children's Bureau

For Students 9th - 10th
Read this informative essay to learn about early 1900's child welfare and what social reformers, including Julia Lathrop, did on behalf of children.
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Website
Other

Earliest Voices William Taft

For Students 9th - 10th
Hear historic voice recordings of Supreme Court Justice and President William Howard Taft on such issues as the gold standard, the right of labor, and the rise and progress of the American Negro. A biography and downloadable images...
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Website
Other

Tsu: The Progressive Era and World War I

For Students 9th - 10th
A comprehensive outline covering the major ideas, leaders, and actions of the Progressive Era and the transformation of the United States as a result of World War I.
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Handout
Other

Encyclopedia of the New American Nation: Dollar Diplomacy

For Students 9th - 10th
This extensive essay explains the goals of William Howard Taft's foreign policy during his presidency and how it reflected U.S. relations with countries in Latin America and with China. Comparisons are made with the goals of Taft's...
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Website
Harp Week

Presidential Electons: 1912 Wilson v. Roosevelt v. Taft: Overview

For Students 9th - 10th
The presidential elections in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were filled with drama from third parties, to a once defeated president running again and being elected, to a former president changing parties and running again. The...
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eBook
OpenStax

Open Stax: Foreign Policy 1890 1914: Spanish American War and Overseas Empire

For Students 11th - 12th
Looks at the development and evolution of the Spanish-American War, at Americans' views on imperialism at the end of this war, and at the relationship of this war with America's other international interests.
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eBook
OpenStax

Open Stax: American Foreign Policy 1890 1914: Taft's "Dollar Diplomacy"

For Students 11th - 12th
Examines how William Howard Taft replaced Roosevelt's 'Big Stick' policy with his own concept of 'dollar diplomacy' where he leveraged America's economic power against its imperialistic interests around the world.
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Website
Other

Ohio Public Library Information Network: Famous Ohioans

For Students 3rd - 8th
Ohio Public Library Information Network provides this site where you can play games, read biographies, find book titles and links for more information about astronauts, Indians, inventors, presidents, and women.
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Website
Harp Week

Harp Week: Presidential Elections: 1908 Taft v. Bryan Overview

For Students 9th - 10th
What a great resource this is. The four-page oveview of the campaign of 1908 begins with a review of the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. Read about the nomination of William Howard Taft, Roosevelt's acolyte, sure to carry on the...
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Website
Other

Emazine: The "Gilded Age" in the United States

For Students 9th - 10th
This article from a wider history of the world focuses on presidential administrations from Benjamin Harrison in 1890 through the Wilson administration. Read about the domestic policies and foreign affairs from 1890-1920.
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Study Guide
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Ap Us History History Unit: Period 7: 1890 1945: Teddy Roosevelt

For Students 9th - 10th
The study resource from Khan Academy provides an overview of Period 7: 1890-1945 in American History. The Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt is discussed in this lesson. This resource is designed as a review for the AP US History Test.
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Primary
Arlington Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery: William Howard Taft

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the Arlington National Cemetery provides some intense biographical information on William Howard Taft along with several pictures. The text is somewhat in-depth and is very interesting to check out.
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Primary
Library of Congress

Loc: George Grantham Bain Collection

For Students 9th - 10th
This digital collection represents the photographic files of one of America's earliest news picture agencies. The collection richly documents sports events, theater, celebrities, crime, strikes, disasters, political activities including...
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Graphic
American Presidency Project

American Presidency Project: Election of 1908

For Students 9th - 10th
Online resource that provides detailed electoral data for the presidential election of 1908, won by Republican candidate, William Howard Taft.
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Graphic
American Presidency Project

American Presidency Project: Election of 1912

For Students 9th - 10th
Online resource that provides detailed electoral data for the presidential election of 1912 won by Democratic candidate, Woodrow Wilson.
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eBook
Country Studies US

Country Studies: Taft and Wilson

For Students 9th - 10th
A good overview of the domestic policies of William Howard Taft, the Republican president elected in 1908, and the reforms of Woodrow Wilson, Democratic candidate, who was elected in 1912.
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Primary
University of Groningen

American History: Presidents: William Howard Taft

For Students 9th - 10th
This website provides links to Taft's inaugural address and State of the Union addresses.