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Website
Other

The Oregon Trail: Fantastic Facts About the Oregon Trail

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource provides quirky facts about the Oregon Trail.
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Primary
Ibis Communications

Eye Witness to History; Crossing the Plains, 1865

For Students 9th - 10th
Article offers the diaries of Sarah Raymond as she treks across the Great Plains. Describes the many hardships encountered on this long journey.
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Graphic
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian American Art Museum: Lure of the West

For Students 9th - 10th
Beautiful artwork from the more famous artists who depicted the people, places and things of the American West.
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Article
Other

Global Security: 54 40 or Fight

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the significant territorial changes that took place in the United States under the presidency of James K. Polk. These included the annexation of Texas, the settling of the dispute with Great Britain over claims to Oregon...
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Activity
Other

Californians and the Military: John Charles Fremont and the Bear Flag Revolt

For Students 3rd - 8th
A brief retelling of John C. Fremont's expedition to California. Learn about his confrontation with Mexican authorities that led to the Bear Flag Revolt.
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Unknown Type
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Difficult Journey [Pdf]

For Students 4th - 5th
"The Difficult Journey" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about the hardships of a family moving west in a wagon train. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence from the story;...
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Unknown Type
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Gulls of Salt Lake [Pdf]

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
"The Gulls of Salt Lake" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a group of early settlers who had endured the hardships of traveling west and planted crops in the fertile soid, only to be invaded by swarms of crickets. Just when...
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Unknown Type
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University

De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Settlement Multiple Choice Questions [Pdf]

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
"Settlement with Multiple Choice Questions" is a one page, nonfiction, reading passage about the hardships of life of the prairie for the early settlers. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from the...
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Website
Other

Infrastructure: Back in Time: The National Road

For Students 9th - 10th
Read this essay about the National Road, its construction, and development of towns along its route.
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Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Missouri Compromise

For Students 5th - 8th
A good look at the issues debated about the admission of new states, particularly those that would be made from the Louisiana Purchase. Read about why the issue of allowing slavery in the new states was such a hard decision for Congress....
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Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: Pony Express: History and Culture

For Students 9th - 10th
A good article from the National Park Service which recounts the history of the brief existence of the Pony Express. Read about the route, what caused the demise of the Pony Express, and what part of the trail can still be seen.
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Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: Today in History: January 31: John C. Fremont: The Pathfinder

For Students 9th - 10th
A biography of a colorful but controversial character of the West, a candidate for president of the United States, and major-general during the Civil War.
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Lesson Plan
US National Archives

Docsteach: The Settlement of the American West

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students will analyze primary sources with an eye for cause-and-effect relationships.They will identify the roles of government policy and technological improvements in the settlement of the West, and explain their impact on Native...
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: Arizona Became a New Territory

For Students 9th - 10th
This 2-page article provides information about how Arizona became a new territory on February 24, 1863, and the corresponding silver and gold rush that encompassed the area.
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Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: James K. Polk

For Students 3rd - 5th
James K. Polk was the "dark horse" candidate in the presidential election. To learn more about this president, the Library of Congress has a site complete with actual cartoons of the time.
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Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: California National Historic Trail

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the National Parks Service gives a brief history, and description of the California trail system which was used by settlers moving to California during the 1849 Gold Rush days.
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Lesson Plan
PBS

Wnet: Thirteen: Whose Land Is This? Conflict Between Native Americans & Settlers [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lesson plan from the producers of the 16-episode PBS series "Freedom: A History of US" designed to provide insights into the causes of the conflict between Native Americans and new settlers pushing west. Students will examine official...
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Lesson Plan
Lin and Don Donn

Lin and Don Donn: American History: Oregon Trail

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This site written by teachers provides lesson ideas and links to a number of topics related to the Oregon Trail.
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Handout
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Ap Us History: 1865 1898: Indian Wars and Battle of Little Bighorn

For Students 9th - 10th
Discusses the series of events and conflicts in the Indian Wars that culminated in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, or Custer's Last Stand. Includes questions for students at end.
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Exploring With Lewis & Clark

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from Library of Congress provides a multimedia site using historical documents to tell the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The movies require high speed access but the site will hold student interest.
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Handout
The History Cat

The History Cat: The California Gold Rush

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the events that led to the California Gold Rush, the lives of the miners, the discrimination faced by Chinese immigrant miners and African Americans, the women who mostly stayed behind when their husbands went west as well as...
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Handout
Curated OER

Bureau of Land Management: Basic Facts About the Oregon Trail

For Students 4th - 8th
Learn basic facts about the Oregon Trail and the early pioneers who used it in their move West.
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Primary
Other

Early America: Milestones: Northwest Ordinance

For Students 9th - 10th
An introductory summary of the Northwest Ordinance along with a picture of the original document and the text to the full document.
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Primary
Museum of the City of San Francisco

Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco: California Before Gold Discovery

For Students 9th - 10th
From the "Century" magazine, an article from 1890 by James Bidwell who came to California in 1841.

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