Curated OER
Cultural Impact of Jim Crow Laws and Civil Rights Movement
Students compare the cultural customs of people from European descent and African Americans between 1900 and 1940. Next students listen to interviews about life during the time of Jim Crow laws, and determine how life might be different...
Curated OER
Underground Railroad
Eighth graders explore the Underground Railroad. In this American History lesson, 8th graders create a song about the railroad. Students analyze various symbols used during the Underground Railroad.
Stanford University
Public Housing
The Fair Deal was meant to give Americans after World War II a basic standard of living. Those in public housing often found that promise fell short. Learners consider whether the effort was successful by evaluating images, testimonies,...
University of California
Containing Communism Abroad
Learn more about the policy of the United States to contain communism during the Cold War. The fifth installment of an eight-part series looks at primary and secondary materials about a challenging time in history. After analyzing the...
Curated OER
Post-War Suburbanization: Causes and Interpretations
In this teaching American history worksheet, students examine a primary source document regarding post-World War II suburbanization. Students discuss their impressions of the document.
Curated OER
Cultural Impact of Jim Crow Laws and the Civil Rights Movement
Students examine the Jim Crow laws and how they impacted the lives of both African Americans and white Americans. They discuss the Civil Rights Movement and how their lives may have been different had it not occurred.
Groups...
Curated OER
"The New Television Set" a Gateway to the Post World War II Era
Eleventh graders demonstrate their knowledge of the effects of television on the political, economic, religious, social, intellectual and artistic life of the US nation from the 1950's. Research how television shaped public opinion with...
Curated OER
The Jim Crow Era
Students examine how African-Americans were affected by the Great Depression. In this African-American history lesson, students conduct independent research on the social conditions of the time period using the suggested resources....
Curated OER
John Brown, Then and Now
Eleventh graders identify some of the ways that the raid at Harper's Ferry influenced the Civil War. They articulate the different ways that people though about John Brown in the 1800's and how his persona may or may not have changed...
C-SPAN
1968: The Poor People's Campaign
The Poor People's Campaign of 1968 marked a shift in the civil rights movement to economic issues. Speakers in four C-SPAN video clips discuss different aspects of the campaign including Resurrection City, the Economic Bill of Rights,...
Curated OER
Tension Over Slavery
Eighth graders research the events that lead to the US Civil War. They use the Jigsaw technique to report the findings of their research.
Curated OER
Exploring the West Using Fiction
Students explore post Civil War development of the American West. They investigate the conflict among various groups involved in the settlement of the West and select a novel by a western writer and complete questions from the Exploring...
Curated OER
Food
Students examine the types of foods eaten after the Civil War. They create their own cowboy style menu.
Curated OER
Parallel Studies of the Afro-American and Puerto Rican Experience in America
Students compare/contrast the Afro-American and Puerto Rican experience as they migrated and assimilated in the U.S. They research and discuss the reasons for migration and the historical significance of economic autonomy and oppression.
City University of New York
Jim Crow and Voting Rights
Class groups examine primary source documents to determine how the voting rights of African Americans were restricted after the failure of Reconstruction, and how African American participation in World War II lead to change.
Facing History and Ourselves
A Contested History
Memories of and interpretations of history change—that's the key takeaway from a lesson that has young historians compare the story of the Reconstruction Era as told by the historians of the Dunning School to the view of scholars today...
Anti-Defamation League
The Road to Brown
As part of the study of segregation in U.S. schools, scholars research and create a timeline of events that led to the historic Supreme Court case, Brown V. Board of Education. Groups research a topic or event that led to the decision,...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Revolution '67, Lesson 1: Protest: Why and How
To some people, protesting is as American as apple pie, but the factors that lead to protests can be as confusing to veteran activists as to today's youth. Revolution '67 explores the riots in Newark, New Jersey as a case study. ...
The New York Times
Revolt! Comparing Historical Revolutions
What elements are needed to have a revolution? How do historical revolutions from across the globe and generations compare with one another? This is an excellent activity that incorporates group work, source analysis, and an engaging...
Curated OER
Defining moments from the past with lessons for a post-9/11 world...
Students examine extension ideas concerning 9/11, Defining Moments. They analyze a variety of Supreme Court cases, the U.S. Constitution, Mass Media Interpretations, Racism, Immigrant groups and U.S. geography. Many questions are asked...
Curated OER
Urban Concentration And Racial Violence
Students investigate the struggle for racial and gender equality and for the extension of civil liberties, the social and economic impact of the Great Depression, and the economic boom and social transformation of post-World War II...
Curated OER
African American Homesteaders
Students analyze the reasons African-Americans settled in the area to be known as Nebraska. Using primary source documents, they read about the challenges they faced and compare their growth and distribution of African-Americas in the...
Curated OER
World War II
Students create a Powerpoint presentation covering key information regarding a World War II battle and present the information to the class in the form of an oral presentation. They then will turn in a summary report including two...
Curated OER
Social Changes in America Caused by World War II
Students research and examine the social changes that occured in the United States during World War II. In pairs they conduct research using a variety of resources, and organize and compose a "Guide to Life" for veterans returning home...