Heritage Foundation
Congress's Territorial Powers, Implied Powers, Citizenship, and the Bureaucracy
An informative resource gives scholars a look into why the US Constitution placed certain federal powers over that of the state. A variety of activities about constitutional clauses helps to create meaningful learning.
US Mint
Absolutely and Relatively: The Puerto Rico Quarter Reverse
How much does your class know about Puerto RIco? How much can they learn from the back of a 2009 quarter? Use the coin, part of a series of quarters that depict US territories, to teach learners about the geography, culture, and history...
Curated OER
The Treaty Trail: US Indian Treaty Councils in the Northwest
Students research and examine primary sources concerning the Washington Territory. In this Native American removal lesson, students view portrait images created by Gustav Sohon. Students then read several biographies that correspond to...
New York State Education Department
US History and Government Examination: January 2014
What led the United States to acquire territory? What were some of the effects of those acquisitions? Learners explore the questions using the 2014 essay from the New York Regents exam. Other items include practice multiple choice...
Curated OER
Mapping Mistakes
Students examine early European maps and explore geographic errors. They also view maps of the geography of North America. Students discuss the obstacles faced by early explorers in mapping unexplored territory. They consider what the...
Curated OER
Life in the Arkansas Territory
Students compare the living conditions in Arkansas when it was a territory with contemporary times. They participate in a role play activities of the territorial times.
Curated OER
Little House in the Census: Almanzo and Laura Ingalls Wilder
How would you use census data from 1880-1900? Here are a set of ways you can incorporate the book Little House on the Prairie and US census data from that time period. Learners will research the validity or the book based on factual...
Curated OER
Lessons in Looking: Imperialism Cartoons
Using a Smartboard, learners break apart symbolism found in a political cartoon published in 1902. They work to analyze the cartoon in terms of US Imperialism occurring in the late 1890s. All necessary materials are included in this well...
Curated OER
Photography and the National Park Service
During the 1800s the United States was expanding westward; land was there for the taking. Kids explore how some early photographers used their photography to influenced the US Congress to save areas like Mirror Lake. They...
Curated OER
Mexican Cessation
Eighth graders create a propaganda poster. In this US history lesson students research the various sides during the Mexican-American War. They present their poster and their position for or against the war.
Curated OER
Geography Application: The Cuban Missile Crisis
A complete activity! The class reads the provided text, then answers the 7 critical-thinking questions. Topics covered are interpreting informational text, reading comprehension, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and US Policy.
Curated OER
The Brief American Pageant: The Duel for North America
Making its way through 18th century America, this presentation details the British and French territories through colorful and clearly labeled maps. Additionally, the maps chart the changes in said territory during and after the French...
Smarter Balanced
Growth and Expansion of America
Despite the difficulty of travel, the US expanded significantly between the 1800s and the early 1900s. To prepare for a performance task assessment on the rapid expansion of the US in the 1800s, class members engage in a...
Curated OER
The Brief American Pageant: Manifest Destiny and its Legacy
Frame your lecture about Manifest Destiny around these maps, which portray the extended boundaries of various American territories in the 19th century. Campaigns of the Mexican War, and a map of the Spanish Missions on the West Coast are...
Curated OER
Bombs Away!
Examine the different perspectives on the future of United States Navy bombing exercises taking place on Vieques, Puerto Rico with this activity from The New York Times. Here, young learners read "Islanders to Vote on Vieques Bomb...
Curated OER
War of 1812 in the Old Northwest Territory
Students write 1-4 sentence answers to the Time Travel worksheet (available online). They design period costumes, orally present their perspectives to the rest of the class, and explain why this war played an important role in the...
Curated OER
US Constitution
Think about the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence with your budding historians. They analyze the importance of historical documents by examining several famous documents, and then they complete activities that check...
K12 Reader
The Metric System
How did the metric system come to be, and why does the US not use it very much? Your class can learn the answers to these questions with the reading passage included here and then respond to the five related questions.
Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation
Propaganda Posters
Don't be put off by the fact that the World War I propaganda posters in this packet are Canadian and some of them are even in French. All the better, in fact, to see the techniques. The richly detailed plan has instructors model...
Curated OER
Overland Trails To The West
Consider the political, physical, and geographical factors that led to and marked the Westward Expansion. Learners will track the various routes developed during the 1800's. They create a first person journal describing what they see,...
Curated OER
Corps of Discovery: Voyaging with Lewis and Clark
Students include maps, drawings, and personal reflections in a journal they keep while "accompanying" Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition of the Louisiana Territory.
Cornell University
Too Much of a Good Thing?
Continuing their study of beneficial insects, young entomologists discover where in the world some of these bugs are. By labeling, coloring, and using the scale on a map, pupils explore the territories and arrival of the Asian lady...
Curated OER
Chapter 12: American History
Short and to the point, these slides cover some basic points about life in 19th centrury America. Topics such as Texas Independence, the California Gold Rush, and the Oregon Territory are briefly mentioned, and some of the facts are hard...
Curated OER
US Emergence of Power in the Pacific Northwest: General Howard and the Nez Perce Tribe War
Young scholars discuss the role of the military in acquiring territory in the Pacific Northwest. Using a map, they locate the areas in which the Nez Perce were prominent and the routes used by the military to chase them. They discuss...