Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Westward Expansion: Image and Reality
As your young historians study Westward Expansion, practice in-depth primary source analysis with the documents and guidelines presented in this resource. They will examine a lithograph and excerpts from two letters written by a Nebraska...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
War and Poetry
A band of brothers or the Devil's agents? Nobel warriors freeing the oppressed or mercenaries working for the military/industrial complex? Groups examine poems from the Civil War, World War I, and World War II to determine the poets'...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Slaves and Indentured Servants
In theory, at least, indentured servitude and slavery were two different practices in the American colonies. Class groups conduct a close reading of two primary source documents, one written by a slave and one by an indentured servant,...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Sarah Green Probate Record
The proof is in the probate record. Much can be learned about history by investigating old, primary source documents. Class members hone their detective skills by examing the 1759 probate record of Sarah Green. Who was this lady? Was she...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
What Brought Settlers to the Midwest?
Drawn by promises of fertile land, thousands of settlers poured West because of the Homestead Act of 1862. By examining images of the ads that drew them westward, learners consider the motivations for movement. They also consider how the...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Reward: Valuable Slaves
To gain insight into the American institution of slavery and how African Americans were viewed during this time, groups examine run-away slave ads and slave auction broadsides. Teams use the provided worksheet to record their impressions...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Teaching History: National History Education Clearinghouse
A vast resource filled with information on teaching history at all grade levels. There are links to podcasts, teaching materials, primary source documents, videos, and best practices in the teaching of history. Don't miss this fantastic...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Teaching History: Spotlight on 9/11 in the Classroom: In Remembrance
Teaching students about the historical significance of 9/11, terrorism, and the associated pain and impact on America can be difficult. Here is a collection of resources that provide information on teaching about the attacks in a global...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Teaching History: Beyond the Textbook: Causing the Civil War
An essay that looks at other, more complex reasons for the outbreak of the Civil War, beyond the traditionally accepted ones related to the Northern industrial economy versus the Southern agricultural one.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Teaching History: Doing History Is Like Solving a Mystery!
Use this interactive poster to explore how students understand history and find resources about teaching historical thinking to students.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Exploring the French Revolution
This exhibit provides an accessible and lively introduction to the French Revolution as well as an extraordinary archive of some of the most important documentary evidence from the Revolution including 250 images, 350 text documents, 13...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Teaching History: Teaching Guides: Stating Your Case: Writing Thesis Statements
Lesson plan on writing thesis statements specifically addresses writing essays on historical subjects and themes, particularly essays written in response to document-based questions (DBQs). Walks students through identifying clear thesis...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Teaching History: Ask a Historian: Senatorial Division
A discussion of how the political balance kept shifting as free and slave states were admitted to the Union prior to the Civil War.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Teaching History: Jamestown: The Starving Time
This lesson provides a great opportunity for students to engage in real historical inquiry with prepared sources. The lesson is displayed in three locations on the site: the student view, which guides the student through the activity;...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Teaching History: The Tet Offensive: A Complicated Story Simplified
The author presents an alternative view to the Tet Offensive narrative traditionally argued in most U.S. secondary textbooks.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Teaching History: Interactive Historical Thinking Poster (Secondary)
This is an interactive historical thinking poster. History is an argument about the past. Constructing a narrative about history involves several tasks: Analyzing Primary Sources, Examining Source Information,Using Evidence to Support...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Teaching History: The New World: A Stage for Cultural Interaction
During European colonization, how did the French, Spanish, and Dutch view the Native Americans and how did their interaction differ? What affect did their interaction have on colonization?
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Teachinghistory: History Content: Ask a Historian
Ask-an-expert resource for building skills in the art of asking historical questions.