Shays' Rebellion - From Revolution to Constitution
This site tells the story of Shays' Rebellion, and a crucial period in our nation's founding when the survival of the republican experiment in government was neither destined nor assured.
03: The New Nation
From George Washington to Robert Lewis, 17 August 1799
In this letter to his nephew, George Washington reveals some of his feelings toward slavery and his own slaves. Instead of asking students that they think of the fact that presidents owned slaves, gain more insight by having them try to determine Washington's feelings about the system of slavery from this letter he wrote much later in his life.
The United States Constitution: Federalists v. Anti-Federalists | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Accessible through a Gilder Lehrman account, this lesson guides students through the Federalist and Anti-Federalist arguments for and against the Constitution. There are dozens of versions of this lesson, teachers have been having students do this for years, but to make it work you need just the right excerpts from just the right documents; leave it to Gilder to get them right
Doonesbury Comic Strip, July 04, 1976 on GoComics.com
This comic appeared in newspapers on the date of the Bicentennial. It's perfect for any Civil Rights or 3/5ths compromise lesson.
George Washington discusses Shays’ Rebellion and the upcoming Constitutional Convention, 1787 | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Shay's Rebellion is a staple of US History I courses, often as the keystone example of the failures of the Articles of Confederation. Teachers looking for a full-blown primary document lesson or just a short quote to throw on a lecture slide will be well-served by this letter from George Washington to Henry Knox. The urgency of Washington's fear is palpable in this letter.
The Philadelphia Directory 1820
Teachers who want to show students what life was like in 1820 could have them look through this directory for a quick exercise to search for "artifacts". The exercise could be introduced with this page that lists "Dentists and Bleeders" and "Bleeders with leaches".
The Philadelphia Directory 1791
Starting on page 148, this directory lists the "officers of the United States" To gives students a real sense of the size of government in 1790, have them flip through these pages.
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History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Smithsonian
Younger students might get a kick out of țhe fact the founding fathers had their own "laptops". This Smithsonian article explains the 18th-century writing box, also known as a dispatch case, portable desk and writing case, would have been an important object for the traveling Founding Father to own. Like the laptops and mobile devices of today, a writing box provided its owner a base from which to communicate, even when on the move.
Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789
All 462 pages of the Continental Congress's journals, as printed in 1910. Teachers who really want to help students understand what it is like to be an historian could send them into this record and describe just one day.
To Francis Hopkinson Paris, Mar. 13, 1789 The Letters of Thomas Jefferson 1743-1826 Thomas Jefferson Presidents American History From Revolution To Reconstruction and beyond
Jefferson shares his opinions on the Constitution - yet this letter also includes Jefferson's famous quote about political parties.
What Influenced the Creation of the U.S. Constitution?
Built on the Inquiry Model of the C3 Framework, this complete lesson provides several classes worth of questions, inquiries, and documents for analysis. This can be used to replace any narrative lesson on the Constitutional Convention.
Ona Judge Staines, the Fugitive Slave Who Outwitted George Washington -
New England Historical Society claims that one of George Washington's slaves escaped when she learned that Washington was planning to give her away as a wedding present. This brief articles explains what he did to get her back.
George Washington, Slave Catcher - The New York Times
There are many devils in the details of slavery and this exposes one of them. What is the status of slaves brought to Philadelphia by southern members of Congress after Pennsylvania's "Gradual Act to Abolish Slavery" stated clearly that slaves brought to Philadelphia would be freed after 6 months. This article explains how George Washington found away around this law.
Hamilton - BackStory with the American History Guys
Instead of having students read about Hamtilon's plans to build the economic foundations of tghe federal government, why don't you have them listen to it? The bonus is you get to have them listen to a real historian, not a textbook writer. Historian Brian Murphy breaks down Alexander Hamilton’s controversial plan for the U.S. Treasury and how Hamilton became the father of the modern financial system.
Well-Regulated Militias - BackStory with the American History Guys
Teachers who want to show students connections across time can choose almost any "Back Story" podcast broadcast from their archives. This is a great example - there is a section of this show describing Shay's Rebellion and another on the Black Panthers. Each are separate incidences of armed resistance.
The Alien Act and the Power of Government
In this lesson, students will compare the language and rhetoric of the Alien Act of 1798 with recent legislation whose purpose is to identify and deport undocumented resident aliens.
Papers of the War Department
Papers of the War Department 1784-1800 presents this collection of more than 42,000 documents in a free, online format with extensive and searchable metadata linked to digitized images of each document, thereby insuring free access for a wide range of users. Scholars will find new evidence on many subjects in the history of the Early Republic, from the handling of Indian affairs, pensions and procurement to the nature of the first American citizens' relationship with their new Federal government. The Papers of the War Department 1784-1800 offer a window into a time when there was no law beyond the Constitution and when the administration first worked out its understanding and interpretation of that new document. For more than two hundred years these important papers have been lost to scholars, and their absence is one of the key reasons why so little serious military history has been written about this period.
Supreme Court Stories: Marbury v. Madison (8 Min)
The "Supreme Court Stories" video series presents the true tales of people and events surrounding pivotal Supreme Court cases. In Marbury v. Madison, the first video of the series, political science professors Jocelyn Evans, Kirk Randazzo, David Woodard, and Kyle Kopko talk us through the election of 1800, the appointment of the "Midnight Judges," and the first instance of judicial review.
History News Network | What Were the Founders Thinking When They Created the Electoral College?
George Washington's Annotated Copy of a Draft of the U.S. Constitution - The National Archives
This not only shows students how the skill of annotation is practiced by everyone engaged in knowledge work, it shows what Washington thought of the Constitution. The original copy of this sold for $9m - https://www.christies.com/george-washingtons-annotated-copy-24045.aspx?saletitle=
Tenth Amendment Center Blog | Pennsylvania Resolution Affirms Principles of Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of 1798
Although this news story is from Pennsylvania and not New Jersey, students can be shown the relevancy of the VA and KY resolutions in current legislation
Extract from Thomas Jefferson to Joel Yancey, 17 Jan. 1819 [Quote] | Jefferson Quotes & Family Letters
In this letter Thomas Jefferson explains how a female slave is worth more in her ability to provide "increase" (more slaves) to be of greater value than the work she can perform. Teachers and students have to determine the degree to which they will consider these views in the context of his time and a universal moral standard.
The Baring Archive :: The Louisiana Purchase Exhibition
Every US History student encounters the Lousiana Purchase. How many have teachers who consider approaching it from the perspective of financing the purchase? Baring provided the funds to purchase the territory, this site from the bank presents their telling of the story. Their explanation of the bank's role in the negotiations between France and the United States should raise questions about how this it taught to students.
James Madison Debates a Bill of Rights – America in Class – resources for history & literature teachers
After Shays' Rebellion - Lesson Plan
Garrison's Constitution - The Covenant with Death and How It Was Made | National Archives
Concise, detailed and thoroughly documented essay describing the manner in which slavery was embedded in the Constitution.
Why Cities are where they are - Wendover Productions
This 15 minute video would be challenging but accessible to high school students, and very engaging to teachers hoping to understand how cities are located where they are. Much of the focus is on the development of American towns in the early 19th century, but references are made to cities around the world. This explains the important relationship between natural resources, transportation and the location of cities
Episode 143: Michael Klarman, The Making of the United States Constitution - Ben Franklin's World
Liz Covart's podcast features hour-long interviews with historians about their latest books. Although especially useful to teachers and scholars enhancing their content knowledge, segments of of any episode can be shared with students.
Hartford Convention
A US president sending the army into a state to prevent the state's secession from the Union. Not Lincoln in 1861 - but James Madison and Connecticut in 1814.
Third Grade US National Anthem Lesson - Published by a Professional Hockey Team
Elementary teachers should not use this lesson plan - High School history teachers should. How does this NHL franchise help to institutionalize students? What information has been included in the lesson, and what has been ignored?