This online lesson provides perspectives from Native American community members, documents, maps, images, and activities to help students and teachers understand an important and difficult chapter in United States history. Explore the vast scope of removal and its effects on Native Nations.

Following a victory at the Battle of Trenton on December 26, General Washington and his army moved north to Princeton, New Jersey on January 3, 1777, where they surprised the British forces. This resource provides a background on the battle and how it changed the course of the American Revolution.

The Battle of Trenton was a pivotal moment in the American Revolution. At that time, the British had a chain of towns firmly under their control. This, coupled with the fact that many of Washington's soldiers' enlistments were about to expire on New Year's Day, forced Washington to make a bold plan. The Americans crossed the Delaware River on December 25, 1776 and attack Trenton the following day. Over a ten-hour period, 2,400 soldiers, 18 cannon and 100 horses crossed the frigid waters on ferries from Pennsylvania to New Jersey. This resource provides a background on the Battle and how it changed the course of the American Revolution.

Take a closer look at news stories from the American Revolution and the early years of the republic. Let’s explore together: What techniques did journalists use to sway public opinion for or against the British? How did their personal opinions about politics affect how they reported on issues facing the new nation?

In this ELA lesson, students will use their analytical skills to determine the causes of the rise and fall of the Shaker religious community. After watching a series of documentary clips, students examine and document the group's origins, successes, hardships, and eventual decline.

This inquiry kit has sources from the Library of Congress about the importance of Egyptian religion in the world history.

It would be bad enough to face the enemy on a battlefield, but being a prisoner of war (POW) could be far worse. During the Civil War, both sides had terrible prison camps, but one particular Georgia camp has become synonymous with inhumane treatment. Fort Sumter outside the town of Andersonville housed 30,000 prisoners in a facility designed for 10,000. Overcrowding and filthy conditions resulted in death by starvation, disease, exposure, or at the hands of other prisoners for nearly half of the POWs at Andersonville.

This is a facsimile of President Andrew Jackson's December 6, 1830 Message to Congress in 1830. In it, he called for the relocation of eastern Native American nations to land west of the Mississippi River in order to open the land for settlement by citizens of the United States. This message confirmed the removal policy already established by the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

There would be no Frederick Douglass without Anna Murray. After declaring she did not want her children's father to be a slave, Anna helped Douglass escape by disguising him as a sailor. She sold her personal belongings to finance his escape. They eventually reunited in New York, where they married. This clip describes Douglass’ work in a shipbuilding yard in Baltimore’s Fells Point as well as Anna Murray’s powerful influence on Douglass' self-emancipation.

PBS Learning video/Election Central Videos about the "why" behind the electoral college and the debate over it. Additional video about gerrymandering and it's impact on voting and people's voice.

This is a facsimile of the 1777 Articles of Confederation, adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777. This document served as the United States' first constitution, and was in force from March 1, 1781, until 1789 when the present Constitution went into effect.

In late May, 1864, Generals Grant and Lee raced for a Virginia crossroads called Cold Harbor, near the Chickahominy River. When the bugles blew for the attack at 4:30 a.m. on June 3, 60,000 Union men started toward the unseen enemy. Within 20 minutes, 7,000 of them had been shot by Confederate forces.

This segment tells the story of the Battle of Perryville, which took place in Boyle County, KY, in October 1862. Historian Kent Masterson Brown discusses the importance of the Battle of Perryville for the course of the Civil War. It was crucial because the Union Army successfully drove the Confederate Army from Kentucky and ended its attempt to recapture the state.

Frederick Douglass' time with famed "slave breaker" Edward Covey is considered a turning point in his life. Seen as unruly, Douglass was sent to Covey, who subjected him to verbal and physical abuse. It culminated in a two-hour long fight between them, where Douglass emerged even more determined to escape into freedom.

Uncover the meaning and historical origins of the popular idiom “the bee’s knees” with this video from Say What?! Travel back in time and discover how people used whimsical expressions like "the bee's knees" to describe excellence during The Roaring Twenties. With this video, students will gain insight into the intriguing world of idiomatic expressions, language evolution, and the stories behind the sayings we use every day!

This resource includes teaching tips, discussion questions, vocabulary, and a "Bee's Knees Hive" activity.

Ben, the Mount Vernon miller, discusses wheat production at Mount Vernon and trade at the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

This media gallery contains resources on Benjamin Franklin when he served as Ambassador to France from 1776-1785.

Franklin’s widespread interests and numerous fields of endeavor make him the American epitome of the Age of Enlightenment. In this lesson, students will reflect on the parallels between our own age and the one in which Franklin lived and worked. After viewing a short video about Franklin, they will read some of Franklin’s adages through an Enlightenment lens and examine a symbol-rich portrait of Franklin. The lesson culminates with students imagining Benjamin Franklin’s present-day social media presence.

In this lesson, students will explore Benjamin Franklin’s roles as scientist, inventor, printer, business owner, civil servant, and philanthropist. As a well-known Enlightenment philosopher, Franklin embodied the concept of the Common Good and applied this to his life and livelihood.

This document includes images of the 1791 Bill of Rights. Although 12 amendments were originally proposed, the 10 that were ratified became the Bill of Rights in 1791. They defined citizens' rights in relation to the newly established government under the Constitution.