Examine how the horrors of the Civil War battlefield forced medicine in America to evolve from a crude practice to a profession grounded in science, in this video from The Good Stuff: Time Capsule. Using video and discussion questions, students learn about how medical innovations like the triage system, limb amputations, and general hospitals saved thousands of lives and changed Americans’ expectations regarding healthcare after the war.

The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song is a two-part, four-hour documentary series from Henry Louis Gates, Jr., tracing the 400-year-old story of the Black church in America.

Discover how Southerners resisted the rights granted to African Americans in the years following the Civil War. In November 1865, the government that President Andrew Johnson had set up in Mississippi passed a set of oppressive laws that only applied to African Americans known as the Black Codes. Other Southern states quickly followed suit. The intent of these laws was to restrict African Americans’ freedom, and compel them to work for white employers in a situation reminiscent of slavery.

As you begin this lesson, lead a class discussion about the evolution of language as it relates to race. At the time of the Civil War, the term “colored” did not carry the same negative connotations that it does today. On the other hand, it was often used to suggest racial inferiority. Review the Teacher’s Guide to Language in the support materials. The short video “Focus on Black Humanity” is an excellent resource for student viewing and for initiating a classroom discussion. (See Discussion Questions for suggestions.)

Explore issues connected to representation and point of view in depictions of 19th century Native Americans by George Catlin and Black Hawk in this video from Picturing America On Screen. Catlin’s paintings provide testimony not only to the country’s fascination with American Indians but also to the artist’s ambition to document disappearing frontier cultures. Black Hawk’s work provides invaluable visual testimony to the nation’s Native American heritage and reveals intriguing details of the Lakota people—from manner of dress to social customs. In doing so, he captures a way of life that was fast disappearing as settlers moved West in increasing numbers and tribes were moved to reservations.

In this interactive image, students view four paintings and drawings, with accompanying commentary, to learn about Black soldiers in the Revolutionary War, including the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, Peter Salem, James Armistead Lafayette, and Black Loyalists who responded to Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation.

Learn why New York City’s poor white and immigrant working class protested the Conscription Act of 1863 and eventually killed at least 120 people, targeting African Americans, during the New York City Draft Riots, the bloodiest race riots in U.S. history.

Freed from the bonds of slavery by the Emancipation Proclamation, Booker T. Washington worked relentlessly to become a teacher, an accomplished orator, and an advisor to two Presidents. He was considered a hero in the late 1800s, although some opposed his philosophy that equality and respect must be patiently earned. Through two primary source activities and watching a short video, students will learn about Booker T. Washington’s commitment to African American education, and assess his ideas about how to achieve equality for African Americans in the years after the Civil War.

Learn how African-American troops fought for the north in this excerpt from The Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns. Lincoln authorizes the first African-American troops. The 54th Massachusetts regiment, under Robert Gould Shaw, attacks Fort Wagner, South Carolina.

Learn about the Native American tribes that lived on the land through which the Bozeman Trail passed and the impact the Trail and Westward Expansion had on their way of life.

Experience the Bozeman Trail through the perspectives of the key historical figures that lived during that time. Each of these men was a part of this rich history and has a story to tell that lends itself to a greater understanding of how people lived during this time. This media gallery sets students up to do some predicting about the role each of these men will play in the story of the Bozeman Trail.

After the crushing defeat at Waxhaws, the people of the South Carolina backcountry had a decision to make. Were they “Tories”—loyal to the crown; or would they become “Whigs” or “partisans” and fight the British invaders?

In this video, members of the Buffalo Soldiers Society of New Mexico share insights into the history of the Buffalo soldiers and how they contributed to New Mexico achieving statehood in 1912. They tell us of the challenges these soldier's faced, their hard work, and particularly of their bravery during the battle with Apache Chief Victorio at the isolated Massacre Canyon in the Black Range Mountains of southern New Mexico. The Buffalo Soldiers primary duties during the post civil war were to protect isolated settlements and to establish towns throughout the southwest. The soldiers established mail and stage routes across the west and maintained law and order throughout the southwest region. They guarded important mountain passes, water holes, isolated settlements and many other tasks. The Buffalo Soldiers got their name from the plains Indians not only because of their wooly-like hair but also because of their unmatched courage and their superior fighting skills.

In this interactive lesson supporting literacy skills in U.S. history, students learn how the Erie Canal changed the U.S. economy and influenced settlement patterns in the west. Students explore the effects of the Erie Canal on New York City, New York State, and the entire United States. During this process, they read informational text, learn and practice vocabulary words, and explore content through videos and engagement activities.

Caroline, an enslaved house servant at Mount Vernon, discusses the substitution of home-grown herbs for the tea that was previously imported from England. The use of homegrown and homemade items at Mount Vernon decreased the residents' dependency on the British.

This inquiry kit features Library of Congress sources and examines the role and impact of political cartoons during the American War of Independence.

Investigate how a series of policy changes made by the British government caused American colonists to declare their independence. Examine the causes and effects of several major events such as the initial settling of the 13 British colonies to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and how they led to the American Revolution.

Students watch a video segment that shows the reactions of colonists and native people when they encounter one another for the first time during a colony settlement reenactment. Students then select a character and write a letter from that character’s point of view that describes the meeting.

The Cherokee Nation virtual field trip affords an in-depth look at the lives of the Cherokee Indians, from their first encounters with Europeans to events, such as the Gold Rush and the signing of the Indian Removal Act by Andrew Jackson, that led to their forced relocation to Indian Territory in 1838.

Learn about the Native Americans who found themselves caught between the Union and the Confederacy during the Civil War. What factors led some Indigenous tribes to fight for the Union while others supported the Confederacy?