This lesson plan created by George Washington's Mount Vernon explores primary sources with 20 questions. There are printouts for historical places, prints, objects, and recipes.

This lesson plan explores the political conflicts of the early republic. Explore the different political beliefs of Washington's presidency, and how they were able to work things out.

This lesson plan outlines a way that students can have a mock Constitutional convention. They will read and discuss the four plans of government proposed at the convention and discuss the points that were compromised to create the U.S. Constitution.

Students will be able to analyze various primary sources, identify key elements of those sources, and make a reasonable claim based on their analysis of the sources. Students will be able to create an evidence-based argument, based on primary sources that interpret George Washington’s views of Native American tribes and the land they occupied.

This lesson supports the video "A More Perfect Union: George Washington and the Making of the Constitution." After viewing the video, students use image-based flashcards to practice and demonstrate their understanding of the key concepts of the Constitution presented in the video. Visual cues provide new routes for student understanding of these complex ideas. Key concepts addressed reflect the importance of compromise, the weakness of the union after the War for Independence, the importance of George Washington as a unifying figure during a fractious time, and the elements of government reflected in the first seven Articles of the Constitution.

This is the story of Martha Washington, the worthiest of partners to the worthiest of men. Elizabeth Keaney, a character interpreter at Mount Vernon, shares the life of the woman she portrays.

This is a virtual tour of the Lives bound together Exhibit at Mt. Vernon

This page provides resources on the making of the Constitution. It largely relies on A More Perfect Union, a 21 minute film that covers the Articles of Confederation, the Constitutional Convention, and the ratification process. Use these resources to view the film, learn more about the journey towards our modern-day government, and find incredible source materials!

This page provides resources on the Battle of Yorktown. It relies heavily on Now or Never, a 23 minute film that covers the the Franco-American alliance, the Battle of Yorktown, and the end of the American Revolution. Use these resources to view the film, learn more about the Revolutionary War, and find incredible source materials!

This lesson takes students through President George Washington’s first years as President as he and Secretary of War Henry Knox craft the first president’s Native American Policy. Students are asked to critically analyze President Washington’s policies and the tangible symbols of those policies, the peace medals.

This integrated lesson connects the civic concepts of A People with Contemporary Debates & Possibilities and We the People to the life of George Washington and his varying views on enslavement. It allows teachers to support students’ ability to engage in the difficult conversations that are necessary to support a diverse democratic society and reflect critical understanding of how our shared history and experiences contribute to contemporary society