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.

Do your students like running things? The new version of Branches of Power allows them to do something that no one else can: control all three branches of the U.S. government.

In Branches of Power your students will:

Pick leaders for each branch of government
Create a presidential agenda and learn about the executive branch powers
Introduce bills and pass laws out of Congress
Apply judicial review to passed laws

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.

Particularly applicable when teaching first semester government classes, discuss with students Constitution Day and the importance of recognizing and celebrating it. Students can virtually sign a Constitution and the page also links to various resources, including a playlist of videos on different aspects of the Constitution and Constitution Day. Students and teachers can find a transcript of the Constitution, as well as a great overview of the document through "America's Founding Documents: Constitution." In addition, teachers will find a variety of teaching resources, all of which are free.

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.

This is an activity to help students to identify different types of biases in media that can be applied to all sources.

This is an activity to help students to identify different types of biases in media that can be applied to all sources.

Take your search skills to the next level by helping disinformation expert Cindy Otis research the "Birds Aren't Real" conspiracy theory.

Learn the ways that ordinary people can document and expose wrongdoing, including monitoring news coverage for breaches of journalism standards, by examining a series of case studies. This uses video interviews from media professionals.

This mission tests your ability to differentiate between sources of information online that are unreliable and those that provide independent, verified information

This mission contains six examples of social media posts that make claims about a subject. Your job is to distinguish between posts that don't actually provide strong evidence in support of the claims they make and those that do.

List the five freedoms, connect scenarios with their legal protections and construct your own protected scenario. Uses media go examine our 1st amendment rights