The Lessons of 1704
In The Lessons of 1704, students learn the basic skills needed to do research and to "read" primary and secondary sources, to see what they can reveal about the cultural characteristics and attitudes of the English, French, and Native Americans in the Deerfield area in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. At the same time, they learn about the attitudes and behaviors of these three groups toward one another. Then, they use what they have learned to analyze the 1704 attack on Deerfield and the
Heritage: Civilization and the Jews
This lesson plan deals with the Ancient Near East, early civilization, and early Israelite history. Use maps to explore principal geographic features of the region and to trace migration, and compare the biblical story of the flood with a similar account in the Epic of Gilgamesh. All activities focus on key concepts explored in Heritage. Lesson plans have been designed to allow teachers to select activities appropriate to the grade levels of their classes. Each plan includes teacher's resource p
Crucible of Empire: The Spanish-American War
The Spanish-American War was a complex and significant event that should be examined from all angles and perspectives. Students may be particularly interested in Spanish-American War issues that remain relevant today, namely the role of the media in the war and questions regarding foreign intervention. Educators are encouraged to use the film CRUCIBLE OF EMPIRE: THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR to complement their lessons in history, journalism, government, and political science classrooms.
The Time of the Lincolns
The film Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided and this companion Web site, The Time of the Lincolns, offer insights into topics in American history including women's rights, slavery, abolition, politics and partisanship, the growth of the industrial economy, and the Civil War. You can use part or all of the film, or delve into the rich resources available on this Web site to learn more, either in a classroom or on your own.
Rise and Fall of Jim Crow
That Jim Crow was a tremendously important period in United States history is undisputable. Less obvious is how to properly address the violence, politics, and complexities that mark the era. This site looks at the century of segregation following the Civil War (1863-1954). Jim Crow, a name taken from a popular 19th-century minstrel song, came to personify government-sanctioned racial oppression and segregation in the U.S. This website describes pivotal developments during that time – the Eman
Tapping the Roots of American Music
Teacher's Guide for using the American Roots Music documentary series in the classroom. The resources offered here are designed to help you use the PBS American Roots Music video series and companion Web site in middle school and high school social studies and history classes. American Roots Music may be taped off-air and used for up to a year following broadcast, or you may choose to purchase it through Shop PBS for Teachers.
Circle of Stories
Welcome to the CIRCLE OF STORIES lesson plans. These lessons will allow students to examine the complex and rich oral tradition of Native American storytelling, create their own stories to share, explore indigenous and Native American cultures and the issues which face them today, and research and explore their own cultural heritage by recording their unique family stories and heritage. These lessons are directed toward grades 6 through 12, for use in the following subject areas: language arts,
Financial Markets (2008)
Financial institutions are a pillar of civilized society, supporting people in their productive ventures and managing the economic risks they take on. The workings of these institutions are important to comprehend if we are to predict their actions today and their evolution in the coming information age. The course strives to offer understanding of the theory of finance and its relation to the history, strengths and imperfections of such institutions as banking, insurance, securities, futures, a
The Civil War and Reconstruction Era, 1845-1877
This course explores the causes, course, and consequences of the American Civil War, from the 1840s to 1877. The primary goal of the course is to understand the multiple meanings of a transforming event in American history. Those meanings may be defined in many ways: national, sectional, racial, constitutional, individual, social, intellectual, or moral. Four broad themes are closely examined: the crisis of union and disunion in an expanding republic; slavery, race, and emancipation as national
The American Novel Since 1945
In "The American Novel Since 1945" students will study a wide range of works from 1945 to the present. The course traces the formal and thematic developments of the novel in this period, focusing on the relationship between writers and readers, the conditions of publishing, innovations in the novel's form, fiction's engagement with history, and the changing place of literature in American culture. The reading list includes works by Richard Wright, Flannery O'Connor, Vladimir Nabokov, Jack Keroua
Introduction to New Testament History and Literature
This course provides a historical study of the origins of Christianity by analyzing the literature of the earliest Christian movements in historical context, concentrating on the New Testament. Although theological themes will occupy much of our attention, the course does not attempt a theological appropriation of the New Testament as scripture. Rather, the importance of the New Testament and other early Christian documents as ancient literature and as sources for historical study will be emphas
Introduction to Theory of Literature
This is a survey of the main trends in twentieth-century literary theory. Lectures will provide background for the readings and explicate them where appropriate, while attempting to develop a coherent overall context that incorporates philosophical and social perspectives on the recurrent questions: what is literature, how is it produced, how can it be understood, and what is its purpose?
Foundations of Theology: Biblical and Historical
This is an introductory course to the Bible and historical Christianity that aims to familiarize the student with the contents of the Bible and the development of the early Church. Special emphasis is placed on theological themes of perennial interest and the significance of the Bible for Christian thought and practice as well as the relationship of Christianity to Judaism.
Faith and the African American Experience
This course will introduce students to the African American faith experience, with particular attention being given to the historical development of spiritualities of liberation in the American Diaspora. Brief lectures and seminar discussions will offer "perspectives" on this rich and heterogeneous tradition from several vantage points within the humanities, social sciences, and theological disciplines.
African American History II
African American History II is a course that examines the broad range of experiences of African Americans from the close of the American Civil War to the 1980s. We will explore both the relationship of blacks to the larger society and the inner dynamic of the black community. We will devote particular attention to Reconstruction, the migration of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North, and the political machinations of the African American community.
Medicine and Public Health in American History, Fall 2007
This course offers an introduction to differing conceptions of disease, health, and healing throughout American history, the changing role and image of medicine and medical professionals in American life, and the changing social and cultural meanings and entanglements of medical science and practice throughout American history.
North American Drought: A Paleo Perspective - 20th Century Drought
This site provides background information on the effects of the Dust Bowl in the 1930s, the 1950s drought, and the 1987-1989 drought in the Great Plains of the American Midwest. It features discussions of the extent of each drought and the economic damage incurred, using text, photographs and graphic illustrations. A link to a discussion of the Palmer Drought Severity Index is included.
AP Government & Politics
AP U.S. Government & Politics is assembled from UC-approved college preparatory courses. Upon completion of this course, student will be able to: express ideas clearly in writing; work individually and with classmates to research political issues; interpret and apply data from original documents such as court cases and bills; write to persuade with evidence; develop essay responses that include a clear, defensible thesis statement and supporting evidence; raise and explore questions about polici
Thurmond: A Town Born from Coal Mines and Railroads
Recounts the story of the New River Gorge area in West Virginia. It is mountainous and remained sparsely populated and largely inaccessible until 1873, when the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Company laid track through the gorge. Coal mining companies, towns, and camps appeared almost overnight to mine the coal deposits. One of these towns, the railroading town of Thurmond, reached its peak as the major revenue producer for the C&O Railroad during the early 1900s, a time when coal was king.
Measurable You!
This lesson introduces an anthropometric measurement system developed to identify and track people in the penal system in late 19th and early 20th century. Students conduct a guided experiment and discussions while collecting anthropometric measurements, exploring the impact of experimental errors in a scientific system, and explaining their observations/findings in writing.
