Annie Oakley, a dynamic woman who achieved and overcome much in her six decades, is a great figure to introduce to students when teaching a unit on Western History.
Often overlooked, western history is filled with countless stories that students would be excited to learn about.
For more resources please checkout our PowerPoints:
The West: Miners, Ranchers, Farmers, and Native Americans
Our classroom history games:
Teddy Roosevelt was known as a brilliant orator, and this 1883 speech made as a NY State Assemblyman is no exception. He argues that participation in the government is an important part of being a good citizen, and that no one is exempt.
We have excerpted the speech and created questions and answers for your students.
This lesson could be used in any Social Studies class at any given moment as the concepts covered are applicable in many situations and ought to spark excellent discussions.
For more US History teaching resources check out our PowerPoints that cover this era:
History is filled with larger-than-life figures, but perhaps none so large as some of the legendary men and women from the South and the Wild West. While it can be difficult for social studies teachers to explain the fairly complicated happenings in these areas over the past few centuries before they became more deeply integrated into the United States as whole, it would be a good idea to capitalize on some historical figures’ mythic statuses in order to draw attention from your students.
Of all legendary historical figures, Davy Crockett is one that many young students love to learn about. Crockett was not only an important political figure, he was also a brave adventurer, adept storyteller, ruthless fighter, and impassioned speech maker. Under the administration of Andrew Jackson, Crockett served as a member of the House of Representatives. Although originally a Jacksonian, he eventually came to scorn Jackson’s policies, especially the Indian Removal Act. In 1834, fed up with politics after a lost reelection bid, Crockett famously noted, “You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas.”
Crocket fought in the Texas Revolution and took part in the now infamous Battle of the Alamo. Although Crocket is now a very respected folk hero, many “tall tales” abound in the life and times of Davy Crockett. For example, the most controversial of Crockett-related stories, is the way and under what circumstances he died. While we do know that he died in the Battle of the Alamo, some stories suggest that he surrendered and was executed, while other stories suggest that he “went down swinging,” killing several Mexicans all by himself before finally being cornered.
“Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier”, a Disney movie made in 1955, is a wonderful learning tool for teachers who want to give their students an entertaining glimpse into Crockett’s life. The theme song of the movie is a good one for younger students to learn, as it includes many of the details of Crockett’s life.
History teachers could use Davy Crockett to teach some basic concepts about history as a whole. For one, Crockett was an inveterate storyteller. As such, you can use storytelling to explain to students that history is, in many ways, a lot like a chain of stories. There are many different versions, some are not accurate while some are, and accuracy often depends on dominant ideas of the time. Davy Crockett’s death story is a prime example of how legend can get mixed up with fact such that we don’t really know what happened.
This mutable version of history is best taught through people like Crockett who were half man and half legend. For more information on Crockett, check out this site that has his full biographical sketch and other teaching resources. For more information on teaching Texas history, check out this site.
By-line:
This guest contribution was submitted by Pamelia Brown, who specializes in writing about associates degree. Questions and comments can be sent to: pamelia.brown@gmail.com.
One of our favorite ways to teach is using political cartoons. The Civil War offers a great opportunity to do this as so much time is spent on military action that students can feel bogged down in statistics.
This cartoon depicts General Scott as Hercules slaying the great hydra.
We have included questions and answers along with the cartoon for your classroom use.
For more Civil War era resources check out our PowerPoints:
This film, made in 1977, is honestly a bit of a snoozer, even for those of us who love government! However it does cover the major ideas involved with this important Supreme Court case. And it is worth watching…
For more government resources check out our PowerPoints:
This 1986 film explores the significance of the Cumberland Gap to the movement of people for thousands of years, especially in Westward growth in what is now the United States.
For more about Western US History, check out our PowerPoints and Simulation Games:
March marks Women’s History month and what better way to celebrate than by commencing labor activist and community organizer Mary Harris “Mother “Jones. Jones, who was dubbed as “the most dangerous woman in America” at the ripe age of 60, is better known for her role in organizing the United Mine Workers of America —a group of oppressed mine workers and their families who eventually revolted against mine owners in 1890. While the miners went on strike, it was Mother Jones who encouraged the men to allow let their wives to fight alongside their husbands in a series of “mop and broom” brigades.
Described by historians as a feisty and persistent woman, her impact and significance is immortalized in a song written by singers Ani Difranco and Utah Phillips.
There are several other songs that sum up Mother Jones’ life and accomplishments as well like this 1931 track by folktale singer Gene Autry.
Experts also speculate that the American classic “She’ll be Coming Around the Mountain” is in fact about Mother Jones and her travels promoting unionization of the Appalachian coal miners.
These songs are a fantastic way to get students interactive with the lesson; And unlike when showing a video, the song serves true to one of the oldest forms of storytelling—thus students really need to focus and pay attention to hear what the singers are saying.
There are several different activities that can follow after playing these short songs—the obvious would be to simply have a quiz for comprehension.
Another activity that students might find more enjoyable however is writing their own song. The song might not have to be necessarily about Mother Jones, but maybe about another historical figure they’d like to highlight for Women’s History Month.
Another option that students might also enjoy is writing a news article about a prominent woman in history they’d like to focus on. Mother Jones was the inspiration for a magazine under the same name. The students can pretend they are writing articles for this particular publication.
By-line:
Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.
Our Expansion and Reform:1829-1860 PowerPoint covers the explosions of growth during this era.
We have included this 27-slide excerpt on President Jackson.
For more on this era check out our:
Simulation Games
PowerPoints
When you’re a history teacher, it can be difficult to make your subject matter interesting and relatable. After all, you’re teaching about the past, not the present or future – why should history have any bearing on the way we think and feel today? If your students are asking that question, you might consider a lesson involving Civil War poetry to show them how major historical events affected real people. Words from the individuals who lived through this period can have a strong impact on students who aren’t quite convinced that what we refer to as “history” happened to people just like them. To help your students understand how it might have felt to live during the Civil War period, try using some of the following exercises with poetry that speaks to the essence of humanity.
The Jacket of Gray
This poem is interesting in several respects and might help change your students’ mindsets and attitudes toward the Civil War. It wasn’t just about men – The Jacket of Gray was written by Caroline Augusta Bell, who was born in 1825 and lost a son to the war.
Use the link above to access the poem and print enough copies for everyone in your class. You might consider reading it aloud to emphasize the human emotion of it, helping your students realize that the war was very real to the men and women who lived it. Once everyone has heard or read the poem, you can either hold a class discussion or break students up into smaller groups. You can write the following questions on the board and add to or subtract from them as you see fit:
The General’s Death
Written by Union soldier Joseph O’Connor, The General’s Death is short at just five stanzas, but you’ll find plenty to talk about when you read it in class. The following are some questions to use in discussion of this poem, and you can find more pieces to read and discuss at civilwarpoetry.org.
Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, researching various online programs and blogging about student life issues. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.
For more on this era check out MML’s US History PowerPoints:
Simulation games:
This 1833 cartoon is a great way of exploring the sometimes controversial presidency of Andrew Jackson. Although this refers to the action regarding the Bank, it would be interesting to analyze other actions taken during his presidency.
We have included a copy of the cartoon along with questions and answers.
For more on this era check out our US History PowerPoint, Expansion and Reform: The United States from 1829-1860
Simulation games:
Image Library: US History Image Library – Pre-20th Century
