History
- Erin recommended this site that has links to dozens of sites that you can use in this year-plan. There's everything from Sectionalism to barbed wire!
- Have you chosen the Spielvogel books as a spine? If so, click here to find more teaching helps! To navigate through this site, you'll want to click on the picture of your text, or one similar, to find interactive quizzes, internet activities, and more!
- Another massive site: teacher's use, probably, initially, although you'll use it to find sites for your children to read. If they want to read the originals, here they are!
- All ages will love this site on US Government. This site transcends unit boundaries.
- Several books assigned for literature, and some not assigned but interesting to Rhetoric level students (like works of Voltaire and Darwin) are found here.
- The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Van Loon is now online: read from the screen or print to your heart's content.
- Eyewitness History is GREAT! It has first-hand accounts, graphics, and a wonderfully user-friendly interface. Bookmark today and use it all four years! I recommend that you start by clicking on "index" and then scroll through, noting upcoming topics in your Year-Plan! Enjoy!
- Documents for the Study of American History: scroll down to find many from the 19th Century. Very helpful site! Recommended by Dana W.
- Use this site for great pictures when making lapbooks. Contributed by Sue.
- Today in History
- Renee recommends books by Lamplighter Publishing. Click here to see their chronological listings.
Timelines:
- Timeline Book Instructions
- Timeline Maker
- All the time line links you could ever need for this year.
- Simple time line of energy: elementary students will enjoy this quick read.
- Interactive Technology Timeline from PBS.
- Great animated timeline of the 1800's!
Presidents:
- Do you want pictures only? Click here for a picture gallery.
- Another excellent site for studying the Presidents: POTUS (Presidents of the United States)
- Coloring pages of every president for your Lower Grammar kids
- Make a full color book on the Presidents.
- Site for inaugural addresses of the presidents
States:
- Use this site as you are making your deck of state cards. 50states.com
- This site shows the dates that each state entered the Union.
- Contributed by Susan in LA: I found the following link for downloading and printing out flashcards for the 50 states. The front has an outline of the state, a picture of the state flag, the state bird, and a small map showing where the state is located in the region. The back has info about the state.
- Whitman Publishing sells state stickers for $1.95. In their search engine, type in "Us, State Seal Flags." These would make a great addition to your state cards.
Want to suggest a resource or link? Email Dana.
- You might want to start by having your oldest students read this selection on "How to Read a History Assignment".
Week 1: When John Adams Was President
- By way of "catch up" and for your reference this year, especially in introductory weeks, Primary Source documents: an exhaustive site for teacher and older students. Begins at 500 BC and keeps going. Organizing principle is "documents that pertain to Early American history. Obviously, a broad view of our "roots!"
- George Washington
- John Adams
- Short summary of the XYZ Affair
- Archiving Early America: The Alien and Sedition Acts
- Thomas Jefferson
- James Madison
- Louis XVI
- Marie Antoinette
- Lord Horatio Nelson
- Maximilien Robespierre
- Excerpts from Robespierre's speech "Justification of the Use of Terror"
- Napoleon Bonaparte
- A comprehensive site linking more than you'll ever need on the French Revolution.
Week 2: Napoleon: The Man and His Career
- PBS on Napoleon: parents, screen first, please!
- Short biography about Louis XVIII
- Horatio Nelson
- Alexander I of Russia
- Short biography about Francis I of Austria
- William Pitt the Younger
- Maurice de Talleyrand
- Arthur Wellesley
- The Continental System
- The Third Coalition
- Napoleon's Coronation
Week 3: Early Industrial Revolution
- Industrial Revolution
- History of the telegraph
- Eli Whitney
- Robert Fulton
- Samuel Slater
- Francis Cabot Lowell
- John Kay
- James Hargreaves
- Richard Arkwright
- Samuel Crompton
- Edmund Cartwright
- James Watt
- Thomas Newcomen
- Abraham Darby
- Richard Trevithick
- John Stevens
- George Stephenson
- Robert Owen
- Henry Cort
Week 4: Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase
- Facts about Thomas Jefferson
- From Enchanted Learning: Thomas Jefferson. Use this week and next.
- Meriwether Lewis
- William Clark
- Sacagawea
- Aaron Burr
- Twelfth Amendment
Week 5: Jefferson and the Supreme Court
- From Enchanted Learning: Thomas Jefferson.
- Monticello
- The United States Constitution
- John Marshall
- Judicial Branch
- Short biography of Aaron Burr
Week 6: Madison and the War of 1812
- James Madison
- Dolley Madison
- Key Events & Causes of the War of 1812
- War of 1812
- Treaty of Ghent
- Chief Tecumseh
- Francis Scott Key
Week 7: Reshaping Europe and South America
- Simon Bolivar
- Francisco de Miranda
- The Congress of Vienna
- Congress of Vienna Link contributed by Donna.
Week 8: South America in Transition
- Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay
- Events in the Life of Simon Bolivar
- The Boys' Life of Abraham Lincoln
- Robert E. Lee's Childhood
- Slavery in America: Read here about slavery in the deep south; you won't need all of this now, so save sections regarding after 1850 for a future week.
Week 9: Monroe and the American Hemisphere
- World Factbook: Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Suriname, Guyana
- Simon Bolivar and the Latin American Wars of Independence
- This site makes the Congress of Vienna easier to understand.
- Heather has graciously shared her tokens for the Congress of Vienna Reenactment. These are pdf files of Germany tokens, Italy tokens, and Prussia tokens.
- James Monroe
- Monroe Doctrine
Want to suggest a resource or link? Email Dana.
Week 10: John Quincy Adams and Political Realignments
- John Quincy Adams
- This biography of John Quincy Adams is a little more comprehensive and mounted in easily read text. It includes some discussion of his strong nationalistic sentiments, and also includes a handy list of alternate titles about J.Q. Adams in print.
- Election of 1824
- Inaugural Address by John Quincy Adams
- Tariff of Abominations
- Louis Braille Biography
- The Erie Canal: A Journey Through History
Week 11: Jacksonian Democracy
- Biography of Andrew Jackson
- Another, longer, biography of Andrew Jackson
- Elections of 1828 and 1832
- Short definition of Jacksonian democracy
- Indian Removal Act of 1830
- Explanation of the Removal Act
- Biography of Sequoyah
- Facts for Kids: Cherokee Tribe
- More about the Cherokee
- Chart showing lots of good information about Native Americans. Excellent! This link was contributed by Barbara.
Week 12: Revolutions in Texas & Europe
- Jackson's Second Inaugural Address
- Davy Crockett
- Sam Houston
- Santa Anna
- James Bowie
- William Travis
- The Battle of the Alamo
- Paris and the Revolution of 1830
Week 13: President Jackson
- From about.com: History of the Telegraph. Contributed by Elizabeth.
Week 16: Manifest Destiny
- Manifest Destiny
- Mexican American War
- Marcus Whitman and Narcissa Prentiss(Whitman)
- Telegraph
- History of the Mormons
- History of the Photograph
Week 17: Mexican-American War
- Mexican-American War
- This website has fun games, some printables, as well as information about the Alamo. Click on "just for kids" to begin. Contributed by Caryl.
- Start your study of Harriet Tubman here. Quizzes, games, maps, pictures, and more are available! Recommended by Cindy.
Week 18: European Unrest: Revolutions of 1848. Communism. Telegraph, Pony Express, and Gold Rush of '48
- Spark notes: Communist Manifesto: text and notes. Dialectic and up.
- Lots of great stories from the California Gold Rush. All ages.
- The Gold Rush: great PBS site. All ages.
- Pictures of the Bodie Ghost town: a current museum preserves the look and feel of the Old West! All ages!
- Lots of links on gold, mining, prospecting, etc. Check out the great activities, too, like going panning for gold if you live in the California area!
- Pony Express. Great site with information, more links, books, and more! All ages.
- Pony Express history: includes a virtual tour, a list of the riders, and other other interesting information
Want to suggest a resource or link? Email Dana.
Week 19: Hudson Taylor, Opium Wars, and the beginnings of European/American Imperialism.
- Issue 52 of Christian History is devoted to Hudson Taylor.
- Another brief biography of Hudson Taylor.
- Great site to read with your student on the Opium Wars. Brief, but succinct side by side accounts of the reasons for these wars from two opposite points of view: British and Chinese. Very well done, content-wise. The graphical layout of the site could use a little help--but look past this.
- Brief account of the Opium Wars. Best for Rhetoric and up--advanced language.
- Shorter account of the Opium Wars, and with simpler language. Still Dialectic and up.
- China's seat of government: The Forbidden City. VERY cool for all ages!
- Links to fine biographies and resources on Hudson Taylor.
- Martha suggests this page from the Navy's History website with information about Commodore Perry and the Opening of Japan with activities and answer keys.
Week 20: Crimean War, Sardinia, and the Unification of Italy
- Crimean War
- Crimean War photographs
- "The Charge of the Light Brigade". This one has some nice pictures.
- If you want to print up "The Charge of the Light Brigade" to put in your notebook, go to this site.
- Good basic biography of Clara Barton.
- Kristin recommends these great PDF worksheets and activities about Florence Nightingale for grammar years.
- Kristin also let us know about this grammar years Florence Nightingale unit from the UK Department for Children, Schools and Families Standards Site that even includes a paper doll to cut out. Kristin (a former nurse) tells her kids to imagine working in those clothes!
Weeks 21-23: The Civil War
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Great site to review the various socio-political tensions that led to the Civil War. Dialectics and up--and not bad for teachers to make sure you've covered all the basics. You might want to use this as a weekly quiz or unit test element.
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A treasure trove for all teachers and students: Civil War.com. Links to great maps, biographies, and activities. Also primary source documents (Emancipation Proclamation) associated with the Civil War.
- Another massive treasure trove of all kinds of Civil War links on all kinds of subjects connected with it. Probably for the teacher, or older students doing research on topics on which general sources have little to say.
- Civil War Potpourri webpage. Contributed by one of our users!
- Jeffersonian View of the Civil War
- Tax museum and the financing of the Civil War
- Great primary source stuff for Week 23: Letters from the Civil War.
- Civil War guns: Muskets 101
- Short site for all ages on Camp Life.
- Outstanding site on the Chaplains. Text is Dialectic up; site has great pictures for all.
- Civil War timeline.
- See scenes from a one-man play about Matthew Brady's life.
- Actual photographs by Matthew Brady.
- Biography of Matthew Brady.
- Photos taken by Alexander Gardner.
- Clara Barton site with good cross-links. Great picture of her.
- Biography of Clara's life. Text is Dialectic level up.
- Other information on Civil War nurses.
- PBS web site which encompasses the entire American history of slavery. Good for D and R levels. Recommended by C. Joy.
- Read this first-hand account of abolitionist Levi Coffin, aid to over 3,000 slaves on the underground railroad.
- A slave master's reward ad.
- Learn and hear Civil War songs! All ages.
- Julia Ward Howe, author of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Good picture. Text is dialectic and up.
- Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, or click here inaugural addresses of all of the presidents
- Looks like FUN! Check out this National Geographic Site: A game for the Underground Railroad.
- Christianity Today has an excellent article written by Mark Noll entitled "The Puzzling Faith of Abraham Lincoln". If you don't have the suggested book about Lincoln's faith, this is a must-read!
- Online quiz for Lower Grammar students about Lincoln's life.
- The Gettysburg Address
- National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Week 24: Transcontinental Railroad and Reconstruction
- Railroad timeline with links. Upper grammar and up.
- Wonderful Transcontinental Railroad site!
- Helpful outline of the period. Teacher, or Dialectic up.
- A few photos of ruins after the war: ruined buildings, more buildings, and the link to the timeline of civil war photos where we found these. (under 1865, Fallen Richmond)
- Reconstruction of Georgia (by a Southern sympathizer, apparently).
- Outline of major Reconstruction events, with great pictures of prominent figures.
- HUGE gorgeous site with all kinds of links to follow up. Reconstruction is only ONE part of this site on the Gilded Age and Progressive Era.
Week 25: Plains Indians
- OUTSTANDING resource: timeline of Plains Indians, with all kinds of great hyperlinks to people and events.
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An Eyewitness Account by the Lakota Chief Red Horse recorded in
pictographs and text
at the Cheyenne River Reservation, 1881. Click on the various episodes on the left to see great images! - Plains Indians and horses. Scroll down and find some nice pictures. Text is Dialectic up, and a little hard to read.
- Gallery of paintings of Plains Indians.
- Culture of Plains Indians co-operative site. Nice pictures for younger students.
- The Plains Indians and their dependence on buffalo. This site encompasses art and history. A Native American artist created this tapestry and kids are encouraged to think constructively in order to understand its meaning. Explanations and online matching activity are provided.
- HUGE gorgeous site with all kinds of links to follow up. Westward Expansion is only ONE part of this site on the Gilded Age
- Cyrus McCormick home page: bio of him at Dialectic level; pictures for all to enjoy. Inventor of the reaper and several modern business practices that revolutionized farming in prairie lands.
- Plains Indians Link contributed by Pam.
Week 26: Edison and Bell. German Unification and Prussian Wars
- Encarta on Otto von Bismarck (good for Upper Grammar students, for whom I've found no good resources in book form).
- Very short bio with good picture of Bismarck.
- Quotes from Otto von Bismarck: good dinner topics!
- Clara Barton again!
- Art prints on the subject of the Franco-Prussian wars, and other wars of the late 19th Century.
- This link is from The Henry Ford museum site. It includes information about Edison's Childhood, The Menlo Park Laboratory, The Lab Comes to Greenfield Village, a listing of his Inventions and Patents, and Edison Chronology. Use this link again in Year 4. Contributed by Kathy.
Want to suggest a resource or link? Email Dana.
Week 27: African History: (please see Geography page for other great maps for key items in this unit!)
- Directory to all sorts of great online aids for this two-week mini-unit. Click here and then explore! Teachers and students (with supervision).
- Country by country listings for mini-reports. Do not miss the "factbook" entries for each country! Also pictures of flags. All ages; with supervision and help.
- Mary Slessor
- David Livingstone
Week 28: Nineteenth Century Imperialism specifically
- Award winning Imperialism site covering ALL aspects of Imperialism. Lots of connected sites. Teachers, initially, and then Upper Grammar + will enjoy, with supervision. For upper Dialectic and Rhetoric Level students, do not miss the discussion of Imperialism using Kipling's famous poem "The White Man's Burden" as a jump off point. Response poems and articles referenced in the question posed in the Student Activity Pages (and reprinted in part in the Teacher's Notes) can be found here.
- Helpful, basic site on Imperialism.
- One last good site on Imperialism. This site also has a helpful map.
Week 29: Queen Victoria and the British Empire
- Short bio of Queen Victoria with links to other sites. Upper elementary; please supervise following those links!
- Queen Victoria's empire was dependent on the Royal Navy. Click here to learn more about it! (See pictures of her ironclad ships!)
- PBS on Queen Victoria. There are lots of helpful resources at this site.
- Beautiful site on life in the Victorian era.
Week 30: The Gilded Age
- Smithsonian site on the First American Centennial
- Corliss Steam Engine - A very interesting story!
- Susan B. Anthony
- PBS’s Jim Crow site.
- First-hand Jim Crow Narratives. Parent preview, and be alert to secular worldviews.
- Read about Montgomery Ward catalogs on a Collector’s site.
- The History of Sears Store. On the left click on "About Sears" and then on the next page click on "History".
- This is a great site on the Centennial Exhibition (1876 Philadelphia). Loads of searchable pictures and a children's book produced right at the exhibition has been digitized. They even have a model you can print and piece together! This site contributed by Martha.
Week 31: Immigration, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty
- HUGE gorgeous site with all kinds of links to follow up. This week's topics are only ONE part of this site on the Gilded Age and Progressive Era.
- Ellis Island: take a virtual tour and learn how immigrants were processed here.
- Prepare to take a virtual tour of Ellis Island. Great educational package in .pdf format for your children to fill out whether or not you're really going to visit!
- Recommended by Caryl, this Ellis Island WebQuest presents one more option for you to use. Kids will have fun keeping a diary and pretending they are immigrants!
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Wonderful online handbook of the Statue of Liberty. (Click on
"contents" on the left sidebar to get started!) Great information
and photos to work from for all kinds of projects.
Weeks 32-33: Robber Barons and Trustbusters
- HUGE gorgeous site with all kinds of links to follow up. Robber Barons and Tycoons are only ONE part of this site on the Gilded Age and Progressive Era.
- Read about the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.
- And now, for the other side of the story, read this BIASED site about the ills of trust busting. Note: moms, some art work used on this site may be objectionable to some female teens. (Not on this linked page, but elsewhere in the site.) This page relates Standard Oil to the current Microsoft case.
- It is safe to read this page from the same site as immediately linked above: again, notice their bias in this definition and discussion of monopolies. Do you agree? Why or why not?
- From the same site, this would be the absolute PRO-Laissez Faire statement, without using the term. If you don't know French, can you guess what "Laissez Faire" means? Do you know where the term comes from?
- HINT: Click here to find out! (From a more balanced source, whew!)
- For a kinder, gentler (more sane and balanced) view, go to this site: Foundation for Economic Education and poke around. (Adult supervision, please, I've not been everywhere in this site).
- Free market economics (chapter 1) soundly and simply explained... for an 11th Grader and up. LOL. Want more? Here's the link for Chapter 2.
- Visit (virtual or actual!) the "summer cottages" of the rich and famous tycoons of the 1800's. See the Newport Mansions!
- PBS site on the Rockefellers.
- PBS site on Andrew Carnegie.
- Ellis Island: take a virtual tour and learn how immigrants were processed here.
Week 33: Organized labor/problems labor faced
- Excellent, short, clear biography of Samuel Gompers. Dialectic and up.
- The Samuel Gompers Papers
- Sidney Hillman: picture, bio, and links to more resources about him. Bio says, "First president of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, he was organized labor's foremost 'statesman.'"
- Other "greats" in the "Labor Hall of Fame."
- Elias Howe
- Isaac Singer
- Christopher Sholes
- Benjamin Harrison
- Details on Homestead Strike of 1892 and industry in Pennsylvania.
- A truly EXCELLENT site. Links cartoons of the era with primary source and other related documents. Outstanding place for Rhetoric and above students to putter around in!
Week 34: Gold/Silver standard controversy
- Excellent cross-referenced biography of William Jennings Bryan, complete with audio of his "Cross of Gold" speech! Outstanding!
- A truly EXCELLENT site. Links cartoons of the era with primary source and other related documents. Outstanding place for Rhetoric and above students to putter around in!
Week 35: Problems of Urbanization and the Christian Response
- Short biographies of John and Catherine Booth.
Charles Spurgeon:
- The happy life of Charles and Susannah Spurgeon
- All about Spurgeon: his life, his sermons, his devotional offerings--it's all here. Enjoy!
- Great site with lots of links from it: The Boer War Museum in South Africa. Upper Elementary and up.
- Do you remember where the Boers came from? Great elementary site.
- Great site on Teddy Roosevelt. Great background to the Spanish American War. Upper Elementary and up.
- The Spanish-American War: very intensive; has everything you could want for upper level students. Preview for use with younger students. Includes information about uniforms, music, and weaponry. Recommended by Michelle in OK.
- The Spanish-American War: Remember the Maine
- The Boxer Rebellion
Want to suggest a resource or link? Email Dana.
