
Teaching American History Blog
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TeachingAmericanHistory.org is history and civics resource website designed for use by K-12 teachers, college faculty, students, and the public at large. It features a searchable library containing thousands of original documents spanning American history from the Colonial Era through the present, primary source document-based lesson plans designed for use in education.
Teaching American History Blog
1w ago
Thirteen years before Rosa Parks, Bayard Rustin refused to change seats on a bus . . . and helped shape a movement.
The post Bayard Rustin and Nonviolent Resistance: Shaping the Modern Civil Rights Movement appeared first on Teaching American History ..read more
Teaching American History Blog
1w ago
One of the many letters Abraham Lincoln received after being elected president in November 1860 was from Alexander Stephens, a former congressional colleague of Lincoln and the future Vice-President of the Confederacy. He urged Lincoln to make a public statement regarding his intentions as president.
The post Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation: Sorting the Real from the Myth appeared first on Teaching American History ..read more
Teaching American History Blog
2w ago
In May of 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education, finding segregated schools “inherently unequal.” One year later, the Court issued its “Ruling on Relief,” mandating that desegregation proceed “with all deliberate speed.” Given the deliberate vagueness of the instruction, Southern school authorities delayed compliance.
The post Implementing Brown v. Board of Education: One Southern Town’s Story appeared first on Teaching American History ..read more
Teaching American History Blog
3w ago
On this day, we are pleased to post this essay by Lucas Morel, Class of 1960 Professor of Ethics and Politics at Washington and Lee University and long time former faculty member at Teaching American History, who considers the lasting legacy of King's great speech:
The post In Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. appeared first on Teaching American History ..read more
Teaching American History Blog
2M ago
For the past year, Teaching American History’s webinars have been about the presidential election. Last spring, we broke down the presidential election cycle. We spent this fall diving into the rhetorical traditions of American politics.
The post Introducing our Spring 2025 Webinar Series, Books that Changed the National Conversation appeared first on Teaching American History ..read more
Teaching American History Blog
2M ago
For Bill of Rights Day (December 15), we offer an explanation of how these first ten amendments came to be added to the Constitution. The first Congress drafted the Bill of Rights, and presented them for ratification to the states, for both principled and prudential reasons. Many of those who opposed ratification of the Constitution complained that it did not protect the rights of individual citizens and the prerogatives of the states.
The post The Bill of Rights appeared first on Teaching American History ..read more
Teaching American History Blog
2M ago
Teaching American History is excited to announce the release of our latest core document volume, the second edition of Free Speech. Edited by Joseph Fornieri, this reader contains a collection of twenty-six landmark court cases, an introductory essay, case introductions, a thematic table of contents, study questions, glossary, and suggestions for further reading. Take a peek inside the volume below!
The post Free Speech: Core Court Cases, Second Edition appeared first on Teaching American History ..read more
Teaching American History Blog
2M ago
Sojourner Truth died 141 years ago today. Reports of her death had circulated decades earlier—along with inaccurate reports of speeches she made in support of abolition and women’s rights. A more accurate account of her words and deeds better demonstrates her powerful advocacy.
The post The Many Lives of Sojourner Truth appeared first on Teaching American History ..read more
Teaching American History Blog
3M ago
To participate constructively in civic life, “you really have to understand why people do the things that they do,” says Kansas Government teacher Bryan Little. MAHG studies deepened the way Little teaches the Constitution, which the framers structured to withstand the power-hungry tendencies of human nature.
The post Teaching the Constitution in the Context of Human Behavior appeared first on Teaching American History ..read more
Teaching American History Blog
3M ago
The story of the Sand Creek Massacre (November 28, 1864) shows how cultural misunderstanding, political ambition, poor communications, and white settlers’ incessant demand for western land led to shameful acts of violence against Native Americans. It also shows how some Americans refused to participate in the violence.
The post The Sand Creek Massacre appeared first on Teaching American History ..read more