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Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) spent 64 years of his life in Independence, Missouri. The qualities instilled in him there as a child and young adult guided him personally and in his careers as farmer, judge, senator, and President of the United States (1945-53). After leaving public office in 1953, he returned to his hometown to live among the family and neighbors who had always supported him. The house where Truman and his wife shared 53 years of married life is preserved today as the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site. The home and neighborhood help people understand the life and character of the 33rd President. This lesson can be used in U.S. history, social studies, or geography courses in a unit on Truman's presidency; or incorporated in a study of the role of small towns in U.S. society and how notable people are shaped by their early years. The lesson plan contains eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson"; (2) "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; (3) "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; (4) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Missouri; Kansas City, Independence, and Grandview, Missouri); (5) "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Years of Growth (1884-1906); Years of Change and Challenges (1906-1934); Harry Truman and National Politics (1935-1952); Retirement Years (1953-1972); (6) "Visual Evidence: Images" (Harry Truman's Independence; Truman House, 1904; Truman House Today; Courthouse Square, Independence); (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (The Place We Call Home; Why Preserve Old Buildings?); and (8) "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

Paterson, New Jersey, was established in the 1790s to utilize the power of the water that cascades through the Passaic River Gorge. Massive brick mill buildings lined the canals that transformed the power of the falls into energy to drive machines. These mills manufactured many things during the history of this industrial city. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they produced silk fabrics in such quantities that Paterson was known as the "Silk City." Today, many of the mill buildings survive, mute witnesses to a turbulent history. This lesson is based on several National Historic Landmark nomination files, the National Register of Historic Places registration file, Belle Vista, and additional information. The lesson can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on labor-management conflict and the rise of unions, or on immigration. It contains eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson"; (2) "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; (3) "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; (4) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Paterson and Surrounding Region; Great Falls/S.U.M. Historic District); (5) "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Working 'In the Silk'; Strike!; Owners and Workers); (6) "Visual Evidence: Images" (Dye House in the S.U.M. District, ca. 1910; Dye House Workers, ca. 1900; Silk Weaving Mill in the S.U.M. District; Jacquard Silk Looms, ca. 1900; Belle Vista (Lambert Castle), 1896; Strike Rally at the Botto House, 1913); (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Working and Workers; Labor Unions and Strikes; Local Industry); and (8) "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

When friends and family visited the Douglas family at Brucemore in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, they had the opportunity to enjoy the beauty and grace of the mansion's public places. On its 33 acres, Brucemore had a duck pond, swimming pool, tennis courts, and large formal gardens, besides its 21 extravagant rooms and furnishings. Domestic servants were integral to the sophistication and decorum, much less the functionality, of the Brucemore estate their work touched every part of the estate. During the years the Douglas family made Brucemore their home, 10 or more people maintained the mansion and grounds at any given time. This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places property, "T. M. Sinclair Mansion" (or Brucemore) as well as primary and secondary materials available at Brucemore. The lesson can be used in units on the Gilded Age. It is divided into eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson; (2) "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; (3) "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; (4) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Cedar Rapids, 1906; Brucemore Estate, 1911-1928); (5) "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Servants at Brucemore; Danny's Diary; Comparing Period Sources); (6) "Visual Evidence: Images" ( 10 photographs taken at Brucemore); (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Ideal and Real; Built-In Service; Factory Work vs. Domestic Service; Preserving the Past); and (8) "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

Construction began on the memorial to Abraham Lincoln in 1915, fifty years after his assassination. Sculptor, Daniel Chester French, designed the statue to honor the 16th U.S. President. French had gained a national reputation with his earlier portrayal of "The Minute Man," a statue to honor those colonials who died at Lexington and Concord (Massachusetts) in 1775. President Warren G. Harding dedicated the building and the sculpture on May 30, 1922. The marble likeness of Abraham Lincoln stares across the reflecting pool at the Washington Monument on the Capitol's grassy mall. The memorial has been the scene of many events and public protests since its completion. This lesson plan furnishes an overview of the memorial's construction; identifies the National History Standards and National Civics and Government Standards correlations; presents seven diverse activities for classroom implementation; and provides three historic photographs for analysis (Reflecting Pool; Unfinished Lincoln Memorial; and Ku Klux Klan.) Additional photos are attached. Contains a photo analysis worksheet. (BT)

This teacher's guide explores Fort McHenry and the British attack on Baltimore Harbor (Maryland) in 1814. The guide contains 11 lessons: (1) "Where in the World Is Baltimore?" (no handout-use classroom resources); (2) "Why Baltimore?" (Handout-Why Baltimore?); (3) "Now Where Do We Place the Fort?" (Handout-Map of Patapsco River/Baltimore Harbor); (4) "The Star Fort" (Handout-Diagram of Fort McHenry; Handout-The Star Fort); (5) "Defenders of Fort McHenry" (Handout-The Defenders); (6) "An African American Soldier Defends Fort McHenry" (Handout-A Black Soldier Defends Fort McHenry); (7) "Fort McHenry Measurements Today" (Handout-Fort McHenry Today: Wall Measurements); (8) "The Great Garrison Flag" (Handout-Great Garrison Flag); (9) "Francis Scott Key" (Handout-Francis Scott Key); (10) "The Star-Spangled Banner" (Handout-"Star-Spangled Banner"); and (11) "History of Fort McHenry" (Handout-History of Fort McHenry). An extensive bibliography contains references about the flag, Francis Scott Key, and the War of 1812. A teacher's guide evaluation sheet also is attached. (BT)

Springwood, the birthplace and home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, is a large, rambling structure faced with stucco and fieldstone, situated in a landscaped clearing on a bluff overlooking the Hudson River. Roosevelt was born there to a family of wealth and position on January 30, 1882. It is the only site in the U.S. where a president was born, maintained a lifelong connection, and lies buried. This lesson, one of a series that brings the stories of historic places into classrooms across the country, is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file for the "Home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt National Historic Site" and other source material. The lesson can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on FDR's presidency, the Great Depression, the New Deal, and World War II. It is divided into eight sections: "About This Lesson" (gives student objectives, materials needed); "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; "Locating the Site: Maps" (New York State and surrounding area; Springwood); "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Early Years and Influences; Physical Challenge and the Road Ahead; Political Life in an Era of Crisis; International Scene at Hyde Park); "Visual Evidence: Images" (Aerial View of Springwood;. Springwood; WPA Flood Project, 1937; Roosevelts with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth; Four Freedoms Poster); "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Lifestyles; Remembering When); and "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

The Freeman School, originally called the Red-Brick School House, served the community of Blakely Township, Nebraska from 1872 to 1967. It is representative of the one-room schools that once dotted the western landscape of the United States. The Freeman School served not only as an educational center but also as the church, a meeting hall, the township polling place, and as the social and political center of the community. At present, the National Park Service maintains and preserves this historic structure. This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file "Freeman Homestead and Freeman School" and other sources. The lesson can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on westward expansion and homesteading, the history of education in the United States, early mapping of lands, and studies of U.S. cultural developments. It is divided into: "About This Lesson"; "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; "Locating the Site: Maps" (Plat Map of Blakely Township); "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Red Brick School; Community's Experience; Treasurer's Account Book); "Visual Evidence: Images" (Red Brick School; Teacher and Pupils, 1914; Children in Front of School, 1913; Interior of Freeman School; Children at Play); "Putting It All Together: Activities" (And Today in the School; To Preserve or Not to Preserve; How Did My Town Grow?); and "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

This lesson plan, based on the Arts and Entertainment documentary "Frontier Homes," consists of four segments which examine a style of historic dwelling built by settlers on the frontier: the post and beam structures built by English settlers in New England; the log houses constructed by pioneers on the forested frontier; sod houses erected on the prairies; and adobe houses crafted in the southwest. This unit combines the study of U.S. history with a lesson in material culture and environmental understanding. The four home segments include: (1) Plymouth Plantation, a living history museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts, that features examples of post and beam homes; (2) The Museum of Appalachia, Tennessee, where Swedish settlers first introduced log-style structures in the New World during the 18th century; (3) a demonstration of a "hands-on" approach on how to build a sod house in Minnesota; and (4) El Rancho Las Golondrinas, a living history museum outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico, that teaches about building the Spanish-American adobe home. This lesson plan provides an overview of these segments, previewing activities; vocabulary, understanding geography, and chronology; a graph of the home types; discussion questions; student activities; and relevant vocabulary. The lesson plan identifies which subjects are appropriate for study, grade level, national history standards, and student educational objectives. (BT)

The small rural town of Bethlehem, Connecticut, contains pristine examples of modest 18th-century houses that surround a charming village green. Opposite the village green, the Reverend Joseph Bellamy's immense white clapboard house rises from a hilltop, an imposing presence that makes the village appear diminutive. The house stands today as a reminder of Bellamy's role as a leading preacher, author, and educator in New England from 1740 to 1790 and of the great awakening in Puritan New England. This lesson plan, based on the National Register of Historic Places file, "Joseph Bellamy House," and other sources on the Great Awakening and Joseph Bellamy, can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on religion in the colonies. The lesson helps students gain a deeper understanding of the great awakening and the role Puritan ministers played in 18th-century New England. It cites U.S. history standards and lists educational objectives and materials needed. The lesson is divided into eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson"; (2) "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; (3) "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; (4) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Colonial Connecticut; Original Lost for Sale in North Purchase); (5) "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Great Awakening; Joseph Bellamy; Insight into Joseph Bellamy); (6) "Visual Evidence: Images" (View of the Center of Bethlehem, 1836; Conjectured Floor Plan of the Bellamy House; Modern Floor Plan of the Bellamy-Ferriday House; Bellamy-Ferriday House; Reverend Joseph's Pulpit; Old Cemetery); (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Letter Writing; Gravestone Design; Historical Research in the Community); and (8) "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

Waterford, Virginia, preserves the ambiance and many of the structures that characterized it during its heyday as a flour milling town in the 19th century. The village has changed so little in shape and size that founder Amos Janney would find it recognizable. He could stroll from his 1733 home to the area of his original mill and then on to the Quaker meeting house he founded in 1741. This lesson plan is based on the National Register of Historic Places file "Waterford Historic District" and materials in the collection of the Waterford Foundation. The lesson, which focuses on changing life in a Quaker agricultural community and mill town, can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in a unit about early industrialization or to illustrate how communities adapt to economic change. It cites relevant National History Standards, objectives for students, and materials needed. The lesson is divided into eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson"; (2) "Getting Started: Inquiry Questions"; (3) "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; (4) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Loudoun County, Virginia, 1870s; Waterford and Surrounding Farms, 1853); (5) "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Waterford: From Mill Town to National Historic Landmark; Early 19th Century Wheat Farming near Waterford; Waterford's Mill Ledger); (6) "Visual Evidence: Images" (Plan of Waterford, 1853; Mill and Miller's House, 1882; Mill and Miller's House Today; View down Main Street, c. 1862; View down Main Street Today; Quaker Meeting House); (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Step Back in Time; Waterford, Then and Now; Change over Time in Your Town); and (8) "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

Strolling through the old city of Savannah, Georgia's rigid, grid pattern streets, down its linear brick walkways, past over 1,100 residential and public buildings of unparalleled architectural richness and diversity, visitors and residents come to appreciate the original plan that has existed intact since Savannah's founding in 1733. Twenty-four tree-shaded, park-like open spaces called squares are the essence of the city. Savannah is one of the few surviving colonial city plans in the United States, a testament to the ingenuity of Georgia's founders. This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places file for "Savannah Historic District." The lesson plan can be used to teach U.S. colonial history, the antebellum era and the cotton economy, and the rise of cities in the United States. It cites relevant National History Standards, objectives for students, and materials needed. The lesson plan is divided into eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson"; (2) "Getting Started: Inquiry Questions"; (3) "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; (4) "Locating the Site: Maps" (British and Spanish Claims in the Southeast; Portion of the Southeast Atlantic Coastline); (5) "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Establishing Savannah; The City Plan and How It Was Built; Good Intentions Don't Always Last); (6) "Visual Evidence: Images" (View of Savannah, 1734; Detail from View of Savannah; Savannah, 1800; Savannah, 1818; Panorama of Savannah, 1837); (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Draw the City Plan of Savannah; Then and Now in Your Town); and (8)"Supplementary Resources." (BT)

The rhythmic noises of the turning water wheel and the roar of the furnace blast never stopped at Hopewell Furnace (Pennsylvania) during its years of operation (1771-1883). As long as the furnace was in blast, the ironworkers' jobs were safe. In case of trouble, they could escape to the woods, fields, and creeks of rural Pennsylvania. Now a national historic site, Hopewell Furnace lies in a setting of forested hills and valleys along a French Creek in Berks County in southeastern Pennsylvania. It provides a glimpse into the early days of the iron and steel industry that played a central role in the growth of the United States as an industrial nation. This lesson plan on Hopewell Furnace can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on the growth of the U.S. economy during the early national period. The lesson plan is divided into eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson"; (2) "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; (3) "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; (4) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Pennsylvania and Surrounding Areas; Southeastern Pennsylvania); (5) "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Works at Hopewell Furnace; Owner and Iron Master; Hopewell Furnace Community); (6) "Visual Evidence: Images" (19th Century Blast Furnace in Operation; 'Jumping the Pit,' 1936; Artist's View of Hopewell Furnace, 1950s; Ironmaster's House with Outbuildings; Tenant Houses; Typical Hopewell Furnace Products); (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Working at Hopewell; Economic History in the Local Community); and (8) "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

Northern New Mexico boasts river valleys surrounded by snow covered mountains. But it is also harsh and unforgiving. One settler called it a "glorious hell." The "Hispanos," as the early Spanish settlers and their descendants were called, and the "Anglos," the immigrants from the east, were often in conflict. The physical fabric of their early ranchos, which combines the traditions of both cultural groups, testifies to the Hispanos' age-old heritage and to their ability to adapt to change. Some of the small subsistence farms (ranchos), created in the mid-19th century, survive in the mountain valleys of the Pecos and Mora rivers. This lesson plan is based on the Valencia Ranch Historic/Archeological District, the La Cueva Historic District, and other sources. The lesson plan can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on settlement of the West or New Mexico history, and in units on cultural diversity. It is divided into eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson"; (2) "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; (3) "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; (4) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Northern Provinces of New Spain; Spanish Settlement in New Mexico, 1769); (5) "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Hispanos and Anglos; Continuity and Change in the Valleys; Valencia and La Cueva Ranchos); (6) Visual Evidence: Images" (Traditional Hispano House; Plan of a Traditional House; Main House, Valencia Rancho; Romero House, La Cueva Rancho; Valencia Rancho; Aerial View of the Valencia Rancho); (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Comparing Early Building Techniques; Traditional Building and Cultural Identity; Continuity and Change in the Community); and (8) "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file, "University of Virginia Historic District," and other primary and secondary materials about Thomas Jefferson and the ctreation of the University of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson did not begin the effort of designing the University of Virginia (Charlottesville) until late in his life. The education of the common man had occupied his thoughts for decades. Jefferson imagined that an academic village clustered around a tree-lined lawn would provide an ideal setting in which to pursue higher education. When the Virginia legislature authorized a state university in 1818, the retired U.S. President finally was able to dedicate his intellect, time, and energy to creating this new kind of educational institution. By the time he finished with his design, Jefferson had invented a uniquely American setting for higher education, the college campus. This lesson plan contains eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson"; (2) "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; (3) "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; (4) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Virginia and Washington, DC; Charlottesville area, 1877); (5) "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Education as the Keystone to the New Democracy; Building the Academical Village; Jefferson's Philosophy of Education); (6) "Visual Evidence: Images" (College of New Jersey, Princeton, 1764; University of Virginia, 1826; Plan of the University of Virginia, 1825; Study for Anatomical Theatre, c. 1825; Students on the Lawn, 19th Century; Aerial View of the Lawn, 1997); (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Village for Learning; Local Schools; Education through the Generations); and (8) "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

Land was at a premium during the first quarter of the 19th century in the newly incorporated city of Boston (Massachusetts). Among the first priorities was the development of a safer, healthier city. Boston's burial grounds were seriously overcrowded, and additional space was no longer available within the city limits. Attitudes about death and burial were changing significantly around this time. Mount Auburn Cemetery, founded in 1831, reflected these changing ideas about death, and at the same time addressed the problem of an overcrowded city. Located about four miles outside of Boston, Mount Auburn Cemetery provided ample space for burials amid a tranquil, natural setting. This lesson plan looks at cemeteries and attitudes toward death and burial. The lesson plan is divided into eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson"; (2) "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; (3) "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; (4) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Boston and Vicinity, 1830; Mount Auburn Cemetery, 1847); (5) "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Founding Vision: A 'Garden of Graves'; The Landscape: Art and Nature; A Place for the Living: Leisure, Learning and Mourning); (6) "Visual Evidence: Images" (Engraved Views of Copp's Hill, Boston, 1851; Engraved View of Lowell Lot, 1847; Engraved View of Stow Gardens, circa 1760; Engraved View of Gossler Lot, 1847; Stereographic View of Jones Lot, 1860s; Engraved View of Appleton Lot, 1847; Mount Auburn Guide Book, 1856); (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Map Mania; Location Is Everything; Observing the Landscape); and (8)"Supplementary Resources". The lesson plan can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on urbanization and reform movements. (BT)

The Washington Monument (District of Columbia) is one of the most recognizable structures in the United States. Its prominence comes because it commemorates George Washington, who remains one of this country's most admired leaders. The history of the monument reflects Washington's contributions to the development of the United States and shows how people have debated the best way to honor important citizens. The lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file for the Washington Monument, the visitor's guide to the monument, source material about George Washington, and the structure built to honor him. The lesson plan can be used in teaching units on the American Revolution, the early Federal period, or the formation of a national identity, a collective memory, and interpretations of the past. The lesson is divided into eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson"; (2) "Getting Started" (Photograph Analysis Worksheet); (3) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Portion of L'Enfant Plan for Washington); (4) "Determining the Facts: Readings and Documents" (George Washington and the Early Republic; Samuel Blodgett's Broadside; Construction of the Monument; Finishing the Monument); (5) "Visual Evidence: Images" (The Washington Monument; Robert Mills's Design for the Washington Monument; The Washington Monument during the Civil War; Alternative Designs for the Washington Monument); (6) "Setting the Stage"; (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Qualities of a Leader; Designing a Memorial; Local Memorial Study); and (8) "Summary." (MR)

Fort Huachuca (Arizona) is a National Historic Landmark that, like few other places, evokes a feeling for the part. In the heart of Apacheria, Camp Huachuca was founded in March 1877 as one in a network of 70 U.S. Army outposts stretching across the U.S. southwest frontier. The museum is housed in one of the historical buildings built between 1880 and 1905. Its goals are to collect and care for military artifacts that inform people about the U.S. Army's past and to interpret them in such a way as to bring to the military community and the general public a heightened awareness of, and appreciation for, the colorful history of the military in the U.S. southwest. This introduction for teachers contains twelve sections: (1) "Some Background on the Fort Huachuca Museum"; (2) "The Museum as an Important Tool in Studying History"; (3) "Facilities and Services Available at the Museum"; (4) "The Huachuca Story"; (5) "How to Arrange Tours of the Fort Huachuca Museum"; (6) "How to Prepare for Tours of the Museum"; (7) "Other Attractions in the Area"; (8) "'History Hunt' Game"; (9) "Answers to 'History Hunt'"; (10) "Answers to the Quiz"; (11) "Build Your Own History Exhibit"; and (12) "Connections." (BT)

Every person's home has a story to tell and a place in history. Whether a person owns their house, rents it, or lives in an apartment, they can become a house detective and discover the history of the home. This brochure enumerates the following nine steps for investigation: (1) "Start at Home"; (2) "Go to the Courthouse"; (3) "Look at Other Public Records"; (4) "Go to the Library"; (5) "Read a Map"; (6) "Look at a Picture"; (7) "Talk to the People"; (8) "Put It All Together"; and (9) "Is the Building You Live in Brand New?" The brochure briefly explains how to undertake each step in the investigation. In answer to the question, "Is the Building You Live in Brand New?," the brochure advises residents of new buildings to start histories of their homes, using some of the steps outlined in the brochure. Lists five resources for further reading. (BT)

This lesson describes and discusses the impact on Carnegie Libraries in U.S. history. The lesson plan contains eight sections: (1) "About this Lesson"; (2) "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; (3) "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; (4) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Carnegie Libraries in the United States, 1920); (5) "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Andrew Carnegie; Applying for a Carnegie Library; Obtaining a Carnegie Library; Examples of Carnegie Libraries; Distribution of Carnegie Libraries, 1920); (6) "Visual Evidence: Images" (Sample Library Building Plans; Medford Free Public Library, Medford, Wisconsin; Carnegie Free Library, Connellsville, Pennsylvania; Richfield Public Library, Richfield, Utah; Carnegie Library, Spokane, Washington; Carnegie Library, Girard, Kansas;'Harpers Weekly,' March 30, 1901); (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Additional Research on Carnegie; Famous Philanthropists; Spending a Fortune; Libraries in the Local Community); and (8) "Supplementary Resources." (RJC)

The late 19th- and early 20th-century sculptor, Daniel Chester French, spent 34 summers working daily at Chesterwood (Stockbridge, Massachusetts), his summer studio and home. The workplace was designed specifically for creating monumental public structures, works such as the "Abraham Lincoln" that forms the centerpiece of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. But beyond the open door of his studio, French could admire a panoramic view of the rolling Berkshire Hills. This lesson is based on the Daniel Chester French Home and Studio file. The lesson can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on late 19th and early 20th century reform and urban movements or in an introduction to U.S. art history. It contains eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson"; (2) "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; (3) "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; (4) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Stockbridge and Surrounding Area); (5) "Determining the Facts: Readings" (The Sculptor: Daniel Chester French; Chesterwood: Home and Workplace; Working on the 'Abraham Lincoln' for the Lincoln Memorial); (6) "Visual Evidence: Images" (Bird's-eye View of Chesterwood; French's Studio at Chesterwood; Main House at Chesterwood; Interior of the Workroom Today; Sculpture on Railroad Track, 1905; 'Minute Man'; 'Abraham Lincoln' Being Installed at the Lincoln Memorial, 1922; Sketch Model of 'Abraham Lincoln'; Working Model of 'Abraham Lincoln'; Detail, 'Abraham Lincoln,' Washington, DC); (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Reading a Sculpture; Sculpture as Work; Public Art in the Community); and (8) "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

Intended for students in grades 10-11, this lesson plan outlines a world history lesson that focuses on Baghdad in the Classical Era (AD 762-1258). The lesson plan states a purpose; cites educational objectives; delineates step-by-step procedures for classroom implementation; suggests various exercises (such as brainstorming, map activity, guided practice, and independent practice); and contains an eight item bibliography. Contains work sheets for the activities and five readings from selected articles. (BT)

On a bluff in Stafford County, Virginia, overlooking the Rappahannock River and the town of Fredericksburg beyond, stands the 18th-century plantation house called Chatham. For years this house stood as the centerpiece of a prosperous estate supported by nearly 100 slaves. Between 1862 and 1864 it became, in turn, an army headquarters, a communications center, a hospital, a campsite, and a refuge from the cold for Union soldiers. Four major Civil War battles were fought in the countryside surrounding Chatham. In the wake of passing armies, Chatham, like the war-torn town visible from its front door, emerged standing but forever changed by the turmoil of the Civil War. This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park and Cemetery, and primary sources from the park. The lesson can be used in U.S. history courses on the Civil War and women's history. It is divided into eight sections: "About This Lesson"; "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; "Locating the Site: Maps" (Fredericksburg, VA and surrounding region; Chatham, above the river (inset), and Fredericksburg region); "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Impact of the Civil War on Chatham; Chatham at the Center of Military Activities; Chatham as a Hospital); "Visual Evidence: Images" (Advertisement for Chatham; Chatham, c. 1862; Chatham as it appears today); "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Write a Letter Home; Restoration of Chatham; Living through a War); and"Supplementary Resources." (BT)

The French Quarter ("Vieux Carre" in French) is the heart and soul of modern New Orleans (Louisiana), serving as a continuous reminder of the city's Creole, colonial past. The French Quarter, lying barely above sea level, hugs the bank of the Mississippi River. Buildings with wrought-iron balconies crowd each other and the narrow streets. This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file, Vieux Carre Historic District, and other source materials. The lesson can be used in teaching units on colonial history, western expansion in the 18th- and 19th-century United States, or multiculturalism. It is divided into eight sections: "About This Lesson"; "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; "Locating the Site: Maps" (French Claim to North America, 1754; Spanish Claims, 1763; Louisiana Purchase, 1803; Mississippi Delta, 1720; Plan of New Orleans, 1720); "Determining the Facts: Readings" (History of Settlement in Louisiana; Creoles and Creoles of Color); "Visual Evidence: Images" (Vieux Carre street scenes; Aerial view of a typical block; Dependency structure and outbuildings; Facade of a Creole townhouse; Facade of a Porte-Corchere Creole townhouse; Facade of an American townhouse; Floor plan of a Creole townhouse; Floor plan of a Port-Corchere-Creole townhouse); "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Architectural Change; Researching Creole Culture; Local Community; Cultural Interaction); and "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

In 1948 archeologists verified that a now overgrown and urbanized landscape along the Saugus River (Massachusetts) was the site of the Saugus Iron Works from 1646 until 1648. That discovery led to a careful, though partly conjectural, reconstruction of the first successful integrated ironmaking plant in the colonial America. The early Puritan settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony needed an ironmaking factory to make tools and utensils for house building. Ironmasters recruited skilled and unskilled workers from the ironmaking regions in England. The reconstruction of the Saugus Iron Works helps people imagine the daily life of these early European settlers. This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file, Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, and primary documents from archives at the site. The lesson can be used in teaching units on the life and culture of the colonial United States, archeology, settlements and use of the land, or the history of technology. It is divided into eight sections: "About This Lesson"; "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; "Locating the Site: Maps" (Saugus, Massachusetts and Surrounding Area; South Part of New England, 1634); "Determining the Facts: Readings" (An Ironworks in New England; An Ironworks Community); "Visual Evidence: Images" (Map of Saugus, Lynn and Nahant; Materials and Techniques for Making Iron; Excavation at the Saugus Site; Artifact Found at Saugus; Reconstructed Ironworks Buildings; Artists' Conception of Saugus Ironworks); "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Archeology; Researching Industries in the Local Community); and "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

The paternal estate of U.S. President James Madison is nestled at the foot of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. The estate, Montpelier, features a large mansion designed for hospitality, a fine garden, and a widespread lawn. In the early 19th century, countless visitors expressed a great sense of pleasure in the place and the people who lived there. James Madison (1751-1836) was deeply rooted in his family estate which his grandparents had settled in the early 1730s. In the late 1750s, his father began building the house where Madison grew up and to which he returned following his retirement as president in 1817. This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places file for "Montpelier," and other sources. The lesson can be used in teaching units about early 19th-century U.S. history. It cites educational objectives and materials needed. The lesson is divided into eight sections: (1) "About This Lesson"; (2) "Getting Started: Inquiry Question"; (3) "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; (4) "Locating the Site: Maps" (Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay Region); (5) "Determining the Facts: Readings" (Daily Life at Montpelier; Slavery at Montpelier; James and Dolley Madison at Montpelier); (6) "Visual Evidence: Images" (Montpelier, c. 1836; Montpelier, 1994); (7) "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Researching the Madisons; Slavery and Freedom; A Historic Place in Your Neighborhood); and (8) "Supplementary Resources." (BT)

In 1805, a U.S. Senate committee urged the building of a road that would connect the eastern United States with the western United States. The road came to be known as the National Road (or Cumberland Road). It began in Cumberland, Maryland, and eventually reached to Vandalia, Illinois. It was the first and only U.S. road built entirely with federal funds. This curriculum-based packet is designed to provide teachers with background information and suggested classroom activities. It concentrates on the National Road between the years 1806-1853, the period of its construction and greatest prosperity. The packet contains six units, each with general objectives. The objectives are listed on the teacher sheet in each unit. Each unit in the packet contains a teacher sheet, a student sheet, and two or more activity sheets. The teacher sheets contain the unit objectives; materials needed; background information; suggested questions, activities, and sites that can be visited; and answers for the activity sheets. The student sheets contain relevant background data needed to complete the activity sheets; thought questions; and additional research topics. A glossary, site resource list, and an evaluation form are provided at the end of the packet. (BT)

This teacher's guide contains activities to use in conjunction with a site visit to the Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (Elverson, Pennsylvania). The guide provides diagrams of the furnace, a cold-blast smelting operation, and the furnace operation. It presents a timeline of iron production from ancient times through contemporary times. The guide offers nearly 50 pages of activities about the Hopewell Furnace site, from crossword puzzles to vocabulary to historical activities to a visualization activity. (BT)

After the Louisiana Purchase, Thomas Jefferson put together his own group to explore the new territory under the leadership of Captain Meriwether Lewis. After receiving training in how to make scientific observations and collect specimens, Lewis and Captain William Clark, and their small group of frontiersmen, set off in 1804 with Sacajawea as their guide to explore the land up the Missouri River and over the mountains to the Pacific Ocean. As the need grew to have a more organized and accurate approach to exploration, the government added topographical engineers to the peacetime Army in 1816. By the time their work was taken over by civilians in 1879, military explorers had mapped, explored, and described the entire trans-Mississippi. For over 30 years, the region around Fort Leavenworth was known as the "Permanent Indian Frontier" for the Plains Indians and the immigrant eastern tribes who had been relocated west of the 95th meridian. Fort Leavenworth was established in 1827 by Colonel Henry Leavenworth. This teacher's guide to the Fort Leavenworth Museum contains seven sections: (1) "Army Explorers of the 19th Century"; (2) "Army Exploration of the 19th Century"; (3) "Fort Leavenworth History"; (4) "Lesson Plan 1 Topographical Explorations" (Handout A); (5) "Lesson Plan 2 Railroad Surveys" (Handout A); (6) "Lesson Plan 3 Timelines"; (7) "Lesson Plan 4 Fort Leavenworth and Steamboats" (Handout A). (BT)

The Statue of Liberty, which stands in Upper New York Bay, is a universal symbol of freedom. A gift from France, it originally was conceived as an emblem of the friendship between the people of France and the United States. It has become much more, symbolizing the Mother of Exiles, greeting the millions of immigrants and embodying hope and opportunity for those seeking a better life in America. It represents the United States itself. This lesson aims to help clarify the nature of symbols for students as they study the Statue of Liberty, complete research on a national symbol, and use their research to communicate a message of their own. The lesson plan contains material on how to prepare to teach the lesson, including notes to the teacher and guiding questions. It also contains suggested activities for the following lessons: Lesson 1: Isn't It Symbolic?; Lesson 2: A Mighty Woman with a Torch; Lesson 3: Built-In Symbols; Lesson 4: Using the Symbol; Lesson 5: Choose a Symbol, Any Symbol; Lesson 6: Create a Symbol; Lesson 7: The United States Symbol; and Extending the Lesson. The lesson plan provides detailed information and ideas for teaching each lesson; cites learning objectives; gives appropriate grade levels (Grades 3-5) and time required for each lesson; and outlines national standards for English/language arts, social studies, arts, and civics and government. Lists several helpful Web sites and other resources. (NKA)

This curriculum project explores three genres of spiritual location: the synagogue, the mosque, and the cathedral. The project examines their distinct elements and the elements that tie them together as sacred places that transcend time and place. It lists five student objectives: (1) identify the basic structural elements; (2) explain the use of light and decoration; (3) compare and contrast various architectural elements; (4) complete a chart that makes correlations among synagogue, mosque, and cathedral; and (5) write a poem that reflects learning and questions concerning the unit. The project contains extensive notes on architectural elements, teacher notes, strategies, and materials needed. Contains a 19-item bibliography. (BT)

Discover Presidential Log Cabins is a set of materials designed to help educate 6-8 grade students about the significance of three log cabin sites occupied by George Washington, Ulysses Grant, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. This teacher's discussion guide is intended for use as part of a larger, comprehensive social studies program, and may be adapted to complement such topics as the American Revolutionary War, the U.S. Civil War, the U.S. Presidents, conservation, and the National Parks. The guide contains five classroom activities. It lists 26 related web sites in addition to its official site, www.nps.gov/LogCabin, and 26 related books. (BB)

This curriculum project, a lesson on Islamic Cairo, could be used in a unit on Islamic civilization in an advanced placement high school world history or world civilization course, or it could be used in a college level Middle Eastern history or Islamic civilization course. Upon completion of the lesson, students will be able to describe in writing the appearance and function of Islamic Cairo, a living example of a medieval Islamic city. The lesson takes the form of an interactive slide lecture, a simulated walking tour of 25 monuments in Islamic Cairo. The lesson strategy is described in detail, including materials needed and a possible writing assignment. The lesson first provides a brief architectural history of Cairo and a short description of the different minaret styles found in Cairo. The lesson then addresses the slides, each representing a monument, and includes historical and architectural information and discussion questions for each. Contains 12 references. (BT)

In 1917 Bill Keys chose to establish a ranch and raise a family in the hostile high desert environment of California. Keys and other 20th-century homesteaders lived much as earlier pioneers in the West had, working hard to make marginal land holdings successful. Today, Keys Ranch is preserved as part of Joshua Tree National Park. This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file for Keys' Desert Queen Ranch and other source material. The lesson can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on westward expansion and settlement, or desert environments. It can also be used in a U.S. literature unit on Ralph Waldo Emerson, particularly his concept of self reliance. The lesson helps students understand why desert regions were among the last areas settled under the Homestead Act and how settlers in these places survived in a remote environment. The teacher materials section provides general information, gives educational objectives for students, discusses visiting the site, lists supplementary resources, and describes how to use the lesson plans. The student materials section includes: "Getting Started"; "Photography Analysis Worksheet"; "Setting the Stage"; "Locating the Site" (Maps: Deserts of the Southwest, Portion of Joshua Tree National Park); "Determining the Facts" (Readings: Settling in the California Desert, Life on Keys Ranch, Excerpts from Emerson's Essay 'Self-Reliance'); "Visual Evidence" (Photos: Colorado Desert, Mojave Desert, Keys Ranch Complex, Wonderland of Rocks, Ranch House); and"Putting It All Together" (Activities: Self-Reliance, Local Community History). (BT)

The original Little Kinnakeet Lifesaving Station (North Carolina) is a reminder of the stations constructed by the U.S. Lifesaving Service during its 44-year existence (1871-1915). The original station building was among the first seven constructed on North Carolina's treacherous Outer Banks in 1874. A larger building was added in 1904, and the site remained active under the U.S. Coast Guard until 1954, when it was decommissioned and transferred to the National Park Service as a part of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It still stands among the windblown sands of Hatteras Island (North Carolina), untouched by development, a monument to the lifesavers it once housed. This lesson plan is based on the National Register of Historic Places for Little Kinnakeet Lifesaving/Coast Guard Station and primary sources about the station's activities. The lesson can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography course units on 19th-century commerce or transportation, civics, or the chronological period after Reconstruction. The teacher materials include: information about the lesson plan and how to use it, where it fits into the curriculum, objectives for students, visiting the site, and supplementary resources. The student materials include seven sections: "Getting Started"; "Photograph Analysis Worksheet"; "Setting the Stage"; "Locating the Site" (two maps); "Determining the Facts" (A Noble Service; Instructions to Mariners; Personal Testimonies); "Visual Evidence" (Photos: Lifesaving Crew, 1890s; Little Kinnakeet, 1890s; Little Kinnakeet C.G. Station; Thursday's Drill); and "Putting It All Together" (Activities: Shipwrecks and Rescues; Beach Patrol; Today's Lifesavers). (BT)

By the turn of the 20th century, many wealthy families, including the Vanderbilts, had palatial houses along the Hudson River, between New York City and Albany (New York). In 1895, Frederick Vanderbilt, grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, built his country estate overlooking the Hudson River in Hyde Park (New York). With more than 600 acres of landscaped property and a palatial Beaux Arts mansion, the estate came to symbolize the enormous wealth accumulated by a privileged few during the Gilded Age. This lesson plan is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file for the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site and other source materials. The lesson can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on the Gilded Age or the nation's industrial and economic growth. The teacher materials section provides general information, gives educational objectives for students, discusses visiting the site, lists supplementary resources, and describes how to use the lesson plans. The student materials section includes: "Getting Started"; "Photograph Analysis Worksheet"; "Setting the Stage"; "Locating the Site" (Maps: New York State and surrounding region, Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site); "Determining the Facts" (Readings: Vanderbilt Family Beginnings, Vanderbilts' Hyde Park Mansion, Vanderbilts as Philanthropists); "Visual Evidence" (Photos: six photos with various views of the Vanderbilt mansion); and "Putting It All Together" (Activities: How the Other Half Lived, Researching Personalities from the Gilded Age, Philanthropy in the Local Community). (BT)

The massive masonry defenses of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, which were begun in the 16th century, exist today as the oldest European-style fortifications within the territory of the United States. This lesson is based on the World Heritage Site nomination file and the National Park Service Handbook, "San Juan: The Forts of Old San Juan." The lesson can be included in units on colonization in U.S. history and on European settlement and trading patterns in the western hemisphere, as well as on Spain's quest to expand and defend its empire in the New World from the 16th through the 19th century. The teacher's lesson plans provide general information, give educational objectives for students, discuss visiting the site, and list supplementary resources. The student's part includes:"Getting Started"; "Photograph Analysis Sheet"; "Locating the Site" (Maps: Spanish Forts in the Caribbean; San Juan Island, Puerto Rico); "Determining the Facts" ( Readings: Discovery and Colonization of Puerto Rico; Evolution of a Defensive System; Commonwealth of Puerto Rico); "Visual Evidence" (Drawing: El Morro; Photo: El Morro and the Western Part of San Juan; Drawing: San Cristobal; Photo: Aerial View of San Cristobal); and "Putting It All Together" (Activities: Spain and Other Colonizers; Comparing an Old City to a New City; Photographing History). (BT)

In 1901, while vacationing in New York's Adirondack Mountains, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt received news that President McKinley had been shot and was not expected to live. By the time Roosevelt arrived at the home of his friend Ansley Wilcox in Buffalo (New York), the President was dead. Roosevelt was inaugurated in the library of his friend's stately Greek Revival home. This lesson plan is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file for the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site (Ansley Wilcox House) and other source material. The lesson can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on Theodore Roosevelt's presidency, the Progressive Era, or government and politics. The teacher materials section provides general information, gives educational objectives for students, discusses visiting the site, lists supplementary resources, and describes how to use the lesson plans. The student materials section includes: "Getting Started"; "Photograph Analysis Worksheet"; "Setting the Stage"; "Locating the Site" (Map: New York State); "Determining the Facts" (Reading: It is a dreadful thing to come to the Presidency this way; Document: Illustrated Buffalo Express, Sept. 15, 1901; Readings: Roosevelt's First Presidential Proclamation; The Bully Pulpit); "Visual Evidence" (Drawings: Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY, 1873; Sketch of the Inauguration; Photos: Wilcox Library today; Wilcox House, 1901; Wilcox House, 1971); and "Putting It All Together" (Activities: Where Were You on the Day, Snapshot of History, Buildings That Have Witnessed History). (BT)

Gran Quivira is one of three sites that make up Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in present-day New Mexico. A vibrant society, mostly Pueblo Indian and Spanish missions, thrived there until the late 17th century. Today, people encounter only a soothing silence broken by a constant breeze and the chirr of insect wings. This lesson plan is based on National Park Service documentation. The lesson can be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on native American Indian culture or the colonial presence of the Spanish in the Southwest. It explores the history of a Puebloan village from the 7th century to the arrival of the Spanish in the 17th century. The teacher materials section includes: "About This Lesson Plan" (Where It Fits into the Curriculum; Objectives for Students; Visiting the Site; Supplementary Resources) and "How To Use TwHP Lesson Plans." The student materials section includes: "Getting Started"; "Photograph Analysis Worksheet"; "Setting the Stage"; "Locating the Site" (Maps: Early Puebloan Communities, and The Salinas Basin); "Determining the Facts" (Readings: Village Life, and The Coming of the Spaniards); "Visual Evidence" (Photos: Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, Kiva at Gran Quivira, Aerial View of Gran Quivira; Drawings: Typical Kiva, Plan of Gran Quivira, Artists's Conception of Gran Quivira); and "Putting It All Together" (Activities: Retrieving Data, Constructing a Model of a Pueblo, Puebloans and Local Indians). (BT)

Railroads influenced and reflected U.S. settlement and development patterns from the 1830s to the 1950s. In cities, they shaped and stimulated economic growth, planning, and architecture. Chattanooga, Tennessee's sprawling Terminal Station, is a tribute to the town's importance as a southeastern transportation hub. This lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration files "Market and Main Streets Historic District" and "Terminal Station," as well as other sources on Chattanooga and the rail industry. The lesson can be used in units on the U.S. Industrial Revolution, the growth of the urban United States, or in a U.S. geography course. Following an explanatory introduction ("About This Lesson") which also lists objectives and materials for students, the lesson is divided into six sections: "Setting the Stage: Historical Context"; "Locating the Site: Maps" (Tennessee and Surrounding Region); "Determining the Facts: Readings" (The Railroad Helps Build a Town: Chattanooga, Tennessee; Promoting Chattanooga; Terminal Station); "Visual Evidence: Images" (Terminal Station, 1935; Terminal Station and Surrounding Area; 1260 and 1263 Market Street, Chattanooga; 1401 Market Street, Chattanooga; 1140 Newby Street, Chattanooga); "Putting It All Together: Activities" (Roles of Geography and Promotion; Literature, Art, and Music; Researching Your Community's Railroad History); and "Supplementary Resources." (BT)