Overview
At Anti-textbook.org, we have curated the best active learning lesson plans for American History Teachers. For over a year, we’ve been sifting through the resources on amazing free sites like Stanford History Education Group (S.H.E.G.), Gilder Lehrman, and Facing History and Ourselves. We’ve picked the best activities and given you a brief description. You could skim through these sites yourself and read each of the 15-page activity descriptions. Or you can let us do the work of searching and synthesizing so that you can get some sleep.
Because your teaching might be remote or in-person or both, we’ve added a description of the remote readiness of each lesson. In many lessons, compelling primary sources from multiple perspectives have been edited for length and combined with an activity, often times a group activity. For remote students, teachers can easily post or email a link to the primary sources and/or the full activity. Students can work together via phone or video conferencing to complete the assignment or do it themselves. When they’re done, they can post the completed assignment to your LMS or email it to you. And in many cases, the very same lesson can be printed and completed in class.
Each box below contains a lesson. The icons at the top of each box tell you if the lesson contains primary sources, secondary sources, research, group work, a writing assignment, maps, videos, or games. The description tells you which free site the lesson comes from, what grade level it is intended for, how much class time it will take, and how much reading is required. Click the blue button at the bottom of each box for more information and the ability to bookmark the lesson to your profile.
Lessons on this page are about the American Revolution. We have divided the into 5 categories, and there’s a heading at the end of every page for OER Textbooks and Primary Source centers:
American Rev: The People
George Washington
Be Washington:
It's Your Turn to Lead
Interactive Game
From: George Washington's
Mount Vernon
Grade Level: MS, HS, (College)
Remote Ready: Yes!
Time: 1 Class Period
Length of Reading: None
Our Summary of
Be Washington
Choose to be George Washington in 1 of 4 interactive scenarios:
The Battle of Second Trenton
The Newburgh Conspiracy
The Genet Affair
The Whiskey Rebellion
In each scenario, players assess the situation, listen to advice, and make decisions. Each scenario takes about 20 minutes. You can elect to play "Host" style where the teacher controls the game and students vote on which decisions to make. Or you can let students play individually in single player mode. Because the game does not give much background, teachers should consider the supplentary materials. Click on the question mark at the beginning to find teacher materials, background info, primary sources, and lesson plans for each scenario. The game has beautiful graphics, though the acting leaves something to be desired.
More Info, Reviews, Bookmark it to Your ProfileLesson Identifier: 5A
What Made George Washington a Good Military Leader?
From: EDSITEment!
Grade Level: HS, (College)
Remote Ready: Yes!
Time: 1 Class Period
Length of Reading: Pages
Our Summary of
What Made George Washington a Good Military Leader
There are 8 activities spread over 4 Lessons here. That's a lot. We like lesson 3, though you may want to check these out on your own.
Lesson 3 involves giving each group a separate set of primary sources (written by GW) and a few secondary sources. Groups answer questions and then the class discusses the overarching question.
You'll need to log-on. Accounts are free for K-12 educators and cost $25/yr for everyone else.
Lesson Identifier: 5B
Watch Above:
Lives Bound Together: Slavery at
George Washington's
Mount Vernon
From: MountVernon.org on YouTube
7 minutes
5AI
George Washington's Manners
From: Gilder Lehrman
Grade Level: MS, HS, College
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: 1 Class Period or Less
Length of Reading: Paragraph
Our Summary of
Rules of Civility
Here's a short, easy, fun activity. Read the list of manners George Washington copied down as a young man. Act them out. Which manners are still relevant? Discuss them as a class.
You'll need to log-on. Accounts are free for K-12 educators and cost $25/yr for everyone else. Log in and then come back here for the link.
Lesson Identifier: 5C
Everyone Else
Mission US
Interactive Game
Mission 1
From: Mission US on PBS
Grade Level: MS, HS, (College)
Remote Ready: Yes!
Time: 1 Class Period
Length of Reading: Paragraphs
Our Summary of
Mission 1: For Crown or Colony
This immersive, interactive game is a hoot. In "Mission 1: For Crown or Colony," students become the avatar of a young apprentice as he does his job and observes revolutionary activities in Boston in 1770.
Each student (or student pairs) will need a computer (it does not currently work on mobile phones), and they will need to sign up and log-on if playing online. An iPad app is also available.
Teachers might just let students play and discuss afterward; this game has sneaky ways of teaching students history. More teaching activities based on the game can be found by clicking on "Educators" then "All EDUCATOR MATERIALS."
Lesson Identifier: 5D
"Remember the ladies"
From: Gilder Lehrman
Grade Level: (HS), (College)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: 1 Class Period
Length of Reading: Pages
Our Summary of
"Contagious Liberty:" Women in the Revolutionary Age
Meets Common Core standards. Break your class into groups of 3. Ideally, you should have 8 groups though you can have more groups. Give EACH group ONE of the 8 provided primary sources (1-2 pages each). These docs are written by women. Each group seeks to answer the 2 essential questions and the questions unique to each document. Each student in the group is tasked with searching for a particular aspect of the document (the link will tell you more about these). Finally, the groups explain their docs to the class.
You'll need to log-on. Accounts are free for K-12 educators and cost $25/yr for everyone else. After you log on, come back here and click on the link.
Lesson Identifier: 5E
Tour Monticello!
From: Everyday Americans, Exceptional Americans
Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College)
Remote Ready: Yes!
Time: 1 Class Period or Less
Length of Reading: None
Our Summary of
Monticello Tour
Follow a tour guide through Thomas Jefferson's house, Monticello. The four parts total about 28 minutes in length.
An important question for students to ponder while they watch is: Who are TJ's big 3? Do a little research on these 3 Enlightenment thinkers whose portraits hang at Monticello. What do you think TJ learned from them, based on what TJ wrote in the Declaration of Independence?
Lesson Identifier: 5F
Loyalists
From: Stanford History Education Group (SHEG)
Grade Level: (MS), (HS)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: 1 Class Period or Less
Length of Reading: Paragraphs
Our Summary of
Loyalists
Students check out 2 primary source snippets from loyalists and fill out a graphic organizer.
More Info, Reviews, Bookmark it to Your ProfileLesson Identifier: 5G
Hamilton Musical
Find the soundtrack to Hamilton on You Tube or (or use Disney+ if you're already subscribed). You might choose these songs in particular.
"Cabinet Battle #1" about Hamilton's plan for a national bank
"The Room Where It Happens" about the deal Hamilton, Jefferson, and Madison made to accept each other's plans. Hamilton's plan for the National Bank was traded for the US capitol being located in Washington D.C.
"Cabinet Battle #2"* about whether the US should join France in their fight against England after the American Revolution. *Please note the words "God damn" are uttered.
Lesson Identifier: 5I
History in the News:
Ben Franklin
From: Business Insider
"10 tricks plucked from Benjamin Franklin's actual daily schedule that will double your productivity"
That title just about says it all.
Lesson Identifier: 5JAmerican Rev: Acts and the Declaration
Stamp Act
From: Stanford History Education Group (SHEG)
Grade Level: (MS), (HS)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: 1 Class Period or Less
Length of Reading: Paragraphs
Our Summary of The Stamp Act
Students read 3 primary sources (1 page each) about reactions to the Stamp Act then answer provided questions.
Lesson Identifier: 5K
Stamp Act Protests
From: Investigating US History
Grade Level: (HS), College
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: Each of 3 activities
should take 45-60 min
Length of Reading: Pages
Our Summary of The Stamp Act Protests
Three activities are featured here. Students read primary sources about the Stamp Act and post on discussion boards in the persona of someone who was there then they create a political cartoon or editorial.
More Info, Reviews, Bookmark it to Your ProfileLesson Identifier: 5L
Declaration of Independence
From: Stanford History Education Group (SHEG)
Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: 1 Class Period or Less
Length of Reading: Paragraphs
Our Summary of
Declaration of Independence
First, students read 2 historian's (Bailyn and Zinn) interpretations on the question of weather colonial leaders were motivated by selfish or ideological reasons (this totals 4 short paragraphs). Students fill-out a worksheet.
Secondly, students re-write the preamble of the Declaration of Independence in their own words.
Finally, students go through the grievances listed in Declaration and categorize them as grievances that would affect only the rich and powerful or all the colonists.
Lesson Identifier: 5M
American Rev: The Fight
Boston Massacre
(easy)
From: Exploring US History
Grade Level: (MS), (HS), College
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: 20 min
Length of Reading: None (just written questions)
Our Summary of
Boston Massacre, 1770
Students view Paul Revere's engraving of the Boston Massacre and answer great questions about it. Students can do this alone, in groups, and/or discuss answers as a class.
More Info, Reviews, Bookmark it to Your ProfileLesson Identifier: 5N
Boston Massacre
(medium difficulty)
From: Stanford History Education Group (SHEG)
Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: 1 Class Period or Less
Length of Reading: Paragraphs
Our Summary of
Boston Massacre
Students view 2 primary source images of the Boston Massacre. They read 2 short primary source descriptions of the Boston Massacre. And they answer questions in 2 excellent graphic organizers, which have important questions about perspective and reliability.
This lesson is available translated into Spanish as well.
Lesson Identifier: 5O
Boston Massacre (advanced)
From: Gilder Lerhman
Grade Level: HS, (College)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: 1 Class Period
Length of Reading: Pages
Our Summary of The Boston Massacre
This activity utilizes the Jigsaw method. Put students in groups of 5 (this number is modified from the original lesson).
All students read the secondary source and view the engraving of the Boston Massacre. But each student in the group reads a different primary document. Students can re-group and discuss the primary source with others who read the same source, if necessary. Then each student goes back to their original group and explains their primary source to others who did not read it. The groups and/or the class then discuss what happened in the Boston Massacre based on the differing perspectives expressed in the sources.
You'll need to log-on. Accounts are free for K-12 educators and cost $25/yr for everyone else.
Lesson Identifier: 5P
The American War for Independence,
Lesson 1
From: EDSITEment!
Grade Level: HS, (College)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: Depends on which activity you choose
Length of Reading: Pages
Our Summary of
Lesson 1:
The War in the NORTH, 1775-1778
Click on "Lesson Activities"
This is a long lesson with 4 activities. The first two offer primary sources and worksheets about Lexington and Concord and Washington taking command, respectively. The third activity utilizes an interactive map and asks students to determine the most important battles in the North. The fourth activity involves the creation of a timeline (using existing software) based on the difficulties the Continental Army faced.
Lesson Identifier: 5Q
The American War for Independence,
Lesson 2
From: EDSITEment!
Grade Level: HS, (College)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: Depends on which activity you choose
Length of Reading: Pages
Our Summary of
Lesson 2:
The War in the SOUTH, 1778-1781
Click on "Lesson Activities"
This second lesson has 3 activities. The first involves primary sources on the American alliance with France. The second activity contains primary sources on African Americans in the American Revolution. And the third activity involves an interactive map activity, much like the third activity in the last lesson. This activity focuses on battles in the South (the last map activity focused on battles in the North).
More Info, Reviews, Bookmark it to Your ProfileLesson Identifier: 5R
The American War for Independence,
Lesson 3
From: EDSITEment!
Grade Level: HS, (College)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: Depends on which activity you choose
Length of Reading: Pages
Our Summary of
Lesson 3:
Ending the War, 1783
Click on "Lesson Activities"
Three lessons here. All involve primary sources on reconciliation with Britain and the Treaty of Paris. The first activity is a jigsaw activity where students are assigned the perspective of England or the US, either wanting to break up or reconcile. The second and third activities involve primary sources and a worksheet.
More Info, Reviews, Bookmark it to Your ProfileLesson Identifier: 5S
Lexington and Concord
From: Historical Scene Investigations (H.S.I.)
Grade Level: HS, (College)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: 1-2 Class Periods
Length of Reading: Pages
Our Summary of
The Battle of Lexington and Concord
8 primary sources on The Battles at Lexington and Concord. 8 leading questions. Students use evidence to write a paragraph or 2 answering the overarching question: Who fired the first shot?
More Info, Reviews, Bookmark it to Your ProfileLesson Identifier: 5T
Battle of Lexington
From: Stanford History Education Group (SHEG)
Grade Level: (MS), (HS)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: 1 Class Period or Less
Length of Reading: Paragraphs
Our Summary of
The Battle of Lexington
Notes and slides for a mini-lecture are included. Then students view 2 images and read 2 short primary sources (1 paragraph each). With that information, they complete 3 Graphic organizers.
Lesson Identifier: 5U
School House Rock!
From: School House Rock
Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College)
Remote Ready: Yes!
Time: 4 min
Length of Reading: None
Our Summary of
The Shot Heard 'Round the World
It's a classic! Get your kids rocking out to start your class. There is one ad before the YouTube video starts.
Lesson Identifier: 5V
American Rev: Other
Compare Patriot and Loyalist Songs from the Revolution
From: Digital History
Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: 1 Class Period
Length of Reading: Paragraphs
Our Summary of
Music and the Revolution
Students read lyrics from patriot and loyalist songs. They choose 2 from a list of 17. Then they analyze the songs' different arguments and ideologies.
More Info, Reviews, Bookmark it to Your ProfileLesson Identifier: 5W
Slavery
From: Teaching Tolerance, Teaching Hard History
Grade Level: MS, HS, (College)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: Depends Upon Lesson
Length of Reading: Pages
Our Summary of
Teaching Hard History Framework
After clicking on the link above, scroll to the "We the People" artwork and the "The American Revolution and the Constitution (1763-1787)" Heading. And then choose the Summary Objective that most interest you. Also see "Summary Objective 7" below the "Slavery in the Early Republic (1787-1808)" heading and brick flag artwork. You will be linked to a short list of wonderful online resources and their descriptions. We do NOT recommend clicking on the red "DOWNLOAD THE 6-12 FRAMEWORK" icon; while the same resources are showcased, the links are broken.
More Info, Reviews, Bookmark it to Your ProfileLesson Identifier: 5X
Analyze a 1775 Newspaper
From: History Matters
Grade Level: (MS), (HS), (College)
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: 1 Class Period
Length of Reading: Paragraphs
Read this 1775 newspaper article
about a protest in Rhode Island during the Revolution where patriots burned British tea.
What makes this resource so special is the link to five short 1-5 minute audio clips from a Smithsonian historian who is analyzing the same article.
Lesson Identifier: 5Y
French and Indian War (7 Years War)
From: Gilder Lehrman
There are 4 short primary sources spread across 3 separate lessons. But each involves reading the primary source(s), answering questions, and/or filling out the graphic organizer(s). The primary sources are bite-sized and excellent; you get the perspective of Native Americans and colonists. You'll need to log-on. Accounts are free for K-12 educators and cost $25/yr for everyone else.
Grade Level: HS, College
Remote Ready: With Modifications
Time: Depends upon which lesson(s) you choose
Length of Reading: Paragraphs
Our Summary of:
The French and Indian War
Lesson Identifier: 5AB
Visit Museums Online
The Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia.
Check out this sweet illustrated timeline of the Revolution.
You can also read excerpts of books about the Revolution
American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
Check out the Yorktown Chronicles. It has short readings and short videos with historical re-enactors (and not just about Yorktown).
Lesson Identifier: 5AE
General
(OER Textbooks and Individual Primary Sources)
OER Textbooks
American Yawp
U.S. History Textbook
From:
American Yawp:
This excellent textbook, which was written and edited by history professors and published by the Stanford University Press, is available online for FREE. It includes a FREE primary source reader, beautiful images, and footnotes (which are always good as an example to show students how to cite their own research). The only issue is that the website is not secure. You do not, however, input any personal information, not even a log on.
Chapter 5: The American Revolution
A Massively Collaborative Open
U.S. History Textbook
Grade Level: HS, College
Remote Ready: Yes!
Time: Quite a bit!
Length of Reading: Chapters
Lesson Identifier: 4AA
MI Open Book Project
United States History Textbook
Revolution Through Reconstruction
From: Michigan Open Book Project
This book was created by the Michigan Open Book Project. In Michigan, the entirety of US History is divided across several grades. And there's a different book for each section of the course, intended for a different age group.
The 5th grade edition, United States History:
Beginnings Through Revolution, starts with early American History and goes through the American Revolution.
The 8th grade edition, Revolution Through Reconstruction, Starts with the American Revolution and, obviously, ends with Reconstruction.
The High School edition, Reconstruction to Today ends the trilogy.
Because these books are written by the teachers of the grades they are intended for, the language they use and subjects they broach are age appropriate and concise. The chapters are inquiry based; they start with questions. And there are links to video explanations and subjects of interest within the text. Depending on the apps particular to your device, students may even be able to highlight and take notes on their online or PDF textbook.
Grade Level: MS, HS
Remote Ready: Yes!
Time: Quite a bit!
Length of Reading: Chapters
Lesson Identifier: 4AD
Openstax
U.S. History Textbook
From: Openstax
The good people at Rice University, with several charitable organizations, have made this American History Textbook, written by legit history professors, available online for FREE.
Check out the "Instructor Resources" tab. You can access slides, test questions, and even plug the book into your Canvas or Blackboard LMS.
Grade Level: HS, College
Remote Ready: Yes!
Time: Quite a bit!
Length of Reading: Chapters
Chapter 5: Imperial Reforms and Colonial Protest, 1763-1774
AND
Chapter 6: America's War for Independence, 1775-1783
Lesson Identifier: 4AB
Openstax
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
U.S. History Textbook
From: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness and the Bill of Rights Institute
Grade Level: Designed for A.P. US History
Remote Ready: Yes!
Time: Quite a bit!
Length of Reading: Chapters
Check out Openstax latest endeavor, in partnership with the Bill of Rights Institute. This book is intended for Advanced Placement (A.P.) U.S. History courses. You can elect to incorporate online courseware with the book for an additional per student fee.
More Info, Reviews, Bookmark it to Your ProfileLesson Identifier: 4AC
Individual Primary Source Resources
Primary Sources at Teaching American History
We would recommend the above mentioned primary source sets from Stanford History Education Group and Gilder Lehrman. They're pre-edited for length, paired with other relevant primary sources, and many already have activities or questions for students to answer.
But if you need primary sources for another purpose, check out
primary sources from the Teaching American History site. They are sorted first by era and then by category. Plus, each one has an introductory description AND study questions at the end! If you sign up for a free account, you can put documents together to create your own collections.
Lesson Identifier: 4AF
Primary Sources at American History from Revolution to Reconstruction and Beyond
We would recommend the above mentioned primary source sets from Stanford History Education Group and Gilder Lehrman. They're pre-edited for length, paired with other relevant primary sources, and many already have activities or questions for students to answer.
But if you need primary sources for another purpose, check out
primary sources at American History from Revolution to Reconstruction and Beyond provided by the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Choose the appropriate time frame on the left side of the screen. Primary sources are both relevant and bite-sized.
Lesson Identifier: 4AG
Primary Sources From Digital History
We would recommend the above mentioned primary source sets from Stanford History Education Group and Gilder Lehrman. They're pre-edited for length, paired with other relevant primary sources, and many already have activities or questions for students to answer.
But if you need primary sources for another purpose, check out
the
the Digital History
site from the University of Houston, which includes primary sources (click on "Documents" across the top and the appropriate time period on the left) as well as a textbook, quizzes, music, and a variety of other valuable resources, sorted by era.
Lesson Identifier: 4AH