Welcome, young historians, to a thrilling journey through the heart-pounding chapters of American history! Get set for an exhilarating dive into American history, where we'll dive into the dramatic showdown of the Civil War. Picture cannons roaring, armies clashing, and a nation at a crossroads. We'll unravel the gripping tales of courageous abolitionists, explore the clandestine paths of the Underground Railroad, and witness firsthand the battles that shaped the destiny of our great land.

This class will not be just a dry lecture! All the lessons are taught on Nearpod to engage students and provide them with real-time feedback on their work. Nearpod is extremely easy (and free) to access. If technology makes you stressed, have no fear! I'll provide everything you need to easily access and incorporate Nearpod into our learning. Our lessons include interactive discussions, quiz games, drawing, and many other engaging activities that will keep students on their toes and help them truly connect with the material.

Students will leave this class with much more than memorized facts about US history...

Students leaving this class will:

✅ Recognize credible information and distinguish bias
✅ Convey opinions through evidence-based arguments
✅ Have gratitude for the rights enjoyed in the United States
✅ Know how to take action in their communities

Each class of this unit will focus on at least one of the following skills to help students achieve the above goals:

1. Source: analyzing the origin of an artifact
2. Summarize: synthesizing difficult reading passages
3. Determine Context: challenging and recognizing bias
4. Challenge Credibility: determining if a source is trustworthy
5. Argue: creating logical arguments and supporting them with evidence
6. Sequence: understanding the relationship of events

In a class about slavery, it is critical to look at history from all perspectives. This ensures we avoid making the same mistakes that our forefathers did. Our course information and reading assignments primarily come from two history textbooks: 1) ‘A Young People’s History of the United States’ by Howard Zinn which takes a more critical look at the United States leaders and decisions and 2) 'An Outline of US History' by the United States Department of State, which takes a more supportive look at the Unites States leaders and decisions. Students will need to purchase the book ‘A Young People’s History of the United States’ by Howard Zinn (approximately $15). 'An Outline of US History' can be found online for free at https://archive.org/details/OutlineOfUSHistory/page/n65/mode/2up

⭐ The full curriculum class spans the entire school year from September-May. It is split into three sections, which each have two units. 
⭐ This class is section three which covers units 5 & 6 (see below for class schedule). 
⭐ Didn't take the previous section? Not a problem! Students can join at the beginning of any section, but I require that they take my Historical Thinking Skills class to get up to speed with the other students. It is available as a FLEX class or live class. Please message me for more details. https://outschool.com/classes/historical-thinking-skills-analyzing-sources-for-teenagers-lmJmEByh?usid=tu9PLRYP&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link

Following is the topics we will cover each class:

⭐SECTION 3: UNIT FIVE (WESTWARD EXPANSION) & UNIT SIX (THE CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION)⭐

Class 1: Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
- Essential discussion questions from class 1: What is the balance between national and state government power? What role should the government play in the economy?
- Discussion on precedents and warnings set by George Washington
- Discussion on creation and arguments between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists.

Class 2: Manifest Destiny
- Essential discussion questions from class 2: What reasons were there for Westward Expansion? Who do you think Manifest Destiny benefited? Who do you think Manifest Destiny hurt? What Indigenous Tribes were living in these areas? What were their cultures like?
- Discussion on how the United States acquired the Oregon Territory, California Territory, Texas, Gadsden Purchase, Louisiana Territory, and Florida.
- Primary source analysis of visual sources: George Caleb Beingham, Daniel Boone Escorting Settlers through the Cumberland Gap, 1852, Emanuel Leutz, Westward the course of Empire Takes its Way, 1861, John Gast, American Progress, 1872

Class 5: Louisiana Purchase & the Mexican American War
- Essential discussion questions from class 4: Did Thomas Jefferson overstep his powers as president in the Louisiana Purchase? Who benefitted from the Louisiana Purchase? Who suffered from the Louisiana Purchase?
- Why did people support or oppose the war?

Class 4: Lewis and Clark 
- Essential discussion questions from class 3: Did Lewis and Clark (and The United States) have the right to traverse and explore these lands? What was the response from Indigenous peoples? What were the results of the Lewis and Clark Expedition?
- Skill introduction: How to analyze political cartoons

Class 5: Andrew Jackson & Trail of Tears
- Essential discussion questions from class 6: What was the Indian Removal Act of 1830? What was the Trail of Tears? Should Andrew Jackson's picture remain on US currency? What was the culture of the Cherokee before the Trail of Tears? What was it like after?
- Skill practice: Analyzing primary sources (including correspondence between Chief Sharitarish to President James Monroe 1822, John G. Burnett’s account, Cherokee removal map, and John Ridge's account).

Class 6: Industrial Revolution - Economies of the North and South 
- Topics covered: New inventions and their significance, difference in industrialization in the North and South, how were different groups affected by the Industrial Revolution (including women, enslaved people, and children)?

Class 7: Industrial Revolution
- Topics covered: Industrial Revolution simulation: difference between craftsman and factory labor.

Class 8: END OF UNIT 5 Inventors of the Industrial Revolution

Class 9: UNIT 6 BEGINS: Slavery in the South & the Plantation Economy
- Essential discussion questions: How were cotton and slavery in the southern United States connected? What was the economy like in the South? What was life like as a slave on a plantation in the South?
- Primary source analysis: Plantation Management, De Bow's xiv (February 1853): 177-8

Class 10: Slavery and the Underground Railroad
- Essential discussion questions: What was life like as a slave in the South? 
- Visual primary source analysis: Photos of slavery in the United States. We'll analyze five pictures and make observations and inferences to learn more about what it was like for enslaved men, women, and children in the South.

Class 11: Abolitionists - Historical and Modern 
- Essential discussion questions: What motivated abolitionists in the Antebellum period? Are there abolitionists today? How can we fight against modern day slavery?
- Sources: Clip on modern day slavery https://www.cnn.com/videos/cnn10/2017/11/14/ten-1115.cnn 

Class 12: Slave States and Free States
- Topics covered: Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, Kansas-Nebraska Act
- Essential discussion questions: What were the consequences of the Antebellum compromises?

Class 13: Division Continues
- Essential discussion questions: Was Abraham Lincoln racist?

Class 14: North vs. South
- Topics covered: Furthering Divide Between the North and the South Continued
- Essential discussion questions: What advantages and disadvantages did the North and The South have?

Class 15: The Civil War Battles
- Essential discussion questions: What were the most significant battles in the Civil War?

Class 16: Emancipation Proclamation and The Gettysburg Address
- Essential discussion questions: Why did Lincoln issue the Emancipation Proclamation? What was the significance of the Gettysburg Address?

Class 17: The Civil War Ends
- Essential discussion questions: How did the Civil War end?

Class 18: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
- Essential discussion questions: Why did John Wilkes Booth shoot Abraham Lincoln? What was the response from the North and the South?

Class 19: Reconstruction Era
- Essential discussion questions: Do you think the South received adequate punishment? How would you have reincorporated the rebels? How should we memorialize controversial events and people?

Class 20: Reconstruction Era Continued
- Essential discussion questions: How did life changed for enslaved people? How did life change for people in the South? How did life change for people in the North? How did life change for immigrants?

So, what are you waiting for? Join us on this epic journey through time and discover the incredible history of the United States like never before!