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The American Presidents: [#18] Ulysses S. Grant

Students will learn about the most important events of Ulysses S. Grant's presidency, and will practice their critical thinking skills by evaluating Grant's leadership and his impact on America today.
John Lizzi
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:
(538)
Class

What's included

1 live meeting
55 mins in-class hours

Class Experience

This is a highly-interactive, discussion-based class that encourages student engagement and conversation.  I will structure the class by using a Google Slides presentation to document the key events and moments of Grant's Presidency, while also providing significant time for student questions and input during the lesson.
 
I will also ask the students broader, open-ended questions that task them to think critically and to make connections to current events and contemporary America.

In order to ensure that our discussion remains as orderly as can be expected, and so that every student gets a chance to contribute, this class is capped on the smaller side (8 students).  

Topics related to Grant's Presidency that will be covered in the class include:

- Grant and Slavery: What was Grant's relationship with the issue of slavery and race?
- Reconstruction: What was Grant's position on Reconstruction?  How did it differ from former President Andrew Johnson?
- Plan to Annex the Dominican Republic: Why did Grant want to acquire the Dominican Republic for the United States, and why did his plan fail?
- Relations with Great Britain: To what extent did Grant and his administration improve American relations with Great Britain? 
- Scandals of the Grant Administration: What events led to Grant's two terms in office being characterized by corruption and scandal?
- Policy Towards Native Americans: What were the Grant Administration's policies towards Native Americans?
Learning Goals
Students will learn about the most important moments and events of Ulysses S. Grant's presidency.  With this newly-learned information, they will be able to practice their critical thinking skills by evaluating Grant's legacy and assessing his continued impact on America today.
learning goal

Other Details

Parental Guidance
Ulysses S. Grant has a mixed record when it comes to the issues of slavery and race. While Grant eventually came to embrace calls for abolishing slavery, before the Civil War Grant did own one slave. The course will briefly address Grant's history with the issues of slavery and race, and how this history should be viewed when considering Grant's legacy.
Supply List
In the days prior to the meeting, I will provide a brief handout that contains guidelines for our discussion on our Classroom page, along with a list of a handful of questions and topics I plan for us to discuss.

I will also share a graphic organizer that students can choose to fill out during the lesson.  In addition to students being able to practice taking notes, the organizer can be saved so students can further explore Grant on their own.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined May, 2020
5.0
538reviews
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Connecticut Teaching Certificate in Social Studies/History
Bachelor's Degree in History from University of Connecticut
I currently teach a full-year US history course at a public high school, and have taught lessons on early American history, slavery, and presidents' relationship with slavery for almost ten years.  I always stress with my students the importance of practicing historical empathy.  In particular, it is essential to learn about the dark moments that are found throughout history and understand why they happened.  By doing this we are all put in a better position to address current societal issues.

Reviews

Live One-Time Class
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$16

per class
Meets once
55 min

Completed by 10 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 8-13
3-8 learners per class

This class is no longer offered
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