Welcome to the ultimate US history adventure! Join us on a thrilling journey from ancient America all the way to the Civil War. This class is designed specifically for students who are ready to dive deep into the rich and fascinating history of the United States.

Get ready to explore the amazing civilizations that flourished long before Europeans set foot on American soil. We'll learn about the incredible achievements of ancient North American civilizations, and discover details of their ancient cultures. But that's just the beginning! From there, we'll experience the thrill of the American Revolution, and witness the many ups and downs of the nation as it headed towards the Civil War.

And don't worry, this class isn't just a dry lecture! All the lessons are taught on Nearpod to engage students and provide them with real-time feedback on their work. Our lessons include interactive discussions, quiz games, drawing, and many other engaging activities that will keep you on your toes and help you truly connect with the material.

You 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

This class was preceded by Unit 1-4, and will followed by Unit 6  to finish the full school year.

Didn't take the previous units? Not a problem! Students can join at the beginning of any unit, 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:

UNIT 5: WESTWARD EXPANSION 

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 3: 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 4: Louisiana Purchase
- 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?

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: US Presidents from the 1800s
- Topics covered: Background of and policies created by Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, and James Buchanan.

Class 7: Industrial Revolution
- Topics covered: the six major characteristics of the Industrial Revolution, 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 8: Industrial Revolution
- Industrial Revolution simulation: difference between craftsman and factory labor.

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!

This class was preceded by four previous units. You can still take the class if you did not take the previous units.