U.S. History I covers the chronological history of the United States from before Discovery through Reconstruction.

U.S. History is designed for a two-semester American history sequence. It is traditional in coverage, following a roughly chronological outline, and using a balanced approach that includes political, economic, social, and cultural developments. At the same time, the book includes a number of innovative and interactive features designed to enhance student learning. Instructors can also customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom.

The Origins and Outbreak of the Civil WarEarly Mobilization and War1863: The Changing Nature of the WarThe Union Triumphant

An open 8th grade U.S. History textbook covering the American Revolution through Reconstruction. Includes chapters on the underlying beliefs behind our system of government, westward expansion. the Civil War, and more. Each chapter is set up around an inquiry question. We consider these questions to be “Compelling Questions”. That means we want you to be thinking about this question throughout the entire chapter. You’ll notice that most of them are open ended. By investigating each question over the course of a chapter you’ll come to a conclusion that you should be able to support with evidence before moving on to your next inquiry.

An illustrated sheet music cover, which protests the inequities of the draft or proscription system enacted under the Enrollment Act of 1863. The act allowed drafted men to purchase an exemption or to furnish a surrogate or "substitute" in lieu of their own service. The unfairness of the measure to the economically disadvantaged is dramatized in the illustration to this piece, showing the bust portrait of one man, "I'm drafted," in contrast to that of an obviously more well-to-do young man, "I aint."|Boston. Copyrighted by Oliver Ditson & Co.|The Library's impression of the cover was deposited for copyright on September 29, 1863.|Title appears as it is written on the item.|Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1863-13.

Writing in the wake of the Civil War, poet Walt Whitman insisted that “the real war will never get in the books.” Throughout American history, the experience of war has fundamentally shaped the ways that Americans think about themselves, their fellow Americans, and the meanings of national citizenship. War has also posed challenges of representation, both for those who fought as well as those who did not. This subject examines how Americans have told the stories of modern war in history, literature, and popular culture, and interprets them in terms of changing ideas about American national identity.

Once the Civil War ended, there were still a lot of hostilities. Just because someone “loses” does not mean they change their beliefs. The political, social and economic turmoil continued as new laws were created. This seminar will focus on the significant aspects of Reconstruction.StandardsCC.1.2.11-1.C Tracking details about people, events, and ideas that develop the set of ideas or sequence of eventsCC.8.5.9-10.C Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them. 

Alfred Whital Stern (1881-1960) of Chicago presented his outstanding collection of Lincolniana to the Library of Congress in 1953. Begun by Mr. Stern in the 1920s, the collection documents the life of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) both through writings by and about Lincoln as well as a large body of publications concerning the issues of the times including slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and related topics.

The collection contains more than 11,100 items. This online release presents more than 1,300 items with more than 4,000 images and a date range of 1824-1931. It includes the complete collection of Stern劌製 contemporary newspapers, Lincoln劌製 law papers, sheet music, broadsides, prints, cartoons, maps, drawings, letters, campaign tickets, and other ephemeral items. The books and pamphlets in this collection are scheduled for digitization at a later date.

I will be using this illustration to gather my students in whole & small grooup discussions relating to becoming more of a "participatory citizen" in the U.S. society. While using the PSA, I am attempting to develop critical thinking skills and get my students to reflect on moments when they were asked "well, what are you going to do about it" and "emancipation" and develop their own questions. I also believe that the both the photo and psa can how stimulate Problem-based learning: getting my students to think about how they can active citizens rather than passive citizen. Finally, to get my students to think about becoming inventors.

Kevin Barksdale (Marshall University) and Ken Fones-Wolf (West Virginia University) assembled this collection of essays, mostly from the journal they edit, West Virginia History, to serve as a reader for courses on the Mountain State’s history. In selecting essays, they emphasized pieces that addressed themes from differing perspectives. For example, the first two essays examine the eighteenth-century frontier and Indian-white relations, one from the perspective of Europeans seeking to destroy Native Americans and the other from the vantage of the Cherokee hoping for some security. Among the other topics highlighted in these essays are: the coming of the Civil War, the efforts of women and blacks to negotiate citizenship during Reconstruction, the struggles of immigrants and African Americans during industrialization, the impact of the Cold War, and episodes that might be grouped as part of the culture wars. As such, they offer multiple opportunities for students to compare and contrast the experiences of varying groups of West Virginians throughout the state’s history.

In this activity students will examine how attitudes towards slavery and the Civil War changed between 1860 and 1865. What began in the minds of President Lincoln and most northerners as a war to preserve the union changed, over the course of the war, into a war to free the slaves. This transformation occurred in large part because of the actions of enslaved and free African Americans themselves. Students will create a historical marker, based on historical evidence, that addresses the question: "What was the Civil War fought over?"

In this activity students compare and contrast a political cartoon and a letter to the editor from 1862 that describe ordinary soldiers who fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War.

In this activity students examine sheet music and letters from draft rioters to examine Union attitudes about the military draft during the Civil War.

In this activity students analyze visual and textual evidence about "contraband" African-American slaves during the Civil War era. They compare the roles of African Americans, the Union military, and the policies of the Republican party in emancipating slaves. They determine the extent to which African Americans freed themselves versus the extent to which Abraham Lincoln ended slavery.

This collection uses primary sources to explore women in the Civil War. Digital Public Library of America Primary Source Sets are designed to help students develop their critical thinking skills and draw diverse material from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States. Each set includes an overview, ten to fifteen primary sources, links to related resources, and a teaching guide. These sets were created and reviewed by the teachers on the DPLA's Education Advisory Committee.

Students use Library of Congress primary sources to explore the experiences of women in the Civil War.

I would use this picture to introduce events of the Civil War along with reading excerpts from a piece of literature that tells the story of soldiers going to war and losing their limbs.

We would do an activity from Out of the Box from Cynthia's activity prior to going to the LOC to reseaarch people who may have survived but lost a limb. Then, as a conclusion, look at a patent in learning how prosthetic legs were developed.