5th Grade Resource Unit: US History 1801-1860

Cornitcher, MacKimmie, Schupbach, Stainback

Continuity and Change of the United States in the Nineteenth Century
A Social Studies Resource Unit for K-6 Students

Submitted as Partial Requirement for CRIN E05 or EDUC 405
Elementary and Middle Social Studies Curriculum and Instruction
Professor Gail McEachron
The College of William and Mary
Fall 2011

Prepared By: Rob Schupbach (rlschupbach.wmwikis.net), Ebony Cornitcher,
Holly Stainback (hnstainback.wmwikis.net), and Annie MacKimmie
(akmackimmie.wmwikis.net)

Historical Narrative: All………………………………………………2
Lesson One: Annie MacKimmie…………………………………….10
Lesson Two: Rob Schupbach………………………………………..15
Lesson Three: Ebony Cornitcher ……………………………….….19
Lesson Four: Holly Stainback…………………………………...…..24
Artifact One: Rob Schupbach ………………………………..……..31
Artifact Two: Holly Stainback………………………………………35
Artifact Three: Annie MacKimmie…………………………………39
Artifact Four: Ebony Cornitcher…………………………………...42
Assessments: All……………………………………………………..45
References…………………………………………………………….47
Appendix…………………………………………………………...…50
Expenses………………………………………………………………54

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Continuity and Change of the United States in the Nineteenth Century
A Social Studies Resource Unit for K-6 Students

Introduction

This teaching unit explores the expansion, reform, and turmoil that dominated during the

growth of the young United States of America during the years 1800 to 1861. Many significant

changes and noteworthy events occurred in the United State during the first half of the

Nineteenth century. This time period is filled with conflict and struggle as America begins to

find its place in the world. Often overlooked in the United States history curriculum, the

significance of this time period is the westward expansion, the reforms that were made that lead

up to the United States Civil War, and the effects of the Industrial Revolution. A thorough

understanding of this time period also includes the exploring the pioneering spirit of Americans.

An influx of immigrants, struggles to uphold the ideals laid forth in the U.S. Constitution, and

fast evolving technology are also highlighted throughout this unit. This teaching unit is far

reaching in scope and includes an examination of marginalized groups, such as Native

Americans, African-Americans, and women. This teaching unit addresses the Virginia Stands of

Learning USI.1, USI.2, and USI.8, with a main focus on the expansion and reform during the

first sixty years of the Nineteenth century. A complete list of Virginia Standards of Learning, and

national NCSS and NCHS standards that are focused on in this unit can be found in Appendix A.

Key Ideas and Events

Between 1803 and 1853, the size of the United States tripled due to purchasing land and

warfare (Klobuchar, 2006). In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson bought a large parcel of land

from the French. This was known as the Louisiana Purchase. With the purchase of this land, the

United States would be extended to include all territory from Canada all the way south to the

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Gulf of Mexico, and from the Mississippi River west to the Rocky Mountains. In 1804,

President Jefferson sent a team of explorers to explore the newly acquired land. This team was

lead by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The expedition began in May 1804 in St. Louis,

Missouri. In November 1805, the team reached the Pacific Ocean. Along the way, the team

drew maps, formed relationships with the Native American groups they encountered, and made

scientific observations. The Lewis and Clark expedition was important for several reasons. The

team gathered valuable scientific knowledge, documented the land and resources, and set the

stage for the westward settlement that was to come (Klobuchar, 2006). The Louisiana Purchase

doubled the size of the United States and allowed the U.S. to become a world power (Jaffe,

2002).

Settlers moved west for many reasons. Some wanted to own their own land and start

fresh in an untamed land with lots of open space. Others wanted to start farms and create a better

life for themselves (Klobuchar, 2006). Others wanted to strike it rich during the gold rush

(Monroe, 2002). Some, like the Native Americans, were forcibly removed (Salas, 2003). Yet

others, including the Mormons, were in search of religious freedom (Isaacs, 1998).

As the United States expanded, settlers demanded more and more land. However, the

land was occupied by Native Americans. In May 1830, Congressed passed the Indian Removal

Act. This new law required all Native Americans, including Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek,

Chickasaw, and Seminole, to move west onto a parcel of land called the Indian Territory in order

to make room for the settlers. The Indian Territory is now present day Oklahoma. Many of the

Native Americans left, but the Cherokee refused to leave. In October 1838, the Cherokee were

gathered up and forcibly removed. They arrived in the Indian Territory in March 1839. This

forced removal was extremely hard on the Native Americans. They were not properly equipped

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for their 1,000 mile journey through the snow. They did not have proper clothing, shelter, or

food. Thousands of Native Americans died on the journey, which became known as the Trail of

Tears (Salas, 2003).

As the U.S. spread westward, the desire for land became insatiable. Settlers had no

problem forcing Native American off their land, a result of pure greed. An idea emerged that

convinced people that this greed was tolerable: “Manifest Destiny”. This idea, put forth in 1845

by John L. O’Sullivan, said that it was our God-given right and duty to take the land and do with

it as we wished. This idea spread like wildfire and became the mindset of most Americans

(Hakim, 1994).

America was in need of faster and more efficient ways of transportation as its population

increased. In 1807, Robert Fulton invented the steamboat, which could carry goods as well as

passengers. In 1816, DeWitt Clinton began building the Erie Canal. It opened eight years later,

providing a waterway connection from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, as well as

providing transportation for goods and passengers. In 1830, Peter Cooper built the steam

locomotive. It could carry large loads over large distances, travel much faster than canal boats

and steamboats, and tracks could be built anywhere and used anytime. By 1850, railroads were

America’s most important means of transportation, and by 1860, America ceased using canals

for transporting large amounts of goods (Isaacs, 1998). Technology also bolstered the economy.

In 1793, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin to solve the problem of removing a large amount of

cotton seeds in a short amount of time. Unintentionally, this invention encouraged slavery. With

the invention of the cotton gin, people saw that money could be made. Everyone wanted to plant

large amounts of cotton and needed slaves to plant and harvest the new cash crop. This

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invention bolstered the economy, turned the South into a land of cotton, and thus kept the South

rural (Hakim, 1993).

Starting in 1803, British ships began seizing U.S. seamen from U.S. ships and impressing

them into the British Royal Navy. As settlers moved west, they began facing problems with

Britain inland as well. Native Americans, angry at being forced off their lands, made allies with

the British in Canada, who supplied them with rifles to use against the Americans. In June 0f

1812, when the U.S. could stand it no more, war was declared on Great Britain, starting the War

of 1812. Despite the name, the war lasted until February of 1815. The U.S. victory was

important; it forced Great Britain to recognize the United States as an independent nation and

achieved real independence for our country. It also paved the way for the U.S. to become a

major nation and leading world power (Childress, 2004).

The area that was to become Texas was under the control of Mexico. As settlers moved

west, they wanted to settle in this territory. Mexico allowed some settlers to come and settle

there, but more and more began to pour into the area. Upset, Mexico posed taxes and

immigration policies onto the American settlers. The settlers did not like this and wished Texas

to become part of the U.S. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, the ruler of Mexico, lead his army to

San Antonio, where a group of American rebels had taken refuge in the Alamo, a fortified

mission. In March, 1836, the Mexican army had wiped out the rebels at the Alamo. Texan

leaders issued the Texas Declaration of Independence during the fight at the Alamo. In

retaliation for the massacre at the Alamo, U.S. General Sam Houston confronted Santa Anna’s

troops near present day Houston, Texas, and was victorious. Texas won its independence from

Mexico in April 1836. It existed as the Republic of Texas until December of 1845, when it was

admitted to the Union as the 28th state (Fradin, 2007).

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Both the U.S. and Great Britain Claimed the Oregon Territory. In a treaty signed in

1846, the two nations decided to split the territory on the 49th parallel; Great Britain would

receive the land above the parallel, while the U.S. received the land below the parallel. Oregon

became the 33rd state in 1859 (Hakim, 1994). The area that was to become California was also

under the control of Mexico. The U.S. wanted access to the Pacific Ocean and offered to buy

California from Mexico in 1845. Mexico refused, and angered by loosing Texas that same

year, lashed out at the U.S., attacking the U.S. army in Texas. The U.S. declared war on Mexico

in May of 1846, starting the Mexican War. The next year the U.S. army entered Mexico City,

and a peace treaty was signed in February, 1848. As a result of the treaty, the U.S. bought

California, which became the 31st state in September of 1850 (Monroe, 2002).

In January 1848, gold was discovered in California by a carpenter named James

Marshall. The word began to spread slowly, but as more and more gold was discovered, people

started to believe what they were hearing. It took nearly a year for word of the discovery to

reach the world and for people to start believing the supposed rumors, but slowly but surely

“gold fever” had spread across the nation. By this time, it was much too late in the season for

travel, and travelers had to wait until spring. And in the spring of ’49, the California gold rush

began (Monroe, 2002). Tens of thousands of prospectors flocked to California, each hoping to

make it rich. Between 1848 and 1850, only two years, California’s population jumped from

15,000 to 100,000 (Isaacs, 1998). By 1856, most of the gold had been mined and the gold rush

ended (Monroe, 2002).

Men, Women, Youth & Children

In 1803, Lewis and Clark were the first explorers to go westward and discover the

unknown land that settlers always wondered about ("1800s-1830s: Indian Wars,” 2008). A

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Native American woman named Sacajawea, had an influential role in their exploration. Legend

has it that she was a guide to the explorers and helped guide them to the Pacific Ocean. However,

some also say that she was less of a guide and more of a wise counselor along the journey. Either

way, Lewis and Clark would not have been able to make it across the country without the help of

this one woman and her bravery during their voyage. She was only brought along because her

husband joined the team as a guide and Sacajawea accompanied the men because they believed

she could be a translator to other Native Americans along the way ("Sacajawea”).

During the War of 1812, a Cherokee man named Sequoyah fought alongside of Andrew

Jackson and played a key role in the communication of the troops. The Cherokee soldiers could

not write letters home because the Cherokee language lacked a written language. Sequoyah

worked to create a written language for the Cherokee Nation and it became its official language

as well as the “the first written language of Native Americans in North America” ("Era 4”).

Native Americans were seen as a disruption to the Westward Expansion that the United

States saw as their destiny. There were five Native American tribes that were considered to be

civilized enough to stay on the land and remain in communication with the settlers. These five

tribes were: the Cherokees, the Creeks, the Choctaws, the Chickasaws, and the Seminoles and

lived in the areas of Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. Some of the tribes

tried to bargain with the settlers by adopting, “Anglo-American practices such as large-scale

farming, Western education, and slave-holding” ("Indian removal,”). In 1830, President Andrew

Jackson ordered all Native Americans off land east of the Mississippi to move westward so that

the land could be open for settlers to open new cotton plantations. The Cherokee nation called

their journey to “Indian Territory” in Oklahoma the “Trail of Tears” because more than a quarter

of the 15, 000 Native Americans died along the way ("Indian removal,”).

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John L’ O Sullivan coined the term Manifest Destiny which is the belief that it is

America’s right to expand and conquer the land that predestined for the country by God.

However, Native Americans live by a different belief system that completed conflicted with this

idea of Manifest Destiny. Native Americans do not believe in ownership of land because it is a

natural entity. They believe that the land is here to help one sustain and live but, only as a help to

the people; land is not meant to be conquered. The beliefs of the Native Americans were not seen

as important to Americans and the idea of manifest destiny was the spear head to the growth of

the nation ("Ideas and Movements”).

African Americans were also dealing with discrimination and prejudice during the time

of the Westward Expansion because of the debate over whether or not the new territories would

be free or slave states. Dred Scott is one man who brought about legislation dealing with the

slavery in the west. Dred Scott, “a slave who had lived in the free state of Illinois and the free

territory of Wisconsin before moving back to the slave state of Missouri, had appealed to the

Supreme Court in hopes of being granted his freedom” ("Africans in America" ). In 1857, the

case against Dred Scott declared the Missouri Compromise of 1820 unconstitutional making

slavery legal in all territories of the country including the west. This was a big court decision

because it stated that blacks were not citizens and therefore, had no rights in America ("Dred

Scott's Fight”).

Closing and Legacy

Looking at the continuity and change of the United States in the Nineteenth Century

gives 5th grade students the opportunity to explore and relive history. In addition, students will be

able to construct their own, new understanding of different cultures especially the Native

Americans and the “Trail of Tears”. The students will learn about key figures from all different

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backgrounds and cultures such as Lewis and Clark and Sacajawea. In addition, students will

learn how the heroic endeavors of our past fought for our country and have forever shaped our

nation. Until this lesson many students will probably have never heard or understood our nations

history in regards to western expansion and our relations to Native Americans. This unit will

prompt class discussion, in depth thinking, and a deeper understanding and appreciation for

where our country is today. Also this unit will reveal that America has made mistakes and poor

decisions, but through studying history our country can learn from our mistakes and move

forward. By learning about the past disputes and expansion, students will be grasp a deeper

understanding of the American history. Through this unit students will attain an enriched and

culturally developed view and understanding of America’s past, present, and future.

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Lesson # 1: Mapping and Charting The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Prepared by Annie MacKimmie
Audience: 3rd Grade, whole group, 20 students
Standards: History and Social Science Standards of Learning in Virginia
3.5 The student will develop map skills by:
b) using the equator and prime meridian to identify the Northern, Southern,
Eastern, and Western Hemispheres;
e) locating specific places, using a simple letter-number grid system.

Materials/Time/Space: pencils, colored pencils, tape, 4 pieces of computer paper, projector, access to the
internet, 1 globe, picture of the World (available at http://www.worldpress.org/map.cfm), overhead
projector slide entitled The Louisiana Purchase-1803 (available in Lewis & Clark (2003).), 20 copies of
Chart and Mapping Guided Practice, 20 copies of Mapping The Lewis and Clark Expedition, Lewis &
Clark (Hazen, W.A. (2003).); One hour of instructional time; typical classroom space; typical class size
(20 students)

Lesson Description:

Anticipatory Set:

Briefly introduce Lewis and Clark (see content). Ask the students if they remember the cardinal
directions. Review the cardinal directions: north, south, east, and west (see content). Write north, south,
east, and west on the four pieces of computer paper and tape them to the appropriate corresponding walls.
For this game, call out a cardinal direction and have the students run to that specific side of the classroom.
Play the cardinal direction game.

Objectives and Purpose:

1. Students will be introduced to Lewis and Clark and their Expedition across America.

2. Given an alphanumeric chart, students will be able chart the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

3. Given a world map, students will be able to identify the equator and the prime meridian.

Input/Modeling:

Project the World Atlas map (available at http://www.worldpress.org/map.cfm) onto the board. Label the
cardinal directions and explain the equator and prime meridian. Explain and define the concept of
alphanumeric grid system (see content). As well as demonstrating this on the board, pass the globe around
to each student so they can see the equator, prime meridian, and grid on the globe. Finally, give an
overview to the students about the remainder of the lesson of mapping.

Checking for Understanding:

Project a map of the world onto the board (world map available at http://www.worldpress.org /map.cfm).
Break the students into five groups. Ask the students if they can identify the equator and prime meridian.
Walk around to each group and check their understanding.

Guided Practice:

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Pass out Charting and Mapping Guided Practice worksheet to each student. Explain the directions and
the specific alphanumeric grid. Explain and demonstrate the process of finding a location given the
alphanumeric grid system. Then, demonstrate finding a letter using the alphanumeric coordinates. Relate
the guided practice back to locating places on a map. Show the first two problems on the projector and
then ask the students to attempt to complete the remainder of the worksheet in pairs. As the students work
on the guided practice, walk around to be available to help students and answer questions.

Independent Practice:

Give Mapping The Lewis and Clark Expedition worksheet out to each student. Clearly explain the
directions to the students. Remind students that this is an independent activity and that they will have
ample amount of time to complete it, so do not rush.

Closing:

Once the students have completed the worksheet, collect them and go over the correct answers. Using the
projector to demonstrate the mapping coordinate locations with the alphanumeric grid system activity and
successfully map the expedition. Project the overhead entitled, The Louisiana Purchase-1803 (see Lewis
& Clark text). This overhead accurately maps the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Briefly explain the vast
accomplishment this trek was for America. Inform students we will continue to explore this topic. Finally,
pass out a 4x6 index card to each student. Place the multiple-choice question on the projector. Have the
students answer the multiple choice question and write at least three sentences about what they learned
and what they liked or did not like about the map skills activity.

Assessment:

Formative Evaluation: Walk around classroom during the guided and independent practice mapping
activities to check for understanding and participation

Summative Evaluation: Check and grade the Mapping The Lewis and Clark Expedition worksheet, and
index card exit slip. The three sentences are not grades and only for teacher reference. Provide a grade
and feedback to the students as soon as possible.

Background Information/ Content:

In 1803, Thomas Jefferson appointed Lewis and Clark to lead an expedition to explore the west.
Jefferson sent the expedition in hopes of finding the Pacific Ocean. After a trying, exhausting, cold, and
exciting year and a half, the Lewis and Clark Expedition finally found the Pacific Ocean. This journey
and exploration is a huge mark in United States history.

The cardinal directions are north, south, east, and west. North is aligned with the North Pole and
south is aligned in relation to the South Pole. The terms east and west are derived from Latin terns run
perpendicular to north and south. The equator is an imaginary line drawn horizontally between the North
and South Pole. The prime meridian is a vertical, imaginary line that connects the North and South Pole
and passes through Greenwich, England and many other cities and countries. The world is on a grid
system that enables people to locate specific places on a map. These coordinates are used to determine
exact geographic locations. The grid map is a similar to a big, extended tic-tac-toe board and consists of
many horizontal and vertical lines. The alphanumeric grid will use letters and numbers to chart the Lewis
and Clark Expedition.

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Multiple Choice Question:

1. The equator is
a horizontal imaginary line that divides the world into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

b horizontal imaginary line that divides the world into Eastern and Western Hemispheres
c vertical imaginary line that divides the world into Eastern and Western Hemispheres
d vertical imaginary line that divides the world into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

Answer: a. horizontal imaginary line that divides the world into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

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Lesson Plan #2: “O say!”: Can you see and hear “The Star-Spangled Banner”?
Prepared by: Rob Schupbach Grade Level: 1st
Time: 1 hour Space: Whole Group (25 students)
Materials Required: Computer, video projector, 25 copies of the lyrics to “The Star-Spangled
Banner,” a large print of A View of the Bombardment of Fort McHenry by J. Bower, an
American flag, a 1915 recording of “The Star-Spangled Banner” as sung by Margaret Woodrow
Wilson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Star-spangled_banner_002.ogg), YouTube video of
Whitney Houston singing the National Anthem (http://youtu.be/wupsPg5H6aE), YouTube video
of karaoke version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” (http://youtu.be/z8Rf7beku_4), 25 sheets of
blank, white computer paper, colored pencils, crayons
Standards: (see Appendix A for a complete summary)
Virginia Standards of Learning
1.11 The student will recognize the symbols and traditional practices that honor and foster
patriotism in the United State
National Council for the Social Studies Standards
2. Time, Continuity, and Change: Studying the past makes it possible for us to understand
the human story across time.
Objectives:
1. After viewing the painting A View of the Bombardment of Fort McHenry by J. Bower,
students will interpret the artist’s purpose and articulate their personal reaction to the work.
2. Given the lyrics to “The Star-Spangled Banner” and watching several versions of the
performance of our National Anthem, students will draw a picture of the Battle at Fort McHenry.
Resources:
National Endowment of the Humanities. (2010). O, say, can you see what The Star-Spangled
Banner means? Retrieved October 14, 2011, from http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-
plan/oh-say-can-you-see-what-star-spangled-banner-means
Smithsonian Museum. (n.d.). The Star-Spangled Banner: the flag that inspired the national
anthem. Retrieved October 14, 2011, from
http://americanhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/
Wikipedia. (n.d.). The Star-Spangled Banner. Retrieved October 14, 2011, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star-Spangled_Banner
Introduction:
Tell the students that they are going to be looking at the work of an artist who was at the Battle
of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. Explain that at this battle the British set their sights on
Baltimore, Maryland, a vital seaport. British warships began firing bombs and rockets on Fort
McHenry, which protected the city’s harbor. The bombardment continued for twenty-five hours
while the nation awaited news of Baltimore’s fate. Ask the students what they think the name of
the painting is. Ask “how does this make you feel?” Ask “why do you think he painted this?”
Explain to students that during the attack on Fort McHenry Francis Scott Key wrote the lyrics to
what would become the lyrics to our national anthem. Ask students if they know what a national
anthem is.
Content Focus:
Play recording of “The Star-Spangled Banner” as sung by Margaret Woodrow Wilson and
Whitney Houston. Hand-out copies of the lyrics to “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Objective Level: Ask the following questions when guiding a discussion of “The Star-Spangled
Banner”

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1. What instruments do you think are used in the song?
2. What words would you use to describe the music?
3. Did the song have the same mood the whole time?
Reflective Level
1. How does the song make you feel?
2. Does one singer of the song make you feel differently from the other?
Interpretive Level (Read lyrics from “The Star-Spangled Banner”)
1. What do you think this song means?
2. Where have you heard this song before?
3. Why do you think they play it at events?
Decisional Level
1. Is there anything in the classroom that corresponds to the song? (after adequate
amount of wait time, point to the American flag).
2. What are you going to do the next time you hear the national anthem?
Assignment
Tell students that they are going to draw an original piece of art that depicts the Battle of Fort
McHenry. Tell students to include an American flag in their drawings. Students can use colored
pencils and crayons. While students are working, play “The Star-Spangled Banner” their own
piece of art for inspiration.
Closure:
Lead the class in a discussion about the different types of art they saw today. Ask why they think
the Battle of Fort McHenry was able to inspire both the painting and the lyrics to the national
anthem. Ask students if they can think of any other famous event that inspired art and/or music.
Invite the entire class to sing along with a karaoke version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Assessment:
Formative:
Students will be informally assessed throughout the duration of the lesson. Student
understanding should be judged based on willingness to respond to questions and the ability to
make inferences about the national anthem.
Summative:
Student’s drawing will be assessed based on the inclusion of an American flag in their artwork.
Addition evaluation will be multiple choice exit card.
Multiple Choice Question:
Who wrote the words to “The Star-Spangled Banner”?
a. Wilson Scott Francis
b. Robert Francis Lockhart
c. Francis Scott Key

Background Information:
On September 14, 1814, U.S. soldiers at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry raised a huge American flag
to celebrate a crucial victory over British forces during the War of 1812. The sight of those
“broad stripes and bright stars” inspired Francis Scott Key to write a song that eventually became
the United States national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Key’s words gave new
significance to a national symbol and started a tradition through which generations of Americans
have invested the flag with their own meanings and memories.

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A View of the Bombardment of Fort McHenry, by J. Bower, 1816

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“The Star-Spangled Banner”

O say! can you see by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro’ the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watch’d, were so gallantly streaming!
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen thro’ the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream;
’Tis the Star-Spangled Banner, O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave;
And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph doth wave

O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Pow’r that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave

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Lesson #3—The Trail of Tears
Audience: 5th Grade, ~20 students
Lesson Preparer: Ebony Cornitcher
Standards:

History
VUS.6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the major events from the last decade of the
eighteenth century through the first half of the nineteenth century by
b) identifying the economic, political, and geographic factors that led to territorial expansion
and its impact on the American Indians;
Objective:

1) Students will be able to simulate the experience of Native Americans during the Trail of
Tears through the creation of a personal diary/journal.
2) Students will be able to explain the reasons for Andrew Jackson’s decision to remove the
Native Americans.
Materials/Space/Time:

- cooled coffee, black sheets of computer paper (enough for each student to have 1-2
sheets), a medium size container, brown paper bags (about 5), blow dryer (if possible)
- enough space for the student to work at his or her desk and a separate table to prepare the
journals
- 1 hour
Lesson Description:
Introduction: Ask the students to close their eyes and read aloud the story located in the Content
section. Before reading the story, ask the students to think about how the story makes them feel
and if they think it is fair. The story deals with a young boy and his family being removed from
his house by soldiers. After the story is read, ask the students to give their reactions including
feelings and emotions. Write these feelings and emotions on the board. Ask the students if this is
an example of good citizenship.
Content Focus: Transition into the historical event of the Indian Removal Act from President
Andrew Jackson’s point of view. Explain to the students the economical reasons why Andrew
Jackson made his decision and ask the students if they agree with his decision (Content). Watch
a brief video (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weshallremain/the_films/episode_3_trailer only
show the 7th segment) to introduce the Cherokee Native Americans and the Trail of Tears. Tell
the students that they will put themselves in the shoes of Native Americans by writing a journal.
The students will pretend to be a Native American being removed from his or her home and must
write a journal about his or her experience and feelings. Remind the student of how they felt
toward the story read at the beginning of class and point to the emotions written on the board.

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Read an example of a journal entry to the students (in Content) then give them the handout with
instructions to do their own. The paper should be “aged” before writing.

Closure: If time allows, have students transfer their drafts to the dried sheets of paper that they
have aged after the draft has been approved by the teacher.
Assessment:
Formative - Students’ participation during the introduction and

Summative - Students should write at least two journal entries or one long journal entry and will
be assessed on their inclusion of facts about the Trail of Tears as well as their ability to
empathize with the character they are portraying.

Background Information/Content:
Introduction story:
You are sitting in your room when you hear a hard knock at the door. When your parents
open the door, a group of men enter and say that you must leave your home. If you refuse, you
will be dragged out anyway. It is freezing cold but, you and your family grab what you can and
leave your home with no clear destination. (Open eyes). How does this make you feel?

Andrew Jackson was elected into office in 1828. This election is very prominent because
it produced the divide of political parties we have today; the Democrats and the Republicans.
Jackson received a lot of support from the country because people could relate to him. His
political platform was based on the fact that he helped fight the Native Americans in previous
battles. Andrew Jackson, along with many other Americans, wanted the removal of Native
Americans. Since the discovery of new land, explorers wanted to move westward and settle
down with their families and gold miners wanted the opportunity to dig for gold in hopes of
becoming rich. The only thing stopping them was the habitation of the Native Americans.
“In 1830 the Congress of the United States passed the ‘Indian Removal Act.’...President Jackson
quickly signed the bill into law. The Cherokees attempted to fight removal legally by challenging
the removal laws in the Supreme Court and by establishing an independent Cherokee Nation.”
These efforts were eventually not recognized and in, “1838 – Seven thousand federal
troops…were dispatched to the Cherokee Nation. Without warning, the troops broke down doors
and drug people away to stockades. Those that moved too slowly were prodded with bayonets.
In October, the Cherokees were herded into wooden stockades with no food, water, blankets, or
sanitation. Most of them were barefoot and had no coats or blankets, yet they were forced to
cross rivers in sub-zero weather.”

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Example of journal entry:
"I saw the helpless Cherokees arrested and dragged from their homes, and driven at the
bayonet point into the stockades. And in the chill of a drizzling rain on an October morning I saw
them loaded like cattle or sheep into six hundred and forty-five wagons and started toward the
west....On the morning of November the 17th we encountered a terrific sleet and snow storm
with freezing temperatures and from that day until we reached the end of the fateful journey on
March the 26th 1839, the sufferings of the Cherokees were awful. The trail of the exiles was a
trail of death. They had to sleep in the wagons and on the ground without fire. And I have known
as many as twenty-two of them to die in one night of pneumonia due to ill treatment, cold and
exposure..."

Private John G. Burnett, Captain Abraham McClellan's Company, 2nd
Regiment, 2nd Brigade, Mounted Infantry, Cherokee Indian Removal, 1838-39

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Biographical Journal
How to Make a Diary/Journal

Step 1: Fold your paper in half.

Step 2: Place paper in coffee until it is completely covered.
Step 3: Fold and stack the dry pages after they have dried.
Step 4: Cover the outside of the pages with a brown paper bag that is a little bigger than the other
paper.

Step 5: Hole punch the paper (including the brown paper bag) and bind together with string.
Step 6: Adjust the size, by cutting the pages again. Make sure the pages are about the same size.

For this assignment, you are going to be a Native American of the Cherokee tribe. Write
at least two journal entries first person point of view of a character of your choice. You will write
about your experience during your journey of the Trail of Tears. This is your personal diary so
make sure you write as though you are the person.

Things to think about:

-Who are you traveling with?
-What have you brought with you?
-How do you feel as you travel?
-What is the date?

After your draft has been approved by the teacher, you will be able to write your entry onto your
final sheet of aged journal paper.

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Multiple Choice Question

What is the document that forced Native Americans to move further west in 1830?

A. the Trail of Tears
B. the Indian Removal Act
C. the Treaty of Ghent
D. the Indian Westward Expansion Act

Answer:


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Lesson #4- On the “Trail of Tears” Prepared by Holly Stainback
Purpose: Students will understand through conducting research that conflicts regarding land use
and personal rights persist in modern Virginia between Native American tribes and the
state/national government.
Grade Level/Time/Space: 6th Grade, 4 one-hour sessions, whole group and individual (about 20
students)
VA SOL Standards: USI.1 The student will demonstrate skills for historical and geographical
analysis and responsible citizenship, including the ability to a.) identify and interpret primary and
secondary source documents to increase understanding of events and life in United States history
to 1865, d.) interpret ideas and events from different historical perspectives; evaluate and discuss
issues orally and in writing, i.) identify the costs and benefits of specific choices made, including
the consequences, both intended and unintended, of the decisions and how people and nations
responded to positive and negative incentives.

NCSS Standards: 1. Culture Through experience, observation, and reflection, students will
identify elements of culture as well as similarities and differences among cultural groups across
time and place. 2. Time, Continuity, and Change Studying the past makes it possible for us to
understand the human story across time. Knowledge and understanding of the past enable us to
analyze the causes and consequences of events and developments, and to place these in the
context of the institutions, values and beliefs of the periods in which they took place.

Objectives: 1. Given a primary source document and background information, students will
generate questions, hypotheses, and conduct research pertaining to the Trail of Tears. 2. Student
will share their research findings with the class through an oral presentation.
Resources: Excerpts from “John Burnett’s Story of the Trail of Tears” (Enclosed), Website
databases : Cherokee Nation website and The Native American Rights Fund website (see
bibliography), map of the Trail of Tears (see bibliography), copies of the Indian Removal Act
1830 and The Indian Civil Rights Act (see bibliography), books about the Trail of Tears (see
bibliography), Internet-equipped computers for student use, Guided research worksheet
(enclosed).
Procedure: Introduction: (Day 1) Catalyst: Read aloud the excerpt from John Burnett’s Story of the
Trail of Tears, his account of his actions and observations during the removal of Cherokees.
Divide students into groups of 4-5 to discuss this information, and generate questions. In whole
group, model formation of research questions with students, asking for groups to volunteer their
best questions. Distribute guided research worksheets. Student-generated questions: Individually,
students will choose their best research questions and make a hypothesis . Allow students to begin
their research. Content Focus: (Day 1-3) Independent research time. Put books and printed articles
in a central location. Students may also use the bookmarked websites on the computer. Students
must consult at least 3 different kinds of sources. For each source, they will document the
resource information on the guided research worksheet . At the end of Day 2, ask the students for
input as to what other kinds of information they think they need to continue their research . Have
these materials ready for the next day. Closure: (Day 4) Student presentations- students will
present their research findings to the class. Students will not read a prepared written response,
but will instead explain their question, highlight any unusual sources or findings, and share
further questions that they found during their research. A brief discussion after each presentation

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to clarify student opinions and questions will occur. Collect each student’s research question and
answer and publish them in a study guide document to be distributed to the entire class.
Evaluation/Assessment: Formative: Student engagement in discussion, effort during research
process. Summative: Complete research worksheet using three different sources; oral presentation
thorough, concise, and shows understanding of research process
Essay Question: What was the Indian Removal Act of 1830? (2 points). Which President
approved this Act? (1 point). Describe the “Trail of Tears” (3 points). Give one reason why
Native Americans died on the Trail of Tears (1 point). Name 3 of the 5 “Civilized Tribes” (3
points). Name 2 things you learned through your research (2 points). Total: 12 points
Background Information: As the United States expanded, settlers demanded more and more
land. However, the land was occupied by Native Americans. In May 1830, Congressed passed
the Indian Removal Act. This new law required all Native Americans, including Cherokee,
Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, and Seminole, to move west onto a parcel of land called the Indian
Territory in order to make room for the settlers. The Indian Territory is now present day
Oklahoma. Many of the Native Americans left, but the Cherokee refused to leave. In October
1838, the Cherokee were gathered up and forcibly removed. They arrived in the Indian Territory
in March 1839. This forced removal was extremely hard on the Native Americans. They were
not properly equipped for their 1,000 mile journey through the snow. They did not have proper
clothing, shelter, or food. Thousands of Native Americans died on the journey, which became
known as the Trail of Tears (Salas, 2003).
Native Americans were seen as a disruption to the Westward Expansion that the United
States saw as their destiny. There were five Native American tribes that were considered to be
civilized enough to stay on the land and remain in communication with the settlers. These five
tribes were: the Cherokees, the Creeks, the Choctaws, the Chickasaws, and the Seminoles and
lived in the areas of Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. Some of the tribes
tried to bargain with the settlers by adopting, “Anglo-American practices such as large-scale
farming, Western education, and slave-holding” ("Indian removal,”). In 1830, President Andrew
Jackson ordered all Native Americans off land east of the Mississippi to move westward so that
the land could be open for settlers to open new cotton plantations. The Cherokee nation called
their journey to “Indian Territory” in Oklahoma the “Trail of Tears” because more than a quarter
of the 15, 000 Native Americans died along the way ("Indian removal,”).
John L’ O Sullivan coined the term Manifest Destiny which is the belief that it is
America’s right to expand and conquer the land that predestined for the country by God.
However, Native Americans live by a different belief system that completed conflicted with this
idea of Manifest Destiny. Native Americans do not believe in ownership of land because it is a
natural entity. They believe that the land is here to help one sustain and live but, only as a help to
the people; land is not meant to be conquered. The beliefs of the Native Americans were not seen
as important to Americans and the idea of manifest destiny was the spear head to the growth of
the nation ("Ideas and Movements”).

25


Bibliography:

About North Georgia. (2006). Map of the Trail of Tears. Retrieved from
http://ngeorgia.com/history/trailoftearsmap.html

Burnett, John. (1890). John Burnett’s Story of the Trail of Tears. Retrieved from
http://www.cherokee.org/AboutTheNation/History/TrailofTears/24502/Information.aspx

Ehle, John. (1988). Trail of tears: The rise and fall of the cherokee nation. New York, NY: Anchor Press.

Ideas and movements, ca 1840s. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.u-s- history.com/pages/h337.html
Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 (25 U.S.C. §§ 1301-03). Retrieved from http://www.tribal-
institute.org/lists/icra1968.htm

Indian removal. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html
Indian Removal Act of 1830. Retrieved from
http://academic.udayton.edu/race/02rights/native10.htm

Salas, Laura Purdie. (2003). The trail of tears, 1838. Mankato, MN: Bridgestone Books.

The Cherokee Nation. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.cherokee.org

The Native American Rights Fund. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.narf.org

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Excerpts from “John Burnett’s Story of the Trail of Tears”

“The removal of Cherokee Indians from their lifelong homes in the year of 1838 found me a
young man in the prime of life and a Private soldier in the American Army. Being acquainted
with many of the Indians and able to fluently speak their language, I was sent as interpreter into
the Smoky Mountain Country in May, 1838, and witnessed the execution of the most brutal
order in the History of American Warfare. I saw the helpless Cherokees arrested and dragged
from their homes, and driven at the bayonet point into the stockades. And in the chill of a
drizzling rain on an October morning I saw them loaded like cattle or sheep into six hundred and
forty-five wagons and started toward the west. One can never forget the sadness and solemnity of
that morning. Chief John Ross led in prayer and when the bugle sounded and the wagons started
rolling many of the children rose to their feet and waved their little hands good-by to their
mountain homes, knowing they were leaving them forever. Many of these helpless people did
not have blankets and many of them had been driven from home barefooted…
The long painful journey to the west ended March 26th, 1839, with four-thousand silent graves
reaching from the foothills of the Smoky Mountains to what is known as Indian territory in the
West. And covetousness on the part of the white race was the cause of all that the Cherokees had
to suffer...The doom of the Cherokee was sealed. Washington, D.C., had decreed that they must
be driven West and their lands given to the white man, and in May 1838, an army of 4000
regulars, and 3000 volunteer soldiers under command of General Winfield Scott, marched into
the Indian country and wrote the blackest chapter on the pages of American history… Murder is
murder, and somebody must answer. Somebody must explain the streams of blood that flowed in
the Indian country in the summer of 1838. Somebody must explain the 4000 silent graves that
mark the trail of the Cherokees to their exile. I wish I could forget it all, but the picture of 645
wagons lumbering over the frozen ground with their cargo of suffering humanity still lingers in
my memory. Let the historian of a future day tell the sad story with its sighs, its tears and dying
groans. Let the great Judge of all the earth weigh our actions and reward us according to our
work.” Burnett, John. (1890). John Burnett’s Story of the Trail of Tears. Retrieved from
http://www.cherokee.org/AboutTheNation/History/TrailofTears/24502/Information.aspx

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Name:
Questions You Have About The Trail of Tears

1.)

2.)

3.)

Question You Want To Research:

Hypothesis:

3 Sources Consulted Include resource information (title, author, publication information and/or URL)

Source 1:

Source 2:

Source 3:

Three Facts Learned From Your Search

1.)

2.)

3.)

Additional Questions Gained From Your Research

1.)

2.)

Time Devoted to Research Day 1 __________ Day 2______________ Day 3_______________

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Name: Holly Stainback
Questions You Have About The Trail of Tears

1.) Why did the Cherokee have to leave?

2.) How many miles long is the Trail of Tears?

3.) Did anyone else have to leave or just the Cherokee?

Question You Want To Research: Why did the Cherokee have to leave?

Hypothesis: The Cherokee had to leave because the white man wanted their land.

3 Sources Consulted Include resource information (title, author, publication information and/or URL)

Source 1: Salas, Laura Purdie. (2003). The trail of tears, 1838. Mankato, MN: Bridgestone Books.

Source 2: The Cherokee Nation. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.cherokee.org

Source 3: Indian Removal Act of 1830. Retrieved from
http://academic.udayton.edu/race/02rights/native10.htm

Three Facts Learned From Your Search

1.) Congress passed the Indian Removal Act in 1830.

2.) The Cherokee weren’t the only ones who had to leave; the Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, and Seminole
tribes had to leave, too.

3.) The U.S. government wanted to trade land in the West for the land the Native Americans were
occupying.

Additional Questions Gained From Your Research

1.) Have Native Americans anywhere else been rounded up and forcibly removed from their lands?

2.) Can we do this to Native Americans today?

Time Devoted to Research Day 1 ____30 mins__ Day 2 ___60 mins___ Day 3___60 mins___

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Rubric
Student Performance Below Expectations Meets Expectations Exceeds Expectations
Use of Sources Student uses less than Student uses at least 3 Student uses more
3 different sources different sources than different sources
Research Question Student does not Student generates one Student generates
and Hypothesis generate a research question to research more than one
question and does not and makes one question to research
make a hypothesis hypothesis and makes more than
one hypothesis

Oral Presentation Student does not give Student gives an oral Student gives an oral
an oral presentation presentation that presentation that
explains their explains their
question, highlights question, highlights
any unusual sources any unusual sources
or findings, and shares or findings, shares
further questions that further questions that
they found during they found during
their research their research, and
prepares a written
response
Content Knowledge Student is not able to Student is able to Student is able to
describe the Indian describe the Indian describe the Indian
Removal Act of 1830, Removal Act of 1830, Removal Act of 1830
the Trail of Tears, or the Trail of Tears, and and the Trail of Tears
name 3 of the 5 name 3 of the 5 in great detail, and
“civilized tribes” “civilized tribes” can name more than 3
of the 5 “civilized
tribes”

30


Artifact #1: Visual Artifact ~ Primary
Prepared by Rob Schupbach

Key Objective: Given a discussion of the California Gold Rush of 1849,
students will identify the key places involved. Given gold mining pans,
students will perform a placer mine for gold from a small trough.

Background Information: Thousands of gold seekers rushed to California in 1849 in the hopes
of striking it rich. Gold seekers, mostly men, streamed in from across America and around the
world. In the first four years of the gold rush, California’s population rose from 20,000 to almost
225,000. Early miners panned for gold with pans. This technique was called placer mining, a
technique first used in ancient Rome. California's rapid and dramatic change during the Gold
Rush was especially evident in San Francisco. (Davis, 81).The Gold Rush also contributed to the
growth and establishment of Sacramento, Stockton, Los Angeles, San Diego and a myriad of
small mining towns.

Student Activities:
Whole Group: As a class, the students will discuss what the Gold Rush of 1849 was about and
where it took place. The students will also discuss how the miners panned for gold and the
equipment that they used. Gold mining pans will be passed around to the class for each student to
touch and observe.

Small Group: In small groups of no more than four, students will take turns using miner’s pans to
pan for gold from a small trough. After each group has panned for gold, the students will sift
through the gold. Groups will identify the “real gold” from the “fool’s gold,” which will be
marked with a tiny F. As a group, the students will determine the amounts of “real gold” versus
“fool’s gold.”

Independent: Students will individually examine a map of 1849 California. Using their textbooks
and atlases as a guide, students will label the map with the following cities: San Francisco,
Sacramento, and San Diego.

Assessment: What U.S. state did the Gold Rush of 1849 take place?
A. San Francisco
B. North Dakota
C. South Dakota
D. California

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Artifact #1: Visual Artifact ~ Intermediate
Prepared by Rob Schupbach

Key Objective: Given a discussion of the California Gold Rush of 1849,
students will identify the key places involved. Given gold mining pans,
students will perform a placer mine for gold from a small trough.

Background Information: Thousands of gold seekers rushed to California in 1849 in the hopes
of striking it rich. Gold seekers, mostly men, streamed in from across America and around the
world. In the first four years of the gold rush, California’s population rose from 20,000 to almost
225,000. Early miners panned for gold with pans. This technique was called placer mining, a
technique first used in ancient Rome. California's rapid and dramatic change during the Gold
Rush was especially evident in San Francisco. (Davis, 81).The Gold Rush also contributed to the
growth and establishment of Sacramento, Stockton, Los Angeles, San Diego and a myriad of
small mining towns.

Student Activities:
Whole Group: As a class, the students will discuss what the Gold Rush of 1849 was about and
where it took place. The teacher will discuss with the students to impact the Gold Rush of 1849
had on California’s population and economy. The students will also discuss how the miners
panned for gold and the equipment that they used. Gold mining pans will be passed around to the
class for each student to touch and observe.

Small Group: In small groups of no more than four, students will take turns using miner’s pans to
pan for gold from a small trough. After each group has panned for gold, the students will sift
through the gold. Groups will identify the “real gold” from the “fool’s gold,” which will be
marked with a tiny F. As a group, the students will determine the amounts of “real gold” versus
“fool’s gold.” Amounts will be shared with the whole class for comparison.

Independent: Students will individually examine a map of 1849 California. Using their
textbooks and atlases as a guide, students will label the map with the following cities: San
Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, Stockton, and Los Angeles.

Assessment: Where was panning for gold, or placer mining, first used?
A. ancient Greece B. ancient Romania C. ancient Rome D. California

32


Samples of Gold Mining Pans

33


34


Artifact #2: Published Document ~ Primary

Prepared by Holly Stainback

Key Objective: Given a discussion of the Louisiana Purchase, students identify the countries
and figures involved. Given a blank template, students create their own stamp that represents an
event or person in their life that they feel is worthy of commemoration.

Background Information: In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson bought a large parcel of land
from the French. This was known as the Louisiana Purchase (Klobuchar, 2006). Robert
Livingston, James Monroe, and the Marquis de Barbé-Marbois signed the document that would
transfer ownership of the land in Paris, France (LSM, 2009). With the purchase of this land, the
United States would be extended to include all territory from Canada all the way south to the
Gulf of Mexico, and from the Mississippi River west to the Rocky Mountains (Klobuchar, 2006).

Student Activities:

Whole Group: As a class, we discuss what the Louisiana Purchase was, the countries involved,
and the important figures who took part in it. On the class map of the world, students find the
United States and France.

Small Group: In groups of 3 or 4, students examine the postage stamp that commemorates the
150th anniversary of the signing of the Louisiana Purchase and identify several aspects from the
stamp. Students are asked to identify the name of one person pictured on the stamp, identify if
the stamp is from the U.S. or from France, and identify where and in what year the document
was signed.

Independent: Students receive a postage stamp template and are asked to draw and color their
own stamp that represents an event or person in their life that they feel is worthy of
commemoration. After completion, the stamps are placed in a class “stamp collection” book.

Assessment: Which country sold the Louisiana Territory to the U.S.?
A.) Mexico
B.) France
C.) Canada
D.) England

35


Artifact #2: Published Document ~ Intermediate
Prepared by Holly Stainback

Key Objective: Given a discussion, students identify the implications of and the figures
involved in the Louisiana Purchase. Given a blank template, students create their own stamp that
represents the Louisiana Purchase.

Background Information: In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson bought a large parcel of land
from the French, known as the Louisiana Purchase (Klobuchar, 2006). Robert Livingston, James
Monroe, and the Marquis de Barbé-Marbois signed the document that would transfer ownership
of the land in Paris, France (LSM, 2009). With this purchase, the United States would be
extended to include all territory from Canada all the way south to the Gulf of Mexico, and from
the Mississippi River west to the Rocky Mountains (Klobuchar, 2006). The Louisiana Purchase
doubled the size of the United States and allowed the U.S. to become a world power (Jaffe,
2002).

Student Activities:

Whole Group: As a class, we discuss what the Louisiana Purchase was and the importance of the
Louisiana Purchase, referring to the resulting increase in size of our country and the implications
of this increase. We also discuss the important figures associated with the Louisiana Purchase.

Small Group: In groups of 3 or 4, students examine the postage stamp that commemorates the
150th anniversary of the signing of the Louisiana Purchase and are asked to identify the figures
portrayed, identify the setting of the portrait, and figure out what “sesquicentennial” means. We
also discuss the art forms used to produce the stamp.

Independent: Students receive a postage stamp template and are asked to create their own stamp
representing the Louisiana Purchase using any art form they wish (ex. ink and stamp, draw/color,
paint, etc). After completion, the stamps are placed in a class “stamp collection” book.

Assessment: Which of the following people did not physically sign the Louisiana Purchase?
A.) James Monroe
B.) Thomas Jefferson
C.) Robert Livingston
D.) Marquis de Barbé-Marbois

36


37


38


Artifact #3 :
Original Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
(Unpublished Document – Primary Activity)--Prepared by Annie MacKimmie

Prior to this activity, students would be introduced to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The
students would have an overview of the journey and understand the purpose and goal for the
expedition.
Background Information: Lewis and Clark were appointed by President Jefferson to lead an
expedition west and hopefully find the Pacific Ocean. They began their journey in May 1804, in
St Louis Missouri. In late October 1804, The Lewis and Clark Expedition built a fort named Fort
Mandan in order to prepare and survive their first winter on the excursion. During their first
winter at Fort Mandan, the team had good relations with the Indian tribes and began to trade their
goods and skills for food in order to survive the frigid winter. Through Lewis and Clark’s
unedited journals we are able to understand and read an accurate documentation of the travels
and journeys.

Student Activities:
Whole Group: As a whole group, read through the first page of Chapter VI of Lewis and Clark’s
journal. Discuss the ideas of the weather and hardships and hardships the team encountered. Re-
read the last paragraph of the text. Ask the students if they understand the text. If they do,
precede by explaining the importance of trading between the team and the Indian tribes. If the
students cannot comprehend the text, explain the last paragraph and talk about the idea of
trading. Ask the students why Lewis and Clark traded with the Indians. If the discussion does not
naturally flow, ask prompting questions to lead the conversation. Break students into two groups.
Give each student in group one three index cards with pictures of food on them. Give each
student in the second group three index cards with various pictures of weapons, shelter, and
animals. Have the two groups trade the index cards in order to get the two groups a variety and
mix of food, weapons, shelter, and animals.

Small Group: In small groups of three to four students, discuss the game and what they learned
about trading. Students create their own, personal journals using cardboard for the bindings and
paper for the inside. Teachers will model this project and help the students if needed.

Independent: Draw a picture illustrating Lewis and Clarke’s trading with the Mandan Indians.
Write the date at the top right-hand corner of the paper to mark the first entry of the student
journal.

Assessment:
1. The Lewis and Clarke Expedition traded their goods and skills with the Indians to get:
a. shelter
b. weapons
c. corn
d. animals

39


Artifact #3 :
Original Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
(Unpublished Document – Intermediate Activity)--Prepared by Annie MacKimmie

Prior to this activity, students would be introduced to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The
students would have an overview of the journey and understand the purpose and goal for the
expedition.
Background Information: Lewis and Clark were appointed by President Jefferson to lead an
expedition west and hopefully find the Pacific Ocean. They began their journey in May 1804, in
St Louis Missouri. In late October 1804, The Lewis and Clark Expedition built a fort named Fort
Mandan in order to prepare and survive their first winter on the excursion. During their first
winter at Fort Mandan, the team had good relations with the Indian tribes and began to trade their
goods and skills for food in order to survive the frigid winter. Through Lewis and Clark’s
unedited journals we are able to understand and read an accurate documentation of the travels
and journeys.

Student Activities:
Whole Group: As a whole group, read through the first page of Chapter VI of Lewis and Clark’s
journal. Discuss the ideas of the weather and hardships the team encountered. Re-read the last
paragraph of the text. Ask the students if they understand the text. If they do, precede by
explaining the importance of trading between the team and the Indian tribes. If the students
cannot comprehend the text, explain the last paragraph and talk about the idea of trading. Ask the
students why Lewis and Clark traded with the Indians. If the discussion does not naturally flow,
ask prompting questions to lead the conversation. Break students into two groups. Give each
student in group one three index cards with pictures of food on them. Give each student in the
second group three index cards with various pictures of weapons, shelter, and animals. Have the
two trade the index cards in order to get the two groups a variety and mix of food, weapons,
shelter, and animals.

Small Group: In small groups of three to four students, read through the excerpt from the Lewis
and Clark Journal. As a group, write a summary of the journal entry in your own words. Since
the journal was written in the early 1800s, some of the vocabulary can be hard to comprehend.
Finally, in the small groups, students create their own, personal journals using cardboard for the
bindings and paper for the inside.

Independent: As the first entry in the personal journals, students write a paragraph what they
learned about trading during Lewis and Clark’s journey. If they would like, students can link
trading in their lives today. Write the date at the top right-hand corner of the paper to mark the
first entry of the student journal.

Intermediate Assessment:
1. At Fort Mandan the Lewis and Clark Expedition traded:
a. Their corn for the Indian’s tools
b. Their blacksmith mending skills for the Indian’s corn
c. Their shelter for the Indian’s clothing
d. Their horses for the Indian’s weapons

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41


Artifact #4: Interview with Dayton Duncan

Primary Level (K-3)

Background: The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) created a four-hour documentary called
“Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery,” using interviews of key scholars who
are well researched on the expedition of these two men. “The film attained the second-highest
ratings (following The Civil War) in the history of PBS and won a Western Heritage award from
the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, a Spur Award from the Western Writers of America, and a
CINE Golden Eagle, as well as many other honors.” One of the interviews is with Dayton
Duncan, the “writer and co-producer of ‘Lewis and Clark’ and co-author of the film’s companion
book.” He is also the author of Out West: An American Journey along the Lewis and Clark Trail,
“in which he retraced the historic expedition route.”

Whole group: A brief introduction to the Lewis and Clark trip westward will be given then, the
class will read the first part of Dayton Duncan’s interview and discuss the purpose of Lewis and
Clark’s expedition as well as how these men were chosen to take this journey. The class will also
discuss how the men prepared for the trip including what they took with them.

Small group: Students will work in groups of 3-4 and go through the middle part of the
interview given to them in order to discover what kinds of animals and new land Lewis and
Clark found on their journey. Students will have access to resources in order to look up any
animals or places they may not be familiar with. Answers will be shared at the end and students
will express how they would feel if they had to explore an unknown land.

Independent: The students will write a 3-5 sentence paragraph describing how they would
prepare for a trip if they had to take this journey. What kinds of tools would they include? Who
would they bring with them? What are the three most important possessions that they could not
leave behind? Students should draw illustrations of the things they bring with them as well.

42


Intermediate Level (4-6)

Background: The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) created a four-hour documentary called
“Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery,” using interviews of key scholars who
are well researched on the expedition of these two men. “The film attained the second-highest
ratings (following The Civil War) in the history of PBS and won a Western Heritage award from
the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, a Spur Award from the Western Writers of America, and a
CINE Golden Eagle, as well as many other honors.” One of the interviews is with Dayton
Duncan, the “writer and co-producer of ‘Lewis and Clark’ and co-author of the film’s companion
book.” He is also the author of Out West: An American Journey along the Lewis and Clark Trail,
“in which he retraced the historic expedition route.”

Whole group: A brief introduction to the Lewis and Clark trip westward will be given then, the
class will read the first part of Dayton Duncan’s interview and discuss the purpose of Lewis and
Clark’s expedition as well as how these men were chosen to take this journey.

Small group: Students will work in pairs in order to retrace the Lewis and Clark expedition as
Dayton Duncan has done. Students will be given a student atlas book as well as access to the
internet and books, in which they can find the landmarks given in the interview and map out the
expedition. Each pair will create a map and share with the entire class at the end of the period.

Independent: Students will write a 4-paragraph essay addressing the contributions of Native
Americans and other minority groups during the Lewis and Clark expedition. Students should
specifically write about York, the African American slave, and Sacajawea, the Native American
woman who were both very influential in the success of the trip.

43


Multiple Choice Questions

Primary:

1. Fill in the blank: The two men sent by President ______ who took an expedition
westward were ______.
A. Thomas Jefferson; York and Sacajawea
B. Thomas Jefferson; Lewis and Clark
C. Benjamin Franklin; Lewis and Clark
D. Benjamin Franklin; York and Sacajawea

Intermediate:

2. Who was the Native American woman who assisted the group along the Lewis and Clark
expedition?
A. Sacajawea
B. York
C. Charbonneau
D. Lemhi

44


Name__________________________
Pre-Post Test
Read each question below and circle the best answer:
1. The equator is:
a. a horizontal imaginary line that divides the world into the Northern and Southern
Hemispheres
b. a horizontal imaginary line that divides the world into Eastern and Western Hemispheres
b. a vertical imaginary line that divides the world into Eastern and Western Hemispheres
c. a vertical imaginary line that divides the world into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

2. Who wrote the words to “The Star-Spangled Banner”?
d. Wilson Scott Francis
e. Robert Francis Lockhart
f. Francis Scott Key
g. Abraham Lincoln

3. What U.S. state did the Gold Rush of 1849 take place?
a. San Francisco
b. North Dakota
c. South Dakota
d. California

4. Which country sold the Louisiana Territory to the U.S.?
a. Mexico
b. France
c. Canada
d. England
5. The Lewis and Clarke Expedition traded their goods and skills with the Indians to get:
a. shelter
a. weapons
b. corn
c. animals

6. Fill in the blank: The two men sent by President ____________ who took an expedition westward
were ___________.

a. Thomas Jefferson; York and Sacajawea
b. Thomas Jefferson; Lewis and Clark
c. Benjamin Franklin; Lewis and Clark
d. Benjamin Franklin; York and Sacajawea

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Name__________________________

Intermediate Pre-Post Test

Assessment #2

Read each question below and circle the best answer:
1. What is the document that forced Native Americans to move further west in 1830?
A. the Trail of Tears
C. the Treaty of Ghent
D. the Indian Westward Expansion Act

2. Where was panning for gold, or placer mining, first used?
A. ancient Greece
B. ancient Romania
C. ancient Rome
D. California

3. Which of the following people did not physically sign the Louisiana Purchase?
A. James Monroe
B. Thomas Jefferson
C. Robert Livingston
D. Marquis de Barbé-Marbois

4. At Fort Mandan the Lewis and Clarke Expedition traded
A. Their corn for the Indian’s tools
B. Their blacksmith mending skills for the Indian’s corn
C. Their shelter for the Indian’s clothing
D. Their horses for the Indian’s weapons

5. Who was the Native American woman who assisted the group along the Lewis and Clark
expedition?
A. Sacajawea
B. York
C. Charbonneau
D. Lemhi

Answer the question below in essay form. Respond in complete sentences.

6. What was the Indian Removal Act of 1830? (2 points). Which President approved this Act? (1
point). Describe the “Trail of Tears” (3 points). Give one reason why Native Americans died on
the Trail of Tears (1 point). Name 3 of the 5 “Civilized Tribes” (3 points). Name 2 things you
learned through your research (2 points). Total: 12 points

46


References

1800s-1830s: Indian wars, westward expansion. (2008, May 05). Retrieved from
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24714487/ns/us_news-gut_check/t/s-s-indian-wars-
westward-expansion
Africans in America. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4narr4.html
Childress, Diana. (2004). The war of 1812. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications.
Davis, K. C. (2003). Don't know much about history: Everything you need to know
about American history but never learned (1st ed.). New York: HarperCollins.
Dred Scott’s fight for freedom 1846 - 1857. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2932.html
Downey, M.T. (2006). Contemporary’s American history 1: Annotated teacher’s edition.
Chicago: Wright Group/McGraw-Hill.
Era 4: expansion and reform, 1801-1860. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.teachamericanhistory.org/file/Manual%20Final%20Era%204.pdf
Fradin, Dennis Brindell. (2007). The alamo. New York, NY: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark.

Goldpanningsite.com. (n.d.) California gold rush history. Retrieved October 17, 2011, from
http://www.goldpanningsite.com/gold-rush/california-gold-rush.php

Hakim, Joy. (1994). Liberty for all?. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Hakim, Joy. (1993). The new nation. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Hazen, W.A. (2003). Lewis and clark. St. Louis, MO: Milliken Publishing Company.

Herbert, J. (2000). Lewis and clark for kids. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press.

Ideas and movements, ca 1840s. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.u-s- history.com/pages/h337.html
Indian removal. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html
Isaacs, Sally Senzell. (1998). America in the time of lewis and clark: 1801 to 1850. Des Plaines, IL:

Heinemann Library.

Jaffe, Elizabeth D. (2002). The louisiana purchase. Mankato, MN: Bridgestone Books.

Klobuchar, Lisa. (2006). The history and activities of the wagon trail. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library.

47


Louisiana State Museum. The Louisiana Purchase. (2009). Retrieved October 16, 2011, from
http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/cabildo/cab4.htm

Monroe, Judy. (2002). The California gold rush. Mankato, MN: Bridgestone Books.

National Center for History in the Schools. (1996). United States history content standards for
grades 5 -12. Retrieved from http://www.nchs.ucla.edu/Standards/
National Council for the Social Studies. (1994). National curriculum standards for

social studies. Retrieved from http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/curriculum

National Endowment of the Humanities. (2010). O, say, can you see what The Star-Spangled
Banner means? Retrieved October 14, 2011, from http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-
plan/oh-say-can-you-see-what-star-spangled-banner-means

Norton, M. B. (1990). A people & a nation : A history of the United States (3rd ed.). Boston:
Houghton Mifflin.

Oakland Museum of California. (1998). Gold rush! California’s untold stories. Retrieved
October 15, 2011, from http://museumca.org/goldrush/

PBS KIDS GO. (2004). WayBack: gold rush. Retrieved October 16, 2011, from
http://pbskids.org/wayback/goldrush/goldfever.html

PBS. About Dayton Duncan (2010). Retrieved November 3, 2011,
http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/about/daytonduncan.html

PBS. Interviews. (2009). Retrieved November 1, 2011,
http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/archive/idx_int.html

PBS. Interviews: Dayton Duncan Interview. (2006). Retrieved November 1, 2011,
http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/archive/duncan.html

Sacajawea. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nwa/sacajawea.html
Salas, Laura Purdie. (2003). The trail of tears, 1838. Mankato, MN: Bridgestone Books.

Smithsonian Museum. (n.d.). The Star-Spangled Banner: the flag that inspired the national
anthem. Retrieved October 14, 2011, from
http://americanhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/

Stamp Template Printout. (2010). Retrieved October 16, 201,1 from
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/papercrafts/stamp/stamptemplate.shtml

48


US Postal Service. Louisiana Purchase Commemorative Postage Stamp. (1953). Retrieved October 16,
2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Louisana_Purchase_1953_Issue-3c.jpg

Virginia Department of Education. (2010). The standards & SOL-Based instructional

resources. Retrieved from

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/index.shtml

Wisconsin Historical Society. (2011). American journeys: print original journals of the lewis

and clark expedition, 1804-1806. Retrieved from http://www.americanjourneys.org/aj-

100a/print/index.asp

Wikipedia. (n.d.). The Star-Spangled Banner. Retrieved October 14, 2011, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star-Spangled_Banner

Worldpress.org. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.worldpress.org/map.cfm

49


Appendix A

National Center for History in the Schools

United States History Content Standards for Grades 5 -12
Era 4
Expansion and Reform (1801-1861)

Standard 1: United States territorial expansion between 1801 and 1861, and how it
affected relations with external powers and Native Americans

Standard 2: How the industrial revolution, increasing immigration, the rapid expansion of
slavery, and the westward movement changed the lives of Americans and led toward
regional tensions

Standard 3: The extension, restriction, and reorganization of political democracy after
1800

Standard 4: The sources and character of cultural, religious, and social reform movements
in the antebellum period

History and Social Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools

Skills
USI.1 The student will demonstrate skills for historical and geographical analysis
and responsible citizenship, including the ability to
a) identify and interpret primary and secondary source documents to increase
understanding of events and life in United States history to 1865;
b) make connections between the past and the present;
c) sequence events in United States history from pre-Columbian times to 1865;
d) interpret ideas and events from different historical perspectives;
e) evaluate and discuss issues orally and in writing;
f) analyze and interpret maps to explain relationships among landforms, water
features, climatic characteristics, and historical events;
g) distinguish between parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude;
h) interpret patriotic slogans and excerpts from notable speeches and documents;
i) identify the costs and benefits of specific choices made, including the consequences,
both intended and unintended, of the decisions and how people and nations
responded to positive and negative incentives.
Geography
USI.2 The student will use maps, globes, photographs, pictures, or tables to
a) locate the seven continents and five oceans;

50


b) locate and describe the location of the geographic regions of North America: Coastal
Plain, Appalachian Mountains, Canadian Shield, Interior Lowlands, Great Plains,
Rocky Mountains, Basin and Range, and Coastal Range;
c) locate and identify the water features important to the early history of the United
States: Great Lakes, Mississippi River, Missouri River, Ohio River, Columbia
River, Colorado River, Rio Grande, St. Lawrence River, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific
Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico;
d) recognize key geographic features on maps, diagrams, and/or photographs.
Expansion and Reform: 1801 to 1861
USI.8 The student will demonstrate knowledge of westward expansion and reform
in America from 1801 to 1861 by
a) describing territorial expansion and how it affected the political map of the United
States,
b) with emphasis on the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition, and the
c) acquisitions of Florida, Texas, Oregon, and California;
d) identifying the geographic and economic factors that influenced the westward
movement of settlers;
e) describing the impact of inventions, including the cotton gin, the reaper, the
steamboat, and the steam locomotive, on life in America;
f) identifying the main ideas of the abolitionist and women’s suffrage movements.

National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Standards
1. Culture
 Human beings create, learn, share, and adapt to culture.
 Cultures are dynamic and change over time.
 Through experience, observation, and reflection, students will identify elements of
culture as well as similarities and differences among cultural groups across time and
place.
2. Time, Continuity, and Change
 Studying the past makes it possible for us to understand the human story across
time.
 Knowledge and understanding of the past enable us to analyze the causes and
consequences of events and developments, and to place these in the context of the
institutions, values and beliefs of the periods in which they took place.
 Knowing how to read, reconstruct and interpret the past allows us to answer
questions such as: How do we learn about the past? How can we evaluate the usefulness
and degree of reliability of different historical sources? What are the roots of our social,
political and economic systems? What are our personal roots and how can they be viewed
as part of human history? Why is the past important to us today? How has the world
changed and how might it change in future? How do perspectives about the past differ,
and to what extent do these differences inform contemporary ideas and actions?
 Children in early grades learn to locate themselves in time and space.

51


 Through a more formal study of history, students in the middle grades continue to
expand their understanding of the past and are increasingly able to apply the
research methods associated with historical inquiry.
3. People, Places, and Environments
 The study of people, places, and environments enables us to understand the
relationship between human populations and the physical world.
 During their studies, learners develop an understanding of spatial perspectives, and
examine changes in the relationship between peoples, places and environments.
 Today’s social, cultural, economic and civic issues demand that students apply
knowledge, skills, and understandings as they address questions such as: Why do
people decide to live where they do or move to other places? Why is location important?
How do people interact with the environment and what are some of the consequences of
those interactions? What physical and other characteristics lead to the creation of
regions? How do maps, globes, geographic tools and geospatial technologies contribute
to the understanding of people, places, and environments?
5. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
 Institutions are the formal and informal political, economic, and social
organizations that help us carry out, organize, and manage our daily affairs.
 It is important that students know how institutions are formed, what controls and
influences them, how they control and influence individuals and culture, and how
institutions can be maintained or changed.
 Students identify those institutions that they encounter.
6. Power, Authority, and Governance
 The development of civic competence requires an understanding of the foundations
of political thought, and the historical development of various structures of power,
authority, and governance. It also requires knowledge of the evolving functions of
these structures in contemporary U.S. society, as well as in other parts of the world.
7. Production, Distribution, and Consumption
 People have wants that often exceed the limited resources available to them.
 In exploring this theme, students confront such questions as: What factors influence
decision-making on issues of the production, distribution and consumption of goods?
What are the best ways to deal with market failures? How does interdependence brought
on by globalization impact local economies and social systems?
8. Science, Technology, and Society
 Science, and its practical application, technology, have had a major influence on
social and cultural change, and on the ways people interact with the world.
 There are many questions about the role that science and technology play in our
lives and in our cultures. What can we learn from the past about how new technologies
result in broader social change, some of which is unanticipated? Is new technology
always better than that which it replaces? How can we cope with the ever-increasing pace
of change, perhaps even the concern that technology might get out of control? How can
we manage technology so that the greatest numbers of people benefit? How can we
preserve fundamental values and beliefs in a world that is rapidly becoming one
technology-linked village? How do science and technology affect our sense of self and
morality? How are disparate cultures, geographically separated but impacted by global
events, brought together by the technology that informs us about events, and offered hope

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by the science that may alleviate global problems (e.g., the spread of AIDS)? How can
gaps in access to benefits of science and technology be bridged?
 Young children learn how science and technologies influence beliefs, knowledge,
and their daily lives.
10. Civic Ideals and Practices
 An understanding of civic ideals and practices is critical to full participation in
society and is an essential component of education for citizenship, which is the
central purpose of social studies. All people have a stake in examining civic ideals and
practices across time and in different societies. Through an understanding of both ideals
and practices, it becomes possible to identify gaps between them, and study efforts to
close the gaps in our democratic republic and worldwide.

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Expenses
There were no expenses for this project.

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5th Grade Resource Unit: US History 1801-1860

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5th Grade Resource Unit: US History 1801-1860