Schools in the United States, according to James O. Fabionar, struggle to teach in a humanizing manner about the brutality experienced by indigenous people in North America and the Pacific. Many "white-wash" this history, downplaying unsavory aspects of colonization by painting the United States as a savior or liberator, or by…

The primary goal of this article is to encourage active confrontation of the settler colonialism that permeates social studies education in a way that encourages a centering of Indigenous experiences, instead of merely de-centering settler experiences. Two questions frame this work: (1) How should social studies educators confront atrocities and…

Discussions about immigration and refugee resettlement can be challenging to navigate. America's immigration system is highly complex, and confusion about who is allowed to enter the United States, and how, can lead to the spread of misinformation. It is also a highly salient topic that students are likely to encounter frequently in their daily…

The world economy and political map changed dramatically between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Unprecedented trade linked the continents together and set off a European scramble to discover new resources and markets. European ships and merchants reached across the world, and their governments followed after them, inaugurating the…

Produced by cartographers of many nations over the course of six centuries, maps detailing Florida and the North American continent tell tales of exploration, conflict, and change. Before 1492, Europeans were unaware of what existed on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. That reality is illustrated quite well on two maps that show the…

The nation's classrooms have become more diverse, and children of Hispanic heritage represent a large and an important part of this multicultural mosaic. Events such as the commemoration of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon's historic voyage offer teachers the opportunity to reflect on important events of the past and connect them to students'…

Manifest Destiny, the idea that Providence guided the conquest and settlement of North America, is one of the most contested ideas in American culture and history. One's opinion about this central aspect of American mythology depends heavily on one's point of view. Exploring westward expansion and the Cherokee Trail of Tears with primary sources…

Photograph of a land auction in Imperial, California, 1904, accompanied by a history of the federal government's policy on the distribution and development of publicly owned land. Suggestions for using the photograph as historical evidence are included. (KC)

Reconsiders the Caribbean as an origin-point of the modern global system. Discusses the conquests and colonization of the Caribbean; the slavery system and racial distinctions; the post-emancipation society; and culture, Creolization, and the concept of movement as features of Caribbean society. Provides a bibliography. (CMK)

Presents a lesson plan about the Keys' Desert Queen Ranch, located in the Joshua Tree National Park (California), that can be used in a unit on U.S. western expansion or desert environments. Explains students learn about life on a homestead and Ralph Waldo Emerson's ideas on self-reliance. (CMK)

Discusses the political diversity of the Caribbean. Focuses on historical issues such as the impact of colonial rule and distinctive political regimes. Explains four types of Caribbean society and considers the role of political leaders. Explores the interplay of community and insularity in the Caribbean. (CMK)

Provides historical information on Cuba. Addresses early colonization, the advent of plantation agriculture, the role and presence of the United States in the Caribbean and Cuba, and the social and economic developments in Cuba after the revolution in 1959 led by Fidel Castro. (CMK)

Presents a workbook extract from the teaching resource kit entitled "Land and Landscapes: Views of America's History and Culture" that examines landscape paintings and photographs from the 19th century to the present. Explains that the main focus of this extract is to question how European American views about landownership affected…

Presents background information on the Homestead Act of 1862 and includes a set of suggested teaching activities to be used in conjunction with replicas of original documents. The Homestead Act provided free land to settlers and was instrumental in settling the west. Includes replicas of an application and certificate. (MJP)

Focuses on the Nile, the Rhine, and the Mississippi, the greatest rivers of Africa, Europe, and North America, respectively. Highlights the rich diversity of subjects associated with rivers including geography, history, literature, and art. Includes 12 learning activities for each river. (MJP)