Graphic organizers are immensely popular--and much utilized--in many classrooms, particularly at the elementary level. These creative and innovate teaching tools are a very effective addition to the teaching repertoire and may be designed to maximize precious class time. For the secondary social studies teacher, their instant appeal and universal…

On July 23, 1787, delegates at the Constitutional Convention established a Committee of Detail to prepare a report and a printed draft of a Constitution "conformable to the proceedings of the convention." Two weeks later, the committee submitted a printed rough draft to the delegates for their consideration. In this first draft, the Preamble began…

September 11, 2001, is a day most American high school students remember. They may not fully grasp the events that took place, the reasons behind the terrorist attacks on the United States, or their implications, but they remember. They were children when this national trauma occurred--and they saw those unforgettable television images of the…

This article describes the Frank Reade dime novels, published in 1882, that are now recognized as the beginnings of the modern science fiction novel in the United States. They illustrate the hope that Americans of the time held for the future that newly invented technology could offer. Although the Frank Reade stories highlighted the promise of…

On October 5, 1957, the headline on the front page of the "Baltimore News-Post" proclaimed "Russ "Moon" Circling Earth." The "Russ" Moon was Sputnik I, launched by the Soviet Union a day earlier. The launch had far-reaching and unexpected outcomes for the United States. Almost immediately, President Dwight…

This series of 41 pamphlets on selected Pennsylvania history topics includes: (1) "The Pennsylvania Canals"; (2) "Anthony Wayne: Man of Action"; (3) "Stephen Foster: Maker of American Songs"; (4) "The Pennsylvania Rifle"; (5) "The Conestoga Wagon"; (6) "The Fight for Free Schools in…

A brief historical overview of the field of social studies is presented. (PN)

Discusses the founding and growth of the Illinois Council for the Social Studies. Recounts various events from the council's history and provides a list of its presidents from 1938 to 1987. (GEA)

This document is a collection of 108 quotations concerning the U.S. Constitution. The quotations are from men who fought for the ratification of the Constitution, U.S. Presidents, U.S. Supreme Court Justices, and leaders of other nations. Some of the quotations are also from U.S. Supreme Court decisions. The sayings are arranged in approximate…

A synthesized interview of four of the five editors of SOCIAL EDUCATION through its 50 years of publication, this article addresses the recurring hopes, problems, and issues which these men encountered during their respective periods of leadership. (JDH)

The value of an historical context for social studies is that social studies educators can see themselves as heirs to the past and ancestors of the future; as a discipline whose teaching and thinking and doing will be important gifts to the twenty-first century. (PN)

Discusses the 1916 Committee on Social Studies report. Describes the preparation of the report, who was involved and some of the social welfare and efficiency ideas of its authors. Observes that the report culminated in the introduction of the social studies into the U.S. secondary school curriculum. (SG)

The essays and annotations in this publication provide an opportunity for citizens and students to consider not only the history of the Northwest Ordinance but also basic and enduring issues in U.S. political life. The book is divided into three main parts. The first part provides a background to the Ordinance and its passage by the Confederation…

Briefly discusses the development of Cold War propaganda in the United States, Canada, and the USSR after 1947. Presents two movie reviews and a Canadian magazine advertisement of the period which illustrate the harshness of propaganda used by both sides in the immediate postwar years. (GEA)

Going back to the late 1800s, this article characterizes the various attempts which have been made to establish a social studies scope and sequence for public schools in the United States. The article concludes by listing six categories of individuals who will continue to try to change the prevailing scope and sequence model. (JDH)