[Free Registration/Login Required] A marvelous look at the life of Alexander Hamilton shown through primary documents in this interactive site.

A biography of Alexander Hamilton from the documentary program AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: The Duel, produced by PBS.

PBS Online offers a page on the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr in Weehawken, New Jersey. Includes image.

Online resource that provides detailed electoral data for the presidential election of 1800 won by Thomas Jefferson.

Online resource that provides detailed electoral data for the presidential election of 1804 won by Thomas Jefferson.

Written for students, a full text and explanation of the Declaration of Independence, its authors, and background in the American Revolution. Links to related resources.

This module examines America's efforts to form a new government after the War for Independence and to draft the Constitution. Includes an interactive activity comparing Thomas Jefferson's and Alexander Hamilton's visions for America, a video [26:40] and transcript, a map showing the new United States, a timeline of events, and an annotated selection of web links.

The University of Groningen provides information about the 17th century British liberal philosopher. Includes concise biographical information and a link to the text of "A Letter Concerning Toleration." Read about what part of his philosophy was adopted by Thomas Jefferson and included in the Declaration of Independence.

Features the history behind the document that "shaped the course of American history" and gave Americans their independence. Includes many supporting original documents and teacher resources.

This site from the Cornell University Law School provides an overview of constitutional law as it applies in the United States, with links to additional information.

By analyzing the first draft of Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence through primary source documents, students can proceed to understand why a first draft was required, and why there are changes in the final version. There are handouts available and an opportunity to rewrite the Declaration of Independence online through an interactive segment.

Read the words for independence penned by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. Then link to a discussion of the document by Jefferson in his own autobiography.

The 11th grade learning experience consists of 7 mostly month-long units aligned to the Common Core State Standards, with available course material for teachers and students easily accessible online. Over the course of the year there is a steady progression in text complexity levels, sophistication of writing tasks, speaking and listening activities, and increased opportunities for independent and collaborative work. Rubrics and student models accompany many writing assignments.Throughout the 11th grade year, in addition to the Common Read texts that the whole class reads together, students each select an Independent Reading book and engage with peers in group Book Talks. Students move from learning the class rituals and routines and genre features of argument writing in Unit 11.1 to learning about narrative and informational genres in Unit 11.2: The American Short Story. Teacher resources provide additional materials to support each unit.

In this unit, students will take a look at the historical vision of the American Dream as put together by our Founding Fathers. They will be asked: How, if at all, has this dream changed? Is this dream your dream? First students will participate in an American Dream Convention, acting as a particular historical figure arguing for his or her vision of the American Dream, and then they will write an argument laying out and defending their personal view of what the American Dream should be.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Students read and annotate closely one of the documents that they feel expresses the American Dream.
Students participate in an American Dream Convention, acting as a particular historical figure arguing his or her vision of the American Dream.
Students write a paper, taking into consideration the different points of view in the documents read, answering the question “What is the American Dream now?”
Students write their own argument describing and defending their vision of what the American Dream should be.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

These questions are a guide to stimulate thinking, discussion, and writing on the themes and ideas in the unit. For complete and thoughtful answers and for meaningful discussions, students must use evidence based on careful reading of the texts.

What has been the historical vision of the American Dream?
What should the American Dream be? (What should we as individuals and as a nation aspire to?)
How would women, former slaves, and other disenfranchised groups living during the time these documents were written respond to them?

BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT: Cold Read

During this unit, on a day of your choosing, we recommend you administer a Cold Read to assess students’ reading comprehension. For this assessment, students read a text they have never seen before and then respond to multiple-choice and constructed-response questions. The assessment is not included in this course materials.

What is the best way to convince people that you are right? In this lesson, students will look at the structure of the Declaration of Independence, examining how the argument is constructed.

An article about the Declaration of Independence which covers the selection of the Committee of Five, Jefferson's writing, the presentation to Congress for approval, the problems in drafting, and the final changes which were made. Included is John Adam's letter to Timothy Pickering in response to questions about the document.

This excellent biography of Alexander Hamilton is part of the University of Missouri's "Famous Trials" site. With text links to personal letters and other documents written by Hamilton.

Following his resignation from the Senate, Aaron Burr becomes involved in plans that some feel are taking on a traitorous cast. He is eventually brought to trial. A chronology, biographies of key figures and historical documents from the trial and papers are all on this site.