American History Projects (US History Projects)

The bundle contains 18 engaging projects for essential content in American History (Colonial Era through Reconstruction). Students will create a brochure, timeline, booklet, mobile, Google Slides/PowerPoint presentation, poster, postcard, 3D Cube, advertisement, and a newspaper. The projects require at least one class period to complete. Below is a description of each project below.

⭐ Rubrics for each project

⭐ Editable Word Documents

⭐ No textbook or teacher preparation.

⭐ The documents can be uploaded to your website or Google Drive; please make sure, however, that it is password protected.

Projects: Religious Groups in Colonial America 3D Cube, Thirteen Colonies Travel Brochure, Causes of the American Revolution Google Slides Presentation, Revolutionary War Poster, Ben Franklin Mini Book, Constitution Booklet, Three Branches of Government Mobile, Bill of Rights Brochure, War of 1812 Presentation, Erie Canal Postcard, Westward Expansion Newspaper, Reform Movements Brochure, Causes of the Civil War Timeline, North vs. South Foldable, Civil War Battles Presentation, Reconstruction Era Timeline, Reconstruction Amendments Advertisement Poster, and a Native American Warriors Poster.

Religious Groups in Colonial America 3D Cube:

Students will create a 3D cube about the religious groups (Puritans, Pilgrims, Quakers, Huguenots, and Catholics) that emigrated from Europe to Colonial America. I have provided students with 18 questions they will use for research. On five sides of the cube, students will include important information about each group, and on the remaining side, they will draw visuals representing the religious groups. I have included kid-friendly websites for research and a cube template.

Thirteen Colonies Travel Brochure:

Students will pretend they are a travel agent working for the Thirteen English Colonies. They will create a travel brochure promoting each region (New England, Middle, and Southern). I have included kid-friendly websites for research.

Information included:

• New England Colonies (Climate, Geography, Religion, Economy)
• Middle Colonies (Climate, Geography, Religion, Economy)
• Southern Colonies (Climate, Geography, Religion, Economy)
• The Great Awakening and Benjamin Franklin (American celebrity)
• Daily life in the 13 Colonies (Men, Women, and Children)

Causes of the American Revolution Presentation:

Students will create a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation about the events leading up to the American Revolution. On each slide, students will include a title, date, image, and summary. I have included guiding questions students will answer in their summaries and websites they will use to find the information.

Key information:

• Mercantilism
• The Proclamation of 1763
• The Sugar Act
• The Quartering Act
• The Stamp Act
• The Declaratory Act
• The Townshend Acts
• The Boston Massacre
• The Boston Tea Party
• The Intolerable Acts
• The First Continental Congress
• Patrick Henry
• Battle of Lexington and Concord

Revolutionary War Poster Project:

Students will create an informative poster about a Revolutionary War hero. Students will create their posters using Google Drawings or on a poster board. I have included guiding questions and websites students will use for research. Student directions are included on how to create a poster in Google Drawings.

Revolutionary War Heroes included:

• George Washington
• Benjamin Franklin
• Patrick Henry
• John Adams
• Sam Adams
• John Hancock
• Samuel Adams
• Thomas Jefferson
• Benedict Arnold
• Marquis de Lafayette
• Thomas Paine
• Friedrich von Steuben

Constitution Booklet Project:

Students will create an 11-page book explaining why the US Constitution was created and the various parts within the document.

Key Vocabulary:

• Articles of Confederation
• Constitutional Convention
• Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
• Preamble
• Federalism
• Separation of Powers
• Checks and Balances
• Amendment Process
• Bill of Rights

Three Branches of Government Mobile:

Students will create a mobile about the three branches of the US government. They will explain the members, responsibilities, jobs, powers, and how each branch checks the other two branches. Students will work cooperatively in groups of 2 or 3 to complete the project. I have included explicit directions and examples of how to complete the project. Students will complete an outline graphic organizer before they create the mobile. The project does not require the use of a textbook. I have included 20 guiding research questions and kid-friendly websites they will use to find the information.

Bill of Rights Brochure:

Students will create a brochure demonstrating an understanding of the first ten amendments to the US Constitution. In the brochure, students will explain the protections/restrictions of each amendment and include a visual. I have included 24 guiding questions and kid-friendly websites they will use for research.

War of 1812 Presentation Project:

Students will use Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint to create an 11-slide presentation of the significant events during the War of 1812. On each slide, students will include a title, date, image, and summary. I have guided research questions for each slide and kid-friendly websites they will use to find the information.

Topics/Key Vocabulary:

• Impressment
• War Hawks (Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun)
• Tecumseh
• William Henry Harrison
• Battle of Tippecanoe
• Battle of Lake Erie
• Francis Scott Key
• Burning of the White House (James and Dolly Madison)
• Battle of Horseshoe Bend
• Treaty of Ghent
• Battle of New Orleans

Erie Canal Postcard:

Students will create a postcard telling about their experience on the Erie Canal. I have included the important information students need to include on their postcards, and I have provided kid-friendly websites they will use for research.

Topics:

• Location of the Erie Canal
• Lake Erie/Hudson River/Atlantic Ocean connection
• Cities along the canal
• Reasons the canal was built
• Goods transported along the canal
• Effects of the canal (New York City becomes a commercial powerhouse)
• Dangers traveling the canal
• The invention that replaced canals

Westward Expansion Newspaper Project:

Students will create a newspaper about the significant events during Westward Expansion (Oregon Trail, Texas Revolution, Mexican-American War, and the Gold Rush). On each page, students will have a headline, summary article, and then they will choose a task (For example- Create an Advertisement, Map, Cartoon, Obituary, Comic Strip, etc.).

Newspaper Topics:

• Oregon Trail
• Texas Revolution
• Mexican-American War
• California Gold Rush

Reform Movements Brochure:

Students will create a brochure about the reform movements during the 1800s. On each panel, students will include a title, summary (guiding questions included), slogan persuading someone to join the movement, and a visual.

Brochure Topics:

Second Great Awakening:

• When and where it occurred
• Purpose of the movement
• Effects of the movement

Temperance Movement:

• Leaders of the movement (Women)
• Effects of alcohol abuse on society
• Effects of the movement

Education Reform:

• Leader of the movement (Horace Mann)
• Causes and effects of the movement

Prison/Asylum Reform:

• Leader of the movement (Dorothea Dix)
• Causes of the movement
• Effects of the movement

Women's Rights:

• Cause of the movement
• Leaders of the movement (Mott and Stanton)
• Seneca Falls Convention
• Effects of the movement

Abolition of Slavery:

• When and where the movement began
• Causes of the anti-slavery movement
• Methods used to achieve their goal
• Leaders of the movement

Causes of the Civil War Timeline:

Students will create a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation about the causes of the Civil War. I have included 30 guiding questions and kid-friendly websites they will use to find the information.

Topics/Key Vocabulary:

• The Compromise of 1850
• The Fugitive Slave Act
• Uncle Tom's Cabin
• Kansas-Nebraska Act,
• Bleeding Kansas
• Dred Scott v. Sandford
• Lincoln-Douglas Debates
• John Brown's Raid
• Election of 1860

Civil War Battles Presentation:

Students will create a 10-page digital presentation about the important details and outcome of each significant battle during the American Civil War. On each page, students will include a title, date, paragraph summary/outcome, interesting fact, and an image. I have included guiding questions (at least 4 questions for each battle) and kid-friendly websites they will use for research.

Battles:

• Battle of Fort Sumter
• First Battle of Bull Run
• Battle of Shiloh
• Battle of Antietam
• Battle of Fredericksburg
• Battle of Chancellorsville
• Battle of Gettysburg
• Siege of Vicksburg
• Battle of Spotsylvania CourtHouse
• Sherman's March to the Sea

Reconstruction Era Timeline:

Students will create an annotated timeline of the significant events during the Reconstruction Era. For each event, students must include a title, date, summary, and a visual. I have included guiding questions (2-3 for each event) and kid-friendly websites they will use to find the information.

Timeline Events:

• Freedmen's Bureau
• Lincoln's Assassination
• 13th Amendment
• Civil Rights Act of 1866
• Ku Klux Klan
• Military Reconstruction Acts
• Andrew Johnson's Impeachment Trial
• 14th Amendment
• Ulysses S. Grant's Election
• 15th Amendment
• Compromise of 1877

Reconstruction Amendments Advertisement Poster:

Students will create an advertisement poster informing freed slaves of their newly gained rights in the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments. I have included 15 guiding research questions and kid-friendly websites they will use to find the information.

Native American Poster:

Students will choose a Native American Warrior (Geronimo, Chief Joseph, Sitting Bull, or Crazy Horse) and create a poster using Google Drawings or a traditional poster board. I have provided students with guiding research questions and kid-friendly websites they will use to find the information.