Website Spotlight: Massachusetts Historical Society

Website URL: http://www.masshist.org/revolution/

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

In this post, I limit myself to those specific aspects of the website which I find fit particularly well within our face-to-face class sessions (each student is required to bring a laptop to class) or as the basis for the students' regularly-assigned written reactions.

++++++++++

How This Site is Structured
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/teachers/about.php#structured

The heart of the website highlights 15 topics: An overview essay puts each topic in context--with links to specific documents.
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/topics.php

+++

I ask the students to work through the following links:

Sugar Act
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/sugar.php

Stamp Act
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/stamp.php

Formation of the Sons of Liberty
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/sons_of_liberty.php

Townshend Acts
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/townshend.php

Non-Consumption and Non-Importation
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/non_importation.php

Boston Massacre
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/massacre.php

Formation of the Committees of Correspondence
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/committees.php

Boston Tea Party
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/teaparty.php

Coercive Acts
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/coercive.php

First Continental Congress
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/congress1.php

Lexington and Concord
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/lexington.php

Second Continental Congress
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/congress2.php

Battle of Bunker Hill
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/bunkerhill.php

Washington Takes Command of the Continental Army
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/washington.php

Declaration of Independence
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/declarations.php

+++

Excerpts from John Rowe's Diary (the excerpts are blended into the 15 topics)
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/resources/rowes.php

+++

Check out these lesson plans:

Forces arguing for conflict versus those hoping to compromise
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/teachers/lessons/lesson_concept_4a.php

History did not have to happen the way it did. Counter-factual
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/teachers/lessons/lesson_concept_8.php

+++

Useful Links: This is done very completely
http://www.masshist.org/revolution/resources/useful_links.php

++++++++++

Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course module on the wiki:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Road+to+Revolution

2. The other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT 

Website Spotlight: LIBERTY (American Experience)

Website URL: http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

In this post, I limit myself to those specific aspects of the website which I find fit particularly well within our face-to-face class sessions (each student is required to bring a laptop to class) or as the basis for the students' regularly-assigned written reactions.

++++++++++

I ask the students to work through the following links:

Boston 1774
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_boston1774.html

Philadelphia 1776
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_philadelphia1776.html

Trenton 1776
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_trenton1776.html

Saratoga 1777
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_saratoga1777.html

Yorktown 1781
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_yorktown1781.html

Daily Life in the Colonies
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/perspectives_daily.html

The Global Village
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/perspectives_global.html

Military Perspectives
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/perspectives_military.html

Benedict Arnold's Leg
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/popup_arnoldsleg.html

Marquis de Lafayette
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/popup_delafayette.html

Joseph Plumb Martin
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/popup_plumbmartin.html

Hessians
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/popup_hessians.html

Minutemen, Militia and the Continental Army
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/popup_minutemen.html

The Edenton Ladies Tea Party
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/popup_edentonladies.html

Miraculous Convergence / Yorktown
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/popup_miraculous.html

Educational Reform
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/popup_educational.html

Medicine
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/popup_medicine.html

Songs of the Revolution
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/popup_songs.html

Taxes/Tar and Feathering
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/popup_stampact.html

Your Final Step: The Road to Revolution Game
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/road.html

~~For a review of this website:

TeachingHistory.org (National History Education Clearinghouse)
http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/website-reviews/23370
 
++++++++++

Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course modules on the wiki:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Road+to+Revolution
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Revolution

2. The other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT 

Website Spotlight: Revolutionary War Animated Map

 

Website URL: http://www.revolutionarywaranimated.com/

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

In this post, I limit myself to those specific aspects of the website which I find fit particularly well within our face-to-face class sessions (each student is required to bring a laptop to class) or as the basis for the students' regularly-assigned written reactions.

++++++++++

Here are the possibilities:

Prelude to the War

Lexington and Concord

Bunker Hill

The Invasion of Canada

The Battle for New York

Trenton/Princeton

Saratoga/Ticonderoga: The Turning Point

Brandywine and Germantown

The Battle of Monmouth

The Southern Campaign: Cowpens, Camden, Guilford Court House

Yorktown

++++++++++

Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course modules on the wiki:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Road+to+Revolution
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Revolution

2. The other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT 

Website Spotlight: Spy Letters of the American Revolution

Website URL: http://www2.si.umich.edu/spies/index-about.html

Major categories are on the left sidebar:

1. Letters

Scan through this Gallery to see which ones interest you.

2. Stories

a. Concentrate on the section "The Infamous Benedict Arnold"

Read each of the articles, particularly the one entitled "Selling West Point"

b. Under "Women Spies," click on "Miss Jenny"

Read the article

3. Methods

Read each of the six items

4. People

Read the bio on Benedict Arnold

5. Routes (skip this section)

6. Timeline (this section is well done)

~~Kudos and Website reviews:

Spy Letters of the American Revolution
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6076/

Spy Letters of the American Revolution
http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/website-reviews/23159

Best of History Web Sites: http://www.besthistorysites.net/


~~On my Learning Professor wiki, this website fits within the following U.S. History survey course module:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Revolution

Website Spotlight: Boston Massacre

Website URL: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/bostonmassacre/bostonmassacre.html

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

In this post, I limit myself to those specific aspects of the website which I find fit particularly well within our face-to-face class sessions (each student is required to bring a laptop to class) or as the basis for the students' regularly-assigned written reactions.

++++++++++

I ask the students to work through the following links:

Overview essay by Douglas Linder: "The Boston Massacre Trials: An Account"
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/bostonmassacre/bostonaccount.html

Key Figures
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/bostonmassacre/keyfigures.html

Two Private Hughs: Hugh White and Hugh Montgomery
John Adams
Crispus Attucks
Acting Governor Thomas Hutchinson
Captain Thomas Preston
Samuel Adams
John Hancock

Soldiers' Trial Account
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/bostonmassacre/soldiersaccount.html

Summation of John Adams for the Defense
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/bostonmassacre/adamssummation.html

Paul Revere's Engraving of the Massacre
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/bostonmassacre/massacrereverelarge.jpg

Diary entry of John Adams concerning his involvement in the trial
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/bostonmassacre/diaryentries.html

~~For reviews of this website:

History Matters (The U.S. Survey Course on the Web)
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4908/
TeachingHistory.org (National History Education Clearinghouse)
http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/website-reviews/14636

++++++++++

Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course module on the wiki:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Revolution

2. The other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT