introduces students to significant inventions of the late 19th century and examines the power of Congress to pass laws related to the granting of patents. It correlates to the National History Standards and the National Standards for Civics and Government. It also has cross-curricular connections with history, government, language arts, and science.
introduces students to the world of Ben Franklin and other "natural philosophers" at a time when the word "science" had not yet entered our language. Portraits of Franklin's colleagues, an overview of his life, and experiments showing how electrical charges attract and repel are part of this lesson (for Grades 3-8).
examines several of his inventions—the telegraph, telephone, phonograph, and electric light bulb. Students learn about his life and how to create their own light bulb.
focuses on petitioning the federal government, peaceably assembling, and exercising freedom of speech and religion, all of which are protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. This lesson correlates to the National History Standards and the National Standards for Civics and Government.
provides facsimile reproductions of the handwritten patent application and its accompanying drawing, together with explanatory text and lesson plans. This lesson correlates to the National History Standards and the National Standards for Civics and Government.
is a lesson in which students learn about the invention of the phonograph, the impact of electricity on Americans, and Thomas Edison's role in the electrification of America.
invites kids to learn about inventors and intellectual property -- patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. Kids can take a patent trivia quiz, read fun facts, and learn how to apply for a patent for their own inventions.
features photos and artifacts from the life of one of the most dynamic and controversial First Ladies in U.S. history. She was the first First Lady to hold regular press conferences and to routinely travel the nation. She held prestigious positions throughout her life, serving as delegate to the newly founded United Nations, draftee of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and chair of the first Presidential Commission on the Status of Women.
examines the friendship and working relations that developed between U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill beginning in 1940. Their relationship was crucial in the establishment of a unified effort to deal with the Axis powers.
is a curriculum-oriented guide to the work of the active First Lady. The site uses a retreat she built on her husband's estate as a focus but gives readings and suggested school assignments about Ms. Roosevelt's career.
offers photos of John Marshall's residence in Richmond, Virginia. This website also describes how Marshall, who wrote 519 opinions in his 34 years as chief justice (1801-1835), transformed the Supreme Court from obscurity into a prominent, powerful institution.
tells the story of Manassa Pope, the first black man to receive a medical license in North Carolina (1886). After practicing medicine and helping establish a drug store and insurance company in Charlotte, Pope moved his family to Raleigh. There he continued his medical practice, built an elegant house (equipped with the latest technologies) located in the best place allowed for a black family in a segregated city. He later ran for mayor.
presents 13 documents and photos related to the 1804-6 expedition into the newly acquired Louisiana Territory. The documents include a list of Indian presents Lewis purchased, his receipts for wine and tobacco, Jefferson's letter to Madison announcing the purchase of Louisiana, and Jefferson's message to Congress communicating the discoveries of the expedition.
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