Teaching Materials - Zinn Education Project

Caribbean Connections: Moving North

Teaching Guide. Edited by Catherine Sunshine and Keith Warner. 2005. 240 pages. Literature and essays about Caribbean life in the United States.

Themes: Immigration, Latinx, US Foreign Policy

The Carter–Reagan–Bush Consensus

Teaching Activity. By Ron Perry. Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 21 of Voices of a People's History of the United States on the recently rising disparities in power, wealth and quality of life in America.

Time Periods: 20th Century, Post-Civil Rights Era: 1975 - 2000

Themes: Democracy & Citizenship, Social Class, US Foreign Policy

Challenging Bill Clinton

Teaching Activity. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. 17 pages. Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 23 of Voices of a People's History of the United States on the Clinton presidency, as well as domestic opposition to his policies.

Time Periods: 20th Century, Post-Civil Rights Era: 1975 - 2000

Themes: US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements

Chief Joseph: “Account of His Trip to Washington, D.C.”

Film clip. Voices of a People's History. Dramatic reading of Chief Joseph's "Account of His Trip to Washington, D.C." (1879) by Q'Orianka Kilcher.

Time Periods: 19th Century, Industrial Revolution: 1877 - 1899

Themes: Environment, Democracy & Citizenship, Native American

Cindy Sheehan: “It’s Time the Antiwar Choir Started Singing”

Film clip. Voices of a People's History. Dramatic reading of Cindy Sheehan's speech "It's Time the Antiwar Choir Started Singing" (2005) is read by Marisa Tomei and Staceyann Chin.

Time Periods: 21st Century, 2001 - Present

Themes: Democracy & Citizenship, Imperialism, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, Women's History

Civil Rights Movement Veterans

Archive. Resources on the Southern Freedom Movement compiled by those who lived it. Includes a bibliography, timelines, photos, primary source documents, and lists of speakers.

Time Periods: 20th Century, People’s Movement: 1961 - 1974

Themes: Civil Rights Movements, Organizing

Civil War and Class Conflict

Teaching Activity. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. 16 pages. Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 10 of Voices of a People's History of the United States" on "The Other Civil War—the class conflict fought by the poor in the north and south.

Time Periods: 19th Century, Civil War Era: 1850 - 1864

Themes: Labor, Social Class

Columbus and Las Casas

Teaching Activity. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. 15 pages. Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 1 of Voices of a People's History of the United States on Columbus' arrival in the "New World," and the contrasting accounts of Bartolome de Las Casas and Eduardo Galeano.

Time Periods: Colonization: 1492 - 1764

Themes: Native American

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Beyond Vietnam”

Film clip. Voices of a People's History. Dramatic reading of Dr. Martin Luther King's "Beyond Vietnam" (1967) speech by Michael Ealy.

Time Periods: 20th Century, People’s Movement: 1961 - 1974

Themes: Imperialism, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements

E.Y. “Yip” Harburg: “Brother Can You Spare a Dime”

Film clip. Voices of a People's History. E.Y. "Yip" Harburg's "Brother Can You Spare a Dime" (1932) is performed by Allison Moorer.

Time Periods: 20th Century, Prosperity, Depression, & World War II: 1920 - 1944

Themes: Art & Music, Economics

The Early Women’s Movement

Teaching Activity. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 6 of Voices of a People's History of the United States on the early women's movement, including their efforts for social, racial, and political equality.

Time Periods: 19th Century

Themes: Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights, Women's History

Eugene Debs: “Canton, Ohio”

Film clip. Voices of a People's History. Dramatic reading of Eugene Deb's "Canton, Ohio" speech made on June 16, 1918 by Marc Ruffalo.

Time Periods: 20th Century, World War I: 1910 - 1919

Themes: Labor

The Expansion of Empire

Teaching Activity. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. 15 pages. Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 12 of Voices of a People's History of the United States on internal dissent over American expansionist policies.

Time Periods: 19th Century, Early 19th Century: 1800 - 1849, Civil War Era: 1850 - 1864, Reconstruction Period: 1865 - 1876, Industrial Revolution: 1877 - 1899

Themes: Imperialism, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements

The First Slaves

Teaching Activity. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 2 of Voices of a People's History of the United States on early American slavery, resistance, and rebellion.

Time Periods: Colonization: 1492 - 1764, 19th Century, Civil War Era: 1850 - 1864

Themes: Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery and Resistance

Frederick Douglass | Zinn Education Project

Frederick Douglass: “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro”

Film clip. Voices of a People's History. Frederick Douglass' speech "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro" (1852) is read by Danny Glover.

Time Periods: 19th Century, Civil War Era: 1850 - 1864

Themes: African American, Democracy & Citizenship, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery and Resistance

Freedom Summer 1964 Collection

Archive. Extensive collection on the Civil Rights Movement and the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project of 1964.

Themes: Civil Rights Movements

Freedom’s Unfinished Revolution: An Inquiry Into the Civil War and Reconstruction

Teaching Guide. By American Social History Project with foreword by Eric Foner. 1996. Primary documents, essays, and questions to teach the untold story of Reconstruction.

Time Periods: 19th Century, Reconstruction Period: 1865 - 1876

Themes: African American, Reconstruction, Democracy & Citizenship, Racism & Racial Identity, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements

Half a Revolution

Teaching Activity. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. 16 pages. Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 5 of Voices of a People's History of the United States on the Revolutionary War as "a rich man's war and a poor man's fight," as well as the failure of early Americans to complete a full revolution.

Time Periods: 18th Century, Revolution & Constitution: 1765 - 1799

Themes: Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights, Social Class

Rev. Henry McNeal Turner | Zinn Education Project

Henry McNeal Turner: “Eligibility of Colored Members to Seats in the Georgia Legislature”

Film clip. Voices of a People's History. Henry McNeal Turner's "Eligibility of Colored Members to Seats in the Georgia Legislature" (1868), read by Danny Glover.

Time Periods: 19th Century, Reconstruction Period: 1865 - 1876

Themes: African American, Reconstruction, Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights, Slavery and Resistance

Indian Removal

Teaching Activity. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. 18 pages. Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 7 of Voices of a People's History of the United States on the American policy of "Manifest Destiny" and Native American resistance to their own displacement.

Time Periods: 19th Century, Early 19th Century: 1800 - 1849, Civil War Era: 1850 - 1864, Reconstruction Period: 1865 - 1876, Industrial Revolution: 1877 - 1899

Themes: Imperialism, Native American, Racism & Racial Identity

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