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US History Curriculum Collection: Democracy & Freedom

Draw from this flexible curriculum collection featuring units, lesson plans, and C3-style inquiries to teach middle or high school US history.

Centering on the themes of Democracy & Freedom, Facing History's new US History curriculum collection is designed to help students think critically about what it means to live in the United States as a free and full human being and draw meaningful connections between our country's complex history and their own lived experiences. The materials in the collection are intentionally curated to help empower students to become active citizens and deepen their understanding of their rights and responsibilities in their communities and our nation.

The identity of a nation like the United States is shaped by the ways people have worked individually and together to create a more free and fair democracy. This new collection builds on existing Facing History resources and has the arc of the academic year in mind, but no matter where in your course you begin to integrate these materials, taking time to create a classroom community that is open, inclusive, and prepared to tackle difficult conversations is a key element to our approach to teaching US History.

Once you've laid the foundation for deep and collaborative learning, you can utilize our carefully curated collection to explore a variety of historical periods and perspectives including the founding era, Reconstruction Era, the period of Asian exclusion and mass immigration at the turn of the twentieth century, and the Civil Rights movement.

Also included in the collection is a Choosing to Participate unit designed to help educators and students craft a dynamic capstone project at the culmination of their US History Course. This unit fosters the civic capacity of students by asking them to examine the civic actions of people in the past and present and imagine what freedoms they would like to see in their communities.

Continue exploring our US history resources and consider incorporating them into your curriculum to help inform and inspire students as they prepare to make their mark on the world.

Get an introduction to the resources featured in this curriculum collection and how they can fit into your US History course.

Our US History Curriculum Collection consists of a set of flexible resources to help you incorporate lessons about and apply the themes of democracy and freedom throughout your course.

Our approach to teaching US history emphasizes students’ capacity for civic agency and develops the historical inquiry skills students need to generate new and more complex questions about the past and present.

Explore Democracy and Freedom in US History

This collection invites students to investigate the essential question, “What do democracy and freedom mean in US history and in our society today?” Through this curated set of US history lesson plans, units, and C3-style inquiries, students explore how progress toward greater freedom, equality, and justice are not inevitable.

These materials introduce voices not often included in textbooks, examine historic and ongoing injustices, and explore the lived experiences of many Americans. Primary sources throughout the collection highlight the work of those in our country who have demanded greater freedom and expanded civil and human rights.

Toolkit

These back-to-school activities and teacher resources will help you lay a foundation for a reflective and caring community at the start of the school year.

Students move around the classroom in conversation with each other. One student looks directly into the camera with a smile on their face.

Unit

Help students understand that their voices are integral to the story of the United States with six lesson plans that investigate individual and national identity.

An illustrated collage of silhouettes in bright colors.

Inquiry

This 5–7 day C3-aligned inquiry explores the compelling question, “How can we make real the ideals of democracy and freedom?”

Inquiry

This 5-7 day C3-aligned inquiry explores the compelling question "How do we reckon with a history full of complexities and contradictions?"

Outside of the classroom view of students and teacher.

Unit

Teach a 3-week study of the Reconstruction era guided by the essential question "What can we learn from the history of Reconstruction as we work to strengthen democracy today?"

Portrait of a family

Inquiry

This 5-7 day C3-aligned inquiry explores the compelling question “How does the history of the Angel Island Immigration Station help us understand how borders are erected, enforced, and challenged?”

Immigrants arriving at Angel Island.

Unit

This six-lesson unit delves into the history and legacy of the murder of Emmett Till, considering what we can learn from it as we work to achieve racial justice.

This six-episode documentary from PBS chronicles the rich and varied history and experiences of Latinx people in the United States.

Inquiry

This C3-aligned inquiry explores the compelling question "What can we learn from the stories of Japanese Americans who stood up for their democratic rights and freedoms?"

New

Manzanar, California. Dust storm at this War Relocation Authority center where evacuees of Japanese ancestry are spending the duration.

Featured Resource

by Rachel Johnson

Jul 24, 2023

Facing History outlines four ways to help your students connect with our C3-aligned US history inquiry.

Magnifying Glass Over United States Map

Perspective

by Ambria Reed

Feb 17, 2023

Facing History’s Ambria Reed discusses the limitations of traditional US history education on the founding era, and offers a more diverse and critical approach.

Image of the Preamble to the United States Constitution

Professional Learning

On-Demand

Virtual

This webinar explores our C3-aligned inquiry in which students consider the complexities and contradictions in the history of the founding of the US.

Outside of the classroom view of students and teacher.

Insight

by Facing History & Ourselves

Jun 17, 2022

Studying the history of Reconstruction reveals that American history is lined with recurring cycles of social progress and backlash in which everyday people have surmounted immense barriers to drive powerful change.

Man representing the Freedman's Bureau stands between armed groups of Euro-Americans and Afro-Americans.

Professional Learning

On-Demand

Virtual

Join us for this recorded conversation with writer and historian, Dr. Kidada Williams, as we discuss her research on African Americans’ fight for liberty and equality during and after the Civil War and Reconstruction era.

Picture of Dr. Kidada Williams.

Professional Learning

On-Demand

Virtual

Examine how the Reconstruction Era is remembered and the impact of its legacy on contemporary society with Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries, Associate Professor of History at The Ohio State University and scholar of African American history and contemporary Black politics.

A teacher speaking to a table of four students

Insight

by Rachel Johnson

Mayo 5, 2023

Examining the legacy of the Chinese Exclusion Act is important to understanding both US immigration policy & the roots of anti-Asian sentiment.

Captain examines passengers aboard the The Shimyo Maru vessel.

Professional Learning

On-Demand

Virtual

In this webinar, Dr. Erika Lee & Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation staff explored the history of Asian exclusion and our new C-3 style inquiry on Angel Island.

Immigrants arriving at Angel Island.

Insight

by Facing History Staff

Jun 5, 2023

Prof. Chris Benson helped develop Facing History’s unit about Emmett Till's murder. He discusses the project and the profound lessons still left to learn.

Emmett Till and his Mother

Insight

by Kaitlin Smith

Mar 17, 2022

Facing History shares five books that have been released in the last year that address important themes in women’s history.

Book Cover of Woman: The American History of an Idea

Insight

by Facing History & Ourselves

Mar 14, 2022

Explore resources that offer additional points of entry that educators can use to situate the Ukrainian refugee crisis in broader global histories of displacement and highlight its connections to other refugee crises unfolding around the globe.

The definition of refugee spotlighted on a page

Insight

by Kaitlin Smith

Mar 10, 2022

Facing History provides links to 10 virtual exhibitions that teachers can use to introduce students to women's history.

Woman waving at her computer while on a virtual call

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