On September 3, 1783, representatives from the United States and Great Britain signed the Treaty of Paris, bringing an end to the eight-year Revolutionary War upon ratification. The treaty officially recognized the 13 colonies as free, sovereign, and independent states, with the British Crown relinquishing all claims to the territory.
Negotiations began in April of 1782, with Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry … Read more »
Millions of Americans celebrate Labor Day weekend by traveling and visiting family. Make time to learn about the holiday’s origins, traditions, and themes with our ebook: “The Meaning of Labor Day.” Our ebook features short stories, speeches, and songs from authors like Jack London, Walt Whitman, and Mark Twain, and labor activists like Samuel Gompers and Mother Jones.
Throughout the 19th century, labor leaders celebrated Labor Day as an … Read more »
Every Friday we highlight our favorite education blog posts from the week. This edition of the Blogger Spotlight focuses on the Common Core State Standards and how to best implement them in your class. From close reading professional development seminars to Common Core advice from an unusual source (Anton Chekhov), this week’s posts explore the CCSS.
Close Reading Professional Development: Richard Schramm highlights the National Humanities Center’s extensive professional … Read more »
Longtime University of Chicago professor and co-editor of What So Proudly We Hail, Leon Kass, recently fielded questions from college students.
Long an admirer of the “great books,” Dr. Kass named his favorite classic texts and explained their contribution to the human experience:
Two favorite books that I have taught most often are Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and Genesis. The former offers the richest philosophical exploration of human … Read more »
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gathered with scores of other civil rights leaders and more than 200,000 demonstrators for the March on Washington, an event that would later help inspire passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. In a new post from Bessette-Pitney Textbook blog, your students can engage in a close reading of King’s remarks, studying the allusions and historical references … Read more »
On August 28, 1963, young volunteer George Raveling stood near Martin Luther King Jr. at the podium for his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. After the speech, Raveling was given a piece of history—King’s personal copy of the speech—and recently spoke to CBS News about his experience at the March on Washington and the legacy of King’s remarks.
Raveling’s journey to the March on Washington was the result … Read more »
As the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington nears, we’re sharing stories of the march and its impact on the Civil Rights Movement. Scott Armstrong from the Christian Science Monitor has compiled a list of ten facts about the March on Washington that you may not know.
While you may be familiar with the scale of the march—more than 200,000 demonstrators in total—the origins of the march … Read more »
Distinguished scholar-teachers Amy and Leon Kass demonstrate how short stories, speeches, and songs can be used to enhance civic education and how a pedagogical approach that stresses learning through inquiry can make primary sources come alive for students of all ages.
View the Curriculum