Visit Archiving Early America.
This site will help with all of the SOLs for this grade and other grades that study American History.
5.1 The student will describe life in America before the 17th
century by
* identifying and describing the first Americans, their arrival
from Asia, where they settled, and how they lived, including
Inuits (Eskimos), Anasazi (cliff dwellers), Northwest Indians
(Kwakiutl), Plains Indians, Mound builders, Indians of the
Eastern forest (Iroquois, etc.), Incas, and Mayans;
* explaining how geography and climate influenced the way
various Indian tribes lived; and
* evaluating the impact of native economies on their religions,
arts, shelters, and cultures.
Alaska Native Knowledge Network
This site offers tons of information about tribes native to Alaska. Also includes links to other tribes covered in this SOL.
An excellent site for those interested in researching Native
Americans. This site is very organized and easy to navigate.
Links are excellent.
5.2 The student will trace the routes and evaluate early
explorations of the Americas, in terms of
* the motivations, obstacles, and accomplishments of sponsors
and leaders of key expeditions from Spain, France, Portugal,
and England;
* the political, economic, and social impact on the American
Indians; and
* the economic, ideological, religious, and nationalist forces
that led to competition among European powers for control of
North America.
Spanish Conquest of Native America
A mostly text site that provides the reader with the history of
the Spanish Conquest in America. Includes some pictures.
Articles are well written and provide accurate information.
The Columbus Navigation Homepage
An extremely detailed site that allows you to learn about
Christopher Columbus and his voyages. This page includes
some nice pictures as well as tons of useful information.
5.3 The student will describe colonial America, with emphasis on
* the factors that led to the founding of the colonies,
including escape from religious persecution, economic
opportunity, release from prison, and military adventure;
* geographic, political, economic, and social contrasts in the
three regions of New England, the mid-Atlantic, and the
South;
* life in the colonies in the 18th century from the perspective
of large landowners, farmers, artisans, women, and slaves;
* the principal economic and political connections between the
colonies and England;
* sources of dissatisfaction that led to the American
Revolution;
* key individuals and events in the American Revolution
including King George, Lord North, Lord Cornwallis, John
Adams, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, Benjamin Franklin, George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and Thomas
Paine; and
* major military campaigns of the Revolutionary War and reasons
why the colonies were able to defeat the British.
The History Place- American Revolution
A wonderful site created by students about the American Revolution. Includes games, links, and teacher resources.
A wonderful page full of Revolutionary War information.
Don't worry about signing in with the Java Script- it doesn't
ask for confidential information. A pretty dense site. Make
sure you take time to browse.
5.4 The student will analyze the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, in terms of
* the British and American heritage, including the Magna Carta,
the English Bill of Rights, the Mayflower Compact, the
Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom, and the Articles of
Confederation;
* the philosophy of government expressed in the Declaration of
Independence; and
* the powers granted to the Congress, the President, the
Supreme Court, and those reserved to the states.
A wonderful page for studying the Mayflower and all things related. A well organized page.
5.5 The student will describe challenges faced by the new United
States government, with emphasis on
* the writing of a new Constitution in 1787 and the struggles
over ratification and the addition of a Bill of Rights;
* major issues facing Congress and the first four presidents;
and
* conflicts between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton
that resulted in the emergence of two political parties.
This page is a listing of the Constitution, Bill of Rights,
and Amendments. A good resource page if you want to read all of it.
This is a wonderful page that allows you to read the
Constitution and view related links.
5.6 The student will describe growth and change in America from
1801 to 1861, with emphasis on
* territorial exploration, expansion, and settlement, including
the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition, the
acquisition of Florida, Texas, Oregon, and California;
* how the effects of geography, climate, canals and river
systems, economic incentives, and frontier spirit influenced
the distribution and movement of people, goods, and services;
* the principal relationships between the United States and its
neighbors (current Mexico and Canada) and the European powers
(including the Monroe Doctrine), and describe how those
relationships influenced westward expansion;
* the impact of inventions, including the cotton gin, McCormick
reaper, steamboat, and steam locomotive on life in America;
and
* the development of money, saving, and credit.
A very good web site about the Louisiana Purchase. Includes links
to other sites as well as history surrounding purchase.
A wonderful page. Easy to navigate and full of useful resources.
A very informative page that informs the reader of various
inventions and their impact on society.
5.7 The student will identify causes, key events, and effects of
the Civil War and Reconstruction, with emphasis on
* economic and philosophical differences between the North and
South, as exemplified by men such as Daniel Webster and John
C. Calhoun;
* events leading to secession and war;
* leaders on both sides of the war including Abraham Lincoln,
Ulysses S. Grant, Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Frederick
Douglass, and William Lloyd Garrison;
* critical developments in the war, including major battles,
the Emancipation Proclamation, and Lee's surrender at
Appomattox;
* life on the battlefield and on the homefront;
* basic provisions and postwar impact of the 13th, 14th, and
15th Amendments to the United States Constitution; and
* the impact of Reconstruction policies on the South.
American Civil War Information Archive
The most comprehensive page about the Civil War on the Internet.
5.8 The student will interpret patriotic slogans and excerpts from
notable speeches and documents in United States history up to
1877, including "Give me liberty or give me death," "Remember
the Alamo," "E Pluribus Unum," the Gettysburg Address, the
Preamble to the Constitution, and the Declaration of
Independence.
The United States Constitution
5.9 The student will develop skills for historical analysis,
including the ability to
* identify, analyze, and interpret primary sources (artifacts,
diaries, letters, photographs, art, documents, and
newspapers) and contemporary media (television, movies, and
computer information systems) to better understand events and
life in United States history to 1877;
* construct various time lines of American history from pre-
Columbian times to 1877 highlighting landmark dates,
technological changes, major political and military events,
and major historical figures; and
* locate on a United States map major physical features, bodies
of water, exploration and trade routes, the states that
entered the union up to 1877, and identify the states that
formed the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Please see previous SOLs for links.
5.10 The student will develop skills in discussion, debate, and
persuasive writing by analyzing historical situations and
events, including
* different historical perspectives such as American Indians
and settlers, slaves and slave holders, Patriots and Tories,
Federalists and Anti-Federalists, Rebels and Yankees,
Republicans and Democrats, farmers and city folks, etc.; and
* different evaluations of the causes, costs, and benefits of
major events in American history up to 1877 such as the
American Revolution, the Constitutional Convention, the Civil
War, Reconstruction, etc.
A view of the Civil War from cities on either side of
the Mason-Dixon Line.
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