CYSD Social Studies

This website reflects the work of several groups of teachers who conducted research at the Smithsonian and other national historical organizations. For this reason, some of the primary sources included in Smithsonian Source are not from the Smithsonian collections. Teachers also chose the historical topics on the site, and these categories reflect their curricula rather than the terminology or organizational methods of the Smithsonian Institution.

"America, A Narrative History is a text published by WW Norton. As a free supplement to the book, Norton has published ten Google Earth tours. These tours include major themes and events in US History. The list includes the Revolutionary War, the path to the Civil War, WWII, the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, Lewis & Clark's expedition, the Indian Removal Act, Pre-Columbian North America, the national parks system, and the 20th Century power grid. All of the tours include multiple images and references. Some of the tours also have "tour questions" for students to answer."

FREE Poster

Mission US is a brand new multimedia project featuring free interactive adventure games set throughout U.S. history. The first game, Mission 1: "For Crown or Colony?" puts players in the shoes of Nat Wheeler, a 14-year-old printer's apprentice in 1770 Boston. As players complete tasks throughout the city, they meet everyone from merchants to soldiers, sailors to poets, Patriots to Loyalists. The game reveals rising tensions threatening to come to a head and, ultimately, players must choose where their loyalties lie.

"Encourages students to go back and look at primary documents, such as the Constitution and the letters of the Founders such as Jefferson and Madison to better understand the intended role of Congress in our system of government. Appropriate for classroom use, middle school students and above."