American History Museum
Unit 1: Revolution to Reconstruction
Driving Question: Has the United States become the nation that it originally set out to be?
If this is our question for the whole museum, then our museum needs to describe what type of a
nation we originally set out to be. What were our goals? What was important to us? What events
influenced us? How did we resolve conflicts? What was the ‘utopian ideal’ we were trying to create?
Essential Questions – Choose 2-3 of these questions to guide you as you create your Unit 1 Exhibit. Some
of these questions could be asked again in different units/time periods or connected to different unit/time
periods. That might make an interesting ‘thread’ for a museum visitor to follow.
1. Is America a land of opportunity?
2. Who migrated to Colonial America? Why did they migrate? How was the ‘why’ reflected in the region
they migrated to? How did the ‘why’ connect to the likelihood of success in Colonial America?
3. What determined who was a revolutionary or a loyalist in 1776?
4. Does the system of checks and balances provide our nation with an effective and efficient
government? Do separation of powers and checks and balances make our government work too
slowly?
5. Is a strong federal system the most effective government for the United States? Which level of
government, federal or state, can best solve our nation’s problems?
6. Whose ideas were best for the new nation, Hamilton’s or Jefferson’s?
7. Is the suppression of public opinion during times of crisis ever justified?
8. Should the states have the right to ignore the laws of the national
government?
9. Does the United States have a mission to expand freedom and
democracy?
10. Have reformers had a significant impact on the problems of American
society?
11. Was the Civil War inevitable?
12. Does Abraham Lincoln deserve to be called the “Great Emancipator”?
13. Should the South have been treated as a defeated nation or as rebellious states?
14. Can political freedom exist without an economic foundation?
15. Does racial equality depend upon government action?
Historical Themes: BAGPIPE (kinda like SPRITE) – Your Unit 1 Exhibit must have at least one object/artifact
per theme. (minimum of 7, more if you want higher than a C). More information on all of these themes are
available on Haiku.
Belief Systems (Ideas/Ideologies, beliefs and culture)
America in the World: Global Context
Geography and Environment-Physical and Human
Peopling: Movement/ Migrations
Identity: Gender, class, racial, ethnic indemnities
Politics and Power
Economy: Work, exchange/ trade and technology
Group Products:
 Team Contract
o Due at the end of the first day.
 Exhibit Plan – This can be a floor plan (poster or app), a physical model, or a website. You need to
create the exhibit. Where will each object go? What’s the path that people will take from artifact to
artifact? Interactive elements? How can you incorporate some technology into it?
o Rough Draft & Final Draft Due
 Exhibit overview: (submitted online)
o 2 pages (MLA format)
o This is the broad, general description of the history covered in the exhibit. This would be on a
large poster or sign at the very beginning of the exhibit. This would be a great place to
introduce the Driving Question and the Essential Questions you’ve chosen for this unit. (Don’t
call ‘em Driving Questions or Essential Questions though, it won’t make sense to a random
visitor.)
o Rough Draft & Final Draft Due
 Artifacts and Artifact Explanations: (submitted online)
o 1 large photo of artifact and 1 page explanation of the artifact, where it came from, the event(s)
its connected with, how it connects to the Driving Question/Essential Questions.
o 7 minimum for a C – one per BAGPIPE theme
o Rough Drafts & Final Drafts Due
 Team Work Plan
o Due at the end of the first work day.
o Checked randomly after
 Management Log:
o Who is doing what, who has completed what?
o This is due at the end of every work day and may be checked randomly
 Presentation Plan
o Due the day before presentations
Individual Products:
 Essential Questions Answered – 1 page (MLA format)
 Artifact Suggestions – 7 total (each must include a photo and explanation of its significance to
answering the driving question, essential questions, or understanding the era. Also how you suggest it
be presented/explained to visitors)
 Presentation Feedback forms on other groups
 Self Reflection and My Thoughts worksheets
American History Museum
Unit 1: Revolution to Reconstruction
MUST KNOW INFORMATION
(This is the information you must know, be able to use, and must be in your museum in order to get a C.)
o Three Branches and their jobs
 Colonial Regions – how and why were they
o Anti-Federalists & Federalists
different
o Bill of Rights
 Democracy vs Republic
 Second Great Awakening
 Great Awakening & Enlightenment (impact on
o Abolition
American Revolution)
o Mormons
 Stamp Act, Townshend Acts, , Intolerable Acts,
 Manifest Destiny
Lexington and Concord
 Civil War
 Declaration of Independence
 Emancipation Proclamation
 Articles of Confederation – weaknesses
 Reconstruction
 Constitution
o Freedmen’s Bureau
o Separation of Powers
o Checks and Balances
GOOD TO KNOW INFORMATION
(In addition to the MUST KNOW, know the following B level information in depth)
 Natural Rights & Social Contract (connect to
 Presidential veto
Rev.)
 Houses of Congress and how representation is
 Mercantilism
determined
 Boston Massacre & its impact
 Judicial review
 French and Indian War
 How did the Constitution solve the problems of
the Articles
 Boston Massacre
 Founding Fathers intentions – best for everyone
 Boston Tea Party
or best for themselves
 Shays’ Rebellion
 Antebellum Reform Movements
 Great Compromise
 Compromise of 1850
 3/5 Compromise
 13th, 14th, 15th Amendments
 How the Constitution is amended (incl.
 Problems with Reconstruction
ratification process)
NICE TO KNOW INFORMATION
(In addition to the MUST KNOW and the GOOD TO KNOW, know the following A level information in depth)
 Maryland – Religious toleration
 Hamilton & Jefferson, creation of political
parties
 Pennsylvania – Quakers
 Andrew Jackson’s presidency
 Georgia – Buffer from Spanish Florida
 Missouri Compromise
 Proclamation of 1763
 Strengths/Weaknesses of North & South
 Boston Port Act
 Suspension of Habeas Corpus
 Committees of Correspondence
 Lincoln’s Plan vs’ Congress’ Plan for
 Reserved, Concurrent, Enumerated Powers
Reconstruction
 Whiskey Rebellion
 Failure of Reconstruction
BTW: this sheet is also basically a study guide for the Unit Test!