Geography Library
For your convenience, we've added lessons from our Geography Library to related units. But you can still view the full library right here!
Now in our "A Growing Nation" unit:
Now in our "Civil Rights" unit:
Now in our "Citizenship & Participation" unit:
With the Oregon Treaty, the United States added what today is the Pacific Northwest. In this mini-lesson, students learn how it happened, what tensions were involved, and how Native Americans were affected.
The debate over slavery ultimately helped drive the United States into civil war, but before it did, there were decades of careful balance between slaves states and free states. In this lesson, students learn about that balance and its geography, including the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850.
The United States annexed Texas after years of debate. In this mini-lesson, students learn about Texas’ independence from Mexico, the role of slavery in delaying Texas’ admission, and the sneaky way President Tyler pushed annexation through in the final hours of his presidency.
What ocean is off the east coast? Who is our southern neighbor? What are the U.S. territories? Can you draw the Rocky Mountains on a map? In this lesson, students answer these questions and more as they learn the basics of United States geography.
The Mexican-American war ended with Mexico giving up a million acres of land to the United States. In this lesson, students learn about Americans’ drive to expand west, tensions between the U.S. and Mexico, and President James Polk’s actions that started a war between the two countries. This lesson also includes the Gadsen Purchase of 1853.