Conflict and Consensus: Key Moments in U.S. History

Abstract

Conflict and Consensus: Key Moments in U.S. History was a Teaching American History grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, that provided an opportunity for middle and high school teachers of American history in Montgomery County Public Schools to expand and improve their content knowledge of U.S. history and their instructional skills. A key component of the program was an intensive two-week summer institute, including one week that introduced overarching themes in American history, and one grade level specific week that addressed the key moments in which Americans struggled over the basic nature of American society. Content areas included race, citizenship, and ethnicity, and key events such as Secession and Civil War, and the Montgomery Bus Boycotts and the Civil Rights Movement. This website served as an essential tool to help participating teachers accomplish the goals of this project. Components of the website include schedules of events, a source analysis section, a collaboration section, a resources section, and a lessons section.