US History Timeline Review Activity

Activity to review the first half of US history in just one week!

An inquiry-based timeline activity where students learn (or review) 11 critical events that shaped US history from the colonies to the Civil War and have to discover, "What Made America, America?" 

Each event has two images and 2-3 paragraphs written in student-friendly language and in story form which helps students better comprehend and remember the content. 

Key terms are bolded to help students focus on the main ideas.

Students complete an illustrated timeline with a catchy title, short summary, and create a unique symbol to represent the importance of the event. 

A timeline template is provided for 11x17 paper but students can create their own timeline designs as well. Digital or print out available.

Two Bonus Extension (optional) Review Activities:

1. BLOOKET QUIZ-GAME: 38 premade questions to review essential content and ensure students learned the material. Can be done as a quiz or as a fun review game.
   
2. Table-Debate Activity: Using placards students debate interesting prompts at their tables assessing things like "Which event was most important to make America, America?" and "Which events show America living up to its ideals and which show them going against their ideals?. After table-debates you can have a full class debates for each o the 3 prompts provided. 
   

This is a great activity to review what they should have learned in US History I to prepare them for the year learning US History II. 

The eleven events are the following:

1. Jamestown
2. The Mayflower Compact
3. Boston Tea Party
4. Declaration of Independence
5. The Constitutional Convention
6. The Invention of the Cotton Gin
7. Washington Stepping Down
8. The Trail of Tears
9. The Mexican-American War
10. The Election of Abraham Lincoln
11. The Emancipation Proclamation