Historical Detectives

Parents, guardians and all family members, over the last two weeks students have been working hard on our historical detective projects.  In this project, student have been reading primary and secondary sources and learning about a particular time period in American history. Historically students have struggled with reading primary sources, because these sources were written in a time period long ago

and use words that are no longer prominent in our society.  Also spelling was not universally agreed upon and students have to sort though the information to understand the content material.  Students have read journals, newspaper ads, letters, memos and laws to name a few of the materials used.  The overall assessment of the project will be a five paragraph essay, in which students will have to take a stance and prove a certain thesis statement.

1. Did Harry S. Truman make a conscious choice to drop the first Atomic bomb or was there some inevitable momentum that made the choice for the newly appointed president?

2. What did slaves in colonial American do to resist the institution of slavery?

3. How did early slave laws impact slaves, free blacks and newly freed slaves in Jamestown, Virginia?

4. How were children impacted by the American Civil in the home front and front line of the war?

5. Who fired the first shots of the American Revolution?

6. What were the first days of desegregation like for the black students who attended all white schools in Kentucky?

7. Who killed Sam Smiley?  Murder mystery!

8. What was some of the controversy and disagreement at the Constitutional Convention concerning the newly created constitution?  Federalists (Strong federal government) vs. Anti-Federalists! (Strong state government)

Mr. G