This inquiry focuses on the causes of the American Revolution in light of feelings of injustice among social classes. Students typically learn about the experiences of people during the American Revolution in simple categories such as loyalist and patriots. In reality, there were varied experiences that reflect social class, gender, race, and ethnicity. In this inquiry, students will learn about a variety of these experiences and how they may have impacted the events of the Revolution.

This inquiry focuses on the impact of the flooding of the Nile River on ancient Egypt, specifically the costs and benefits of the flooding. Through examination and analysis of various photographs, videos, and article excerpts, students will consider how these sources can be used to convey the impact of flooding on multiple groups of people in ancient Egypt.The questions, tasks, and sources in this inquiry asks students to learn about how Egyptian civilization grew by comparing the costs and benefits of the Nile River’s flooding. This inquiry highlights the following Virginia social studies standards.

 This inquiry focuses on the government of Ancient Greece, specifically the creation of the Greek democracy. The questions, tasks, and sources in this inquiry asks students to consider the meaning of democracy and whose voices were heard in the original democracy and whose were not. Through analysis of videos, photographs of ancient artifacts, political cartoons and graphs students develop an argument supported by evidence that answers the compelling question, “Was Greek democracy a success?”

 This inquiry focuses on the social hierarchy of ancient Rome, viewed through the lens of statues that tell us about life during this time. Through analysis of videos, photographs of ancient statues, and images of architectural reliefs, students develop an argument supported by evidence that answers the compelling question, “What stories should statues tell about ancient Rome?”The inquiry prioritizes depth over breadth: rather than broadly describe contributions across categories, the inquiry instead invites students to take a close look at the influence of ancient Roman art and architecture on statues and monuments today. Through this deep study, students will hone analytical skills required to notice and interpret details in art and architecture while also building their knowledge about the social structure that divided the citizens and enslaved people of the ancient Roman republic and empire.

 This inquiry focuses on the question of whether Antebellum technology made life better overall for people and how certain inventions impacted groups of people differently. Four innovations—the cotton gin, mechanical reaper, steamboat, and steam locomotive—were particularly impactful in the 19th century. These inventions came about quickly as part of the First Industrial Revolution, which was marked by the movement from hand production to machine work. Many scholars view James Hargreaves’ 1760s invention of yarn-spinning machine, the spinning jenny, as the start of the Industrial Revolution. From that point forward, new technologies came along quickly. Beginning in in the 1790s, four inventions, the cotton gin, the mechanical reaper, the steamboat, and the steam locomotive, provided the impetus for rapid economic development for some, while at the same time increasing inequality and suffering for many.   

This inquiry focuses on the myriad of injustices inflicted upon people of color during the colonial period, and how these early interactions and acts of oppression provided a foundation for the racial injustices still experienced in America today.  From Europeans’ first contact with American Indians, to the subjugation of African slaves, a hierarchy based on race was imposed on all who lived in the New World.

This inquiry focuses on the ways in which African Americans have been able to construct their own freedom in the face of injustice, violence, and white backlash following emancipation and in the era of Reconstruction and beyond. The questions, tasks, and sources in this inquiry ask students to examine the political, social, and economic successes African Americans were able to create for themselves, as well as the social, political, and institutional barriers that African Americans had to overcome in order to achieve these successes.   

 This inquiry provides students with an opportunity to examine nine of China’s most impactful innovations and their contributions to the modern world. These innovations and inventions fall into three categories: 1) Communication innovations including, written language, paper, and printing; 2) Military innovations including the Great Wall of China, gunpowder, and fireworks, and; 3) Economic innovations including, common currency, silk, and the Silk Road.  The Communication innovations were the widest ranging chronologically with written language appearing in the Shang Dynasty (1,600-1,046 BCE) and paper-making not happening until 100 BCE in the Wu Dynasty and then printing in the Tang Dynasty in the 7th and 8th centurie CE. Military innovations unfolded first with early fireworks and the parts of the Great Wall of China in Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE). Gunpowder was developed in the Tang dynasty (9th century) and began to be used in rockets in 13th century. but was mostly built in Ming (14th – 17th CE). Economic innovations go all the way back to 3,000 BCE with the development of silk. Three thousand years late the Silk Road begins to open up and common currency appears with the Qin in 3rd century BCE.

This inquiry focuses on the concept of equality as defined by the Declaration of Independence and the rights enumerated within. The questions, tasks, and sources in this inquiry asks students to examine the evolution of our notion of “all men are created equal” and how we have lived up to (or not lived up to) that concept throughout the course of U.S. history.

This inquiry focuses on the rights of citizenship that African Americans were denied following Reconstruction. Though the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments were passed in order to guarantee citizenship rights to freedmen, many states passed laws that limited these rights. In this inquiry, students will examine ways rights of citizenship were denied by many states and how citizens attempted to secure those rights. The tasks completed for each supporting question will help students to consider who grants citizenship rights and how they are expanded. The first task will help students to understand that the U.S. Constitution guarantees rights of citizenship, while the second task will help students to understand how states can limit those rights. The final task will help students to investigate the way citizenship can be change agents in the fight to ensure equal rights for all.

This is part of a series of lessons commissioned by the Democracy Project at the University of Virginia centered around the podcast Democracy in Danger.Democracy in Danger  lessons share some basic characteristics.   In each of these inquiries, the explicit or implicit question is, “What should we do about .. “ because that is an essential question we must ask of all of our citizens.   Additionally,  Democracy in Danger lessons  will lead students through a problem analysis characterized by the 4A approach (assses the problem, analyze the causes and effects of the problem, address  potential solutions to the problem, act on a potential solution.   We hope to make this type of problem analysis process a routine that young people can transfer to any new challenge that we face in our democracy and that it will pave the way for healthy deliberation with their fellow students, to collaboratively act together, and to forge healthy civic friendships that will strengthen our democracy. 

This is part of a series of lessons commissioned by the Democracy Project at the University of Virginia centered around the podcast Democracy in Danger.Democracy in Danger  lessons share some basic characteristics.   In each of these inquiries, the explicit or implicit question is, “What should we do about .. “ because that is an essential question we must ask of all of our citizens.   Additionally,  Democracy in Danger lessons  will lead students through a problem analysis characterized by the 4A approach (assses the problem, analyze the causes and effects of the problem, address  potential solutions to the problem, act on a potential solution.   We hope to make this type of problem analysis process a routine that young people can transfer to any new challenge that we face in our democracy and that it will pave the way for healthy deliberation with their fellow students, to collaboratively act together, and to forge healthy civic friendships that will strengthen our democracy.   

This inquiry focuses on the uneven impacts of the New Deal policies with a focus on the experiences of everyday Americans living in the South. It is intended to expand students’ existing understanding of the New Deal by engaging in analysis around issues of equity and perspective. The questions, tasks, and sources in this inquiry asks students to consider the impact of three areas of federal policy during the New Deal (agricultural, employment benefits, and housing) and to consider how those policies may have been interpreted by Southerners at the time. 

This is part of a series of lessons commissioned by the Democracy Project at the University of Virginia centered around the podcast Democracy in Danger.Democracy in Danger  lessons share some basic characteristics.   In each of these inquiries, the explicit or implicit question is, “What should we do about .. “ because that is an essential question we must ask of all of our citizens.   Additionally,  Democracy in Danger lessons  will lead students through a problem analysis characterized by the 4A approach (assses the problem, analyze the causes and effects of the problem, address  potential solutions to the problem, act on a potential solution.   We hope to make this type of problem analysis process a routine that young people can transfer to any new challenge that we face in our democracy and that it will pave the way for healthy deliberation with their fellow students, to collaboratively act together, and to forge healthy civic friendships that will strengthen our democracy. 

 This inquiry leads students to examine the ways that African Americans were leading voices in an ongoing effort to guarantee equal rights and freedoms for all people in the United States. Contrary to the oft repeated narrative that the US Government benevolently granted freedoms to African Americans, the questions, tasks, and sources in this inquiry ask students to look at ways African Americans were active leaders in working for those rights and freedoms. The tasks completed under each supporting question help the student to investigate the scope and depth of the African American voices working towards equal rights before the Civil War through the Reconstruction and after.  Students will learn of federal government actions taken to support the voices working for rights and freedoms as well as actions taken against those efforts.   An analysis of sources help students to investigate the economic, political and social gains African Americans made during and after Reconstruction.  Students will also look at the efforts that former Confederate states took to limit African American rights that had been guaranteed them by the US Constitution. By completing this inquiry, students will gain a deeper understanding that hard-won rights and freedoms can still be denied if the power to enforce them is held by someone else. 

This inquiry focuses on why enslaved people resisted slavery, the ways in which enslaved people showed resistance despite risks and the results of resistance.The questions, tasks, and sources in this inquiry asks students to examine the cultural, economic and political impacts of resistance to slavery.

This is part of a series of lessons commissioned by the Democracy Project at the University of Virginia centered around the podcast Democracy in Danger.Democracy in Danger  lessons share some basic characteristics.   In each of these inquiries, the explicit or implicit question is, “What should we do about .. “ because that is an essential question we must ask of all of our citizens.   Additionally,  Democracy in Danger lessons  will lead students through a problem analysis characterized by the 4A approach (assses the problem, analyze the causes and effects of the problem, address  potential solutions to the problem, act on a potential solution.   We hope to make this type of problem analysis process a routine that young people can transfer to any new challenge that we face in our democracy and that it will pave the way for healthy deliberation with their fellow students, to collaboratively act together, and to forge healthy civic friendships that will strengthen our democracy. 

This inquiry focuses on understanding how the Kingdom of Mali became a center of wealth in West Africa. The questions, tasks, and sources in this inquiry asks students to analyze a variety of primary and secondary sources to determine the most important factor for generating wealth in Mali: geography, trade, or religion.