The Multicultural History of Colonial and Revolutionary America

How did British, Spanish, French, African, Indigenous people and others incorporate their cultural roots in the creation of a new society in the lands that became the United States? The 4-week asynchronous online course revisits key moments, movements and developments in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries to trace a more diverse story of the nation’s beginnings. Learn about topics such as African, Asian and European cultural influences, America’s Revolution through a global and multicultural lens, the global influences of the Declaration of Independence. Developed with support from the Library of Congress's “Teaching with Primary Sources'' program, the course familiarizes you with LoC resources and other best digital history materials. Access to this course and resources will give you the knowledge, tools and resources to teach early American history with global and multicultural perspectives. There are also opportunities for elementary and secondary students to participate through instructional support and differentiated instruction.

Course Objective #1

Demonstrate theoretical & content knowledge about new multicultural/global approaches to early American history.

Course Objective #2

Discuss specific case histories and examples of global interaction in the new world that reflect the multicultural roots of American society.

Course Objective #3

Identify high-quality curriculum resources for the topics studied and describe effective practices for utilizing them with students.

Course Logistics

Dates Summer 2027 Grade Levels Supported: Especially for grades 4-12 Course Format: Online, asynchronous Professional Development Points (PDPs): 22.5 PDPs Graduate Credit: 1 optional graduate credit available ($180) with credit accreditation through Southern New Hampshire University Fee: $750 (contact us at [email protected] to enroll in the course using a Purchase Order)

Massachusetts Standards & Professional Alignment

[5.T1] Early colonization and growth of colonies; [5.T2] Reasons for revolution, the Revolutionary War, and the formation of government; [WHI.T5] Global exploration, conquest, colonization, c. 1492– 1800

Course Overview

5 Chapters · 59 Lessons

1. (Included in full purchase)
  Course Overview
2. (Included in full purchase)
  Image Credits
3. (Included in full purchase)
  The Multicultural History of Colonial and Revolutionary America Course Syllabus
4. (Included in full purchase)
  Final Assignment Guidelines
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  Course Guidelines
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  Discussion Forum Guidelines
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  Graduate Credit Assignment & Registration Information
1. (Included in full purchase)
  Session One Readings & Activities
2. (Included in full purchase)
  Prologue: What is "Globalized" US History?
3. (Included in full purchase)
  Reading/Viewing: Early America, New Founding Narratives
4. (Included in full purchase)
  Library of Congress for Teachers: Analyzing Maps
5. (Included in full purchase)
  Teacher's Guide & Analysis Tool
6. (Included in full purchase)
  Teacher's Guide & Analysis Tool: Analyzing Maps (Library of Congress)
7. (Included in full purchase)
  Maps from the World Digital Library
8. (Included in full purchase)
  Teacher's Guide
9. (Included in full purchase)
  Padlet Post
10. (Included in full purchase)
  Closer Look: Columbian Exchange in the Classroom
11. (Included in full purchase)
  Teacher Feature: Recommendations for a Global Curriculum
12. (Included in full purchase)
  Teacher Feature: Teaching Early America with Global Awareness
13. (Included in full purchase)
  Discussion Forum: Session One
1. (Included in full purchase)
  Session Two Readings & Activities
2. (Included in full purchase)
  Scholar Presentation: Restoring Native American Agency in Early American History
3. (Included in full purchase)
  Closer Look: Analyzing Primary Documents for Indian-European Relations
4. (Included in full purchase)
  Activity: Retelling History: Multimedia Storytelling by Contemporary Native Americans
5. (Included in full purchase)
  Reading: "Atlantic People" by Karen Ordahl Kupperman
6. (Included in full purchase)
  Activity: Using Mini-Biographies to Teach Atlantic Lives
7. (Included in full purchase)
  Atlantic World Biographies
8. (Included in full purchase)
  Analyzing Text with Biography Bingo
9. (Included in full purchase)
  Biography Bingo Board
10. (Included in full purchase)
  Biography Bingo Board (Elementary Edition)
11. (Included in full purchase)
  Padlet Post
12. (Included in full purchase)
  Teacher Feature: Classroom Activities for European-Native American Interactions
13. (Included in full purchase)
  Discussion Forum: Session Two
1. (Included in full purchase)
  Session Three Readings & Activities
2. (Included in full purchase)
  Scholar Presentation: The Global Economies of Colonial America
3. (Included in full purchase)
  Reading: Slavery, African People, and Colonial Prosperity
4. (Included in full purchase)
  Closer Look: Comparing Early Cities of the Americas
5. (Included in full purchase)
  Activity: Using Artifacts to Tell Global American Stories
6. (Included in full purchase)
  Timeline of Art History
7. (Included in full purchase)
  Object Analysis
8. (Included in full purchase)
  Telling a Global Story
9. (Included in full purchase)
  Teacher Feature: Lessons on African Cultural Memory & Transfer, from Primary Source
10. (Included in full purchase)
  Course Assignment: A Lesson Proposal
11. (Included in full purchase)
  Discussion Forum: Session Three
12. (Included in full purchase)
  Discussion Forum: Six-Word Story
1. (Included in full purchase)
  Session Four Readings & Activities
2. (Included in full purchase)
  Reading/Viewing: Re-visiting the American Revolution
3. (Included in full purchase)
  Activity: The Declaration of Independence in Global Perspective
4. (Included in full purchase)
  Declaration of Independence in Global Perspective
5. (Included in full purchase)
  Declaration Project
6. (Included in full purchase)
  Analyze
7. (Included in full purchase)
  Padlet Post
8. (Included in full purchase)
  Closer Look: Global Age of Revolutions
9. (Included in full purchase)
  Activity: How Early American Newspapers Reported the World: Chronicling America (Library of Congress)
10. (Included in full purchase)
  Course Assignment: A Lesson Proposal
11. (Included in full purchase)
  Discussion Forum: Session Four
12. (Included in full purchase)
  Post-Course Survey
13. (Included in full purchase)
  Final Project Submission
14. (Included in full purchase)
  Graduate Credit Project Submission

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I have brought in so many resources, projects, and knowledge to the classroom because of these classes. My students have a richer, more intentional outlook on what we study.

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I have brought in so many resources, projects, and knowledge to the classroom because of these classes. My students have a richer, more intentional outlook on what we study.

About Primary Source

Primary Source educates global citizens by working with teachers to foster students’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions for thoughtful and engaged citizenship. With our guidance and resources, teachers cultivate students’ civic-mindedness, cultural awareness, and global competence, preparing them for our increasingly diverse and interconnected world. We collaborate with teachers, schools, and educational organizations to offer professional development programs and resources that help make global, civics, and cultural education an integral part of every student’s classroom experience. Our engaging face-to-face and online programs, curriculum resources, and international study tours enhance global understanding, civic engagement, and cultural understanding, and help thousands of teachers every year bring the wider world to their students. To learn more, visit our homepage at primarysource.org!

The Multicultural History of Colonial and Revolutionary America