8th Grade American History Resources

The bundle contains resources for essential content in American History from 1607-1877 (Colonial Era through Reconstruction). The bundle contains 60 webquests, 18 projects, 10 gallery walks, 23 crosswords, and an entire year of bell ringers. I created the activities for my 8th-grade students. I have included answer keys/rubrics. Please message me if you have any questions.

⭐ Engaging!

⭐ No textbook required!

⭐ Great lesson plans!

⭐ Editable Word Documents

⭐ The assignments do not require the use of a textbook or teacher preparation!

⭐ This is a GROWING BUNDLE! You will receive a lifetime of updates to products, and the bundle will be updated to include new resources I create for American History (webquests, projects, and gallery walks).

⭐ The documents can be uploaded to your website or Google Drive; please make sure, however, that it is password protected.

Webquests included:

Colonial Era

• European Settlements in North America Webquest (30 questions)
• Slavery in America Webquest (36 questions)
• Jamestown Webquest (28 questions)
• Pilgrims vs. Puritans Webquest (25 questions)
• Pocahontas Webquest (30 questions)
• Daily Life in Colonial America Webquest (31 questions)
• Thirteen Colonies Webquest (50 questions)

American Revolution

• French and Indian War Webquest (42 questions)
• American Revolution Webquest (56 questions)
• Declaration of Independence Webquest (20 questions)
• Battles of the American Revolution Webquest (46 questions)

Constitution

• Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans Webquest (21 questions)
• U.S. Constitution Webquest (36 questions)
• Hamilton's Financial Plan Webquest (27 questions)
• Bill of Rights Webquest (45 questions)
• Founding Fathers Webquest (54 questions)
• Federalism Webquest (35 questions)
• Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities Webquest (30 questions)

Growth of the Young Nation

• Washington's Presidency (31 questions)
• John Adams, XYZ Affair, and the Alien and Sedition Acts Webquest (26 questions)
• Marbury v. Madison Webquest (24 questions)
• Jeffersonian Era Webquest (40 questions)
• Lewis and Clark Webquest (30 questions)
• Famous Supreme Court Cases (Marbury v. Madison, McCulloch v. Maryland, Gibbons v. Ogden, and Worchester v. Georgia (26 questions)

The United States’ Role on the World Stage

• Monroe Era Webquest (31 questions)
• War of 1812 Webquest (37 questions)

Sectionalism and Westward Expansion

• Irish and German Immigration Webquest (30 questions)
• Reform Movements Webquest (33 questions)
• Andrew Jackson Webquest (32 questions)
• California Gold Rush Webquest (30 questions)
• Chinese Immigration & the Chinese Exclusion Act (29 questions)
• Mexican-American War Webquest (36 questions)
• Oregon and Mormon Trail Webquest (30 questions)
• Texas Revolution Webquest (38 questions)
• The Alamo Webquest (24 questions)
• Trail of Tears Webquest (27 questions)
• Westward Expansion Webquest (38 questions)

Causes of the Civil War

• Abolitionist Movement Webquest (24 questions)
• Dred Scott Decision Webquest (32 questions)
• John Brown, Bleeding Kansas, Raid on Harpers Ferry Webquest (27 questions)
• Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act Webquest (34 questions)
• Underground Railroad Webquest (35 questions)
• Slave life, Slave Codes, and Slave Rebellions Webquest (30 questions)
• Causes of the Civil War Webquest (38 questions)
• Election of 1860 & Southern Secession (25 questions)

Civil War

• Battle of Fort Sumter & Strengths and Weaknesses of the Union & Confederacy (21 questions)
• Civil War Webquest (45 questions)
• Battles of the Civil War Webquest (50 questions)
• Daily Life during the Civil War Webquest (36 questions)
• Battle of Antietam Webquest (30 questions)
• Battle of Gettysburg Webquest (25 questions)
• Abraham Lincoln Webquest (28 questions)

Reconstruction

• Three Plans for Reconstruction Webquest (25 questions)
• Reconstruction Webquest (32 questions)
• Slave Codes, Black Codes, and Jim Crow Laws Webquest (30 questions)

Projects included

• Religious Groups in Colonial America 3D Cube
• Thirteen Colonies Travel Brochure
• Causes of the American Revolution Google Slides Presentation
• Revolutionary War Poster
• Ben Franklin Mini Book
• Constitution Booklet
• Three Branches of Government Mobile
• Bill of Rights Brochure
• War of 1812 Presentation
• Erie Canal Postcard
• Westward Expansion Newspaper
• Reform Movements Brochure
• Causes of the Civil War Timeline
• Union vs. Confederacy Foldable
• Civil War Battles Presentation
• Reconstruction Era Timeline
• Reconstruction Amendments Advertisement Poster
• Native American Warriors Poster.

Gallery Walks included:

Colonial America (9 stations and 40 questions):

• Jamestown
• Pilgrims and the Mayflower Compact
• Salem Witch Trials
• James Oglethorpe and Georgia
• Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson
• William Penn and Pennsylvania
• The Founding of Connecticut and the Fundamental Orders
• The Founding of Maryland and the Act of Toleration
• Atlantic Slave Trade (Triangular Trade and Middle Passage)

Declaration of Independence (8 stations and 30 questions):

• Excerpts from the D.O.I.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation (6 stations and 30 questions)

• Excerpts from the A.O.C.
• Shay’s Rebellion Picture
• Colonial Currency Picture
• Northwest Territory Map
• Powers of Congress Chart

Causes of the American Revolution (7 stations and 35 questions)

• Proclamation of 1763
• Sugar Act
• Stamp Act
• Benjamin Franklin
• No taxation without representation
• Quartering Act
• Boston Massacre
• Paul Revere
• Tea Act
• Boston Tea Party
• Patrick Henry
• Poor Old England Cartoon
• Join, or Die Cartoon

War of 1812 (6 stations and 33 questions):

• Impressment
• British trading weapons to Native Americans
• Battle of Tippecanoe
• Effects of the Battle of Tippecanoe
• Tecumseh
• William Henry Harrison
• British blockade
• Battle of Lake Erie
• Captain Oliver Hazard Perry
• Burning of the White House
• Creek Native Americans
• Andrew Jackson
• Battle of Baltimore
• Ft. McHenry
• Francis Scott Key
• Star Spangled Banner
• Treaty of Ghent
• Battle of New Orleans
• Effects of the Battle of New Orleans
• Effects of the War of 1812

Jacksonian Era (7 stations and 25 questions)

• Election of 1824
• Election of 1828
• Spoils System Cartoon
• Jackson Fights the Second Bank Cartoon
• Great Father Cartoon
• Indian Removal Map
• King Andrew Cartoon

Causes of the Civil War (10 documents and 38 questions)

• Compromise of 1850
• Fugitive Slave Act
• Uncle Tom’s Cabin
• Free-Soil Party
• Dred Scott v. Sandford
• Lincoln-Douglas Debates
• The Trial of John Brown
• Secession from the Union
• Election of 1860

Civil War (10 stations and 35 questions)

• Anaconda Plan
• Battle of Antietam
• Battle of Gettysburg
• Gettysburg Address Excerpt
• Emancipation Proclamation Excerpt
• 54th Massachusetts at Fort Wagner
• Battle of Vicksburg
• Sherman's March to the Sea
• Map of Sherman's March to the Sea
• Surrender at Appomattox Court House

Reconstruction (8 stations and 32 questions)

• Freedmen’s Bureau
• Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments)
• Worse Than Slavery Cartoon (Ku Klux Klan)
• The First Vote Illustration (African American men voting)
• Sharecropping
• Carpetbaggers
• Election of 1876
• Compromise of 1877
• Segregation
• Jim Crow Laws

American West (8 stations and 33 questions)

• Transcontinental Railroad
• Chinese immigrants building the Transcontinental Railroad
• Plains Indians and the buffalo
• American cowboy
• Homestead Act
• Sod House
• Dawes Act
• Native American Boarding School
• Battle of Little Bighorn
• Wounded Knee Massacre

The bundle contains 16 crossword puzzles reviewing topics in American History from Colonial America through Opening the West. The crosswords review key vocabulary words, terms, and people for each unit. They can be used as a review, study guide, homework assignment, or to provide spare time entertainment for students who finish early. I have included answer keys.

*The bundle contains two versions of each crossword.

*Each crossword will fit on one page.

Crosswords included:

• Jamestown (21 clues)
• Pilgrims and Puritans (20 clues)
• Colonial America (30 clues)
• Causes of the American Revolution (29 clues)
• Leaders of the Revolutionary War (25 clues)
• US Constitution (32 clues)
• US Citizenship (40 clues)
• Washington & Adams' Presidencies (30 clues)
• Jeffersonian Era (30 clues)
• Louisiana Purchase (24 clues)
• War of 1812 (27 clues)
• Age of Jackson (28 clues)
• 19th Century Reform Movements (26 clues)
• Abolitionist Movement (28 clues)
• Industrial Revolution Inventions (30 clues)
• Manifest Destiny (30 clues)
• Causes of the Civil War (27 clues)
• The Civil War (30 clues)
• The Reconstruction Era (27 clues)
• Opening the West (25 clues)
• US Geography (36 clues)
• American History Important People (29 clues)