Monticello has partnered with Microsoft Skype in the classroom to bring FREE virtual field trips to your students, grades K-12. The virtual field trip lasts about 45 minutes, during which time a Monticello educator will talk to your class about Monticello using images, props, and an online virtual tour. Your students can ask the educator questions, and you can prepare your students with pre- and post-visit resources.
Hamilton: An American Musical Resources
Alexander Hamilton, Founding Father and Broadway star, clashed with Thomas Jefferson politically and morally. But both figures were essential to the founding of the United States of America. Check out this page for resources on Jefferson, Hamilton, and other main players from the Broadway musical “Hamilton: An American Musical.”
Thomas Jefferson and Slavery
Thomas Jefferson, the man who wrote the famous line “all men are created equal,” was a life-long slave-owner. Over the course of his life, he would own 600 human beings, and at any given time there would be roughly 100 slaves living and working on and around Jefferson’s plantation and farms. This handout describes Thomas Jefferson’s views on slavery.
Timeline of Thomas Jefferson’s Life
This resource is a timeline of the private and public events in Thomas Jefferson’s life, including his election to the House of Burgesses and death of his mother.
Brief Biography of Thomas Jefferson
This resource is an abbreviated biography of Thomas Jefferson’s life. It includes informative videos and links to other interactive resources.
The Constitution in Today’s America
This lesson will teach students about the development of the U.S. Constitution and its role in our system of government. Students will learn about the relationship between the Constitution and a democratic government. In the activities and lesson extensions, they will explore decisions made in the Constitution, including the creation of government institutions, and the purpose of the amendment process. Students also will write an essay in which they analyze how the Constitution helped to fulfill the promise of the United States.
Magna Carta: Relevance for the 21st Century
Learn about the relevance of Magna Carta today and the importance of being an engaged citizen in this video from the ABOTA Foundation and PBS Learning Media. Includes video, background essay and teaching guide!
Magna Carta: Justification for American Independence
Explore how the principles of Magna Carta inspired American colonists to declare their independence from England in this video from the ABOTA Foundation and PBS Learning Media. Includes video, background essay and teaching guide!
Magna Carta: Introduction
Learn about the significance and influence of Magna Carta on U.S. history and government in this video from the ABOTA Foundation and PBS Learning Media. Includes video, background essay, guide for teachers, and teaching tips!
The Constitution in Action – State Challenges to Federal Authority: The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions
Students in this simulation, as Republican members of the Kentucky and Virginia legislatures in 1798 and 1799, consider how they will oppose the Alien and Sedition Acts. Students will then act as members of other state legislatures and consider how to respond to Kentucky and Virginia. By engaging in this historical moment, students will wrestle with the ongoing tension between the Article VI, Clause 2, of the Constitution, which establishes the federal government as the “supreme Law of the Land,” and the Tenth Amendment, which reserves powers “not delegated to the United States” to the states or the people.