draw history assignment

50 Visual Journal Prompts to Promote Drawing and Creative Thinking Skills

When I started at the secondary level, I quickly realized my students needed to be encouraged to practice their drawing and composition skills. Telling them to practice wasn’t cutting it, but I wasn’t sure what the best solution might be.

I wanted to hold my kiddos accountable for their learning in an enjoyable way. I came up with prompt-based weekly visual journal assignments. These assignments not only gave students inspiration to work on their technical skills, but also became important creative outlets. Plus, it allowed me to see how they were developing as artists. It was a win-win-win experience!

Let’s take a closer look at how visual journals promote drawing and creative thinking skills in an incredible way.

Introducing the Concept

In my room, my students and I started early in the year by discussing why artists keep journals. I focused on how my students’ journals could become a storehouse of ideas to pull from throughout the class. I told them the work they do in these journals could push their class projects to the next level.

Explaining the Rules

Then, I provided students with a handout that told them exactly how their journals would be assessed.

In my classroom, I looked for 3 things in each entry: 

• Direct observational drawing

There were no hard and fast rules on how much collage or text needed to be incorporated. However, I did encourage students to make at least 50 percent of the work drawing. This way, I knew they were practicing drawing from life. I also wanted them to work on arranging the work into creative compositions.

If you’re looking for ways to help students incorporate text into their work, you may want to check out the PRO Learning Pack, Implementing Sketchnotes in the Art Room found in PRO Learning . There is an entire section devoted to the art of typography!

Giving the Prompts

In my intro classes, I gave open-ended prompts such as, “Who Am I?” “Invent a New Object,” “When I Was Younger,” or “Kitchen Items.” I also made sure to build in a “Free Choice” week. I required all of their works be on a single page.

You can see how two students responded to the prompt, “Draw a chair,” below.

In contrast to my beginning students, my Art II students received single-word prompts. These were things like, “Me,” “Rip,” “See,” “Joy,” “Eat” or “Spirit.” I also required a two-page spread for each entry. The added challenge of making the work unified even with a spiral or binding holding the pages together is something that helped them when considering their class projects as well.

Here is how a few students handled the prompt, “Me.”

If you’d like to get started with visual journals in your room, download the list of 50 prompts below!

Download Now!

The Power of Modeling

I made sure I was working on my visual journals with the same prompt as often as possible. I think it’s important for our students to see us as artists, and working alongside them is a great way to model your expectations for your students.

Every few weeks we had a “Journal Day.” On these days, my students and I grabbed our journals and spent the class period working and chatting. It’s a great way to get to know students better!

The Logistics

If you’re working on a semester schedule, I suggest giving twelve to fourteen journal assignments. With my beginning students, each entry stood on its own. However, with older students you can take things to the next level by having them work with a theme. A theme adds another layer of critical thinking as they must figure out how to make the prompts connect. This is the type of divergent thinking experience we should be giving our students as often as possible!

You can also assign visual journals in courses where most of the work is 3-D. In my case, I implemented Art History Visual Journals so students could research and learn about the 3-D master artists that were on their county assessment final exam. These research-based journals were beautifully done, and when student test scores improved I knew we were onto something big!

How to Handle Grading

I was often asked, “How do you grade 188 visual journals a week?” I love this question because it’s one of the most fun aspects of this assignment.

I called students up to my stool every Monday during their studio class time, and we had a one-on-one conversation as we graded the work together using the rubric! If a student did an outstanding job, I snapped a photo and added it to a special Visual Journal Pinterest page.

You can check out a few links below!

• Visual Journals 2015-2016
• Visual Journals 2016-2017

We had wonderful chats about their progress. These quick meetings held students accountable, and I saw their work grow tremendously. They wanted good grades, they wanted to get better at their art skills, and they wanted me to snap a photo and put it on Pinterest! Each week, I found myself pinning more and more as students got stronger, which is the ultimate goal!

I used to love my Mondays because Mondays meant I had the opportunity to connect with my students as they shared their hard work with me via their visual journals. As I said, it’s a win-win-WIN activity!

How are you teaching visual journaling to your students?

Do you think using sketchbooks or journals is an important part of our student’s visual art education?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Debi West is one of AOEU’s adjunct instructors and a former AOEU Writer and NBCT art educator. She loves sharing with others and enthusiastically stands behind her motto, “Together we ART better!”

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101+ Interesting History Project Ideas For Students

Finding a good history project idea can be tricky, but with some help, students of all ages can pick a fascinating, doable, and educational topic. From biographies of influential people to historical events or places, there are many exciting ways to learn about the past. 

This blog post will explore potential history project ideas from different periods, locations, and views. Whether you want to understand your family’s history better, focus on a topic that connects to current events, or satisfy your curiosity about the past, you will find inspiration. 

With the right history project idea, you can gain valuable research skills while diving into a subject you’re passionate about. From Native American culture to the Civil Rights Movement and more, read on for historical project suggestions that will teach and engage you.

Are you struggling with History Assignment Help ? Do you need assistance in getting the best and A+ Quality human-generated solutions? Hire our tutors to get unique assignment solutions before the assignment deadline.

What Are History Projects?

Table of Contents

History projects are assignments, often given in school, where students research and present information about a particular topic or period from history. They typically require students to investigate using libraries, museums, interviews, online sources, and other methods to find useful facts and materials. 

Students then synthesize what they learned into a project that demonstrates their knowledge. Common types of history projects include research papers, exhibits, documentaries, posters, presentations, websites, and more. 

The format allows students to understand history through hands-on learning and exploration. Here are some key reasons history projects are essential:

• Develop research and critical thinking skills
• Gain perspective on how past events shape the present
• Make history come alive through creativity and engagement
• Learn to evaluate and analyze historical sources
• Practice presentation and communication abilities
• Promote an appreciation for the study of history

Here are 103 history project ideas for students, categorized to help you find a topic that suits your interests.

Ancient Civilizations

• The Rise & Fall of the Roman Empire
• Life in Ancient Egypt: Pharaohs, Pyramids, and Daily Life
• Contributions of Ancient Greece to Modern Civilization
• Mesopotamia: The Cradle of Civilization
• Indus Valley Civilization: Mystery of the Lost Civilization
• Ancient Chinese Dynasties: Han, Qin, and Tang

Medieval Times

• Knights and Chivalry: Code of Honor in Medieval Europe
• The Black Death: Impact on Europe in the 14th Century
• Feudalism: Structure of Medieval Society
• Crusades: Holy Wars and Their Consequences
• Vikings: Raiders of the North Sea

Renaissance and Enlightenment

• Renaissance Art and its Influences
• The Scientific Revolution: Changing the Paradigm
• Enlightenment Thinkers: Ideas That Shaped Modern Society
• The Age of Exploration: Discoveries and Consequences
• The Printing Press: Revolutionizing Communication

Also Read:- STEM Project Ideas For Middle School

Colonial America

• 17. Jamestown vs. Plymouth: Contrasting Early American Colonies
• Salem Witch Trials: Hysteria in Colonial Massachusetts
• Founding Fathers: Architects of the United States
• The Triangle Trade: Economic Forces in Colonial America
• Indigenous Peoples and European Contact

American Revolution

• Causes and Effects of the American Revolution
• Revolutionary War Battles: Turning Points and Strategies
• Declaration of Independence: Crafting a Nation’s Identity
• The Role of Women in the Revolutionary Era
• African Americans in the Revolutionary War

19th Century

• Industrial Revolution: Impact on Society and Economy
• Manifest Destiny: Expansion Westward in the United States
• Abolitionist Movement: Struggle for the End of Slavery
• Immigration Waves: Contributions of Immigrants in the 1800s
• California Gold Rush: Boomtowns and Prospecting

Civil War and Reconstruction

• Causes of the Civil War: Sectionalism and Tensions
• Battle of Gettysburg: Explore the Turning Point in the Civil War
• Emancipation Proclamation: Lincoln’s Bold Move
• Reconstruction Era: Rebuilding the United States
• Freedmen’s Bureau: Aid to Former Slaves
• World War I: Causes, Events, and Consequences
• Trench Warfare: Life on the Front Lines
• Treaty of Versailles: Impact on the Interwar Period
• Rise of Adolf Hitler: Factors Leading to World War II
• Holocaust: Remembering the Atrocities

Cold War Era

• The Cuban Missile Crisis: Tensions between the U.S. and Soviet Union
• Space Race: Race for Supremacy in Space Exploration
• McCarthyism: Anti-Communist Hysteria in the United States
• Vietnam War: Causes, Events, and Legacy
• Civil Rights Movement: Struggle for Equality

Post-Cold War

• 47. Fall of the Berlin Wall: Symbol of the End of the Cold War
• Apartheid in South Africa: Nelson Mandela’s Fight for Equality
• The collapse of the Soviet Union: End of the Superpower Era
• Gulf War: Operation Desert Storm
• Rwandan Genocide: Tragedy and International Response

Also Read:- Statistics Project Ideas

Recent History

• 9/11 Attacks: Impact on Global Politics
• War on Terror: U.S. Military Interventions in the Middle East
• Arab Spring: Protests and Political Change in the Middle East
• Brexit: The United Kingdom’s Decision to Leave the EU
• COVID-19 Pandemic: Global Responses and Lessons Learned

Historical Figures

• Alexander the Great: Explore Conqueror of the Ancient World
• Joan of Arc: Explore Heroine of the Hundred Years’ War
• Martin Luther King Jr.: Explore Leader of the Civil Rights Movement
• Winston Churchill: Explore Prime Minister during World War II
• Cleopatra: Queen of Ancient Egypt

Women in History

• Suffragette Movement: Struggle for Women’s Right to Vote
• Eleanor Roosevelt: Explore First Lady and Human Rights Advocate
• Marie Curie: Pioneering Scientist in Radiology
• Rosa Parks: Explore Catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement
• Malala Yousafzai: Advocate for Girls’ Education

Cultural History

• Harlem Renaissance: Cultural and Artistic Flourishing
• Beat Generation: Literary and Cultural Rebellion
• Woodstock Festival: Music and Counterculture in the 1960s
• Mayan Civilization: Art, Architecture, and Culture
• Japanese Tea Ceremony: Tradition and Ritual

Economic History

• Great Depression: Causes and Effects on Global Economies
• 1929 Stock Market Crash: Precursor to the Great Depression
• Keynesian Economics vs. Supply-side Economics
• Gold Rushes: Economic Booms and Busts
• Silicon Valley: Technological Innovation Hub

Social Movements

• LGBTQ+ Rights Movement: Struggles and Achievements
• Environmentalism: Origins and Impact on Policy
• Anti-Apartheid Protests: Global Solidarity
• Occupy Movement: Protests Against Economic Inequality
• #MeToo Movement: Addressing Sexual Harassment and Assault

Military History

• Sun Tzu and the Art of War: Ancient Military Strategy
• Battle of Thermopylae: Spartan Stand Against the Persians
• D-Day Invasion: Allied Assault on Normandy
• Code Talkers: Navajo Language in World War II
• Military Technology Advancements: From Swords to Drones

Historical Artifacts

• Rosetta Stone: Decoding Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs
• The Dead Sea Scrolls: Unearthing Ancient Texts
• The Shroud of Turin: Controversy Surrounding the Relic
• The Rosetta Disk: A Modern-Day Rosetta Stone
• The Declaration of Independence: Preserving a National Treasure

Also Read:- Social Studies Fair Project Ideas

Historical Places

• Machu Picchu: Inca Civilization’s Hidden Citadel
• The Acropolis: Symbol of Ancient Greek Civilization
• The Great Wall of China: Construction and Purpose
• The Louvre: Home to Priceless Art and Artifacts
• Auschwitz Concentration Camp: Remembering the Holocaust

Historical Events

• The Great Fire of London: Investigate Destruction and Rebuilding
• The Boston Tea Party: Investigate Prelude to the American Revolution
• The Cuban Revolution: Investigate Fidel Castro and the Rise of Communism
• The Moon Landing: Apollo 11’s Historic Achievement
• The Treaty of Westphalia: Shaping Modern Diplomacy

Historical Science and Medicine

• Hippocrates and the Hippocratic Oath: Foundations of Medicine
• Darwin’s Theory of Evolution: Impact on Biology and Society

These History Project Ideas cover a wide range of historical topics, allowing students to delve into different periods, regions, and themes within history. Students can select projects based on their interests and explore various aspects of human history.

How Do You Plan A History Project?

Here are some tips for planning a successful history project:

• Choose a history topic that interests you and fits the scope of the assignment. Consider a critical event, period, location, historical figure, or cultural phenomenon you want to explore further.
• Research general background information on your topic to help refine and focus your project idea. Determine what’s most important to convey or what questions you want to answer.
• Determine the type of project – will it be a research paper, documentary, website, exhibit, reenactment, or something else? Choose a format that aligns with your topic and allows you to convey what you learned creatively.
• Create a work timeline accounting for research, creating a rough draft, gathering materials, fact-checking, and finalizing the project. Leave time for revisions and editing.
• Locate primary and secondary sources to conduct your research. Use libraries, academic databases, museums, interviews, archives, credible online sources, etc. Evaluate each source for accuracy and credibility.
• Take careful notes and document all sources used, tracking which information comes from each source. This will be important for citations/bibliography later.
• Outline your project and draft a structure before beginning. Use your research to shape the narrative or argument you’ll present.
• Stick to your timeline as you move through the drafting and production process. Review the project requirements and rubric to ensure you meet all expectations.
• Double-check your facts, polish the final product, and practice presenting/explaining your work if required. Revise as needed to create an informative, engaging history project!

How Do You Write A History Project?

Here are some tips for writing a successful history project:

• Craft an introduction that presents your topic and establishes its significance in history. State your central thesis, argument, or purpose for your analysis.
• Provide background context so your reader understands your topic’s setting and circumstances. Give relevant details about time, place, politics, culture, etc.
• Present your research and findings in a logical structure with clear organization. Use sections and headings to divide details and make connections.
• Blend narrative explanation and evidence from sources. Paraphrase, summarize, and directly quote relevant research information to support your points.
• Analyze and interpret your findings to make arguments, draw conclusions, and explain historical significance. Move beyond just restating facts.
• Consider different perspectives and causes when analyzing historical events and figures. Provide context for their motivations and obstacles.
• Use transitions to connect ideas and paragraphs so your writing flows smoothly.
• Define key terms, events, and concepts so readers understand their meaning and historical significance.
• Summarize your main points, emphasize your central argument, and explain why your topic matters.
• Correctly note all sources within the text and in a bibliography using the required citation style.
• Revise your writing to check for clarity, organization, grammar, and spelling before finalizing. Make sure your writing is clear, concise, and compelling.

Final Remarks

In summary, working on a history project gives students an excellent chance to explore the exciting stories of the past. They can build essential skills while exploring different topics that they find exciting. Students can get creative by picking a topic they like, whether it’s for a research paper, a documentary, or a presentation. Being organized, doing careful research, and sticking to deadlines are super important for doing well.

As students learn about ancient civilizations, essential events, incredible people from history, and significant social changes, they understand history better and get better at thinking critically, doing research, and talking to others. History projects make the past feel alive and help us appreciate how history significantly impacts how things are now and what might happen in the future.

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Not Your Usual History Lesson: Writing Historical Markers

• Resources & Preparation
• Instructional Plan
• Related Resources

In this lesson, students will develop their understanding of writing and local history by creating their own historical markers. They begin by studying historical markers in their own communities and then draft content for an unmarked historical location.

This lesson was adapted from from a forthcoming book from Pearson by Tim Taylor and Linda Copeland.

Featured Resources

• Sample pictures of historical markers
• Access to resources about local history
• Writing a Historical Marker Assignment & Rubric handouts

From Theory to Practice

Summarizing information is a key skill for students at all grade levels. Repeated practice at summarizing and synthesizing information prepares them for writing assignments in any class as well as for giving presentations, writing research papers, conducting interviews, and keeping journals or logs, for example. NCTE/IRA Standards explicitly refer to conducting research and synthesizing data, emphasizing their importance for good communication practices.

Similarly, researchers describe how summarizing “…links reading and writing and requires higher-level thinking…Summarizing helps students learn more and retain information longer, partly because it requires effort and attention to text” (Dean 19). The more practice students have in younger grades with summarizing, the more successful they will be in various communication contexts later on. The generality of this lesson makes it appropriate for grades 6-8 but may also be tailored to meet standards for grades 9-12.

Further Reading

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

• 1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
• 3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
• 4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
• 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
• 6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
• 7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
• 8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
• 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

• Projector or interactive whiteboard to display images of historical markers and students’ work
• Computers with internet access for class research (not needed if using books or textual resources)
• Digital cameras (optional)
• Understanding Historical Markers
• Writing a Historical Marker Assignment
• Taking Notes & Summarizing Information
• Interview Notes
• What is Important about Your Research
• Writing a Historical Marker Rubric

This website provides a catalog of historical markers and information. It showcases photographs, inscription transcriptions, marker locations, maps, additional information and commentary, and links to more information. Viewers can add markers to the database and update existing marker pages with new photographs, links, information and commentary.

This marker is listed as an example in Session 1. This site provides a picture of the historic marker in place and enlarges the content so it is readable by viewers of the site.

This site offers historical marker information organized by city and state for easy searching

Stoppingpoints.com provides travelers with historical marker information as well as other points of interest. It is less comprehensive than The Historical Marker Database or the Historical Marker Society of America, but it may afford some different examples.

In his article, author William Lee Anderson III shares information about the history of historical markers in the United States. This article is a good resource for teachers to learn more about historical markers before the lesson. It may also work well as a class reading for the students.

This site provides a list of important questions to ask when considering creating a historical marker.

Preparation

• Research information and prepare any handouts/overheads showing pictures of a variety of historical markers in your town or greater community.
• Research other historic areas or buildings in your town, noting ones that are historical but that do not already have a marker designating them as such. Select 5-10 to use as class writing practice or for students who have difficulty finding topics of their own. Photocopy, print or record website information for sharing with the class.
• Gather books, articles, and other resources describing the history of your town or community. Collect copies of materials for the classroom, make copies available for student use in the school or town library, and/or prepare a bibliography of web sources and post in the classroom or on a class website.
• Secure cameras (digital or camera phone work best) for students to photograph their historical sites or provide pictures for them (optional).

Student Objectives

Students will…

• conduct research on local historical markers in their communities.
• analyze existing historical markers to determine what information is included.
• interview community personnel about historical information and their historical/personal ties to their community.
• write a historical marker by following class guidelines about what constitutes a good historical marker.

Session One

• Begin with a discussion of students’ past vacations or travels. Ask them what kinds of things they have seen along the road when riding in a car to a destination. Make a list on the board or chart paper. The teacher may do this as a whole class discussion or put students into small groups for discussion.
• What are they?
• Where are they found?
• Why would people like/or not like them?
• What purpose do they serve?
• Who creates them?
• Which ones have they seen?
• Are there markers near where they live?
• Which ones do they find the most interesting?
• In this lesson, students will learn how to break down a historical marker to understand its rhetorical situation, noting the following: audience, purpose, language/word choice, location, and credibility. Give students the Understanding Historical Markers handout.
• Location :  Where is this marker located? What state? What part of the state? Is the marker near any other landmarks? What is the weather like there? Why might we need to consider the weather?
• Audience :  Who is likely to visit this area? Who will read this marker? (For example, age, nationality, education, etc.) Who do you think would not visit this area?
• Purpose :  What does the marker want the reader to know? List at least 3 items and then rank them in order from most important to least important. Is there anything you think the marker did not include that it should have?
• Language/Word Choice : What kinds of words does the marker use? Are there any words you did not know or that were confusing to you? Did the marker have words written in a language other than English? Why is this important to think about?
• Credibility :  Who created the marker? Does the marker name an author or a group/organization that created or funded it? Why is this important to consider?  Were there any errors you noticed on the marker?

Session Two

• The session will begin with a brief review of the information from the Understanding Historical Markers handout.
• Show a picture of a historical marker that is in their town, community, near the school, or so forth. Briefly review it for location, audience, purpose, language/word choice, and credibility (see Understanding Historical Markers handout).
• Ask students to think of other places in their town or community that have markers or that might need a historical marker. Brainstorm this list on the overhead or the board putting information in two columns: Has Marker / Needs Marker. Examples may include an old Victorian house, a park named for a person, a train station, a store in a downtown area, a bridge, a historical neighborhood, a statue, another school, an office building and so forth.
• Each student will pick one location that they may know something about or that they have an interest in. They will conduct research to learn more about that location using different sources, such as websites about local history, books from the school library or others that the teacher has made available in the class. Students will be responsible for taking notes over the information they learned.
• Give students the Writing a Historical Marker Assignment handout and the Taking Notes & Summarizing Information handout and review the assignment. (The teacher will discuss the section on taking notes while discussing interviews in the next session.)  Additionally, introduce the rubric and allow time for students to ask questions about the assignment expectations.
• Use the remainder of class for students to begin conducting research using books or online sources and taking notes over these.

Session Three

• The session will begin with each student sharing what location they are researching and one thing they have learned about it so far.
• Share with students that they will also find one person to interview about this place. This does not need to be an expert; it may be a family member or family friend who is familiar with the place. It may also be a neighbor. Help students think about people they know and would feel comfortable asking questions. Students will brainstorm who they might interview about that location (for example: museum curator or volunteer, parent or grandparent, neighbor, other relative, shop owner, home owner, etc.).
• What do you know about this location?
• Is this location important to you? Why or why not?
• Is this location important to other people as well?
• What memories do you have of this location?
• Did anything good, bad, or important happen here?
• (For a theatre)  What movies do you remember showing here? How much did a ticket cost? Was it a popular place for young people? How did you get to the theatre? How often could you go?
• (For a train station)  Does the station still operate? When did it start and when did it stop running?  Did any famous people travel through town and stop this station? How many people usually rode the train? What stops did it make?
• (For a city park) Who or what is the park named after? Why is it named after that person? Did it always look like this? What else did it have? Why did it change? Are there other parks like it in town? What kinds of things did people do here in the past? Why was this a popular place to go?
• Students will  then draft both general and specific questions about their location. Their assignment is to conduct their interview and write their notes for the next session.  If you wish, interviews may be recorded.

Session Four

• Spend time reviewing the assignment description and then discussing the grading rubric . Help students understand what is important in a good marker and how they can use their information to achieve that.
• Discuss summarizing information. The key to summarizing information is to look at all of the information and discover what a reader must know to understand why that place is important.
• Students will take out their notes from their research and their interviews and review it. Using the What is Important about Your Research handout, they will make a list of the most important information about their location, noting what is important and why.
• Students then draft their historical markers by writing a paragraph for their location, introducing the reader to the place, telling them what is interesting about this location including any names or dates as needed, and telling them what is significant about it for the surrounding area and for history in general.
• Students will turn in a working draft to the teacher at the end of class. The teacher will comment and return to students at the next session.
• For homework, the teacher may assign students to draw a picture of their location or to take a picture of it, depending on access to technology. Students should bring these with them to the next class meeting.

Session Five

• The teacher will return students’ drafts which will have comments about what students did. Share positive elements and offer general suggestions to the class as a whole for revising.
• Students will use the rest of class time to revise their paragraphs: by either writing them out or typing and printing. The goal is for students to have a polished draft of their historical marker that looks professional.  The teacher will move around the room helping students.
• Students will include their picture or drawn image of their location with their finished draft for display.
• The teacher may wish to showcase students’ markers around the room or throughout the school. In addition, the teacher may compile students’ historical markers into a class book using ReadWriteThink’s Profile Publisher or Multigenre Mapper , or by taking students’ writing and binding in another form.
• Teachers will grade students using the Writing a Historical Marker rubric . (Teachers may also assign students to finish their assignments and bring them back the next day.)
• Students may give presentations to the class or others in the school about their locations. They may even choose to dress up as a person from the time the location was famous.
• Teachers may assign students to write historical markers for themselves about a place they lived, played, visited, etc. They may write it as though they became famous and people wanted to know about their lives.
• The class may create a website showcasing their historical markers to others in the community or even sharing with a local tourism bureau to highlight as places of interest.
• Students could write more than one historical marker and then create brochures to advertise these for visitors to their community.
• Students might write their markers as though they would be published on the Historical Marker Database website: http://www.hmdb.org/.
• Profile Publisher may be used to help students draft profiles of historical people or places.

Stapleless Book may be useful for students when compiling notes from historical markers in their state or community while planning ideas for their own.

Character Trading Cards may be another way for students to learn about creating short bits of biographical information based on historical figures and then use that to create their own.

Student Assessment / Reflections

• Historical Marker Assignment Rubric
• Professional Library
• Lesson Plans
• Calendar Activities

The old cliche, "A picture is worth a thousand words" is put to the test when students write their own narrative interpretations of events shown in an image.

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The Decision to Secede and Establish the Confederacy: A Selection of Primary Sources

• Plagiarism: Curricular Materials for History Instructors
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Sixteen Months to Sumter

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Classroom Materials: United States History

This site provides access to over 1,000 newspaper editorials detailing the shifting tides of emotion and opinion in the 16 months leading to Southern secession and the American Civil War. The site is intended primarily as a teaching resource, to enrich students’ exploration and understanding of the period and assist history teachers by expanding the available primary sources.

Online Course in American Indian History

A set of links to valuable public domain sites about American Indian History for undergraduate students, compiled by James W. Oberly as part of the 2004 project Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age.

Migration and the American South

A guide on teaching migration in the American South with digital sources, compiled by John Beck as part of the 2004 project Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age.

Like a Family: The Making of a Southern Cotton Mill World

A project compiled by Jim Leloudis which focuses on the evolution of Piedmont mill towns presented in Like a Family: The Making of a Southern Cotton Mill World. In each section, students and instructors can read a historical overview of the issues addressed, view photographs, listen to audio clips of interviews with mill workers, and access ideas for lesson plans based on the unit.

Web Modules for Teaching American History

David Huehner developed these web modules for use in a two-semester survey course of United States history. They may be used together or individually. The modules may be used as supplementary readings and materials for historical analysis that try to closely resemble the actual process of historical investigation.

The United States since the Civil War

Compiled by Mary Beth Emmerichs, this site contains links to groups of documents that can be used to generate discussions in the second half of the US history survey.

The 19th Century US Survey and American Religions through the Civil War

David Hoeveler provides reviews of web resources teachers might use in teaching either a 19th century US histoey survey or a course on American religion through the Civil War.

Sample Assignments from Globalized US History Courses

As part of her work in the Bridging Cultures program, Amy Forss employed wide-ranging techniques such as PechaKucha presentations, oral history research, and greater study of maps to engage her students in their globalized US history courses. She even had her students find historical recipes and try them out.

Honors 2111 US History Survey Course Description and Syllabus

Shannon Bontrager not only incorporated global contexts into his survey, but he also used non-traditional and digital pedagogical tools to engage his students.

Foundations of American History Syllabus

Sarah Grunder offers a detailed syllabus and two sample assignments, in which students use primary and secondary sources to connect American history with the Atlantic and Pacific worlds and write a paper that focuses on the circulation of commodities, peoples, and ideas throughout those worlds.

Paper Assignment: Encountering Commodities in the Atlantic and the Pacific Worlds

This sample assignment requires students to use primary and secondary sources to connect American history with the Atlantic and Pacific worlds and write a paper that focuses on the circulation of commodities, peoples, and ideas throughout those worlds. This paper assignment has three major parts: a list of sources for students to read and study along with guiding questions on each reading; a mapping exercise; and the five page paper.

Paper Assignment: Localizing Global Encounters, Case Study: New Netherland/New York (Suffolk County Community College)

This sample assignment requires students to use primary and secondary sources to connect American history with the Atlantic and Pacific worlds and write a paper that focuses on encounters between different groups of Europeans in New Netherland/New York. This paper assignment has three major parts: a list of sources for students to read and study along with guiding questions on each reading; a mapping exercise; and the five page paper.

Infusing the Pacific World into the US History Survey Courses: Recommended Reading

In this guide, Allison Frickert-Murashige provides reading recommendations for faculty looking to learn more themselves about the Pacific World before teaching it in their US history courses. She provides readings Bridging Cultures participants used to begin thinking about bringing the Pacific World into their courses, as well as recommended topics where this approach is useful.

Ideas for Conceptualizing the Pacific World within the US Survey Course, 1400-1850

In this guide, Allison Frickert-Murashige provides ideas of topics to include in a US history survey course incorporating the Pacific World.

Teaching Environmental History in the US and World History Surveys: Overview of Topics and Resources

This guide provides an overview of topics that faculty can consider in their US history survey courses in taking an environmental view of US and world history. It also provides a thorough list of recent scholarship on environmental history.

Lecture Topics for First Half of American History Survey

Brittany Adams focuses on incorporating more regional history into the early survey. She also emphasizes the importance of de-centering the British colonial narrative when teaching students who identify more with western US history, as do many of her students at UC Irvine.

Assignment: Social History of the Atlantic Slave Trade

Chinese immigrants in america in the 19th century: a study module.

These materials, produced by Vincent A. Clark as a result of his work in the Bridging Cultures program, consist of an illustrated introduction, excerpts from four contemporaneous articles, an online quiz (not included in these materials), and an assignment for an e-mail discussion. The introduction describes not only the life of the immigrants in the United States but their economic and cultural background in China. The goal is to expand the students’ knowledge to include the China from which these immigrants came. Two of the articles oppose Chinese immigrants; two praise them. They are designed to let students see the varying perceptions of the immigrants, the arguments for and against Chinese immigration, and the complex class and ethnic dimensions of this controversy.

Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Extra Credit Assignment

As part of her work in the Bridging Cultures program, Cheryll Cody designed a course assignment using the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database. It requires students to answer a series of questions by looking at the database’s extensive collection of maps and charts.

The US Becomes an Empire, Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries

As part of his work in the Bridging Cultures program, Carlos Contreras provided some classroom assignments and activities that challenge students to think "Atlantically" and "Pacifically" as they think broadly about American history. This set of discussion questions focuses on the expansion of the US as it becomes an imperial power and has students critically examine the US-Caribbean relationship, Hawaii and the Philippines in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Discussion Questions on the Film Manifest Destiny

Us environmental history course topics through the civil war (santa monica coll.), resources for teaching american and hawaiian history.

This course revises traditional understandings of American history and examines issues of race, gender, and class in understanding the histories and contemporary experiences of Native Hawaiians, Asians, and Pacific Islanders to foster greater multi-cultural respect and understanding.

Video Assignment Based on Isabel Allende's Daughter of Fortune

Oscar Cañedo crafted this creative assignment about the California Gold Rush and the experiences of people traveling from South America to get to California. He used a story from prominent Latin American novelist Isabel Allende as a backdrop for the assignment. Students craft their own characters based on Isabelle Allende's novel Daughter of Fortune and produce videos to explain why they wished to make the arduous journey to California

Teaching World War One History through Food

This page provides five videos that explore the history of World War One through food. It is intended as a teaching resource to deepen students' knowledge and understanding of Americans' experience of World War One and to offer history teachers materials for their classroom use.

Revolutions, Independence and New Nations: The Great Transformation

As part of his work in the Bridging Cultures program, Carlos Contreras provided some classroom assignments and activities that challenge students to think "Atlantically" and "Pacifically" as they think broadly about American history. This set of discussion questions helps students consider the implications of revolution in the Atlantic world.

Films and Readings on the African Slave Trade and the Atlantic World

As part of his work in the Bridging Cultures program, Carlos Contreras provided some classroom assignments and activities that challenge students to think "Atlantically" and "Pacifically" as they think broadly about American history. This set of discussion questions helps students consider the complexities of the Transatlantic slave trade and the broader Atlantic world during the colonial era.

Africans in the Americas: Discussion Questions from Lepore, Benjamin, Articles, and Film

Teaching the american civil war from a transoceanic perspective.

In the following, Timothy Draper and Amy Powers provide ideas for ways of bringing global contexts into a unit or course on the American Civil War. They include useful topics to cover, along with primary and secondary source readings. Topics include Karl Marx on the Civil War, the war's impact on Hawaii, and the experience of various immigrant groups during the war.

Themes in the Social History of the United States: Migration and American Civilization, 1830s to 1960s

Syllabus for a survey of social history, focusing upon the American experience. The course explores changes in the family, work, sex roles, mobility, migration, urbanization, and industrialization.

United States History I: US History to the Civil War

An introduction to the methods of historical inquiry focusing on the study of American history from the beginnings through the American Civil War.

Ethnicity and American Cultures Topics Through the 19th Century

A syllabus by Leslie Kawaguchi that begins with the peopling of North America and ends with the establishment of the U.S. and the 1790 immigration policy that provided naturalization to “free white persons” despite the cultural, racial, and ethnic diversity of the colonial period.

Introduction to Ethnic Studies: Course Description and Syllabus

A course description and syllabus for an Intro to Ethnic Studies course taught by Kelli Nakamura at Kapi'olani Community Coll. that explores basic concepts and theories for analyzing dynamics of ethnic group experiences, particularly those represented in Hawai‘i, and their relation to colonization, immigration, gender, problems of identity, racism, and social class.

Introduction to Ethnic Studies: Lecture and Assignment Schedule

Details about the readings and lectures included in an Introduction to Ethnic Studies class taught by Kelli Nakamura at Kapi'olani Community College. The course revises traditional understandings of American history and examines issues of race, gender, and class in understanding the histories and contemporary experiences of Native Hawaiians, Asians, and Pacific Islanders to foster greater multi-cultural respect and understanding.

Discovering American Social History on the Web

Dan Kallgren developed several sample assignments for use in his undergraduate survey course "United States History Since the Civil War," in the spring of 2000. Assignments can be used inidividually or in series, as each is accompanied by suggested reading and primary sources.

The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire

One of Dan Kallgren's assignments. Students read a section from "Out of Many; A History of the American People" by John Mack Faragher, et al., to contextualize primary source documents about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. After analyzing the sources, the students write a short report.

The Anti-Saloon League

One of Dan Kallgren's assignments. Students analyze digital primary sources in order to contextualize and understand the motivation of the Anti-Saloon League members.

Mapping Suburbanization

One of Dan Kallgren's assignments. Using topographical maps from the University of New Hampshire, students explore how the landscape surrounding a 1950s New Hampshire city changed over time. Students are asked to consider how sociopolitical factors such as the Cold War might have affected the development of the United States.

Teaching Difficult Legal or Political Concepts: Using Online Primary Sources in Writing Assignments

Sue C. Patrick's shares syllabi from her United States History and Western Civilization courses, which include assignments and links to digital primary sources. She also reviews a number of digital primary sources for the benefit of other instructors interested in using them in the classroom.

Imperialism: European, American, and Japanese

A multi-part project compiled by Thomas Reins that considers the causes and consequences of modern imperialism, using China as a case study, by asking students to analyze a diverse set of primary sources.

JFK's Executive Orders and the New Frontier

One of Dan Kallgren's assignments. Students analyze executive orders from President Kennedy to draw out themes and place them in the context of Kennedy's agenda.

Syllabus: United States History Since the Civil War

Syllabus from Dan Kallgren's survey of American history since the end of the Civil War. The syllabus includes several digital primary source projects, all of which are hosted on separate pages as part of Kallgren's "Discovering America Social History on the Web" module.

United States History through the Civil War Syllabus

Sue C. Patrick's syllabus for a United States History through the Civil War course. The syllabus includes assignments and links to digital primary sources.

United States History from the Civil War to the Present Syllabus

Sue C. Patrick's syllabus for her United States History from the Civil War to the Present course, which includes assignments and links to digital primary sources.

New Perspectives on 19th-Century America [Assignment]

John Rosinbum uses American Panorama, a digital atlas created by the University of Richmond's Digital Scholarship Lab, to teach students about the economic, cultural, and territorial transformations that changed America during the 19th century. In this assignment, students must create their own visualization of changes in 19th-century America. Students must also develop a guide that defends their research choices in the creation of the visualization, explains how the visualization extends our current understanding of the period, and distinguishes their visualization from American Panorama.

Analyzing Visual Depictions of America's Expansion with American Panorama

John Rosinbum uses American Panorama, a digital atlas created by the University of Richmond's Digital Scholarship Lab, to teach students about the economic, cultural, and territorial transformations that changed America during the 19th century. In this sample assignment, he asks students to compare two maps from American Panorama dealing with the 19th century and explore how each map presents American expansion differently.

The American Historical Association encourages continued public debate about monuments to Confederate leaders and about the public spaces and buildings named after those individuals, as well as the role of Confederate flags in public culture. Historians’ recent experiences in media interviews have suggested that too few participants in these conversations have read the essential primary sources that clearly articulate the reasons for secession and the establishment of a new nation. This page links to a limited set of documents with a singular focus: why did state governments decide to secede and form a new nation?

Draw Your History

Enter the password to open this PDF file:

How to write a conclusion for a history essay

Every essay needs to end with a concluding paragraph. It is the last paragraph the marker reads, and this will typically be the last paragraph that you write.

What is a ‘concluding paragraph?

The conclusion is the final paragraph of your essay that reminds the reader about the points you have made and how it proves the argument which you stated in your hypothesis .

By the time your marker reads your conclusion, they have read all the evidence you have presented in your body paragraphs . This is your last opportunity to show that you have proven your points.

While your conclusion will talk about the same points you made in your introduction , it should not read exactly the same.  Instead, it should state the same information in a more developed form and bring the essay to an end.

In general, you should never use quotes from sources in your conclusion.

Concluding paragraph structure

While the concluding paragraph will normally be shorter than your introductory and body paragraphs , it still has a specific role to fulfil.

A well-written concluding paragraph has the following three-part structure:

• Restate your key points
• Restate your hypothesis
• Concluding sentence

Each element of this structure is explained further, with examples, below:

1. Restate your key points

In one or two sentences, restate each of the topic sentences from your body paragraphs . This is to remind the marker about how you proved your argument.

This information will be similar to your elaboration sentences in your introduction , but will be much briefer.

Since this is a summary of your entire essay’s argument, you will often want to start your conclusion with a phrase to highlight this. For example: “In conclusion”, “In summary”, “To briefly summarise”, or “Overall”.

Example restatements of key points:

Middle Ages (Year 8 Level)

In conclusion, feudal lords had initially spent vast sums of money on elaborate castle construction projects but ceased to do so as a result of the advances in gunpowder technology which rendered stone defences obsolete.

WWI (Year 9 Level)

To briefly summarise, the initially flood of Australian volunteers were encouraged by imperial propaganda but as a result of the stories harsh battlefield experience which filtered back to the home front, enlistment numbers quickly declined.

Civil Rights (Year 10 Level)

In summary, the efforts of important First Nations leaders and activist organisations to spread the idea of indigenous political equality had a significant effect on sway public opinion in favour of a ‘yes’ vote.

Ancient Rome (Year 11/12 Level)  

Overall, the Marian military reforms directly changed Roman political campaigns and the role of public opinion in military command assignments across a variety of Roman societal practices.

2. Restate your hypothesis

This is a single sentence that restates the hypothesis from your introductory paragraph .

Don’t simply copy it word-for-word. It should be restated in a different way, but still clearly saying what you have been arguing for the whole of your essay.

Make it clear to your marker that you are clearly restating you argument by beginning this sentence a phrase to highlight this. For example: “Therefore”, “This proves that”, “Consequently”, or “Ultimately”.

Example restated hypotheses:

Therefore, it is clear that while castles were initially intended to dominate infantry-dominated siege scenarios, they were abandoned in favour of financial investment in canon technologies.

This proves that the change in Australian soldiers' morale during World War One was the consequence of the mass slaughter produced by mass-produced weaponry and combat doctrine.

Consequently, the 1967 Referendum considered a public relations success because of the targeted strategies implemented by Charles Perkins, Faith Bandler and the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.

Ultimately, it can be safely argued that Gaius Marius was instrumental in revolutionising the republican political, military and social structures in the 1 st century BC.

3. Concluding sentence

This is the final sentence of your conclusion that provides a final statement about the implications of your arguments for modern understandings of the topic. Alternatively, it could make a statement about what the effect of this historical person or event had on history. 

Example concluding sentences:

While these medieval structures fell into disuse centuries ago, they continue to fascinate people to this day.

The implications of the war-weariness produced by these experiences continued to shape opinions about war for the rest of the 20 th century.

Despite this, the Indigenous Peoples had to lobby successive Australian governments for further political equality, which still continues today.

Ancient Rome (Year 11/12 Level)

The impact of these changes effectively prepared the way for other political figures, like Pompey, Julius Caesar and Octavian, who would ultimately transform the Roman republic into an empire.

Putting it all together

Once you have written all three parts of, you should have a completed concluding paragraph. In the examples above, we have shown each part separately. Below you will see the completed paragraphs so that you can appreciate what a conclusion should look like.

Example conclusion paragraphs: 

In conclusion, feudal lords had initially spent vast sums of money on elaborate castle construction projects but ceased to do so as a result of the advances in gunpowder technology which rendered stone defences obsolete. Therefore, it is clear that while castles were initially intended to dominate infantry-dominated siege scenarios, they were abandoned in favour of financial investment in canon technologies. While these medieval structures fell into disuse centuries ago, they continue to fascinate people to this day.

To briefly summarise, the initially flood of Australian volunteers were encouraged by imperial propaganda, but as a result of the stories harsh battlefield experience which filtered back to the home front, enlistment numbers quickly declined. This proves that the change in Australian soldiers' morale during World War One was the consequence of the mass slaughter produced by mass-produced weaponry and combat doctrine. The implications of the war-weariness produced by these experiences continued to shape opinions about war for the rest of the 20th century.

In summary, the efforts of important indigenous leaders and activist organisations to spread the idea of indigenous political equality had a significant effect on sway public opinion in favour of a ‘yes’ vote. Consequently, the 1967 Referendum considered a public relations success because of the targeted strategies implemented by Charles Perkins, Faith Bandler and the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. Despite this, the Indigenous Peoples had to lobby successive Australian governments for further political equality, which still continues today.

Overall, the Marian military reforms directly changed Roman political campaigns and the role of public opinion in military command assignments across a variety of Roman societal practices. Ultimately, it can be safely argued that Gaius Marius was instrumental in revolutionising the republican political, military and social structures in the 1st century BC. The impact of these changes effectively prepared the way for other political figures, like Pompey, Julius Caesar and Octavian, who would ultimately transform the Roman republic into an empire.

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No winner for Powerball lottery, jackpot jumps to $975 million

Get weekly news and analysis on the U.S. elections and how it matters to the world with the newsletter On the Campaign Trail. Sign up here.

Reporting by Maria Caspani and Jyoti Narayan, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jamie Freed

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

French comedy "The Second Act" will open this year's 77th Cannes Film Festival, the organisers said on Wednesday.

Czechs to give tens of millions of euros for Ukraine ammunition plan, PM says

The Czech Republic will donate tens of millions of euros to an initiative it is leading to buy hundreds of thousands of artillery ammunition rounds for Ukraine, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said.

Powerball lottery jackpot rockets to $1.09 billion: When is the next drawing?

The Powerball jackpot has climbed to a staggering $1.09 billion ahead of Wednesday's drawing, the fourth-largest prize in the game's history.

The jackpot currently sits at an estimated $1.09 billion with a cash value of $527.3 million before the Wednesday, April 3 drawing.

No one has won the Powerball jackpot since Jan. 1, when a player in Michigan won the $842 million jackpot. The largest Powerball jackpot ever won was in November 2022, when a single winner in California walked away with the $2.04 billion prize.

The Mega Millions lottery was won on March 26, when a  lucky player in New Jersey  matched all six numbers to win $1.13 billion.

Ready to try your luck with the Powerball? Here's what to know about the lottery before the Wednesday, April 3 drawing.

Can you buy Powerball tickets online? Here are the states that allow it

When are the Powerball drawings?

Powerball drawings are every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET.

The next drawing is Wednesday, April 3.

What were the last Powerball winning numbers?

The winning numbers from the Monday, April 1 drawing were  19, 24, 40, 42 and 56. The red Powerball was 23 and the Power Play was 2X.

While there were no jackpot or Match 5 + Power Play $2 million winners in Monday's drawing, there were Match 5 $1 million  winners  in the following states:

• Maryland (2)
• North Carolina

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by  Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network .

What is the Power Play?

The Power Play is a feature that can be played for $1 more. It is randomly selected before each drawing and can multiply non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four, five or 10 times.

The Match 5 with Power Play prize is always worth $2 million, Powerball says.

How to play Powerball

The Powerball costs $2 per play.

To  play , select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.

You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.

To win, match one of the nine ways:

• 5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
• 5 white balls = $1 million.
• 4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
• 4 white balls = $100.
• 3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
• 3 white balls = $7.
• 2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
• 1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
• 1 red Powerball = $4.

There's a chance to have your winnings increased two, three, four, five and 10 times through the Power Play for an additional $1 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot wins up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.

All prizes are set cash amounts, except for the grand prize. In California, prize payout amounts are determined by the sales and the number of winners.

What are the odds of winning the Powerball?

The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 292,201,338. The odds for the lowest prize, $4 for one red Powerball, are one in 38.32.

According to Powerball, the overall odds of winning a prize are one in 24.87, based on a $2 play and rounded to two decimal places.

What are the largest Powerball jackpots ever?

Here are the  five largest  Powerball jackpots ever won:

• $2.04 billion from one winning ticket in California in November 2022
• $1.765 billion from one winning ticket in California in October 2023
• $1.586 billion from three winning tickets in California, Florida and Tennessee in January 2016
• $1.09 billion: Current jackpot
• $1.08 billion from one winning ticket in California in July 2023

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through  Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network , in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit  jackpocket.com/tos  for full terms.

• Grand Rapids/Muskegon
• Saginaw/Bay City
• All Michigan

Monday Draw: $975 Million Powerball Jackpot on the Line

• Published: Apr. 01, 2024, 11:33 a.m.

Sidelines Sidelines

• Ryan Truland | Sidelines Group

Monday night’s draw features a $975 million Powerball jackpot , and no, this is not an April’s Fools joke. The current Powerball jackpot is close to eclipsing the $1 billion mark. This past Saturday’s draw saw the following numbers get selected: 12, 13, 33, 50, 52, and 23 in the red Powerball slot.

Of course, no players matched all six numbers, so no jackpot was awarded. Next up will be the Monday, April 1 draw, featuring a $975 million jackpot.

$975 Million Powerball Jackpot: Play Here

Notably, Powerball draws occur three days per week. Numbers will get selected each Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday night at approximately 10:59 p.m. ET. Importantly, you have until exactly one hour prior to the draw to purchase your ticket(s).

Rules of Play

Now, let’s take a look at how to play the Powerball. It’s actually quite easy, even for beginners.

First, you should know that tickets can be purchased both online on the MI Lottery website and at retail locations (e.g., grocery store, convenient store, etc).

Next, let’s discuss cost. Regular Powerball tickets will run you just $2 a piece. However, it will cost you $3 per ticket if you elect to participate in the Power Play add-on feature—more on that in a bit.

You have two ways to go about creating your ticket: Automatically and manually. The former is when the terminal randomly picks your numbers for you, and the latter is when you choose your own numbers.

This is done by selecting five numbers from 1 to 69, as well as an additional figure from 1 to 26, which will serve as your Powerball number.

Lastly, you can decide whether or not to add the Power Play feature onto your ticket. In doing so, you will give yourself the chance to multiply any non-jackpot prize that you may potentially win. A number (2, 3, 4, 5, or 10) will be drawn just prior to the regular draw, this is the Power Play number.

This is how the Power Play affects your prize winnings:

Where to Find Powerball Results

Many beginners ask, where can I locate Powerball results ? There are a couple of ways, and both are equally as efficient.

The first way to find the results of a past Powerball draw is to watch via your local TV news station. Check out the listings below:

• Alpena: WBKB-TV 11 (CBS)
• Detroit: WDIV-TV 4 (NBC)
• Saginaw, Flint, Bay City, Midland: WNEM-TV 5 (CBS)
• Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Battle Creek: EWMT-TV (CW)
• Lansing: WLAJ-TV 53 (ABC)
• Marquette: WLUC-TV 6 (NBC)
• Traverse City, Sault Ste. Marie: WGTU-TV 29/WGTQ-TV 8 (ABC)
• Muskegon: WMKG-TV 40

Otherwise, you can always navigate to the MI Lottery website, where they post the results of all recent past draws.

Again, you must buy your Powerball ticket(s) ahead of the 9:59 p.m. ET deadline on Monday night in order to have a chance at winning the $975 million jackpot.

Sidelines Group provides MLive with original sports betting, lottery and casino content including odds, analysis, predictions and reviews to educate bettors. Please bet responsibly.

If you have a gambling problem and are located in Michigan, call 1-800-GAMBLER or contact the 24-hour helpline chat at http://www.michapg.com/treatment/ .

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Types of Writing Assignments

Narrative History

• Response Papers
• Creative Approaches
• Annotated Bibliographies
• Book Reviews
• Historiographic Essays
• Research Papers

Basic Considerations When Writing on History

• Cause and Effect
• Establishing a Broader Context
• Common Fallacies

Types of Sources

• Secondary Sources
• Primary Sources
• Fiction/Art/Poetry
• The Internet

Critical Reading

• Historiography
• Bias/Prejudice
• Evaluating Contradictory Data and Claims

Preparation and Writing

• Time Management
• Note-Taking Tips
• Developing a Thesis
• Organization
• Formulating a Conclusion

Basic Quoting Skills

• Quotation/Annotation
• Bibliographies
• Advanced Quoting Skills
• The Ethics of Quoting

Style and Editing

• Drafts and Revisions
• Common Stylistic Errors

Narrative history allows you to master the art of good storytelling that lies at the heart of most compelling history.

In a nutshell, narrative history asks you to tell a story: when, where, and (hopefully) why a certain event occurred, its larger significance or context, and who the important participants were. This is one of the more basic types of assignments you are likely to encounter, well-suited for (although not limited to) a short paper assignment.

Usually (in the context of a "W" class, for example) your professor has already covered the event. You have read about it and discussed it in class, and the assignment's objective is simply 1) to get you writing and, 2) to allow you to display, in writing, your mastery over the material.

Often - especially in a "W" course - the professor will ask you to limit your sources to those used in class, to use a system of annotation of his or her choosing, and to display basic quoting skills . Most likely, the professor will also require you to provide a "Works Cited"-page, or bibliography . (In the event that your professor asks you to access sources aside from those used in class, go to types of sources ).

Such an assignment will invariably require you to develop a thesis (a basic claim, or question, your paper seeks to prove or answer) and to formulate a conclusion . In between, in the main body of your paper, you will tell your story: what happened, when, and why.

Chart the foreign policy of Adolf Hitler from his appointment as German Chancellor in 1933 until the eve of World War II in 1939.

The events that marked the pre-WWII foreign policy of Nazi Germany, although complicated, are well-documented (they are listed below ). You will find them briefly explained in any standard textbook of European, World, or American history. Most likely, your professor expects you to introduce your topic, to establish a broader context , to place the relevant events into chronological order, to explain each one briefly, and to draw a conclusion.

A thesis, in the case of narrative history, can be modest: "The foreign policy pursued by the Nazi government under Adolf Hitler from 1933 to 1939 paved the way for World War II." A more ambitious thesis might add a statement along the following lines: "The unwillingness of the League of Nations or the United States to challenge Hitler's foreign policy may have emboldened him in his increasingly aggressive tactics. Ultimately these mutually reinforcing strategies culminated in the major confrontation that became World War II."

For more on this sample assignment, see Establishing a Broader Context .

• 1933 Hitler becomes Führer ("leader") of Germany; leaves the League of Nations.
• 1935 begins re-building the German navy and increasing troop strength of German army in violation of the Treaty of Versailles.
• 1936 Hitler remilitarizes the Rhineland, placed under French control for 20 years in 1919's Treaty of Versailles.
• 1936 Hitler signs the Rome-Berlin Axis Pact, creating an alliance with Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini.
• 1936-39 Along with Mussolini, Hitler aids Franco's Nationalists (the "falange") against the Republicans (or "Loyalists") in the Spanish Civil War.
• 1938 Hitler annexes Austria in the so-called Anschluss ("annexation").
• 1938 September, Britain and France appease Hitler by granting him the right to occupy the Sudetenland, an ethnic German-populated western province of Czechoslovakia; Hitler asserts that his territorial claims in Europe are satisfied.
• 1939 March, Hitler takes the rest of Czechoslovakia.
• 1939 September 1, Hitler attacks Poland.
• 1939 September 3, Britain and France declare war on Germany: World War II officially begins.

A new AI-powered tool could revolutionize how lawmakers are held accountable for insider trading

• A graduate school project could transform how lawmakers are held accountable for stock trades.
• PoliWatch, developed for a UC Berkeley capstone project, helps point researchers to misconduct.
• Still in its "private beta," its founders have yet to create a business plan for it.

A group of California-based graduate students has developed an AI-powered tool to catch congressional insider trading as soon as possible. Though in its infancy, the program could be a revolutionary way for journalists, researchers, and the general public to hold public officials accountable.

For their Fall 2023 master's capstone project at UC Berkeley, Mats Dodd, Aditya Shah, Jocelyn Thai, and Connor Yen came up with the idea for PoliWatch to see if insider trading is as prevalent of an issue in Congress as many perceive it to be.

"We dug into it and were really disappointed when we found that in the last decade, there's maybe been twelve successful investigations that have led to anything," Dodd told Business Insider, adding he believes that congressional ethics committees tend to sweep infractions "under the rug."

Shah explained that PoliWatch works by feeding its system publicly available congressional stock filings, hearing schedules, committee assignments, and sponsored travel.

"We're basically contextualizing stock transactions with key information such as committee assignments, sponsored legislation, and our team of investigative experts to identify suspicious activities with ease," Shah said, noting that the tool was already able to identify when lawmakers made questionable COVID-related trades during the pandemic, which the Department of Justice investigated in 2020.

"We really see this tool as almost being like putting a magnifying glass on what's happening and letting the people see what's actually going on because it's crazy," Dodd said.

Robert Maguire, the research director at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, is thrilled about the new tool's potential use cases.

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"If I'm understanding correctly with this can do, it is going to potentially revolutionize the public and journalist's ability to track the stock trades and ownership of members of Congress," Maguire said.

PoliWatch is in a "private beta" period as the project lacks outside financial support. At the moment, keeping it up and online costs the team around $500 a month. Shah said the team still plans to update and improve the product, but it's not anyone's full-time job — they haven't even incorporated a business yet for PoliWatch.

Another reason the project isn't publicly available yet is how young it is. Dodd said that for now, the team wants "a human in the loop in any outputs of our model because we want people with expertise in this area to vet information" and not have the data misconstrued.

Shah added that looking ahead, they'd like to expand PoliWatch's reach beyond congressional transactions to promote corporate accountability as well.

Congress' thorny trading history

As Business Insider's far-reaching "Conflicted Congress" investigation found in 2021, lawmakers regularly violate the federal Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act with little consequence. Many members of Congress own shares of companies that overlap with their committee assignments.

Public sentiment toward members of Congress and their families trading stocks came to a head at the end of 2021 when then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi came out against banning the practice in a press conference.

A 2022 poll from Data for Progress found that 70% of likely voters supported a ban on congressional stock trading, with just under half saying it would make them more likely to vote for a candidate if they supported a ban.

Though bipartisan anti-congressional trading bills have been introduced in recent years, none have been brought to a vote on the House or Senate floor.

Dodd said he sees PoliWatch as a way to try and restore confidence in congressional transparency.

"In terms of building public trust and faith in the people running our country, it's at all-time lows," he said. "This could be a big boost to bring that up."

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The Key Bridge was named after the national anthem’s author.

Francis Scott Key was believed to be near the site when he observed a British bombardment during the War of 1812.

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By Jin Yu Young

• March 26, 2024

The Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed after being struck by a cargo ship early Tuesday, was named after the American lawyer who wrote the lyrics of the national anthem. Construction of the bridge started in 1972 and was completed in March 1977.

Plans for the bridge began in the early 1970s, after traffic inundated the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, through which Interstate 895 crosses the harbor. When the bridge opened, The New York Times reported that construction costs had totaled $141 million, which is roughly $735 million in today’s dollars.

More than 12.4 million passenger and commercial vehicles crossed the bridge in 2023, according to a Maryland state government report .

The bridge itself spans 1.6 miles over the Patapsco River, but the crossing’s overall structure, including its connecting approaches, is almost 11 miles long. As part of Interstate 695, it is the outermost of three major crossings of the Baltimore Harbor.

Francis Scott Key was believed to be near the site of the future bridge in 1814 when he observed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry, where he served as quartermaster, during the War of 1812. The battle inspired Mr. Key to write a poem called “The Defense of Fort M’Henry” that would later be set to the music of a popular British tune and renamed “The Star-Spangled Banner.” It became the national anthem in 1931.

After the bridge opened to the public, parts of it underwent renovation several times, including a $14 million project in 1986 to repair damage, improve safety and restore the bridge’s appearance.

Jin Yu Young reports on South Korea, the Asia Pacific region and global breaking news from Seoul. More about Jin Yu Young