Growth and Struggle in the Early Republic

Foreign Policy Choices in the Early Republic

This cluster focuses on the foreign policy decisions of the Early Republic with regard to France, Great Britain, and Haiti and focuses on how these decisions shaped the nation’s future. As the United States began its history as a sovereign nation, its leaders needed to make decisions about relationships with other nations following different priorities. The foreign policy decisions made by the leaders of the Early Republic reveal their interests, including citizens, the economy, and security. Students work to understand how and why these choices were made, who had the power to make them, and how the decisions impacted other groups of people.

Expansion’s Impact on Indigenous Peoples

In this cluster, students continue to examine the impacts of American expansion during the Early Republic. These lessons focus on the Cherokee and Shawnee Nations, their sovereignty, and how U.S. encroachment impacted them. Students are asked to bring a critical eye to sources and work to identify the different groups’ points of view on events, including the War of 1812, the Indian Removal Act, and the Trail of Tears. Students participate in a Gallery Walk, watch video clips, interact with primary sources, and use informational texts to identify actions, responses, and cause-and-effect relationships.

Building the Early Republic's Economy: Enslavement and Labor

In this cluster, students grapple with the reality of a labor system based on the enslavement of human beings and the enormous profits it brought to the nation in concert with full recognition of the humanity of the people who endured it. Key lessons focus on the resistance of free and enslaved African Americans who were profoundly affected by the territorial and economic growth of the United States. Students are introduced to additional industries and workers of the Early Republic through a set of research-based activities. Students experience the diverse voices of people who contributed to the growth of the Early Republic and work to analyze the interconnectedness of the economic ecosystem of the nation and the lives of the people who worked within it.