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Course Overview

This is an introductory episode to a two-part course, examining how George Washington's leadership established enduring precedents influencing generations of leaders.

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Voices of the Past: Robert Mursh

Our knowledge of early Virginia’s Indigenous peoples often relies on sources created by colonizers. Much of what is known about Robert Mursh does not come from his own accounts but from the occasions when he crossed paths with colonial institutions. Using these primary sources offers a deeper understanding of the lives of Indigenous peoples in colonial times.

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Voices of the Past: Women

Accounts of the lives of Black people in early America rarely capture their own voices, especially in the case of the enslaved. Using primary sources allows analysis through case studies to understand the role of Black people in Colonial Williamsburg.

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Planting the Seeds: 1600-1705

From 1600 to 1705, colonial Virginia’s economy, evolving political institutions, and entrenched social order laid the groundwork for Williamsburg’s future role in the American Revolution.

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Inventing the Presidency Promo

A promotional video for the ClassSpark course George Washington: Inventing the Presidency

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From 1699 to 1780, Williamsburg stood at the crossroads of colonial life. In the decades that followed, it had a huge influence on American democracy and governance.

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Harvesting Liberty: 1775-1781

Between 1775 and 1781, Virginia and Williamsburg helped turn revolutionary ideals into functioning systems of self-government.

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In the Classroom: Madison and the First Amendment

In 1791, Congress adopted the First Amendment, a cornerstone of the Constitution shaped by James Madison’s commitment to protecting essential American liberties. This Classroom Application episode is designed to accompany and enhance Advice To My Country: Madison and The First Amendment.

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In The Classroom: Fact-Checking the Revolution

Evaluating information and identifying reliable sources supports the core values of republican government and informed citizenship. This Classroom Application episode is designed to accompany and enhance Advice To My Country: Republicanism, Representation, & Civic Virtue.

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Meals, Meetings, and Merriment

What people ate in Colonial Williamsburg, how they made it, and with whom, shows how cultures collided, blended, and adapted – shaping new traditions one meal at a time.

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Advice To My Country: Revolutionary Roots

Long before American independence, Williamsburg was already at the center of political life in Virginia. Explore how this area became a place for people to come together, to question, and chart a way forward.

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Ideas Bloom: 1773-1775

From 1773 to 1775, Williamsburg’s citizens took bold steps – through committees, boycotts, protests, and pamphlets – that helped unite the colonies and spark rebellion against British rule.

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Ideas Take Root: 1754-1767

Virginia and Williamsburg had a huge impact on the American Revolution, as conflicts over land, taxation, and political rights turned loyal colonists into leaders of resistance against British rule.

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Course Overview

Written near his death, James Madison’s sealed letter reveals insights into the early republic and the influential role Virginia and Williamsburg played in shaping it.

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Advice To My Country: Republicanism, Representation, and Civic Virtue

The Virginia Declaration of Rights set forth principles of liberty while asking, could the new republic endure, or would it collapse like so many before it? Explore the early foundations of the new American republic.

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In the Classroom: In Pursuit of Freedom

In the revolutionary era, slavery stood as a central paradox in a nation founded on liberty. A contradiction revealed in surviving records, including historic ads written by enslavers. This Classroom Application episode is designed to accompany and enhance Advice To My Country: Slavery & Freedom.

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Advice To My Country: The First Amendment

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1791. Take a closer look at how Virginia, Williamsburg, and James Madison played a role in the foundation of the Bill of Rights.

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Advice To My Country: Federalism

From the first revolutionary protests to the drafting of the Constitution, Americans wrestled with sovereignty and the shape of a new nation. Explore both sides of the federalism debate.

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Advice To My Country: Promo

Trace the origins of the republic and the pivotal influence of Virginia and Williamsburg in the early development of the United States.

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Advice To My Country: Slavery and Freedom

In colonial Virginia, slavery shaped every aspect of society and underpinned its leadership in the Revolution. Examine how colonists who cried for liberty also enslaved others.

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Introduction to Colonial Williamsburg

Williamsburg, colonial capital of Virginia, played a pivotal role in the American Revolution. Its rich history continues to shape our understanding of America’s early ideals.

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Advice To My Country: Foundations of Independence

Thomas Jefferson described the Declaration of Independence as expressing the “American mind,” drawing on political and philosophical traditions that influenced the nation’s formation. Explore the role of philosophy in the foundation of a new nation.

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Echoes of the Past

Colonial Williamsburg preserves the past as a living city, inviting visitors to walk its streets, confront the complexities of revolutionary America, and carry its lessons into the future.

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In the Classroom: Constitutional Debates

Early debates between Federalists and Anti-Federalists shaped the United States Constitution and continue to influence American political life today. This Classroom Application episode is designed to accompany and enhance Advice To My Country: Federalism.

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In the Classroom: From Debate to Declaration

In 1776, core political ideals and rising tensions shaped the Founders’ decision to declare independence from Britain. This Classroom Application episode is designed to accompany and enhance Advice To My Country: Foundations of Independence.

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Voices of the Past: Ashby Family

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Government & Religion

Government, law, and religion in Colonial Williamsburg were intertwined, with British rule shaping politics, courts enforcing laws, and the Anglican Church dominating society.

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In Colonial Virginia, children were at the heart of daily life. But a child’s experiences in the 18th century were shaped by their social status in a deeply unequal, hierarchical society.

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Whether laboring in bondage or engaging in business, a woman’s race, class, and legal status in Colonial Williamsburg shaped the roles society allowed – or denied – her.

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From indentured servants and apprentices to enslaved people, unfree labor was the engine of the colonial economy. including in Virginia and Colonial Williamsburg.

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Commerce and Social Structure

Colonial Williamsburg thrived on trade, tobacco, and social hierarchy, where commerce linked all classes – and consumer choices helped drive Virginia toward revolution.

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Economy of Colonial Virginia

Tobacco transformed Virginia into Britain’s most powerful colony, shaping its economy, society, and conflicts through enslaved labor, settlement, and international trade.

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Indigenous Voices

During colonial times, the Indigenous peoples of Virginia, faced a changing world as English settlers arrived, leading to conflict, adaptation, and cultural resilience.

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Course Overview

From 1699 to 1780, Williamsburg stood at the crossroads of colonial life. In the decades that followed, it had a huge influence on American democracy and governance.

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Setting the Stage

On April 14th, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln attended a comedy at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. The events that took place that night reflected the ongoing divisions of the American Civil War.

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Minute-by-Minute

Follow the tragic events of April 14, 1865, as President Abraham Lincoln and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth's journey toward their fateful meeting at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.

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Material Matters

George Washington’s familial home, Mount Vernon, is a rich source of material culture that provides teachers with meaningful opportunities to help students learn from historical artifacts.

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Virtual Field Trip: George Washington's Study

By exploring George Washington’s study at Mount Vernon, the first president’s historic home, teachers can help students connect his private world to the public legacy he left behind.

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Farewell Address Part 2: Jigsaw Strategy

George Washington’s Farewell Address is a valuable primary source that offers teachers effective strategies , like the Jigsaw Strategy, for helping students explore its content and enduring impact.

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Farewell Address Part 1: Close Reading

George Washington’s Farewell Address is a valuable primary source that offers teachers effective strategies, including Close Reading, to help students explore its content and enduring impact.

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Foreign Affairs

George Washington shaped American foreign policy through treaties, neutrality, and diplomacy – asserting executive power and setting enduring precedents for leadership in international affairs.

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Farewell Address

George Washington’s Farewell Address and decision not to seek a third term defined the presidency through restraint, national unity, and the peaceful transfer of power.

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A Lasting Legacy

George Washington’s leadership guided the United States through its formative years and established many of the enduring principles and practices that continue to define the presidency today.

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Life in Philadelphia

Before Washington, D.C. became the capital, George Washington led the presidency from New York and Philadelphia – a lasting reminder that leadership is shaped not only by people, but by place.

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Domestic Crisis

As the first President, George Washington navigated domestic crises including economic upheaval and rebellion, setting lasting precedents for federal authority and fiscal leadership.

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Forming the Cabinet

George Washington created the first presidential Cabinet, promoting open debate and setting a lasting precedent for collaborative executive leadership in the United States.

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Inventing The Presidency

As the first president, George Washington established enduring precedents that defined the executive office and set a lasting standard for leadership. Take a closer look at how this reluctant leader helped shape a new nation and its highest office.

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Path to the Presidency

George Washington’s early life, military service, and steady, collaborative leadership style made him the right man in the right place at the right time to shape a new nation.

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Behind the Curtain

In 1865, Ford’s Theatre became the scene of a historic tragedy – the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. But this was no spontaneous act of violence – it was the grisly climax of a conspiracy against the Union.

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On April 14th, 1865, with the United States in the grips of civil war, two men went about their business in Washington, D.C. – one the President of the United States, the other his would-be assailant.

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In the wake of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, the largest manhunt in American history took place, as Secretary of War Edwin Stanton coordinated efforts to locate John Wilkes Booth.

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A Nation Mourns

In the hours, days and weeks after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, the nation descended into mourning, with Lincoln’s funeral and Ford’s Theatre becoming the focus of national grief.

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In 1865, conspirators involved in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln were apprehended and put on trial in a military tribunal that sparked significant debates over the nature of American justice.

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A Lasting Legacy

The assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865 had long-term impacts on American politics, civil rights, and Ford’s Theatre itself, now a living monument dedicated to Lincoln's legacy.

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Jake Flack, Deputy Director of Education at Ford's Theatre, is joined by Educator, Dr. Giani Clarkson, to explore how place call tell the story of a pivotal moment or moments, making historical events tangible, personal, and more engaging for students.

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The Power of Oratory

Victoria Reinsel, Master Teaching Artist at Ford’s Theatre, presents the Four-Part Framework—speech analysis, public speaking, writing and editing, and civic engagement—enhanced by powerful tools like Podium Points, Warm and Cool Feedback, the Rhetorical Triangle, and the Actor’s Approach.

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Memorialization

Jake Flack, Deputy Director of Education at Ford's Theatre, is joined by Educator, Angelo Parodi to explore how memorials and memorialization can be powerful tools in the classroom.

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A promotional film exploring Lincoln's assassination and legacy through a two-part ClassSpark course, featuring expert insights and actionable teaching strategies.

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Course Overview

A short introduction to the ClassSpark Lincoln: Assassination and Legacy Teacher Professional Development Course.

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