Historical Thinking Matters

Welcome to Historical Thinking Matters, a website focused on key topics in U.S. history, that is designed to teach students how to critically read primary sources and how to critique and construct historical narratives. Read how to use this site.

Student Investigations

Four investigations of central topics from post-civil war U.S. history, with activities that foster historical thinking and encourage students to form reasoned conclusions about the past

Why Historical Thinking Matters

An introduction to the site's approach using documents to explore conflicting accounts of the 1775 Lexington Green skirmish

Teacher Materials & Strategies

Resources for instructors, pre-service teachers and teacher-educators offering classroom materials and strategies, examples of student and teacher work, and supplementary sources