Students post with their teacher in front of a marker at Gettysburg.

Class field trip sponsored by the Trust's Field Trip Fund.

Free Resources for Educators

Welcome National Council for the Social Studies Conference Attendees!

The American Battlefield Trust is a proud sponsor of the NCSS Conference!

As a social studies educator, we know you can make a big impression when it comes to helping young Americans to care about the history. We are thrilled to help by providing you a wealth of free material on American history – focusing on the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the Civil War. Your students will be the ones to decide how we remember these conflicts and whether we preserve the sites that shaped the history of our nation, so please be in touch it there is anything we can do to support your work.

The Civil War Traditional Curriculum

The American Battlefield Trust's Traditional Curriculum is an outstanding resource for educators. Designed for use in classrooms from grade levels 3-12, this set of nine standards-based lesson plans, and one final exam, was developed by teachers and the American Battlefield staff for students at the Elementary, Middle and High School level. Explore the lessons ›

The Civil War Inquiry Curriculum

The American Battlefield Trust's Inquiry Curriculum is an outstanding resource for educators. Designed for use in classrooms from grade levels 6-12, this set of eight standards-based lesson plans and three optional lessons were developed by teachers and the American Battlefield staff for students at the Middle and High School level. The Civil War Inquiry Curriculum turns your students into the historian. Explore the lessons >

Illustration of the southern part of the United States

Videos

The most versatile tool in the Trust's education arsenal is the suite of high-quality video series produced by the Trust and housed on our website and YouTube channel and Vimeo channel. Our series include: Animated Maps, mini-documentaries of the wars of America's first century; Battlefield U to tackle commonly asked questions; In4 Minutes, covering short and compelling subjects; Virtual Reality, an immersive storytelling approach to combat; and Your State in the Civil War.

This is an image of Civil War Era currency.

Traveling Trunk

By far our most popular education program, the Civil War Traveling Trunk program provides reproduction artifacts, books, music, and other various materials for teachers to utilize during their Civil War instruction, allowing students to have a hands-on experience. Teachers will receive the trunk, which we ship to your school at no cost to you, for one full school week. Reserve it for your classroom today ›

The Field Trip Fund

When students are able to engage with history on battlefields, at museums, or other historic sites, it makes an indelible impact on them for years to come. Our Field Trip Fund is designed to get students from the school classrooms out and onto battlefield classrooms. Our fund has helped to fund more than 400 trips, which in turn, sent more than 32,000 students and teachers to historic sites. Apply for a grant to cover up to $1,500 of your next field trip and get your kids out on the battlefield where their imaginations can take over. Apply for funding ›

A painting of a forces engaging at the Civil War Battle of Atlanta

Crash Courses

We know that the Revolutionary War and Civil War can seem like overwhelming topics to tackle, but don’t fret. We've broken down these topics down into easily digestible sections for those of you who are looking for just enough information to be dangerous about the topic to those who are seeking to become the next leading historian. Pick that option that works best for your schedule to get started on your crash courses in the Revolutionary War or Civil War today!

National Teacher Institute

Our annual National Teacher Institute has been the standard for professional educator development in the history field, for the last nineteen years. Through lectures, interactive workshops, and on-site tours—the National Teacher Institute has changed the lives of almost 3,000 teachers and some 3,000,000 students. By providing first-class programs to educators, we will ultimately have a long-lasting and positive impact on each and every student with which they engage. American Battlefield Trust professional development events will help you enrich your Civil War instruction and earn a continuing education certificate. Register for the event ›

This is a photograph of tourists gathering in Gettysburg.

Great Task

History can do more than instruct; it can also inspire. The “Great Task” Youth Leadership Program is for student, school, or youth groups in grade levels 7 to 12, looking for intensive leadership and character-building experiences. This award-winning program is a joint partnership between Gettysburg National Military Park, and the American Battlefield Trust and offered July through October for student and youth organizations looking for something more than the traditional field trip experience. Apply for Great Task ›

This is a painting of Washington Crossing the Delaware.

Other Educational Resources

From biographies of historical figured to scholarly articles and battle pages, we have a treasure trove of resources for educators and history buffs alike. Learn how to cite the American Battlefield Trust on your next history paper, or hone your history skills on our quiz pages. The American Battlefield Trust website is your one-stop-shop for all things related to the first 100 years of American history. Browse Other Educational Materials ›