ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

The 366 entries range from momentous (e.g., the New York City Civil War draft riots) to culturally significant (e.g., the opening of Disneyland). Each entry is followed by two differentiated close-reading questions. For example, the entry on FDR’s May 27th declaration of a state of emergency (1941) is followed by questions about the Lend-Lease Act and isolationists, and the June 16th entry describing the opening of America’s first roller coaster includes a question about whether leisure time was a byproduct of the Industrial Revolution. The activities promote higher-order critical thinking, reading for information, and historical analysis, and can be used with the entire class or for independent study. Aligned to Common Core State Standards.