National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Connect with Us

[Graphic] Teaching with Historic Places logo

Teaching with Historic Places

Heritage Education Services Program

Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) uses properties listed in the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places to enliven history, social studies, geography, civics, and other subjects. TwHP has created a variety of products and activities that help teachers bring historic places into the classroom.


Philanthropy in America

To recognize the philanthropic efforts of some of America's wealthiest individuals, Teaching with Historic Places has posted on the web the following complete lesson plans that highlight how their various contributions impacted American society. Created by National Park Service interpreters, preservation professionals, and educators, these lessons are free and ready for immediate classroom use by students in history and social studies classes.

• Carnegie Libraries: The Future Made Bright
Discover how and why industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie chose libraries to be among his greatest benefactions to the U.S., and assess the impact of libraries on American society.

• Iron Hill School: An African-American One-Room School
Discover how an early 20th-century philanthropist reformed Delaware's education system for African-American children.

• Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site: Monument to the Gilded Age
Discover how the Vanderbilts became one of the wealthiest families in America and how their lifestyle influenced business, culture, architecture, and society in ways that still affect us today.

 
To learn more about TwHP's other lessons, visit the Lesson Plan Descriptions page.