Teaching American History is now accepting applications for its 2026 Fall Teacher Seminars. These multi-day professional development opportunities bring teachers from across the country together for deep study of primary sources, faculty-led discussion, and visits to major historic sites.
Each seminar is free to attend. Teaching American History covers hotel and meals and provides a $600 travel stipend for accepted participants. Teachers are encouraged to apply early, as space is limited.
2026 Fall Seminar Options
Political Crises of the 1970s
September 11-13
Historic Site: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
Focus: Vietnam, Watergate, presidential resignation, domestic crises, and the long-term impact of the 1970s on American government.
American Massacre: What Mob Violence Can Teach Us
September 25-27
Historic Site: Greenwood Rising
Focus: Mob violence in American history, with particular attention to anti-Black violence over the last 150 years.
The Federalists: Washington, Hamilton, and Adams
October 2-4
Historic Site: Adams National Historical Park
Focus: The Federalist era, the early republic, and the creation of American political identity.
Japanese Internment and the American Experience
October 2-4
Historic Site: Heart Mountain WWII Japanese American Confinement Site
Focus: Japanese internment, citizenship, immigration, war, racism, and civil liberties during World War II.
Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence
October 9-11
Historic Site: National Constitution Center and Independence Hall National Historical Park
Focus: Jefferson’s major writings, including the Declaration of Independence, religious freedom, and education.
Hamilton v. Jefferson
October 16-18
Historic Site: George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Focus: The rise of political parties and the competing visions of Hamilton and Jefferson.
Women and the New Industrial Order
October 16-18
Historic Site: Asilomar Origins Tour
Focus: Progressive-era women and their influence on American civic life.
A New South: Industrialism and Race in the Postbellum South
November 6-8
Historic Site: Sloss Furnace National Historic Landmark
Focus: Industrialism, race, and the meaning of the “New South” after the Civil War.
Abraham Lincoln, Race, and the New Birth of Freedom
November 6-8
Historic Site: Lincoln Home and Presidential Museum
Focus: Lincoln’s speeches and writings on emancipation, race, the Civil War, and Reconstruction.
LBJ: Lessons in Presidential Transitions
November 13-15
Historic Site: Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library
Focus: President Johnson’s transition after the assassination of President Kennedy and his early actions as president.
Application Information
Applications are open now. Teachers interested in attending should review the seminar options and apply through Teaching American History. These seminars are a strong opportunity for social studies educators seeking content-rich professional development, classroom resources, and connections with teachers from across the country.
