Traveling the National Road: A National Park Service Curriculum Based Education Program.

In 1805, a U.S. Senate committee urged the building of a road that would connect the eastern United States with the western United States. The road came to be known as the National Road (or Cumberland Road). It began in Cumberland, Maryland, and eventually reached to Vandalia, Illinois. It was the first and only U.S. road built entirely with federal funds. This curriculum-based packet is designed to provide teachers with background information and suggested classroom activities. It concentrates on the National Road between the years 1806-1853, the period of its construction and greatest prosperity. The packet contains six units, each with general objectives. The objectives are listed on the teacher sheet in each unit. Each unit in the packet contains a teacher sheet, a student sheet, and two or more activity sheets. The teacher sheets contain the unit objectives; materials needed; background information; suggested questions, activities, and sites that can be visited; and answers for the activity sheets. The student sheets contain relevant background data needed to complete the activity sheets; thought questions; and additional research topics. A glossary, site resource list, and an evaluation form are provided at the end of the packet. (BT)