El Paso and the Oldest Mission in Texas

Abstract:: The purpose of this lesson is to have students understand the reasons for Spanish settlement of the El Paso valley in Texas, events that transpired there, and what life was like for Indians and Spanish settlers. Students will work in cooperative groups to view examples of rock art, research the culture that produced it, and write a short, guided essay describing the rock art's origins.

No Strings Attached

Lincoln's Spot Resolutions

Abstract:: This lesson provides background information and lessons (correlated to academic standards) that incorporate the use of textbooks, maps, and discussions based on primary documents such as the U.S. Constitution. In this lesson students will examine the declaration of war with Mexico and the protests of those who opposed this act. They will also explore protesters of conscience against wars other than the Mexican War.

Read the Fine Print

Abstract:: The Robert Runyon Photograph Collection of the South Texas Border Area, a collection of over 8,000 items, is a unique visual resource documenting the Lower Rio Grande Valley during the early 1900s. Donated by the Runyon family to the Center for American History in 1986, it includes glass negatives, lantern slides, nitrate negatives, prints, and postcards, representing the life's work of commercial photographer Robert Runyon (1881-1968), a longtime resident of South Texas. His photographs document the history and development of South Texas and the border, including the Mexican Revolution, the U.S. military presence at Fort Brown and along the border prior to and during World War I, and the growth and development of the Rio Grande Valley.