Past Institutes

Texas History: Spanish Texas through the Civil War

On October 14, 2011, Humanities Texas and the Texas State Historical Association held a one-day workshop in Houston for Texas history teachers covering Spanish Texas through the Civil War.

Curriculum

The workshop explored topics including Spanish Texas, the Mexican national period, the Republic of Texas, early statehood, women in nineteenth-century Texas, and Texas during the Civil War. Content was aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), with particular emphasis on newly added or revised standards.

Fifty-four teachers attended the workshop. The workshop featured close interaction with scholars, the examination of primary sources, and the development of effective pedagogical strategies and engaging assignments and activities. The program was designed ultimately to enhance teachers’ mastery of the subjects they teach and to improve students’ performance on state assessments. Teachers received books and other instructional materials.

Faculty

Workshop faculty included former state historian J. Francisco de la Teja (Texas State University), Walter J. Buenger (Texas A&M University), Gregg Cantrell (Texas Christian University), Stephanie Cole (The University of Texas at Arlington), Caroline Castillo Crimm (Sam Houston State University), and Richard McCaslin (University of North Texas).

Program Resources

Our October/November 2011 newsletter included a slideshow of images from the workshop.

Location and Schedule

The workshop overview details the program's schedule and participants.

Sponsors

The workshop was made possible with major funding from the state of Texas and the We the People initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as support from Houston Independent School District.