Travel Opportunity:

Explore 250 Years of American History with NCGE – June 21–28, 2026

Join the National Council for Geographic Education for a 7-day immersive journey through some of the most significant locations that shaped the United States. From Fort Ticonderoga and Lake George to Saratoga, New Netherland, Albany, and the Mohawk Valley, participants will engage directly with historic sites, museums, scholars, and archivists while reflecting on America’s 250th anniversary through a geographic and multi-perspective lens.

The program fee includes lodging, most meals, museum and site entrance fees, group dinners, local transportation, and daily snacks and beverages. Travelers are responsible only for transportation to/from Albany, select dinners, and personal incidentals.

Experience history where it happened—learn, explore, and commemorate with NCGE in 2026.

Additional Information Found HERE

Travel Experience Scholarship Application  (Google Doc)

Travel Experience Scholarship Application  (pdf)

Travel Experience Scholarship Application  (docx)

#USVa250 Professional Learning Series

In December, 2025 the VGA Steering Committee approved the establishment of the #USVa250 Professional Learning Series and committed $25,000 ($100/year since the American Revolutionary War) towards K12 professional learning opportunities and resources. These programs and resources will assist  with the teaching, learning, and contextualizing of the American Revolution through a geo-historical lens.

The United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia are in the midst of recognizing and commemorating 250 years since the occurrence of the events, and episodes of the  American Revolutionary War and the creation of the United States of America.

Webinar Video Series

The First Continental Congress

The interplay between geography and history is essential to understanding the events and episodes that shaped the first 250 years of the United States.  This webinar will introduce teachers to the power of using short classroom-ready GeoInquiries tailored to early US history topics.   These free dynamic activities bring the geography of these events to life while also introducing teachers and students to the power of geographic information.  Topics covered will include:  The American Revolution, Early European Exploration, The Protestant Reformation, and The 13 English Colonies.

*This webinar is part 1 of the 3 part series support by The Virginia Geographic Alliance, Virginia Council for History Education, and Esri.  Parts 2 and 3 will provide overviews of GeoInquiries that cover 19th century and 20th century US history topics.

Click to here to access a list of classroom  recommended GeoInquiries for teaching US History by time period (Early American, 19th, and 20th centuries).


The First Continental Congress met in September 1774, a gathering of delegates from 12 of the 13 American colonies that convened in Philadelphia to discuss the future of America. Join Joanne Freeman (Yale University), acclaimed professor specializing in the political history of revolutionary and early federal periods of US history, for a discussion of the impact of the First Continental Congress on 18th-century Americans and its legacy today. (Video courtesy of the National Council for History Education)

This webinar is part 3 of a 3 part series supported by The Virginia Geographic Alliance, Virginia Council for History Education, and Esri.

Click to here to access a list of classroom  recommended GeoInquiries for teaching US History by time period (Early American, 19th, and 20th centuries).


In this webinar, we will explore the experiences of Loyalists during the American Revolution, focusing on the choices they faced. When we center Loyalists, we can begin to see the ways that the American Revolution split families and communities. We will also explore some of the ways Loyalists have been memorialized and what they can reveal about how Americans have interpreted and reinterpreted the American Revolution.

Katie Schinabeck is a public historian and museum professional with interests in memory of the American Revolution and digital history. Schinabeck holds a PhD in Public History from NC State University and currently works as a Digital Content Researcher & Producer at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

TIn 1775, Lord Dunmore, the royal governor of Virginia, issued a proclamation that offered freedom to enslaved people who left their enslavers and joined the British army. Although the proclamation was only applicable in Virginia, Dunmore‘s edict had sweeping consequences on free and enslaved populations across the colonies. Join Noeleen McIlvenna, Wright State University professor who specializes in early American history, for a conversation about Dunmore, his proclamation, and the impact of his words.

Dr. Noeleen McIlvenna grew up in an era of great consternation — The Troubles in Northern Ireland. She now teaches colonial American History at Wright State University, Dayton OH, including graduate level courses on the American Revolution. She specializes in the southern colonies and has published three books on the colonial era since receiving her PhD from Duke University. (Video courtesy of the National Council for History Education)

*This webinar is part 2 of a 3 part series supported by The Virginia Geographic Alliance, Virginia Council for History Education, and Esri.  Parts 3 will provide overviews of GeoInquiries that cover 20th century US history topics.

Click to here to access a list of classroom  recommended GeoInquiries for teaching US History by time period (Early American, 19th, and 20th centuries).