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Helpful Links

 General History

  • Library of Congress
    The Library of Congress homepage is a gateway to lesson plans and primary resources for students and teachers of all grades.
  • History Matters
    Designed for high school and college teachers and students of U.S. history survey courses, this site serves as a gateway to web resources and offers unique teaching materials, first-person primary documents, and guides to analyzing historical evidence.
  • Cable in the Classroom
    Outlines the use and benefits of having cable in the classroom, including lesson ideas, downloadable program listings, and even online videos. It also includes a helpful "Copyright & Recording Guidelines" page which explains fair use in terms of watching and/or recording from cable TV.
  • Veterans History Project
    This intergenerational streaming media project, in partnership with the Library of Congress, is intended to preserve and honor the oral histories of Americans, bringing communities and schools together in an unparalleled civic pursuit - a project-based learning experience that is immeasurable in its scope.
  • School House Rock
    Lyrics to songs from School House Rock videos, with links to downloadable iTunes versions of each song.
  • Kids.gov
    Easily navigable kids portal to government websites and resources.  Links are organized by age range (Grades K-5, Grades 6-8) and topic. There is also a page for educators.
  • American History
    About.com page for American History which includes links to blogs and other helpful websites.
  • HistoryTeacher.net
    Acclaimed history teacher's website which includes links to resources, topics, and activities in secondary U.S. and world history.
  • Best of History Web Sites
    This is a site of best history sites compiled by EdTechTeacher.org. Includes, articles, lesson plans, and resource sites such as the Library of Congress.
  • American History Lesson Plans
    Lesson Plans and activities from Tennessee's Mountain City Elementary. Organized topically, with descriptions, quizzes, and some photos of completed activities.
  • They Made America
    This complementing website to the four-part television series on PBS, offers a glimpse into the lives American inventors such as Samuel Insull, Thomas Edison, and Clarence Birdseye. Includes profiles of many inventors, a timeline, and a teacher's guide.
  • Breaking Records, Breaking Barriers
    Designed to complement a current exhibition at the National Museum of American History, this fine online exhibit explores some of those individuals whose contributions to American sport have intersected with other broader historical developments, including racial equality, the spirit of invention, and other trends. Includes an online exhibition and review games for students.
  • Smithsonian Folkways
    Database of folk music that can be purchased and used in the classroom.  Includes lesson plans for teaching about other cultures and sub-cultures through folk music in elementary and secondary social studies classrooms.
  • Freedom: A History of Us
    Teacher's portion of the website for the PBS program of the same title. Includes a historical primer, teaching index, teaching guides, workshop videos, an image browser, and an index of webisodes that can be shown in the classroom.
  • American Memory Collection
    The Library of Congress'online archive of primary source materials dealing with American history that may be downloaded and used in the classroom. Browse by collection topic or search for particalr terms.
  • National Archives Exhibits
    Index of the National Archives' current online exhibits, with links to primary source documents and teaching resources specific to each one.
  • The History Place
    Resource guide to U.S. and World History with summaries, essays, and primary sources. 
  • New Jersey Council for History Education
    Provides a list of links to important historical organizations, museums, presidential libraries, and other helpful resources.
  • Spartacus Educational
    Online archive of articles and resources on various aspects of world history, including several topics in US history (Civil Rights Movement, the American West, US Political figures, and the World Wars, etc.).

Pictures

  • History Images
    Links to galleries of historical images including the Founding Fathers, American cities, sports, coins, and WWII.
  • The USDA History Collection Image Gallery
    This page contains links to selected photographs, drawings, maps and other graphic images from the collection at Special Collections of the National Agricultural Library.

Maps

  • Free Blank Outline Maps of the Countries and Continents of the World
    An entire page of free maps just waiting to be downloaded, including all of the countries and continents. Just clink on the map for the printable version. A warning: You might have to play around a bit with printing format, but it is an excellent source.
  • Theodora.com
    This is another source of world maps. This one isn't quite as user friendly as the first, but it has some good stuff. Just clink on the banner under each map and it will give you instructions on how to download.
  • The Teacher's Corner
    Free, printable outline maps from TheTeachersCorner.net. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.)
  • Teacheroz.com
    Scroll down to the "maps" heading to find links to U.S. history maps.

Online Encyclopedias

  • Wikipedia
    free, online encyclopedia compiled by users.
  • Questia
    Searchable online database of print books and journals available online for free.
  • Project Gutenberg Online
    Free online e-book database of converted print materials that are in the public domain.

Professional Development

  • LOC Teacher Page
    Library of Congress page for teachers with excellent online one-hour modules on: Copyright and Primary Sources; Analyzing Primary Sources: Photographs & Prints; Analyzing Primary Sources: Maps; and Finding Primary Sources. You can print out a certificate with hours for PD credit upon completion of each module.
  • Learners Online
    Offers free online lessons each week, generally for secondary grades, and also a publishes a monthly online newsletter of educational resources which requires a paid subscription.
  • Alabama Learning Exchange
    Operated by the Alabama State Dept. of Education, the site offers the AL Course of Study, lesson plans, and links to professional and classroom resources on the web.

Miscellaneous Topics

Alabama History

African American History

Hispanic-American History

American Indian History

  • AmericanIndian.net
    Contains maps of American Indian tribal lands in North and Central America
  • Native Visions of the Natural World
    Carnegie Museum of Natural History exhibit website covering the Tlingit, Hopi, Iroquois, and Lakota tribes' differing visions of the natural world.
  • Native American Interdisciplinary Educational Unit
    Social Studies unit plan for grades 2-4 which introduces students to American Indian cultures and seeks to combat negative fictional stereotypes.
  • American Indian Links
    Links to articles, books, and teaching resources on American Indian groups from Scholastic.com
  • Native Pre-Contact Housing
    Maps and pictures of pre-contact American Indian housing in North and Central America, with links to information about the specific tribes who built them.
  • Native Web
    Resources page with links to maps of tribal and reservation lands in North America.
  • American Indian Units
    List of ideas and resources for elementary social studies unit on American Indian history posted on Teachers.net.
  • Celebrate American Indian Heritage
    November is National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. Education World offers 12 lessons to help students learn about American Indians' history and cultures
  • Exploring American Indians Across the Curriculum
    Suggested classroom activities for all grade levels which focuses on combating harmful stereotypes of American Indians. Includes ideas for math, geography, history, language arts, and art lessons.
  • American Indian Cultures Across the U.S.
    EDSITEment series of two lesson plans for grades K-2 which replaces stereotypes with true portraits of specific tribal cultures and traditions.
  • Not "Indians," Many Tribes: Native American Diversity
    EDSITEment unit of five lesson plans in which students discover the different American Indian cultures in the United States. For grades 3-5.
  • American Indians Today
    Lesson plan which uses photo essays to introduce students to Native children and their families, thereby countering the idea that Native people no longer exist in present-day America. Grades 3-5.
  • American Indian Research/Informational Sites
    Extensive list of websites devoted to research and/or information on American Indian tribes, past and present. Also includes links to lesson plans and suggested classroom activities for various grades.

 Southern History

  • Documenting the American South
    University of North Carolina database of digitized primary resources documenting Southern U.S. history. Includes texts, images, and audio files, organized into fourteen thematic collections that can be searched or browsed by author, title, and subject.

Women's History

Geography

  • The World Fact Book This website contains the CIA world fact book. It is a good place to look for information on individual countries.

Government/Economics

Presidential Elections

  • The Office of the Federal Register
    Coordinates the functions of the Electoral College on behalf of the Archivist of the United States, the States, the Congress, and the American People. They have assembled a variety of information and statistics on presidential elections, past and present
  • C-SPAN in the Classroom: Campaigns & Elections
    The site provides teachers with lesson guides, activities, and primary sources on current events for social studies teachers at all grade levels.
  • Election 2008 WebQuest
    Lesson plan for a webquest that allows students to research candidates and issues to answer the question, which candidate would you vote for? Designed for the 2008 presidential election, it can be modified for subsequent elections by simply changing the websites which students will visit.
  • Federal Election Commission Home Page
    Official website of the Federal Election Commission, which is an independent regulatory agency that oversees national elections and enforces campaign finance laws.
  • Presidential Debates
    Lesson Plan for holding in-class presidential debates.

NAEP Chronological Links


Beginnings to 1607

Colonization, Settlement, & Communities (1607-1763)

  • Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
    FREE resources on the colonization of North America from the Library of Congress.
  • Acton Public Schools, Acton, MA: Powhatan Indian Village
    Provides basic information about and images pertaining to Powhatan Indians’ village life, culture, celebrations, and survival.
  • History Globe.com: The Jamestown Online Adventure
    Provides an interactive game about the Jamestown settlement.
  • Virtual Jamestown.org
    Digital archive of documents, interactive maps, and teaching activities about the Jamestown settlement and the "Virginia Experiment."
  • Virtual Jamestown Colony
    links to lesson plans on Jamestown, including corporate colonization, development of government, economic matters, organization of society, and broader themes of Jamestown settlement.
  • RACE: The Power of Illusion
    Companion website to PBS documentary with a high-school lesson plan which examines race-based slavery in Jamestown.
  • About.com: Colonial America
    This website contains links to documents about the first settlements, the Declaration of Independence, among other things. It also includes some quizzes, timelines, and articles.
  • Mary Rowlandson
    This website is dedicated to Mary Rowlandson and contains a brief biographical sketch and some links to sources and other sites on Rowlandson’s life and captivity. 
  • 13 Colonies Map Quiz
    This website features a map quiz of the original 13 colonies. Students are tested on their ability to use a compass rose and their knowledge of the location of each colony.
  • A Colonial Family and Community Webquest
    In this webquest from the Henry Ford Museum, students will go back in time and investigate the daily lives of the Daggetts, a colonial family from northeastern Connecticut. They will collect clues to uncover answers to 7 questions about colonial life in the 1700s.
  • Colonial Williamsburg
    The Colonial Williamsburg website has facts and pictures about places, clothing, people, slaves, and other things of colonial interest. It also has an online fieldtrip of Colonial Williamsburg, links to teacher resources, timelines, and libraries.
  • Rare Map Collection-Colonial America
    The website of the Hargrett Library's rare map collection, which contains digitized versions maps of the Americas, from 1625-1744
  • Colonial America
    Mountain City Elementary's webpage with lesson plans and activities for elementary students on colonial America.
  • 13 Original Colonies
    This is a website dedicated to information on the original 13 colonies, with facts, activities, and links on colonial history and life.
  • Congress for Kids: The Original Thirteen Colonies
    This website features tests, games, puzzles, web quests, and other activities about the colonies. The activities range from easy to difficult, and there are additional links to pages for the Declaration of Independence, Democracy, and the Articles of Confederation.
  • Social Studies for Kids
    This website allows you to click on the colonies to find out more information about their founding, with links to more information.
  • Poems of Phyllis Wheatley
    Link to an online book of poetry by Phyllis Wheatley, provided by the University of Oregon
  • Jonathan Edwards Center
    Sermons by Jonathan Edwards may be found under the "research" link. While most are fairly long, excerpts could be used in secondary classrooms.
  • Master of Life Speaks to the Wolf
     Speech by the Prophet Neolin of the Delaware Indians, which discusses American Indians adopting European customs and accepting their presence.
  • Salem Witch Trials
    Discovery Channel lesson plan for studying the Salem Witch Trials through a discussion of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.
  • The Salem Witch Trials, 1692
    EyeWitness to History website with a summary of the Salem Witch trials, images, and excerpts from primary sources.
  • Salem Witch Trials: The World Behind the Hysteria
    Discovery Channel interactive website on the Salem Witch Trials
  • Secrets of the Dead
    PBS interactive website on the Salem Witch Trials with summaries and teaching resources.
  • Digital History: The Salem Witchcraft Trials
    Lesson plan for grades 9-12 in which students gather research about the Salem Witchcraft Trials and participate in a mock trial. 
  • African Slave Trade and European Imperialism
    Timeline of the history of slavery from the 15th Century through the early 19th Century. Each section of the timeline contains links to sites that provide primary and secondary source material for the era/date in question.

 

The Revolution & The New Nation (1763-1815)

  • Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
    FREE list of resources for studying the American Revolution, and the early years of the nation, from the Library of Congress.

    The American Revolution:

    The Constitution & Early American Life:

    • James Madison.com
      A collection of links to external lesson plans for teaching about the Constitution
    • Signers of the Constitution
      National Archives website with biographical information about the signers of the Constitution.
    • Signers Word Search
      An advanced word search on the signers of the Constitution for grades 9-12.
    • National Endowment for the Humanities
      NEH website with ideas for celebrating Constitution Day and resources for classroom activities, including pictures and primary source texts.
    • Teaching With Documents: Observing Constitution Day
      National Archives site on teaching with documents for Constitution Day.  Includes a painting of the signing of the Constitution and links to short biographies of the signers.
    • Interview With the Signers
      Students work in small groups to develop three questions that a newspaper reporter assigned to cover the signing of the Constitution might have asked each of the following signers of the Constitution: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton. Grades 6-8.
    • Constitution Day Lesson Guide
      Provides lesson and activity ideas, resources, and links to lesson plans on Constitution Day, from Education World.
    • The Charters of Freedom
      Interactive website on the documents of the American Revolution and the new government (The Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights) provided by the National Archives.
    • In Congress Assembled
      Unit plan of four lessons which uses primary source documents to teach students about the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and early issues discussed by Congress in the founding of the United States. Grades 6-12
    • The Constitution: Counter-Revolution or National Salvation?
      Library of Congress Lesson Plan which provides questions for analyzing each article of the Constitution.
    • We the People
      Discovery Channel lesson plan: By gathering images from modern media (newspapers, magazines, television, and/or the Internet) students will show how the meaning of the Preamble is reflected in current American culture
    • The First Political Cartoons
      Archiving Early America's website features the first American political cartoons, with explanations and downloadable images.
    • Benjamin Banneker. 
      Short biobraphy of Benjamin Banneker from About.com. Includes a photo gallery of scanned images from his almanacs, including a portrait.
    • The L'Enfant and McMillan Plans.
      Brief history of the design plans for Washington, D.C.
    • American Treasures of the LOC. 
      Provides a picture of L'Enfant's original map and a link to the main online exhibit, with more pictures of early buildings and designs in Washington, D.C.
    • Congressional Pugilists
      Library of Congress political cartoon showing the fight on the floor of Congress between Matthew Lyon and Roger Griswold in 1798.  The image could be used to illustrate the political tensions of the time period and as an exercise in analyzing cartoons.
    • Sparknotes: The Federalist Papers
      Sparknotes page for The Federalist Papers, with summaries, analysis, timelines, biographical information, and study questions pertaining to the various essays.
    • GradeSaver: The Federalist Papers
      Summary and analysis for each of the essays, with a link to the online text of each one. Requires a subscription; however, a few examples are available free of charge.
    • Letters from an American Farmer
      Links to the Letters from the American Farmer. Lengthy, but useful primary source material for higher level secondary courses.

    The War of 1812:

    • The War of 1812
      This "1812 experience" is comprised of numerous articles, quality book reviews and offers, extensive links, and the largest collection of War of 1812 images on the internet.
    • Turning Points in History: The War of 1812
      Lesson plan on the War of 1812 in which students are “investigative reporters,” researching primary source documents to learn about specific battles and events. Modifiable for grades 4-12.
    • President Madison's 1812 War Message
      Mini-unit consisting of three lessons which analyze Madison's speech, its context, and its implications. Students read the speech and a variety of other primary source documents which influenced or responded to the speech. Grades 9-12.
    • War Message PDF – President Madison's speech in PDF format, edited and annotated for use in the lesson listed above; however, this document could also be used to supplement another lesson of your own.
    • Thomas H. Warner Letters
       Five of Maryland soldier Thomas H. Warner's letters written during the War of 1812. Scanned images and typed transcriptions are provided for each letter.

Expansion & Reform (1801-1860)

  • Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
    FREE resources from the Library of Congress covering expansion and reform in early US history.
  • Discovering Lewis & Clark
    Modern photographs of the path of Lewis & Clark's expeditions, excerpts from their journals, and a historical overview.
  • Got Westin America with Lewis & Clark
    Online game from National Geographic in which students go on a simulated journey with Lewis & Clark. The game presents scenarios and has students make critical decisions.
  • New Perspectives on the West
    PBS website with 10 lesson plans focusing on the American West, meant for grades 6-12.
  • Learn About Westward Expansion
    Digital History website on American expansion in the 1840s and 1850s, including discussion of sectional tensions.
  • American Buffalo: Spirit of a Nation
    PBS “Nature” website on the American Buffalo and its connection to American Indian culture and life in the West. Includes links to further reading and online resources.
  • Fish and Wildlife on the Oregon Trail: Then and Now
    This website contains links to a scanned booklet describing the natural repercussions of the Oregon Trail migration, as well as the experience of traveling west. It was prepared by the Oregon Historical Society.
  • Indian Removal, 1814-1858
    Brief summary of US legislation and military action to remove eastern American Indian tribes across the Mississippi River and expand white settlement, with links to more information on the response of tribes and the infamous Trail of Tears. From PBS
  • The Mexican-American War
    Social Studies for Kids overview of the war in four parts, with links to maps and other resources.
  • US-Mexican War
    Interactive site from PBS with videos, timeline, and other resources about the Mexican-American War.

    Slavery & Early Abolition Movement:

    • African American Sheet Music
      Library of Congress collection that provides online images of sheet music and photographs associated with the African-American experience from slavery through early civil rights actions. It also includes links to related web sites and suggestions for how to incorporate the materials into lesson plans.
    • First Person Narratives of the American South
      Provides online versions of first-person accounts by and about abolitionists and ex-slaves who lived in the South; also includes web links to related resources and lesson ideas.
    • From Slavery to Freedom
      Online collection of African-American Pamphlets from 1824-1909, with images and transcripts of historical pamphlets about slavery, African colonization, emancipation, Reconstruction, and other topics.
    • African-American Experience in Ohio, 1850-1920
      Collection of images and transcripts from historical pamphlets, newspaper articles, and other documents as well as photographs pertaining to enslaved and free African-Americans in Ohio between 1850-1920.
    • Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938
      Transcribed interviews the WPA conducted with former slaves during the 1930s and photographs of the interviewees.
    • American Slave Narratives: An Online Anthology
      Collection of thirteen interviews with former slaves conducted by the WPA, with an annotated bibliography of interviews and photos of interviewees. Compiled by the University of Virginia.
    • The Amistad Case
      Background and documents for teaching about the Amistad Case with primary source documents, from the National Archives website.
    • Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition
      Yale collection of over two hundred online versions of historical documents pertaining to slaver, links to other websites about slavery. A teacher page includes lesson ideas and other resources meant specifically for classroom use.
    • On An Underground Railroad
      History Happens music video which uses historical paintings and lyrics to tell the story of the underground railroad. The "Teacher Support" area includes suggestions for how to use the video in the classroom.
    • Harriet Tubman Integrated Unit
      Unit plan on the life of Harriet Tubman and her role in the underground railroad for grades K-4, from the Kennedy Center.
    • National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
      Website for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, with a history of slavery, the underground railroad, lesson plans, and links to other online resources.
    • The Underground Railroad
      National Geographic website that allows students to take an interactive journey on the Underground Railroad.
    • Understanding Slavery
      Discovery Channel website which provides images and interactive maps and activities to teach students about the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and the experiences of slaves around the world; also includes suggestions for how teachers can incorporate the web site into their lesson plans.
    • Internet African History Sourcebook: The Impact of Slavery
      Compiled by Fordham University, this site provides links to a number of historical documents and secondary sources pertaining to the slave trade.
    • Mrs. Dowling's Electronic Passport
      Provides clear, detailed PDF-format lesson plans on “Ancient Africa” (emphasizing the beginning of the slave trade) and “The Caribbean” (emphasizing the experience of the slaves who worked on the sugar plantations there).
    • The Atlantic Slave Trade and Slave Life in the Americas
      University of Virginia database of maps and artwork images portraying significant people, places, and events in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and slave life in the Americas.
    • African-American Women
      Duke University collection featuring short biographies of three slave women and online versions of documents they produced; also includes a few links to related sites.
    • Digital Library on American Slavery
      University of North Carolina collection of images of and transcriptions for petitions presented to state and local governments in the South in regard to slavery and race relations.
    • African American Pamphlet Collection
      Library of Congress collection of Pamphlets from the Daniel A. P. Murray Collection, 1818-1907 - Provides images of and transcriptions for historical pamphlets about various aspects of the African-American experience, from slavery to civil rights; also includes a timeline of African-American history and suggestions for how to incorporate the pamphlets into lesson plans.
    • First Person Narratives of the American South
      Library of Congress collection of first-person accounts by and about abolitionists and ex-slaves who lived in the South between 1860-1920; also includes links to related web sites and suggestions for how to incorporate the materials into lesson plans.
    • Digital History Slavery Resource Guide
      Website regarding the history of slavery in America.
    • Africans in America
      A teacher’s guide to the PBS documentary "Africans in America," a history of slavery in the United States.
    • Frederick Douglass
      National Parks Service online exhibit on the life of Frederick Douglass and his home, now a museum, in Washington, D.C.
    • Abolitionism
      Website devoted to the history of abolitionism in the United States and Great Britain, with primary source texts and images.

 

Crisis and the Union: Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877)

  • Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
    FREE web resources for the Civil War & Reconstruction, including links to online exhibits in federal museums, libraries, and other trusted sources.

    Civil War:

    • Mr. Lincoln's Virtual Library
      Library of Congress online collection of documents, including speeches, maps, photographs, and other primary source material relevant to Lincoln's presidency. Also includes links to other useful online collections.
    • Lincoln Bicentennial
      Teacher resource page with lesson plans and ideas for all grade levels on the life of Abraham Lincoln.
    • The Civil War for Kids
      Class-made website on the Civil War which includes a timeline, brief biographies, maps, and images of flags, uniforms, and important figures. Also includes several classroom activities.
    • History Place Civil War Timeline
      Timeline of important historical events during the Civil War, beginning with the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and ending with the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865. Includes photographs and links to more information on various people, battles, and events, etc.
    • The Valley of the Shadow: Two Communities in the Civil War
      University of Virginia collection of newspapers, slave owner contracts, census records, and Freedmen’s Bureau records for Augusta County, Virginia, from the antebellum through postwar periods.
    • The Civil War As Photographed by Mathew Brady
      Lesson Plan and photographs from the National Archives which uses the photographs of Mathew Brady to teach about the Civil War.
    • American Civil War Homepage
      Links to a wealth of resources (primary and secondary) for teaching about the Civil War, including music, images, biographies, etc.
    • A [Union] Soldier's Diary
      Online version of the memoirs, diary, and letters of Civil War Private Jefferson Moses of Illinois.
    • Civil War Maps
      Downloadable images of Maps of Civil War era geography and battlefields from the Rare Maps collection at the University of Georgia.
    • Camp Life
      Online exhibit from the Gettysburg National Military Park which introduces students to Civil War Camp life. Includes an image gallery of photographs and common objects (books, games, equipment) from Civil War camps.
    • Symbols of Honor
      Online exhibit of the various flags used at different times and places during the Civil War.
    • Civil War Medicine
      Brief site on medical technology and advancement during the Civil War, with a few photos and drawings from the era.
    • Teaching With Historic Places
      List of lesson plans for teaching about the Civil War using various sites on the historic register, provided by the National Parks Service. Includes a lesson on the Alabama battle for Mobile Bay at Fort Morgan.
    • Alfred Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana
      Library of Congress collection which documents the life of Abraham Lincoln. Includes documents by and about Lincoln, photographs, and other items concerning issues relevant to Lincoln's presidency (i.e. slavery, Civil War, reconstruction).
    • Band Music from the Civil War Era
      Scanned sheet music, online recordings, and a historical overview of band music from the Civil War era, from the Library of Congress American Memory Collection.
    • Civil War Treasures
      Collection of photographs, letters, diaries, and posters from the Civil War, collected by the New York Historical Society and made available by the Library of Congress.
    • Civil War Battles by State
      List of all Civil War battles organized by state, with links to more information about each one (including its location, commanders, campaigns, casualties, results, and a paragraph description).
    • Buffalo Soldiers
      Online exhibit from the International Museum of the Horse about the Buffalo Soldiers on the western frontier.
    • The Civil War and Emancipation
      Summary from PBS's Africans in America series which outlines the events that took place during the Civil War which led to the Emancipation Proclamation.
    • Emancipation Proclamation: Featured Document
      National Archives' online images of the five-page original document, with a brief summary of events and links to a transcribed, printer-friendly version.
    • Ben's Guide to the Emancipation Proclamation
      Brief summary of the state of the country when the proclamation was issued, with a map of slave and free states, and links to an online version of the document.
    • The Emancipation Proclamation: Freedom's First Steps
      EDSITEment lesson plan for grades 9-12 in which students read and analyze the Emancipation Proclamation, the reaction of African-Americans, and the significance of the document.

    Reconstruction:

    • American Experience: Reconstruction
      Companion website to PBS program with many helpful resources for learning about Reconstruction, including primary sources, interactive maps, and a teaching guide.
    • Andrew Johnson 
      Documents on Andrew Johnson impeachment from HarpWeek which includes political cartoons, a simulation game, and links to primary source documents, etc.
    • Resources on Impeachment 
      Documents on impeachment from Auburn University in PDF format, which offer information about the process of impeachment in general, as well as information about Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Bill Clinton.
    • Research Guide on Impeachment
      A comprehensive site provided by the LOC's American Memory Project which provides historical background information and external links to commentary, government documents, indexes, and guides on impeachment.


The Development of Modern America (1865-1920)

  • Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
    FREE list of resources from the Library of Congress covering US history and culture from 1865-1920.

    The Gilded Age (Industrialization, Immigration & Imperialism)

    • Best History Websites
      This websites provides a list of websites on topics related to life, politics, and economics during the Gilded Age.
    • Twain's The Gilded Age
      Free online e-book version of Mark Twain’s novel The Gilded Age.
    • The Gilded Age WebQuest
      This website contains an excellent WebQuest about the Gilded Age which charges students to create a documentary of the era.
    • Culture and Society of the Gilded Age
      In this lesson plan from the Kennedy Center, students will learn about the culture of high society during the Gilded Age. They will explore the manners and etiquette associated with the Gilded Age and then create dialogues, monologues, or short plays relating to the areas and various persons researched.
    • Arts of the Gilded Age
      In this lesson plan from the Kennedy Center, students will research the various fine and performing art forms that were popular during the Gilded Age.
    • Gilded Age Era Lesson Plans
      Teaching Future Historians collection of lesson plans which use primary documents to teach students about politics and life during the Gilded Age.
    • "The Public Be Damned": A Thematic and Multiple Intelligences Approach to Teaching the Gilded Age
      A scholarly article from Organization of American Historians which includes a unit plan overview for teaching secondary students about the Gilded Age.
    • Digital History
      Digital History page for the Gilded Age, which includes a lesson plan and links to learning tools, primary sources, and online resources for teachers.
    • New York City Films
      This collection contains forty-five films of New York, dating from 1898 to 1906, from the Paper Print Collection of the Library of Congress. Of these, twenty-five were made by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, while the remaining twenty are Edison Company productions.
    • Immigrating to America Lesson Plan
      Students will learn about what it was like for new immigrants to come through Ellis Island—a symbolic heart of American immigration—at the turn of the century. Through first-hand accounts, students will discover where the immigrants were from, the reasons they fled their homelands, and why they came to America. By performing dramatizations and taking an interactive tour of Ellis Island, students will relive the immigrant experience.
    • Ellis Island
      History Channel website on Ellis Island, including background information, a timeline, and videos.
    • Scholastic.com Immigration Page
      Scholastic website with links to lessons and documents on immigration, including personal stories of immigrants and a virtual tour of Ellis Island.
    • Whose Land is This?
      PBS Online Webisode with interactive quizzes, games, and lesson ideas. This particular webisode deals with Immigration, but others that can be found on the main menu deal with other aspects of American history. Teaching guides are available for each webisode.
    • The Statue of Liberty: Bringing the 'New Colossus' to America
      Lesson overview for grades 6-8 linking the funding and construction of the Statue of Liberty with American attitudes towards immigration.
    • Building Big
      Explore large structures and what it takes to build them with BUILDING BIG™, a five-part PBS television series and Web site from WGBH Boston. The Website provides brief historical and scientific information about skyscrapers, bridges, domes, and tunnels as well as a teacher's guide for using the series and the activities found online in the classroom.
    • The Iron Road
      PBS website designed to accompany “The Iron Road,” a show devoted to the growth of railroads. Includes online videos, summaries, and a teacher's guide.
    • The Industrial Age in America: Robber Barons and the Captains of Industry--Lesson Plan
      Unit plan for grades 6-8 in which students attempt to create a distinction between Robber Barons and Captains of Industry, based on the deeds and outcomes of famous American businessmen at the turn of the 20th Century.
    • Presidential Elections
      Harper’s Weekly political cartoons from presidential elections, 1860–1912
    • The White Man's Burden
      Free online text of Rudyard Kipling’s poem on Imperialism, “The White Man’s Burden,” from the History Matters website.
    • World Map, 1914
      This website provides color-coded world map of the colonial holdings of Belgium, Denmark, France, German, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Spain, and the United States in 1914.
    • America Becomes A World Power
      A Gilder Lehrman Institute for American History online learning module on American Imperialism and the Spanish-American War.
    • History of the American West: 1860-1920
      American Memory collection of photographs of the American West, along with background information on famous photographers and three presentations of selected photographs with narrative captions ("Native American Women," "LC McLure and Denver, the Beautiful City," and "The 10th Mountain Division")

    Progressivism:

    • Theodore Roosevelt on Film
      Library of Congress American Memory collection featuring Teddy Roosevelt. It includes a timeline, essays, photos, and documents discussing his being the first president to have had his life and career documented on film.
    • Political Cartoons Illustrating Progressivism and the Election of 1912
      Lesson plans and resources from the National Archives Educator page, which teach progressivism and the presidential election of 1912 by examining political cartoons.
    • Thomas Nast Cartoons
      HarpWeek's Gallery of Thomas Nast cartoons, some of which comment on Progressives, as well as Reconstruction.
    • Digital History Documents
      A collection of primary sources on the Progressive Era including documents on the Muckrakers, Women's Suffrage, Conservation, Prohibition, and Cities.
    • Timeline
      A useful timeline of the major events of the Progressive Era, from 1879 to 1917.
    • Progressive Era Resources
      Digital History's page for the Progressive Era, offering background information, recommended documents and resources, and links to lesson plans and fact sheets.
    • Triangle Factory Fire
      Online exhibit detailing the Triangle Factory  Fire, with primary source documents, photographs, and political cartoons.
    • Eleanor Roosevelt
      Archive of Eleanor Roosevelt’s personal papers from the Progressive Era with lesson plans and further resources for classroom use.
    • Progressivism
      Gilder Lehrman Institute for American History online learning module on the Progressive Era with links to primary documents.

Modern America and the World Wars (1914-1945) 

  • Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
    FREE list of resources compiled by the Library of Congress covering the two World Wars and the Interwar Period, including the Great Depression.

    World War I

    • Photos of the Great War
      Online gallery of photographs from WWI which includes images from the trenches and the war at sea, as well as images of heads of state, politicians, military leaders, troops, and the weapons of war.
    • WWI Photographs
      Photos from WWI, including the battlefield and the home front. 
    • WWI Lesson Plans
      A list of lesson plans dealing with WWI and the materials found in the Truman Library collection.
    • World War I
      History Channel website with links to actual letters written home from World War I soldiers.
    • The Great War
      Comprehensive PBS website for the program, “The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century,” which includes background information, summaries, and educational resources. Appropriate for student exploration or as a helpful guide to teachers planning lessons.
    • The American Variety Stage: Vaudeville and Popular Entertainment, 1870-1920
      A multimedia anthology from the Library of Congress that showcases popular entertainment forms, especially vaudeville, from 1870 to 1920. The materials include memorabilia documenting the career of Harry Houdini, English- and Yiddish-language play scripts, souvenir playbills and programs, theater posters, motion pictures, and sound recordings. Many items include the bawdy humor and ethnic stereotypes typical of the period.

    Interwar Period, Part I: The Roaring Twenties

    • The Roaring Twenties, The Jazz Age
      Website dedicated to 1920s fashions for men, women, and children. Includes scanned pictures from contemporary magazines.
    • Flapper Music
      A website featuring popular music from the 1920's. Requires RealAudio player.
    • Baseball and Jackie Robinson
      American Memory Collection compilation of photographs with a timeline of the history of baseball in America.
    • How To Dance the Charleston
      A List of resources from the Homestead Museum includes 1920's Materials at the bottom of the page, with links to PDF versions of classroom activities such as "How to Dance the Charleston" or "Shopping by Mail in the 1920's."
    • Negro League Baseball
      Official website of the Negro Leagues, with historical information,
    • Harlem Renaissance Gallery
      Art prints from the Harlem Renaissance on allposters.com.
    • Harlem: An African American Community, 1900-1940
      Online exhibition portfolio from the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, which includes a timeline, linked resources, an online version of the exhibit, and teaching resources.
    • The Roaring Twenties
      Article from the PBS website from Ken Burns' documentary Jazz, which focuses on jazz in the 1920s. Includes audio clips and photographs.
    • Culture Shock
      Article from the website for the PBS program Culture Shock which summarizes the segment on jazz, "the devil's music."
    • Early Jazz
      Brief description of jazz in the 1920's, from PBS's Culture Shock.
    • Twenties Magazine Project
      Creative interdisciplinary lesson plan in which students design a magazine for 1920s America.
    • Jazz Talk
      Discovery Channel lesson plan in which students will analyze work songs, spirituals, blues, and gospel songs in order to develop an appreciation for the origins of jazz music.  Grades 6-12.
    • Hitler's Mutual Admiration Society - A 2003 discussion of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s praise for Hitler’s oratorical skills in the context of similar remarks made by other western leaders in the 1930's impressed by the economic turn-around in Germany.
    • The Theatre in Europe and the US Between the Wars
      A history of theatre and drama during the interwar period
    • America and Europe Between the Wars
      A workshop website from the Center for Teaching American History with links to interwar period websites and activities.
    • Norton Anthology: The Interwar Period
      The Norton Anthology of American Literature introduction to the interwar period in the United States, including historical background information and brief discussion of literary movements.
    • The Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression
      Links to more sites on topics of interest during the 1920's and 1930's.
    • From the Great War to the Great Depression
      Lesson plans for grades 6-8 that uses video program of the same name to teach about the Interwar Period
    • Red Scare - Images and Information on the first Red Scare, which followed WWI.
    • Classic Film Pages
      Links to websites dedicated to classic films of the 20's and 30's

    Interwar Period, Part II: The Great Depression

    World War II:

    • Wartime Posters
      Discovery Channel lesson plan on propaganda posters during World War II
    • Battle of the Bulge
      PBS’s “American Experience” website on the Battle of the Bulge. Includes a teacher's guide, photo gallery, and interviews with survivors.
    • D-Day
      PBS’s “American Experience” website on Normandy and D-Day which includes a teacher's guide and other resources (maps, timeline, letters).
    • The Perilous Fight
      PBS teacher’s guide to “The Perilous Fight: America’s World War II in Color,” which includes lesson plans, viewing guides, and activities.
    • Argument, Persuasion, or Propaganda? Analyzing World War II Posters
      A “read-write-think” lesson plan analyzing World War II propaganda posters. Grades 9-12
    • Learn about World War II
      Digital History lesson resources for World War II, including documents, photos, and lesson plans.
    • Gilder Lehrman Institute: WWII
      Module for teaching about WWII which includes background information and primary sources.
    • Mr. Donn.org
      Links to units and lesson plans on WWII, including life on the home front, foreign policy, and the Holocaust for various grade levels.
    • BBC History: WWII
      BBC links to various World War II topics
    • Heroes Among Us Webquest
      Oral history project in which students interview family or community members who served in WWII.
    • War of the Worlds Webquest
      Webquest for high school students which investigates the causes of WWII.
    • The Decision to Drop the Bomb
      Activity which has students take on and discuss four perspectives on the decision to drop the atomic bomb. The webquest provides links for researching each perspective.
    • WWII Map Collection.
      Collection of WWII military situation maps from the LOC American Memory Collection
    • Battle of the Bulge
      Interactive essay on Battle of the Bulge from the American Memory Collection
    • WWI & WWII Links
      Links to web resources and lesson plans on WWI and WWII from Kennesaw State University
    • World War II Remembered
      Scholastic.com WWII page, which offers activities, lesson plans, and resources for teaching about WWII.
    • EyeWitness History
      Eyewitness accounts of various events from WWII.
    • Library of Congress-WWII
      LOC Learning Page for teachers, with an overview and documents from WWII..
    • World War II in Posters
      Collection of WWII posters from the Truman Library website, with links to analysis activities for most.
    • A Guide to World War II Materials
      A guide to all of the Library of Congress' online collections and exhibits dealing with WWII, which includes links and brief descriptions.
    • Dr. Seuss Went to War
      Political cartoons drawn by Dr. Seuss during WWII.
    • America from the Great Depression to WWII
      Black and white photographs from Great Depression through WWII from the American Memory Collection.
    • Women Come to the Front
      Library of Congress online exhibit of women photographers, journalists and broadcasters during WWII.
    • Arthur Szyk Cartoons
      US WWII political cartoons of Arthur Szyk.
    • Douglas MacArthur Photographic Collection
      Small collection of photographs, including several of MacArthur during WWII.
    • History Place.com Photos
      Includes links to photo collections of WWII Battles and African Americans in WWII
    • What Did You Do in the War, Grandma?
      Oral history project completed by Rhode Island high school students who interviewed  women who lived during.
    • Continuing the Fight: Harry S. Truman and WWII
      Man page for the Truman Library's information and resources about WWII.
    • Atomic Bomb Museum
      Online museum covering the history of the atomic bomb and its impact.
    • The Race to Build the Atomic Bomb
      A- bomb lesson plans, timeline and other resources for teachers and students.
    • July 1942: United We Stand
      Website for the Smithsonian Museum of American History's collection of magazine covers from WWII.
    • Battle for Bataan
      Website from New Mexico State University recounting the Battle for Bataan in the Philippines through timelines, artifacts, maps and online videos.
    • On the Home Front
      Photo Gallery and lesson activities from the Library of Congress detailing life on the home front during WWII.
    • Untold Stories of D-Day
      Article on D-Day from National Geographic Magazine.
    • Normandy, 1944
      Encyclopedia Britannica's online guide to D-Day, including oral history, combat videos, and a photo gallery.
    • Experiencing War: Stories from the Veteran's History Project
      D-Day stories from veterans, compiled for the 60th anniversary of the invasion in 2004.
    • World War II Resources
      WWII resources and links to primary documents from Ibiblio.org.
    • Women and World War II
      Lesson plan from TeacherVision for grades 8-12, in which students will learn how WWII impacted the advancement of women in U.S. society.
    • Holocaust WebQuest
      WebQuest for grade 12, in which students investigate the Holocaust from different perspectives.
    • The Diary of Anne Frank
      Middle School WebQuest covering Anne Frank, anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany, and the Holocaust. (Intended for students who are studying the book.)
    • Holocaust Links
      Holocaust resources and links from Trumball County, Ohio's Educational Service Center.
    • US Holocaust Memorial Museum
      US Holocaust Memorial Museum website, with resources for teachers and students
    • America and the Holocaust
      PBS’s “American Experience” website on America and the Holocaust, with timelines, maps, and other teaching resources.
    • Japanese Internment Webquest
      Webquest in which students form an international tribunal that charges the US government for human rights violations following the internment of Japanese-American citizens during WWII.
    • Ansell Adams' Photographs of Manzanar
      Library of Congress collection of Ansell Adam’s photographs of the Japanese-American  internment camp at Manzanar. Includes photo gallery, essay, and timeline.
    • Japanese Internment
      Online article on the history of Japanese-American internment from history.com. Includes a few historical photographs.
    • Japanese-American Internment Camps During WWII  
      University of Utah collections of photographs of the Tule Lake and Topaz internment camps.
    • Children of the Camps
      Website for the documentary, "Children of the Camps," with a history of the internment camps, a timeline, and links to primary source documents.
    • Department of Justice Search
      More links from the US Dept. of Justice on Japanese Internment Camps
    • Go For Broke.org
      Website of the Japanese-American WWII veterans, dedicated to their history. Includes oral histories and resources for teaching about Japanese-Americans' involvement in WWII and Executive order 9066.
    • Online Scavenger Hunt
      Questions and links to sources of information for completing an online scavenger hunt about Japanese Internment Camps.
    • War Relocation Camps in Arizona
      Website devoted to the history of relocation camps in Arizona, from 1942-1946. Includes many photos and articles on life in the camps.

 

Contemporary America (1945-present)

  • Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
    FREE list of resources compiled by the Library of Congress that cover US history from 1945 to the present day, including the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Vietnam War.

    The Cold War:

    The Civil Rights Movement:

    • Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
      Website for BCRI, with extensive resources page, searchable archive, photo gallery, and online exhibits on the history of the Civil Rights Movement.
    • Dr. Carter G. Woodson
      Brief biography of Woodson from the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum
    • Civil Rights Movement Veterans
      Great site on the Civil Rights Movement, with histories, timelines, photos, and personal stories.
    • The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow
      Online guide to the PBS film “The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow,” with videos and interactive activities.
    • Powerful Days in Black and White
      Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement taken by Charles Moore.
    • Timeline
      Timeline of the Civil Rights Movement from CNN
    • Martin Luther King
      Archive of news and photographs of MLK and the Civil Rights Movement compiled by the Seattle Times, with biographical information, study guides, and teaching resources.
    • Eyes on the Prize
      Historical video clips from the Civil Rights Movement provided by the PBS documentary "Eyes on the Prize" website.

    1970's: Vietnam, Watergate

    1980's-Present:

    • 1980's Primary Sources
      Digital History links to documents from the 1980's which deal with news events such as the Challenger explosion and the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan.
    • 1980's Timeline
      Timeline with links to more information about important events of the 1980's.
    • Project Topics
      Suggested project topics for the 1980's, with links to more information about each one.
    • Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
      Website for Reagan's Presidential library, with online exhibits and documents detailing important events during his presidency.
    • Impeachment of Bill Clinton
      University of Missouri-Kansas Law School's "Famous Trials" page for Clinton's Impeachment trial. Includes documents, articles, images, and a chronology.
    • Teaching9-11.org
      A great source for information and lesson plans for grades K-12
    • September 11 Digital Archives
      Information, images, and documents concerning the history of 9/11.
    • America Responds
      PBS lesson plans on 9/11, the aftermath, and the War on Terror.
    • Teaching About War
      Lesson plans regarding Iraq war.
    • How Media Shapes Perception
      Lesson plan on 9/11 and the media for grades 10-12.
    • Dealing With Tragedy in the Classroom
      Lesson plan for grades 1-5 that seeks to help students deal with tragedy, in this case, September 11th. While students today are not dealing with shock in the immediate wake of the attack, this lesson could be modified for use in other tragic circumstances (more recently WV mining disaster, earthquakes, tornados, or the continuing war in Afghanistan, etc.)
    • War, Terrorism, and Our Classrooms
      Links to professional articles on how to deal with these issues in the classroom.
    • Scholastic Teacher's Guide - We have put together a collection of Katrina links, including some handy resources that encourage kids to help with the relief effort.
    • CNN Report
      Hurricane Katrina page on CNN.com, with photographs, articles, personal stories, etc.
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