Group items tagged

Superb pictures from Life Magazine showing various aspects of life on the home front during WW II.

1492. Columbus. The date and the name provoke many questions related to the linking of very different parts of the world, the Western Hemisphere and the Mediterranean. What was life like in those areas before 1492? What spurred European expansion? How did European, African and American peoples react to each other? What were some of the immediate results of these contacts?1492: AN ONGOING VOYAGE addresses such questions by examining the rich mixture of societies coexisting in five areas of this hemisphere before European arrival. It then surveys the polyglot Mediterranean world at a dynamic turning point in its development. The exhibition examines the first sustained contacts between American people and European explorers, conquerors and settlers from 1492 to 1600. During this period, in the wake of Columbus's voyages, Africans also arrived in the hemisphere, usually as slaves. All of these encounters, some brutal and traumatic, others more gradual, irreversibly changed the way in which peoples in the Americas led their lives. The dramatic events following 1492 set the stage for numerous cultural interactions in the Americas which are still in progress - a complex and ongoing voyage.

Would you believe that there were live-entertainment performances in the 1890s that depicted slave life in the "Old South" as a carefree, simplistic rural life? Students should know that they are learning about an era of history that was actively misrepresented for the entertainment of northerners. How does this shape mythic understandings of American history?

This is an enormous, diverse collection of images and audio files based around US history. It's a very eclectic collection so tagging was difficult. If you're doing anything on American culture this would probably be helpful.

Excellent source for American culture in the late 30's.

These life histories were compiled and transcribed by the staff of the Folklore Project of the Federal Writers' Project for the U.S. Works Progress (later Work Projects) Administration (WPA) from 1936-1940. The Library of Congress collection includes 2,900 documents representing the work of over 300 writers from 24 states. Typically 2,000-15,000 words in length, the documents consist of drafts and revisions, varying in form from narrative to dialogue to report to case history.

Collection of letters from American Wars.

This online exhibition of letters and audio, created by the Gilder Lehrman Institute and the Legacy Project, features correspondence from over 200 years of American conflicts, ranging from the Revolution to the war in Iraq. This exhibition uses the words of famous generals and lesser-known troops, as well as parents, sweethearts, and children, to explore such themes as leaving home, life in the military, the pride and worries of those left behind, and ultimate sacrifice.

"What does Congress do?" "How does it affect my life?" "And how can I let Congress know what's important to me?" The Center on Congress helps "Americans of all ages understand how our representative democracy works and their role in our government."

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a map is worth ten thousand. This is not like any atlas you remember. Maps of America are what you'll find and make on nationalatlas.gov™. Maps of innovation and vision that illustrate our changing Nation. Maps that capture and depict the patterns, conditions, and trends of American life. Maps that supplement interesting articles. Maps that tell their own stories. Maps that cover all of the United States or just your area of interest. Maps that are accurate and reliable from more than 20 Federal organizations. Maps about America's people, heritage, and resources. Maps that will help you, your children, your colleagues, and your friends understand the United States and its place in the world."

A report on the day Edison uttered "Mary Had a Little Lamb" while cranking on a phonograph, and then played it back. Includes a link to the December 22, 1877 edition of Scientific American, reporting on the phonograph and prescient ruminations on what it may mean for technology. Also includes A marvelous quote by Edison: "I was never so taken aback in my life. I was always afraid of things that worked the first time."

"Millions of Americans fought and died during the Civil War, and the legacy of the Civil War remains in the poetry and music left behind. Music was used extensively during the Civil War as a means of inspiring loyalty among the troops, and as a source of inspiration and motivation during marching. Poetry was written to encourage unity, to document the experiences of soldiers, and to share women's place in the war. Bands on both sides would frequently borrow songs and lyrics from the other side, using them as parodies. One such tune was "Dixie", though the song was created some period of time before the Civil War, it gained in popularity during this time. "Dixie" originally tells the story of a freed black slave yearning to return home to the simple life of the plantation, both the North and South however, created their own wartime versions. "The Battle Cry of Freedom" and "Home Sweet Home" also featured both Union and Confederate versions. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "The Southern Cross," were poems that were later set to music."

An "American Historical Association" 2009 winner of "The Roy Rosenzweig Fellowship for Innovation in Digital History"

Interactive online lessons, in English and Spanish, about the life of the first Hispanic woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court, developed by AARTPACK Interactive, a web content development company.

Information on each of the US Presidents. The information is cursory however would be useful for preliminary or activities where only basic biographic information is required.

'A comprehensive collection of material about the Presidents of the United States and the history of the presidency. This web site features essays about the President's life before, during, and after each presidential term. It additionally provides information about the First Lady and cabinet officials of each administration. A collection of essays on the President at Work delves into the function, responsibilities, and organization of the modern presidency and traces the history and evolution of presidential duties.'

An incredible animated, interactive map of the trans-Atlantic slave trade

A valuable resource for studies into everyday life in C19th American West.

"California as I Saw It:" First-Person Narratives of California's Early Years, 1849-1900 consists of the full texts and illustrations of 190 works documenting the formative era of California's history through eyewitness accounts. The collection covers the dramatic decades between the Gold Rush and the turn of the twentieth century.

Contains 150 early movies showing American past-times and everyday life from the turn of the 20th Century.

Van Valen's Gold Rush Journey -- encourages 6th - 8th graders to learn what life was like during the gold rush by investigating the journal of Alex Van Valen, a man who set sail in 1849 to stake his claim in the California gold fields. The website includes a rich set of primary sources to explore and analyze, an interactive guide where students can record, save and print their findings, as well as a teacher's guide.