Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

This site is based on the Library of Congress collection of thousands of photos taken in the 1930s and early 1940s. They document everyday life during the depression and the years leading up to World War II. Geographic and chronological indexes make this collection an interesting research tool and photo source.

tag(s): great depression (30), primary sources (117)

Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project (1936-40)

tag(s): biographies (94), primary sources (117)

This site, created by the University of Virginia, examines the role of the press in creating the massive public reaction to the Titanic sinking. The site examines the large number of erroneous reports, as well as some of the sensationalized coverage of the tragedy. Excellent site for research or discussion-starters.

tag(s): disasters (37), newspapers (93)

This site has film clips of American Factories, The McKinley Era, New York circa 1900, San Francisco before and after the earthquake, and other indexed historical early films. The clips are long, so take a few minutes to download, but the results could illustrate a history lesson or a communications study. This site also links to Edison's early motion picture and sound recordings. Students can also use these for primary research for National History Day or other major projects.

tag(s): 1900s (72), movies (54)

The Evolution of the Conservation Movement documents the historical formation and cultural foundations of the movement to conserve and protect America's natural heritage. The collection consists of 60 books and pamphlets, 140 Federal statutes and Congressional resolutions, 34 additional legislative documents, excerpts from the Congressional Globe and the Congressional Record, 360 Presidential proclamations, 170 prints and photographs, 2 historic manuscripts, and a two-part motion picture. The chronologies, each with multiple links, are particularly useful for students.

tag(s): conservation (102), ecology (103)

This multimedia site, based on a Smithsonian exhibit, provides in-depth documentation of the Panama Canal's fascinating history. Start with the brief introductory slide show - and be sure to have your speakers on! Students can discover the purpose behind the construction, how the route was selected, what life in the Canal Zone was like, and many little known facts about the project.

tag(s): south america (47)

While this comprehensive site about the Chicago labor unrest of 1886 offers seemingly endless narrative, its most useful feature is probably the collection of archival images and photos from the period. These give students a far better feel for the passion of the era. There's also plenty of research information.

tag(s): illinois (6)

Compare the 2000 election controversy to the 1876 presidential election, in which the Electoral College ended up deciding the presidency. This site is especially noteworthy for its use of historical political cartoons and its day-by-day recounting of the events following the general election. From Harpweek.com, which creates resources from archival editions of Harper's Weekly.

Although this resource was created based on the 2000 election, the background information and historical comparisons are valuable for teaching about elections in general and for comparing elections as part of U.S. history.

tag(s): college (45), electoral college (22)

This site from the University of Pittsburgh traces the life and songwriting career of Pittsburgh native Stephen Foster. Foster's music is seen by many as helping to define American culture during this period. This site offers interesting research material, as well as more detailed content for the advanced student.

tag(s): biographies (94)

This is a fascinating archival photo collection describing how important women were to the railroads during World War I and World War II. The site includes some British and European content as well.

tag(s): railroads (14), women (151)

Used for more than warmth, quilts frequently told stories and histories. This Library of Congress site explains how and shows examples.

tag(s): crafts (64), women (151)

Here you will learn about prominent women artists of the past and great women artists working today. On the top menu, click Art + Artists to find a Collection of works by women artists, search by artist or artwork, time periods, medium, and or topic. The rest of this page displays 225 artworks that, when clicked, give you information about the artwork and the artist. When you click Artists, you'll find photos and profiles of women artists. Search by time periods and or medium. This page displays photos of the artists, and there is an interactive button at the top where you can shuffle which artists are displayed. Teachers: From the top menu, you can also click Learn and then For Educators to find Art, Books, and Creativity (ABC) curriculum that uses artists' books to highlight natural connections between visual arts and language arts. Scroll down the page to find additional resources.

tag(s): artists (85), women (151), womenchangemaker (37)

Here's a site - with an attitude - about women in the military. There's plenty of information on the roles of women from the 18th century to the present, with an emphasis on the extent of women's accomplishments. Nice source for some information that's hard to find elsewhere.

tag(s): air (102), navy (8), women (151)

Students can approach this online exhibit from the Library of Congress at several levels. Elementary students can make use of the collection of captioned images (click to enlarge them). Older students can benefit from the discussion of Jefferson's experiments with farming, physics, and practical contraptions. Great exposure to a man who studied everything.

tag(s): jefferson (19)

Step into the world of Thomas Jefferson through a virtual visit to Monticello, his mountaintop home and plantation. Explore his life and legacy by reading biographies written by presidential experts, listening to podcasts about Jefferson's life and career, or discovering a typical day in Jefferson's life after retirement through anecdotes and pictures. Visit the Educators Resources to find virtual tours, coloring pages, primary source documents, and a Build Your Own House activity highlighting Jefferson's architectural career.

tag(s): jefferson (19), presidents (135), primary sources (117), virtual field trips (128)

This site offers a collection of resources dealing with spies and espionage during the American Revolution. In addition to copies of actual letters, there are stories about famous spies and their impact on the conflict. There are also several neat "experiments" showing how to create secret codes, invisible ink, and other spy tricks. From the University of Michigan.

tag(s): american revolution (82)

Ben Franklin is one of America's most colorful patriots. As this site from the Franklin Institute shows, his accomplishments as legislator, diplomat, and scientist were recognized as extraordinary even in his own day.

tag(s): american revolution (82), evolution (89), franklin (12)

Dates and events from the first settlers through 1800, along with links to biographies and related documents.

tag(s): american revolution (82), colonial america (95)

Collection of primary sources from Brigham Young University. This site contains extensive, contemporary accounts of World War I events broken out both by theme and chronologically. For students interested in working with primary sources, this site is an ideal starting point. Endless research possibilities.

tag(s): world war 1 (77)

We're not partial to "lists of lists," but this Canadian site's thematic organization of scores of web resources provides an effective interdisciplinary framework for a study of the Great War and its effects on Europe and the world. The section on participation by country helps show that it wasn't just the French, Germans, British, and Americans who were involved.

tag(s): world war 1 (77)