Social Studies/History - Miscellaneous Sites
1492: An Ongoing Voyage
http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/1492.exhibit/Intro.html
An exhibit by the Library of Congress supplies diverse facts on the famous 1492 voyage.
The exhibition first examines the encounter between the European explorers and the native
people. They explore five geographical areas: The Caribbean Island Societies, the Middle
American Cultures, the Andes, Life in the Highlands, the South Atlantic Peoples, and the
Diverse Societies of North America. The changing order of the Mediterranean World gives a
new perspective to the discovery of America. The entry for Christopher Columbus, too,
gives a different slant on the Man and the Myth. The entire site is fortified with
pictures and descriptions of artifacts from the time. All in all, the Library of Congress
presents multiple routes for discussions on Columbus Day.
America in the 1930's
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~1930s/front.html
This site from the American Studies at the University of Virginia gives a comprehensive
look at The 1930's. Sections include the 1930's On Film, In Print, On Display, and On The
Air. There is a Timeline and a Site Index that makes everything easily accessible.
American Photography: A Century of Images
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/americanphotography/index.html
The companion site to the PBS series, this site chronicles the growth of photography, both
in our private lives and in the public world of news and journalism. The site includes the
text of the series, as well as plenty of images and teaching suggestions. It also includes
an "Image Lab" feature that lets users experiment with cropping and other
digital manipulation of images as well as share the experiences of a photojournalist on a
"shoot."
American Rhetoric, Top 100 Speeches
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/newtop100speeches.htm
A great speech can have a powerful impact. This site, based on the work of two
communications professors, presents what the authors consider to be the 100 most important
speeches of the 20th and 21st centuries. In addition to written transcriptions, two-thirds
of the speeches are available as mp3 audio files so that your students may hear for
themselves what these great people said.
An American History of Disaster and Response
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4839530
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, NPR discusses past natural disasters in U.S. history,
the challenges and the rebuilding. From the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 to Hurricane Andrew
in 1992, read about the events that changed peoples' lives.
America's Story
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi
Discover the stories of America's past on this site from The Library of Congress. Meet
Amazing Americans, Jump Back in Time, Explore the States, Join America at Play, and See,
Hear and Sing.
Arabia Steamboat Story
http://www.1856.com/
The Sidewheel Steamer Arabia sank in 1836 and lay untouched for nearly 150 years until it
was discovered 45 feet under a corn field. The site, which traces its history, provides an
excellent look at 19th-Century life in the U.S., especially as it emphasizes the boat's
cargo of items that the frontier towns were eagerly awaiting but which never arrived.
Asia for Educators
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu
Featuring a variety of lesson plans, curriculum units, and other teaching materials
categorized by subject area and time period, Asia for Educators (AFE) is designed to serve
faculty and students in world history, culture, geography, art, and literature at the
undergraduate and pre-college levels.
At Home in the Heartland
http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/athome/index.html
Explore family life in Illinois from 1700 to the present. Real-life stories about the
people who lived there give this site a very personal touch.
Big Apple History
http://pbskids.org/bigapplehistory/index-flash.html
Lots of great information about New York City. Topics include Early New York, Coming to
America, Bulding the Big Apple, Arts & Entertainment, Business & Politics, and New
York Living. Includes lesson plants on each topic in the Teacher section.
British History Timeline
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/timelines/british/index.shtml
Using this fascinating timeline, you can zoom through the history of Britain from the
Neolithic and Bronze Ages through the centuries to 2007. Choose events for all of Britain
or for the individual countries of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. There
are special journeys you can take such as Slavery, Women's Rights, and Technology that
highlight history-making events.
Calendars Through the Ages
http://webexhibits.org/calendars/
"Explore the fascinating history of the human endeavor to organize our lives in
accordance with the sun and stars."
Celebrate the Century: Search the Web for U.S. History of the
1930's
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson079.shtml
Use this Internet scavenger hunt to search the Web to learn the stories behind the stamps
issued by the United States Postal Service commemorating the people, places, events, and
trends of the 1930s. Explore Web sites related to the Empire State Building, Superman, the
Great Depression, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the Monopoly® board game, and more!
Celebrate the Century: Stamps in the Classroom
http://www.usps.com/images/stamps/ctc.htm
View images of stamps that have been issued celebrating various events during the 20th
century.
Centennial Exhibition: Philadelphia 1876
http://libwww.library.phila.gov/CenCol/index.htm
What caused quite a stir 125 years ago? The Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, which
featured the wonders of the Industrial Age and exhibits from 37 countries, was the talk of
the times. The Philadelphia Library has digitized artifacts from the Exhibition, and put
them online. Students might be interested in the diary of a teenager that attended the
exhibition. Included are ideas for classroom activities in History, Mathematics, Language
Arts, and Music.
Central Park
http://www.centralpark.com/
There is a lot of history surrounding Central Park, located in New York City. Since the
late 1850s, it has been a source of relaxation and it has gone through many changes and
additions during the last 150 years. To learn about the history of Central Park, click the
History tab along the top of the page just under the title bar. Other tabs include General
Info, Zoo, Photos, Attractions and Sports.
Circus in America
http://www.circusinamerica.org/public/
In love with the circus? Indulge yourself in this goldmine of circus information dating
from pre-1793 to 1940. Find content on the animals, people, acts (acrobatic, clowns,
juggling, etc), music and lore of this popular amusement in America's history. Listen to
the sounds, click on various circus wagons for information, and view colorful posters as
well.
Conversations with History
http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/conversations/
It's often difficult to find primary source material. Here you will find a collection of
interviews with men and women from all over the world. "Guests include diplomats,
statesmen, and soldiers; economists and political analysts; scientists and historians;
writers and foreign correspondents; activists and artists. The interviews span the globe
and include discussion of political, economic, military, legal, cultural, and social
issues shaping our world. At the heart of each interview is a focus on individuals and
ideas that make a difference." In some instances, you will find multimedia clips that
can be played in the classroom. Produced by the Institute of International Studies, UC
Berkeley.
Daylight Saving Time
http://webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/
Why do we turn our clocks forward in the Spring and back again in the Fall? Share with
your students the rationale and history of the Daylight Saving Time concept from Benjamin
Franklin through World War I and World War II and finally as a signed law in 1966.
Students will be interested in the section on Worldwide Daylight Saving which highlights
the different opinions and needs from Moscow to the tropical countries. A list of
countries that observe daylight saving time is provided as well as extensive credits for
information given.
Digital History
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu
Digital History includes a U.S. history textbook; over 400 annotated documents from the
Gilder Lehrman Collection, supplemented by sources on slavery, Mexican American and Native
American history, and U.S. political, social, and legal history; essays; multimedia
exhibitions; and reference resources that include a searchable database of 1,500 annotated
links, classroom handouts, etc. The site's Ask the HyperHistorian feature allows users to
pose questions to professional historians. This Web site was designed and developed to
support the teaching of American History in K-12 schools.
Down the Drain: Chicago's Sewers
http://www.chipublib.org/digital/sewers/sewers.html
Down the Drain was developed through a partnership of the Chicago Department of Sewers and
the Chicago Public Library. For most of the City's first seven decades, the defining
struggle for Chicago's continued existence was not the Great Fire of 1871, but its battle
with sewage. In the process, streets were raised; channels were dug; an industrial empire
launched; tunnels bored miles beneath Lake Michigan; and new technologies invented. In
1900, Chicago took the astonishing step of reversing the Chicago River, making it the
first river to flow away from its mouth. The feat was called one of the seven engineering
marvels of the world. In 1922, the flow of a second river, the Calumet, would also be
reversed. Interesting because all cities that grow too large face similar problems.
Ellis Island
http://www.nps.gov/elis
We are a "Nation of Immigrants," and from 1892 until as late as 1954, most
immigrants to this country had to be processed through Ellis Island, in New York Harbor.
This National Park Service-created website is the official site for Ellis Island,
officially now part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. It provides information
about visiting Ellis Island, an excellent teacher section, especially valuable if planning
a class trip there, and offers other information on the topic of immigration. Students may
download a PDF about Ellis Island and the immigration experience.
English Heritage: Interactive Games
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server.php?show=nav.1580
Would you like to Spend a Day in the Life of a Monk, Entertain Elizabeth I, Explore Life
in the Abbey, or select from the other four interactive games based around English life
hundreds of years ago? For students studying the time period, this site provides some
entertaining learning experiences.
Events in Hispanic American History
http://gale.cengage.com/free_resources/chh/timeline/
A comprehensive tieline of events that have had a role in shaping Hispanic culture in the
United States, beginning with the arrival in America of Columbus and his crew of Spaniards
in 1492 and continuing through to the twenty-first century.
Explorers
http://www.mce.k12tn.net/explorers/explorers_start.htm
Students can read the pages about the explorers in the left column, and try some of the
activities that go with each page. Then they can take an online quiz to see what they
learned. The Explorers Chart is a timeline with links to individual reports for all the
explorers listed at the site.
EyeWitness to History.com
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/index.html
This is a good student resource for teachers of social studies. Broken down by century,
students can find solid historical information, usually a page long, describing events,
people or places. The "Snapshots" link (early photography in historical context)
and "Voices" where audio clips of famous notable events and speeches can be
heard make history come alive and is guaranteed to keep students coming back to the site
for more information.
Famous Trials
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/ftrials.htm
An interesting resource from Doug Linder, faculty, University of Missouri Kansas City. A
straight-forward homepage full of thumbnails that lead to various trials throughout
history. From Socrates to OJ Simpson, you'll find timelines, photos, excerpts from the
trial, maps and other pertinent materials. You also find thought-provoking sections such
as Exploring Constitutional Conflicts and Searching for Evil.
Freedom: A History of the U.S. (PBS)
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/historyofus/index.html
A sixteen-part series about the "freedom" that draws countless human beings from
around the world to America, as well as the chief obstacles to American freedom. There are
short videos from the original broadcasts, a menu of episodes, tools and activites
including interactive games and quizzes, a special section for teachers, and an image
browser.
From Carbons to Computers, The Changing American Office
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/carbons/start.html
Intended for middle-schoolers and their teachers, this site provides a look at how society
has changed by focusing on the business office — an unusual but interesting approach.
The site offers many lesson plans, plus photographs, and text about the offices of
yesterday and those of today. Topics discussed include office equipment, office
organization, globalization, and technology. Also included is a historical timeline of
"corporate milestones." It isn't exactly up to date, but the history is good.
From Domesticity to Modernity: What was Home
Economics?
http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/homeEc/
Over the past hundred years, the field of Home Economics has been a bridge between the
sciences and the home. Hear the stories of some of the pioneers of this field and follow
the development of this field of study. From Bacteriology to Child Development to Housing
Design, learn about the home economist's role in national emergencies and impact on
consumer culture.
Grout Museum District Excursion
http://campsilos.org/excursions/grout/
The Grout Museum District Excursion Website is sponsored by Silos & Smokestacks
National Heritage Area. Upon entering this interactive educational Website, students in
grades 4-8 are transformed into historians as they explore primary source photographs,
letters and artifacts related to the themes of immigration and agriculture-based
industrialization in the heartland.
Historical Treasure Chests
http://www.k12science.org/curriculum/treasure/
Historical Treasure Chests provides models for engaging students in the investigation of
authentic materials from the past. The students are provided with primary sources such as
letters, diaries, photographs, maps and artifacts and questions to guide their
investigation. By looking closely for details, students can draw conclusions about the
items and formulate their own hypotheses about the time period(s) during which they were
created. Other primary resources can be accessed on the Web sites listed in the reference
section.
History Central
http://www.historycentral.com/index.html
History Detectives
http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/index.html
History Detectives explores the complexities of historical mysteries, searching out the
facts, myths and conundrums that connect local folklore, family legends and interesting
objects. There is a video library, games and a section for educators with interesting
ideas to use in the classroom.
History Matters: The U.S. Survey Course on
the Web
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/
Designed for high school and college teachers of U.S. History courses, this site serves as
a gateway to Web resources and offers useful materials for teaching U.S. history.
History of Eating Utensils
http://www.calacademy.org/research/anthropology/utensil/index.html
We use utensils to eat just about everyday of our lives, except for those times when we
eat with our hands. But how often do we considered their history? Where did they come
from? Who invented them? On this site you can explore the history of: Forks, Knives,
Spoons, Chopsticks, and Portable Cutlery. The pictures show you the utensils throughout
the ages. You can click on some of the pictures to get more detail.
History of Nations
http://www.historyofnations.net/
"This site has a history of every nation in the world. Each country is covered by a
brief essay which gives the highlights of each nation's history. All information is based
on content from the US State Department with new material added."
History of the World at your Fingertips
http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/WCE/archives/whistwt.html
A classroom Internet connection is a real boon in teaching and learning World History.
Whether you're teaching Ancient History, Modern History, or anything in between, you'll
find something here for use in your classroom.
Home Economics Archive
http://hearth.library.cornell.edu/h/hearth/index.html
HEARTH is a core electronic collection of books and journals in Home Economics and related
disciplines. Titles published between 1850 and 1950 were selected and ranked by teams of
scholars for their great historical importance. The full text of these materials, as well
as bibliographies and essays on the wide array of subjects relating to Home Economics, is
available. You can browse by subject, alphabetic index, or dates.
HyperHistory Online
http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/History_n2/a.html
This site covers World History from ancient to modern times. Graphics, essays, timelines,
maps, significant events, and brief biographies of significant people are included.
If These Walls Could Speak
http://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/edu/walls/
Tour four historic Georgia homes from four distinct periods of Georgia's history at this
richly illustrated site: an 1840s farmhouse, a Scots-Irish log cabin from the 1870s, an
1890s shotgun house owned by a working-class family of African Americans, and a
classical-style home built in the Atlanta suburbs of the 1920s. Learn about the
distinctive architecture of each home, about the families who lived in them, and about the
culture and history of that particular era. This is an excellent site for learning how to
analyze historic materials, to trace personal histories, and to work with pictorial
timelines.
Learning Curve
http://www.learningcurve.gov.uk/default.htm
Learning Curve is a free educational website for history teachers and students. Much of
the content is British history, but it also includes other topic areas as well. There are
short lessons, in-depth exhibitions, activities and games - all featuring original sources
from the amazing collection of the National Archives. There are three main sections. In
Sources, you can see documents, photos and film from the National Archives. History
unlocks the meaning of these records. In Education, you can enjoy games and activities for
thinking and learning about our past.
Los Adaes Site Explorer
http://www.crt.state.la.us/siteexplorer/
Los Adaes Site Explorer tells the story of an 18th century Spanish presidio and mission
that played an important role in the balance of French, Spanish, and Caddo Indian power in
North America. The settlement marked the eastern frontier of the Spanish Province of
Texas, and it served as the provincial capital for more than 40 years. The present-day
archaeological site is a National Historic Landmark and a State Historic Site that is open
to the public. The online exhibit provides an opportunity for the public to learn about
life at the site, as revealed through history and archaeology.
Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution
http://www.pbs.org/marieantoinette/
This Website tracks the relatively young Marie Antoinette throughout her life of
privilege, providing a fascinating look at French culture of the time. There are wonderful
pictures of the Palace of Versailles as well as of specific rooms in the Palace. Be sure
to click on the Queen's Chamber for pictures of Marie's rooms and paintings of her
throughout her life, until her end at the Guillotine.
Mass Moments
http://www.massmoments.org/
"On January 1, 2005, the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities launched the
Mass Moments project—a daily almanac of Massachusetts history. Throughout 2005, radio
listeners and Internet users will find a different story every day about events and people
in the recorded history of Massachusetts." When this site loads, you will be given a
snippet of Today's moment, and can then choose to learn more by clicking "More on
this Moment," which will give you more information on that moment. Or you can click
"Play this Radio Moment" from the main page instead and listen to the narration.
Mount Rushmore: American Experience
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/rushmore/
This online exhibit chronicles the planning, design, implementation and minutiae of Mount
Rushmore, the U.S. monument commemorating four presidents. Between January 1, 2002 and May
24, 2002, American Experience is holding an essay contest with this topic
question:"If the Park Service ever were to add an inscription to Mount Rushmore, what
do you think it should say?" There is also an activity for students to design a
memorial commemorating the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. These activities, as well
as activities in the disciplines of civics, history, economics, and geography can be found
under Teacher's Guide.
Old Magazine Articles
http://oldmagazinearticles.com/
The creators of this site believe that today's readers of history can learn a good deal
from old periodicals. It is a primary source Web site and is designed to serve as a
reference for students, educators, authors, researchers, etc., as well as to entertain.
All of the content is in the public domain.
PuyduFou
http://www.puydufou.com/uk/
This is an interesting site where students can learn about French history. The Grand Parc
is a theme park that has re-enactments of periods of French history. There are different
"spectacles" that portray a part of French history. It is an interactive site
where you can click on various parts of the park to see what is there. There are also a
couple of games and some coloring pages for younger students.
Remembering the Flint Sit-Down Strike,
1936-1937
http://www.historicalvoices.org/flint/
This site is based on interviews that were conducted between 1978 and 1984 with former
participants of the Flint Sit-Down Strike of 1936-37. The oral tapes that resulted provide
important primary materials on American labor history. According to the Introduction:
"the strike itself has remained interesting because it was a classic case of David
versus Goliath. In 1936, General Motors was the richest industrial corporation in the
world ... The strikers, on the other hand, averaged about a tenth grade education, came
from poor families, and consisted of many Southerners and Eastern European
immigrants." Interspersed with short, interesting audio clips from strike
participants.
Riding the Rails
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/rails/index.html
Here are stories of homeless teenagers during the Great Depression who crisscrossed the
country by hitching rides on freight trains. Click on the sidebar for information about
the film "Riding the Rails," available from PBS, including a transcript of the
film. Special features include stories of some of the "rail riders", hobo songs,
and obstacles faced by African Americans. There is a timeline of the Great Depression,
maps of the train routes, and a teacher's guide.
River to Rail
http://rivertorail.mjcpl.org/index.php
Although this site provides information on one town, Madison, IN; it is an absolute
treasure trove of information on the development of the Midwest. It can also serve as a
model for classes planning to document their community's past. The authors provide
captivating historic photos and comprehensive narrative on the area before steam,
steamboats, early railroading, and the booms and busts of small towns struggling to
maintain during the radical changes of the 19th century. For great information on the Ohio
River as a highway west, click on "Before Steam."
Statue of Liberty
http://www.statueofliberty.org/default_sol.htm
On this site, you can learn all about the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty has had
a very interesting history since her dedication in 1886. Sections include About the Statue
of Liberty, Statue of Liberty History, Statue of Liberty Fun Facts, Statue of Liberty
Pictures, Stamps & Coins, and Visiting Liberty Island. A great site for students to
learn more about our symbol of freedom.
Teaching with Historic Places
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/
Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) uses properties listed in the National Park Service's
National Register of Historic Places to enliven history, social studies, geography,
civics, and other subjects. TwHP has created a variety of products and activities that
help teachers bring historic places into the classroom.
Teach US History.org
http://www.teachushistory.org/
This Web site contains historic primary source images and text as well as background
information that provides historical, cultural, and literary context to significant events
in American history. Additionally the site contains video and audio presentations
utilizing professional actors impersonating historical figures and reenacting historical
events. The site also contains lesson plans and curriculum units to help educators
incorporate these materials in their classroom instruction.
This Day in History
http://www.history.com/tdih.do
This is another good site for a "daily dose of history". Once the date comes up
there are 12 different categories of history to choose from in addition to the daily
article. There is also a date search feature.
TIME and LIFE Pictures: Defining Visions of an Enduring History
http://www.timelifepictures.com/ms_timepix/source/home/home.aspx?pg=1
This database of images contains hundreds of photographs from TIME and Life Magazines from
a span of over 70 years. This is a wonderful resource for the study of history, culture or
photojournalism. Images are searchable by photographer, keyword, person in photo, category
or date range. In addition, you can change preferences to define how many images will
appear on a page and how much information will be presented for each image. Full view
presents title, caption and date for the image, as well as identifying the photographer
and subject.
Victoria and Albert Museum
http://www.tudorbritain.org/religion/index.asp
Henry VIII was trivialized by the song "I'm Henry the Eighth I Am," (Herman's
Hermits). But the topic has serious implications: such as, was there freedom of religion
in England during the reign of this monarch and that of his successors? This exercise
explores the religious turmoil that took place in sixteenth-century England at the time of
the Protestant Reformation. It includes a timeline of the many shifts in religious
practice that occurred during the reigns of Henry VIII, Mary I, Edward VI, and Elizabeth
I.
Victorian Web
http://www.victorianweb.org/
The Victorian Web is a comprehensive website that focuses its attention on the literary,
philosophical, religious, scientific, and technological advancements of the Victorian age.
Select from famous Victorian authors, social history, gender issues, art and architecture,
technology, and so much more.
Welcome to the Mary Rose
http://www.maryrose.org/
Come and explore Henry VIII's great warship and meet some of the crew in this website!
Hear the crew talk, find out about the objects found on the wreck, try your hand at the
quizzes, then print out an activity sheet to do afterwards. A second site, The Learning
City, is based on life aboard the Mary Rose. Even if you're not studying history, there
are some great pictures and information on these sites.
West Point in the Making of America
http://americanhistory.si.edu/westpoint/
Learn more about the United States Military Academy at West Point and its contributions to
American history. Includes bibliographies and web links.
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