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U.S. History
1492 Exhibit - This Library of Congress display examines Columbus, the man and the myth. Why do we talk about the "discovery" of America when people were living there all along? What was life like in the America that Columbus encountered? What changes, immediate and long term, befell both the Europeans and the people of the Americas?
1939-40 New York World's Fair - Come on, let's visit the 1939 World's Fair, in Flushing Meadows, New York. Look, it's the big ball and tower known as the Trylon and Perisphere. That's supposed to symbolize purity of form in the world of tomorrow. Hey, it says here you can go inside and see the future! There are loads of illustrations and lots of information. Sounds good--let's get a lemonade first though; it sure is hot!
50 States and Capitals - Pick a state, any state. Or pick a territory; they are here too. You'll get a page with lots of information about each area. For example, look at Nebraska, the Cornhusker State; its capital is Lincoln. See the state flag, the bird, the flower, the song, even links to other information about the state. Hey, did you know Nebraska was the birthplace of President Gerald R. Ford? You do now!
A Deeper Shade of History: Events & Folks in Black History - What happened this week in black history? Search on any date at this Web site. You can also search on a name, and if you're lucky, there will be a short biography. For example, there's Benjamin Banneker, born in Maryland in 1731. His father was a slave, although his mother was free. Benjamin was a real tinkerer and was always taking things apart and putting them back together. He built the first wooden clock in America! He was also interested in astronomy, geology, physics--and surveying. Thomas Jefferson appointed Banneker to the team that planned the layout of Washington, D.C. He is probably best known for his almanac series, called Benjamin Banneker's Almanac and Ephemeris.
Adventures of Wells Fargo - Original Information Superhighway - These days, you can hop on a jet plane and travel the width of the U.S. from coast to coast in five or six hours. In the 1800s, however, there were no planes, so people traveled as far as they could by rail, ship, and other transportation, then made the rest of the trip by a bouncy overland stagecoach pulled by a team of horses. They often began their stagecoach journey from places halfway across the country, such as St. Louis, Missouri. The trip from St. Louis to San Francisco, California, generally took about 24 days! Wells Fargo was one of the companies to offer this form of travel, and they present some maps, stories, and tall tales about it all here.
African American Journey - This excellent site from the editors of World Book Encyclopedia traces the history of African Americans from slavery to freedom. It offers information on the civil rights movement as well as a brief history of Black History Month itself. The idea began all the way back in 1926, with the observance of Negro History Week. It was originally proposed by Carter G. Woodson, among others. Woodson was a black historian and is now known as the "Father of Black History." Black History Week began during the early 1970s, and Black History Month was first celebrated in 1976. It is sponsored each year by the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History in Washington, D.C., which Woodson founded in 1915.
America in the 1930s - Created for the American Studies Program at the University of Virginia, this site offers a window to the complexities of the 1930s. It was a decade of crushing economic depression set against the hope of the modern age's dawn. Visit sections on film, print media, and art. Don't miss the audio archive of vintage radio programs.
America's Freedom Documents - Here are the "Freedom Documents" from Early America-- the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Be witness to the cornerstones of the Early Republic.
America's West - Development and History - Return with us now to the days of yesteryear--of gold rush and ghost town, the heyday of cowboy and gunslinger. At this site, you'll discover links to information on America's westward expansion, famous Western trails, pioneers, trappers, and biographies of Kit Carson, Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, Billy the Kid, Sitting Bull, Roy Rogers, and lots of famous folks in between. There are links to movies about the West as well as to Western theme parks and dude ranches. A caution to parents: Not all the outbound links have been reviewed.
American Cultural History - The Twentieth Century - Parental advisory: Please preview this site. Try this excellent resource when you have an assignment about a particular decade and don't know where to turn to find information on "the music of the 1920s" or "the fads of the 1960s." There are also many links and recommended books should you need further information. (Note: Each decade takes a while to load, so be patient.)
American Memory from the Library of Congress - You have memories of your own life. Your parents have memories of their lives, and your grandparents have memories of theirs. Wouldn't it be great to find a place to archive all those memories, so they wouldn't be lost when someone died? You could call it the American Memory Project! Look no further. Browse through 25,000 turn-of-the-century postcards; maybe some are from your hometown. Go to the Collection Finder and look in the Photos and Prints Division under Detroit Publishing Company (show this to your parents--they will love it). Check old movies of New York City made by Edison himself in 1903. Look into the eyes of the immigrants coming to America--so much hope is expressed there. The historical periods covered are from the Civil War to World War II. Each collection is annotated, and broad topics are listed. This is an excellent source for students looking for nonprint sources to accompany an American history report. Don't forget to remember American Memory.
Arlington National Cemetery - The Final Post - This Virginia cemetery is America's special place of rest for many members of the U.S. armed forces, Medal of Honor and other award recipients, persons who have been elected to federal office, astronauts, honored civilians, and others throughout the years. It has a rich history, some of which is detailed in this page, created by students for the ThinkQuest competition.
Arlington National Cemetery Official Website - For the almost four million people who visit annually, Arlington National Cemetary represents many different things. For some, it is a chance to walk among headstones that chronicle American history; for many, it is an opportunity to remember and honor the nation's war heroes; and for others, it is a place to say a last farewell during funeral services for a family member of friend.
Battle of Gettysburg - How did the war begin? Who were the major players and what were the most important battles? This heavily illustrated site will help further your understanding of the Civil War as you follow along day by day. Numerous quotes from primary sources help to give you a clear picture of the events. In the Aftermath section there are photographs of war casualties, and this section is not for the sensitive. This site was created by students for the ThinkQuest competition.
Betsy Ross Home Page - Betsy Ross is credited with having sewn the very first U.S. flag in 1776. But did she? You can learn about the questions surrounding this cherished American figure, as well as take a virtual tour to her house in Philadelphia. Apparently, George Washington wanted six-pointed stars on the flag, as they appear on his original pencil sketch. Betsy recommended five-pointed stars instead. Everyone scoffed, saying that the stars were too hard to draw, let alone cut. Then they stood amazed as Ross folded a piece of paper, made one snip with scissors, and unfolded a perfect five-pointed star! You can learn the secret of this trick by clicking on'Cut a 5-point star in one snip' on the flag at the top of the page.
Biography of America, A - A Biography of America is a telecourse and video series that presents American history as a living narrative. This series web site lets you delve further into the topics of the 26 video programs. For each program you'll find an interactive feature related to the subject or the time period of the program. In addition, you'll find a listing of key events of the period, a map relevant to the period, the transcript of the video program, and a "Webography" - a set of annotated web links.
Birth of a Nation - This site won the social science division in the 1998 ThinkQuest Junior contest. You can learn all about the events of April 18-19, 1775. You remember, that's when Paul Revere rode to warn the countryside that "the British are coming!" If you're not up to speed on the minutemen, this site will give you an overview of the important names, places, and deeds. There's also a neat game on daily eighteenth-century wear for men, women, and kids. You can mix and match parts of the photos and try to come up with a complete historical costume.
British Invasion - Encyclopedia Britannica offers you a front-row seat to the Beatles' "invasion" of America in February 1964. You'll swoon as Paul steps up to the mike. You'll scream as Ringo flashes his trademark jewelry. You'll puzzle over John's inscrutable artwork and writings. And you'll collect everything with George's name on it. The Beatles changed everything, and this Web site is here to show you how and why. There is also information on other British invaders, such as the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Yardbirds, and more. In Fashion Fun there's a Shockwave model you can dress up in gear clothing so she'll look fab! Send your friends (or your mom) some Beatles trading cards postcards while you're here.
Castles of the United States - There are lots of castles and castlelike buildings in the United States. King James the Castlefinder and his lady, Princess Patricia, enjoy going to Renaissance festivals, and along the way they like to collect castles. They have quite a list here; is there a castle located near you? Look in the listings for your state. If the castle has a home page, you will find a link to it as well.
Colonial Family and Community - While you're getting used to time travel, zoom into the mid-1700s to visit the Daggett farm, in Connecticut. Become a history detective and pore over clues from the Daggett's family account book. Based on the evidence there, plus what you'll see in animations and QuickTime movies, can you guess what Samuel Daggett did for a living? What was home life like for Anna Daggett and the Daggett children, Asenath, Tabitha, and Isaiah? What happened in the social, religious, and political life of the community? The real challenge comes at the end when you must decide "what's wrong with this picture?" Click on anything you think is misplaced in this illustration of the time period. (Hint: there were no cellular phones in the eighteenth century!)
Colonial Kids - For a kids'-eye view of the 1700s in southeastern Pennsylvania, hang out with this ThinkQuest Junior team, who knows all about it. They dressed up in period costume and made videos to help other kids learn what life was like before Nintendo and Pokémon. Visit the spring house, take the barn tour, discover the clackety-clack of playing marbles, and try some of the other wholesome activities. There are also crafts and recipes for those who really want a taste of the eighteenth century.
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation - What would it be like to be suddenly transported back in time to the 1700s? For fun, you would play cards and board games, or you'd work at puzzles; outside, you would roll hoops, walk on stilts, and play a rousing game of ninepins bowling. What kinds of foods would you eat? How would people behave--are manners the same now as they were back then? What kind of job would you have? Experience the eighteenth century by visiting this site. Colonial Williamsburg is a living history museum in Virginia, where the people dress and act as if they were living in colonial times. They have to know a lot about history to do that, and some kids work at the museum, playing the roles of kids back in the 1700s. This is a great site to learn how people lived in early times in America.
Copernicus Election Watch:
The 2000 U.S. Presidential Election for Educators and Students - Move on to this site for more details on the election process. Click on The Path to the White House and select any section that interests you. Try "Running a Campaign." (I had a lot of fun writing my own "mad-libs" campaign speech as President Mommy, running on a platform of cleaning up our rooms, doing our homework, and stamping out mean people). Worth a look is the Campaign Ad Critique lesson plan, also in this section. Can you spot a negative ad from one that's warm and fuzzy? Other parts of this superb site include kid-oriented looks at the major candidates and their stands on the issues.
Crossed the West: The Adventures of Lewis and Clark - In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson looked out the window and said, "Hmm, I wonder if there is a water route, maybe a river or something, that goes all the way across the continent and ends up at the Pacific Ocean? Something we could navigate with boats, so we could get supplies there, and settle, and eventually build theme parks." OK, so he didn't really say that. But he did want the West explored, and Lewis and Clark were just the guys to take on the task. Want to join their expedition and see what happens?
Declaring Independence: Drafting the Documents - You know the Declaration of Independence was first signed on July 4, 1776. It begins this way: "When in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another...." The colonists didn't one day just wake up and decide to send this letter to King George III of England. This Library of Congress exhibit presents a chronology of events. You'll find fascinating information about how the documents were drafted, plus photos of important objects. Some of these include fragments of the earliest known draft, the original draft, and various prints relevant to the exhibit, as well as correspondence from Thomas Jefferson. Did you know he was the one who wrote the original?
Deer Creek School: Our Gold Country Community - In 1850, gold was discovered in Nevada County, California. This award-winning Web site commemorating the event was produced by students who did extensive research, conducted interviews, and even visited a mine. Learn about placer, hydraulic, and hardrock mining. Read the exciting story of the Whopper, an 18-pound nugget found at a local mine. It made a class visit, and the kids photographed it. Using QuickTime VR, you can rotate it and examine it from all sides. See artwork and photos from the gold rush era. This site is a real gem!
Documenting America - The images in the Farm Security Administration-Office of War Information Collection are among the most famous documentary photographs ever produced. Created by a group of U.S. government photographers, the images show Americans in every part of the nation. In the early years, the project emphasized rural life and the negative impact of the Great Depression, farm mechanization, and the Dust Bowl. In later years, the photographers turned their attention to the mobilization effort for World War II. The core of the collection consists of about 164,000 black-and-white photographs. This release provides access to over 55,000 of these images; future additions will expand the black-and-white offering. The FSA-OWI photographers also produced about 1600 color photographs during the latter days of the project.
Folding the US Flag - The American Legion, and some branches of the military, attach symbolic meanings to each fold of the flag. Learn about them here.
From Revolution to Reconstruction - The main body of this home page comes from the booklet "An Outline of American History," distributed by the United States Information Agency. The text is illustrated with stamps. It has very dense text, so you may want to look at this site for heavier research only. Additional original sources with hypertext links (which go all over the Net) have been added. This site covers American history from the colonial period until modern times. Check it out; it's fun just to know there was a stamp with the Carolina Charter on it.
Gold Rush - Written by Son of Net-mom for a sixth-grade project, this site provides details about the California gold rush, which began after gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in January, 1848. It took over six months for the news to reach the east coast, and by then it was too late in the year to set out via wagon. Some took ships and went around the tip of South America. Others took a dugout canoe shortcut through the jungles and wetlands where the Panama Canal is today, but this route was dangerous and travelers often caught malaria and other diseases. Many waited until the following spring of 1849 and set off in overloaded wagons, heading for the gold fields. This site will teach you about the various routes and what could be expected on the journeys. You'll also find information on sourdough bread--staple food of the miners. There is also a nice set of links to other useful gold rush sites.
History Happens - History would be much easier to learn if you could just watch a music video about, say, Pearl Harbor, the Underground Railroad, or the Civil War. Your worries are over--this historical music video site lists many of the lyrics and has Real Audio so you can hear the songs. There's also an excellent selection of links.
How We Made the First Flight - This is Orville Wright's firsthand account of how he and his brother, Wilbur, built and flew the first successful airplane. It is an interesting description of events and an important historical document. This is a great resource for any report on the topic of the Wright brothers, famous inventors, or aviation history.
Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the United States - George Washington's second-term inaugural speech remains the shortest on record, requiring only 135 words. William Henry Harrison delivered one of the longest, speaking for an hour and 45 minutes in a blinding snowstorm. He then stood in the cold and greeted well-wishers all day; he died a month later, of pneumonia. Read the speech here, but make sure you keep your hat on! Project Bartleby, at Columbia University in New York, houses a home page containing the inaugural addresses of the presidents. Also included is an article about presidents sworn in but not inaugurated and the Oath of Office itself. This is a good site for finding inaugural factoids, such as the revelation that Geronimo, the great Apache, attended the inauguration of Teddy Roosevelt and that attendees at Grover Cleveland's second inaugural ball were all agog at the new invention: electric lights!
Jamestown Settlement - Relive the adventure of 1607 when 104 Englishmen dropped anchor and began to build America's first permanent English colony in Jamestown, Virginia. Explore life at the dawn of the 17th century inside the palisade of a re-created colonial fort, discover the world of Pocahontas in the Powhatan Indian village, and experience the four-month passage to the New World on board re-creations of the three ships that brought the settlers to Virginia.
Landmarks of Hispanic L.A. - What do you think of when you hear someone say Los Angeles, California? Maybe movie stars come to mind, or surfers, or rock musicians. Los Angeles, though, is a very old center of American Hispanic and Latino culture. To understand Los Angeles, you have to understand its Latin roots. This page is a good place to begin. Here you'll read about some of Los Angeles' earliest history, and you'll see the landmarks where the history took place.
Liberty! The American Revolution - Visit this PBS site for a time line of the Revolution from 1760--when King George ascended the throne in England--to 1791, when the Bill of Rights was passed by the first American Congress. Read The Chronicle of the Revolution, with its "newspaper" accounts of the events of the times. There is information on a colonist's daily life, as well as that of both a British and a colonial soldier. There's also a quiz game called The Road to Revolution you can try, but make sure you do some reading at this site first.
Library of Congress - The U.S. Library of Congress is the world's largest single collection of library materials anywhere. It would be great if everything in the library were available to be viewed on the Internet, but that hasn't happened yet. However, the folks at the Library of Congress have made a large amount of information available here. From their home page on the World Wide Web, you can view beautiful graphic images of exhibits, such as original photographs from the U.S. Civil War, or you can see replicas of documents from Columbus' voyages to America.
Making It Their Own: Women in the West - Making It Their Own: Women in the West provides information about Women in the West. Under Texts you will find examples of primary texts, such as women's diaries and literary works, or secondary texts, such as critical essays or historical studies. Under Resources, you will find biographies of Western women as well as other resources, such as bibliographies and teaching and study materials. Under Links to Other Sites, you will find a collection of links to sites dealing with various issues in women's history, such as women's art and health. Finally, under Images, you will find both general collections which include some images of Western women's history and direct links to pictures available online.
Mayflower Web Pages - In 1620, the Mayflower set off on a 66-day voyage from England to the New World. At least 30 of the passengers were under age 17. The kids on board got into all sorts of trouble, which was recounted in journals of the time. Read about it at this site: one of the boys shot off a gun and set part of the ship on fire! By the way, boys and girls wore almost the same type of clothes--long dresslike garments! At this well-researched page, you'll also find historical information, books and journals by the Pilgrims, myths about the Mayflower, and all sorts of details about the voyage. The Complete Site for Mayflower History and Genealogy. Includes passenger lists, crew members, Thanksgiving proclamation and more!
National Archives Online Exhibit Hall - The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is a nationwide system that preserves U.S. government records of permanent value. The online exhibits help to bring some of the rich and varied holdings of the National Archives to the public. In the Exhibit Hall, you will find some cool special exhibits; for example, "The Charters of Freedom" features the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights. You'll also find a special exhibit on the Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln, which ended slavery. Other featured documents include the Nineteenth Amendment and Japanese surrender documents. Visit this site for firsthand looks at the historic documents of the United States, several of them written in longhand!
New Deal Network - As America struggled to get back on its economic feet after the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt announced the New Deal during the presidential race of 1932. It pledged many new government projects to increase financial stability and help along social reform. Remember, one out of four people was unemployed at this time, and many schools had to close because they didn't have the funds to stay Poor children wrote to the president's wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, and begged her for cast-off clothing for themselves and their parents. Read some of the children's letters, and Mrs. Roosevelt's responses, at this site. You'll also learn about the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camps and the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) water projects, which brought affordable electricity to many Americans for the first time.
New Perspectives on the West - This is a companion site to the eight-part PBS television series The West. It is a history of the expansion of the American West, and we are including it because of the rich biographical information about famous Native Americans. Just click on People in the West. You'll find short biographies about Sitting Bull, Chief Joseph, Chief Seattle, Crazy Horse, Sacagawea, and more.
Old Abe the War Eagle - During the Civil War, many military units adopted an animal mascot. Usually it was a dog or a goat, but the Eighth Wisconsin Infantry Regiment had something really unique: a bald eagle, which they named "Old Abe," after President Abraham Lincoln. You can read about Old Abe's war stories and see pictures. Old Abe's legacy lives on in the logos of Wisconsin companies, in replicas at the Wisconsin State Assembly and elsewhere, and in the names of school sports teams. Additionally, the insignia patch of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division, originally formed in Wisconsin during World War I, carries a graphic of Old Abe. According to this page, the "Screaming Eagles" saw extensive action in World War II and the Vietnam and Persian Gulf Wars.
Old Sturbridge Village - Do you think it would be fun to live in the past? Why not visit the nineteenth century and see how you like it? You can experience the sights and sounds of this re-created New England village by taking a virtual visit. Let's visit the blacksmith shop--can you hear the clang of the hammer on the anvil? Listen for the team of horses pulling a sleigh. Why not stroll over to the confectionery shop for some horehound drops or rock candy? Got a question? Ask Jack in the Kids Club, where you'll also find puzzles. If you visit the real Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts, you'll find a fascinating living history museum, where all the kids and other villagers dress, talk, and act like they are living in 1830.
Pioneer Spirit - In the 1800s, many settlers left the east coast and headed west to make better lives for themselves. Trying to carve out places of their own from wilderness prairie wasn't easy. This excellent site shows in pictures and words the struggles of the Dakota pioneers. You'll read a diary written by a physician in the 1870s Dakota territory. And you will be fascinated by a series of "then and now" photographs comparing photos of long ago to the same spot in photos from today. How things have changed!
Pioneers - This beautifully illustrated site was a finalist in the 1999 ThinkQuest Junior competition. It answers the questions you may have about who the pioneers were, why they went west, where they traveled to, and what trails they used to get there. You'll be interested to find out what they took with them and what life was like along the route of the wagon trains. Look for the directions for making a "whimmydiddle"--a popular trail toy.
Plimoth-on-Web - Take a virtual tour of "Plimoth Plantation." In this living history museum, all the employees dress and act as Pilgrims would have in 1627. Visit the re-created village and farm site, learn about the voyage of the Mayflower , find out about seventeenth-century shoemaking, Thanksgiving, and lots more.
Presidential Libraries - This site's mission is to help bring presidential library materials to the Internet for improved public access and to link America's past to her future. Presidential libraries from Herbert Hoover through President Clinton and Vice President Gore are included. Some of the more recent libraries have their own home pages. Other parts of the site offer presidential Web sites.
Presidents of the United States - This site guarantees that they are "the most comprehensive site on the Internet for presidential resources." To start with, they have biographies from the official White House web site, online encyclopedias, other web sites about the American Presidents, as well as complete books you can read online. But they also have things like members of the President’s Cabinet and selected staff members for each administration, information about and transcripts of the Presidential debates that have been held, information about each First Lady including biographies and pictures, as well as the pets of the Presidents, the favorite movies of the Presidents, and well, lots more.
Private Passions, Public Legacy: Paul Mellon's Personal Library at the University of Virginia - Paul Mellon spent most of his life trying to figure out creative ways of giving spending money. An avid art collector, he also gave away hundreds of rare books, manuscripts, and maps before his death in 1999. This site explores the pieces he gave to the University of Virginia, including letters by Thomas Jefferson, illustrated books, and memorabilia from the Civil War.
Remembering Pearl Harbor - Remembering Pearl Harbor. Multimedia Map and Time Line: Photos, footage, firsthand accounts, and narration bring the attack on Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii, to life-moment by moment, target by target. Searchable Archive of Survivors' Stories: Read personal tales of heroism and disaster, find a long-lost friend, or submit your own true tale of December 7, 1941. Pearl Harbor Ships and Planes, World War II Time Line, and More: Get the facts in easy-print form, click to related sites, and review recommended resources.
Roanoke: A Mystery in History - This 1998 ThinkQuest Junior finalist explores the lost colony of Roanoke Island, in what is now North Carolina. In 1586 it was a tiny garrison of 15 men, but it was later found abandoned in July of 1587. One mysterious human skeleton was found on the beach, but no other trace was found. Ninety-one men, women, and children arrived from England and started fixing up the fort so they could live in it. They had the beginnings of a thriving settlement and had begun to make friends with the Native Americans. In August, some of the colonists went back to England for more supplies. Because England was at war with Spain, no ships could be spared to resupply Roanoke until three years later. When the search party arrived in 1590, no one could be found, although a large fire blazed on the north end of the island. Where did the colonists go? Examine some of the theories at this site, and see what seems believable to you.
Roaring 1920s Concert Extravaganza - Before television, people gathered around the radio to listen to live concerts from distant places. This popular form of entertainment is re-created here, as you listen to minute-long sound files from such 1920s artists as Al Jolson, Maurice Chevalier, Fanny Brice, and Helen Kane, "the Boop Boop A Doop Girl."
Search for the USS Indianapolis-Discovery Online - On July 30, 1945 the USS Indianapolis was ambushed after deilivering the atomic bomb that would help end World War II. Some 900 sailors survived the torpedoes, but when resucers finally reached the shark-infested Pacific five days later, only 316 men remained alive. Read the survivor stories, learn the Captain's fate and more!!
Stand Up for Your Rights - Religious freedom. Voting rights for women. School desegregation. Explore the history of these rights in interactive feature stories, games, and engaging graphic presentations. In Buzz you can read interviews with people who were there and experienced these events firsthand. For example, meet Melba Beals, one of the "Little Rock Nine"--the first African American kids to attend Central High School. That was in 1957. There's much more--visit and see!
Tax History Project - Welcome to the Tax History Project, established by Tax Analysts in 1995 to provide scholars, policymakers, students, the media, and citizens with information about the history of American taxation. The project pursues its mission through a program of web-based documentary publication and original historical research.
Technology in 1900 - You know how much technology affects your life now, what with telephones, television, computers, and other things you take for granted. What about kids living 100 years ago? What was considered high tech back then? According to this site, kids would have been drooling to get their hands on a phonograph record! And electricity really hadn't even made its way to many places yet. What predictions for the future did people make? How many of them have come true? Why did phone companies stop using boys as operators and start hiring girls instead? The answer may surprise you.
The American Century - The Whitney Museum of Art presents this fascinating exhibit of art created in the twentieth century. Included are examples of painting, sculpture, decorative arts, film, and even architecture. If you have the right plug-ins, you can listen to a tour narrated by the director of the museum. Otherwise, plunge right in and enter the exhibit. In the Learning Center there are activities for families and kids aged 5-10. The concentration matching game is a good way to learn about a few significant artworks of the last century--and it's fun, too! Or, you can make your own artwork by dragging shapes onto a virtual canvas and manipulating them by stretching, rotating, or changing their colors. Save your work to the virtual gallery and become part of the exhibit yourself.
The American Experience - Gold Rush - After gold was discovered in 1848 in California's American River, the news traveled slowly. The great influx of people didn't get there until 1849--another name for the gold-seekers was the forty-niners. Find out about the "affliction" known as gold fever, the various routes to the gold fields (getting there was no picnic), and what happened when the would-be miners got there. Meet famous people from the gold rush era, and (in the Joke Space) discover how hard it is to make up humor about this period of history.
The American Experience: Riding the Rails - It was a hard time to be a teenager in the 1930s. There was widespread poverty and many troubled families. Over 250,000 teens ran away from home, looking for better lives. Unfortunately, life on the road was often more desperate and lonely than the lives they left. Although it was dangerous and illegal, many crisscrossed the country by hopping the freight trains of the time. These "kids" are now in their 70s and 80s, and they told their stories for a PBS television program. You can read them at this site.
The American Experience: Surviving the Dust Bowl - The dust storms during the 1930s were horrendous. People thought the world was at an end. Being inside was the safest, but dust sifted in behind closed doors, getting into the dishes, glassware, food, and water. The people of Kansas were being pelted with the landscape of Oklahoma and even Texas. When the dust storm was over, people found their homes and farms buried. A reporter called it the "Dust Bowl." Although some left for better lives elsewhere, others stayed on waiting for the rains to come. They would wait five years. Why was there so much dust? Blame it on the wheat production for World War I. Farmers plowed under the intricate weave of prairie grasses in their zeal to increase food production to help win the war. After the harvest, and without the roots of those grasses, nothing could hold the dry soil in place. Could it happen again?
The American President - If you need a refresher course on presidential history, try this companion site to the PBS television series of the same name. Fascinating biographies, Web site recommendations, and lesson plans make this resource a must for both students and teachers. Think you could manage a successful campaign strategy all the way from the New Hampshire primary to the November election? Try your skills in the War Room simulation game. Choose your candidate (be sure to read their biographies first, and listen to the audio advice), then select your strategies. How much of your candidate's time will be spent campaigning, and how much time fund raising? Will your ads be positive, negative, or a mix of both? How will you handle a press crisis? Can you steer your candidate to victory? This game requires that you register your "team" (it's free) in order to play.
The Century: America's Timeline - Choose a decade and go! For example, let¹s pick 19001909. From there, click on 1900 to find out about that year¹s first Davis Cup in tennis, the first auto show in New York, the invention of the hamburger in Connecticut, and the Carry Nation anti-alcohol bar-smashing tour of Kansas. Everything has hyperlinks to other parts of the History Channel site if you need more in-depth information.
The Cherokee Trail of Tears - 1838-1839 - In 1838, the U.S. government (led by President Andrew Jackson) decreed that the Cherokee nation would be forcibly removed from their rich lands in North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. Some left voluntarily, but 13,000 others were marched the 1,200 miles to Indian territory in Oklahoma. Many died along this "Trail of Tears." It is a tragedy of American history, and you can learn more about it, and the National Historic Trail that exists today, at this site.
The Day of the Black Blizzard - "To talk about April the 14th, 1935...it was a beautiful clear Sunday afternoon, and I was out skipping rocks on the horse pond," recalls Harley "Doc" Holladay. Although the temperature was 90 degrees that Palm Sunday, over a few hours it dropped more than 50 degrees. Suddenly, a "black as coal" cloud of dust rolled into town. People couldn't see to cross the street. You couldn't walk anywhere because the flying sand and dirt would sting your face and legs. Be sure to listen to the audio files of people who lived through this event.
The Declaration of Independence - The History Channel offers this special online exhibit about the creation and signing of one of America's most treasured documents. Find out about the history leading up to all those famous signatures on the bottom of the parchment. Preserved today at the National Archives, the treasure has not beend for 50 years. It is sealed in a bronze and bullet-proof glass container, pumped full of humidified helium. Hubble Telescope technology monitors its condition every day. A new encasement strategy is being planned, involving a new titanium case and argon gas. When it is finallyd, the document will be examined carefully and conservation efforts will be made if they are needed. A new visitor's gallery is planned so that more people will be able to see this cornerstone of American history. The project's expected completion date is 2003.
The Farmers' Museum - A visit to The Farmers' Museum enables you to explore our rural heritage. Turn back the pages of time to 1845 when you stroll through our historic village and working farm. Meet the craftspeople who continue the traditions of tradesmen from the 19th century, learn about life on the farm firsthand, and experience the celebrations and day-to-day routines of rural Americans.
The Fifties - The History Channel has a lot of really good facts about the squeaky-clean era some call "vibrant and wholesome." You will learn a lot and might even find an idea for a school term paper right here. After all, in the `50s, a general was the president, and television came in two colors only: black and white!
The First Americans - Originally designed for third-grade social studies classes, this site provides a brief introduction to the various native cultures in the U.S. You can study the Woodland culture, the Plains culture, the Northwest culture, the California-Intermountain culture, and the Southwest culture. You'll learn about houses, clothing, foods, and more. The site is nicely illustrated, and the addition of Indian legends adds another dimension to these cultures.
The Fort at No. 4 - Living History Museum - Nestled within beautiful New England, along the shore of the Connecticut River at Charlestown, NH, The Fort at No. 4 Living History Museum, is dedicated to keeping alive the memory of Men and Women who helped shape Vermont and New Hampshire during the early 1700's. This Historically correct re-creation of the actual Fortified Village helps educate people World Wide on the day to day living as well as Historical Events which took place at this location during this important period of American History.
The Gettysburg Address - The Library of Congress has devoted this page to President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Lincoln was invited to dedicate the Union cemetery only three weeks before the ceremony, so he did not have much time to write the speech. View the working drafts of the eloquent speech Lincoln eventually delivered. You'll also see the only known photo of Lincoln taken at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. These precious original documents have been preserved for future generations. Find out how.
The Historic Bethlehem Partnership - Travel back in time to 1741... when members a Protestant denomination commonly known as the Moravian Church, immigrated to the New World to bring the Gospel to Native Americans. Operating under a communal plan called the "General Economy", these early Moravians founded Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and quickly developed a unique complex of trades, crafts and industries. Venture to Burnside Plantation, a farm spread over seven acres within the city, and which lies within the shadow of the imposing Martin Tower, world headquarters of Bethlehem Steel Corporation.
The History and Making of the Atomic Bomb - Is the atomic bomb an instrument of destruction or a maintainer of world peace? Was its creation a giant achievement for the scientific minds of the day or a huge step backwards for humanity? This site examines the creation of the atomic bomb, its scientific principles, and its subsequent testing and use during World War II. This site was created by students for the ThinkQuest competition.
The History of the United States Postal Service 1775-1993 - The Continental Congress named Benjamin Franklin the first postmaster general in 1775. The mail was critical to government matters as well as to the growth of commerce. It was also fun to get a letter that would offer a new job, pledge a betrothal, or just say hi. The history of the U.S. postal service mirrors the development of the nation. Learn about the Pony Express, the rural free delivery program, and lots more at this site that leaves its own stamp on history.
The Presidents of the United States - For some kids growing up in the United States, becoming president is the highest ambition. So far, only a few people have achieved that goal, and the job of president is a tough one. At this site, you can read quick facts about each president, find links to other informative Web pages, and get a sense of the times and struggles of each leader of the U.S. Who knows, maybe some day you'll grow up to be president, and your picture will be on these Web pages!
The Revolutionary War: A Journey Towards Freedom - The Infopedia has it all. Take a virtual tour of Washington's headquarters at Valley Forge. Check a history of the American flag. There are even some colonial recipes: Yankee pot roast--yum! There are some neat games too. Answer the questions quickly in order to move Paul Revere forward to warn the colonists. Otherwise the British will win! This site was created by students for the ThinkQuest competition.
This Week in North American Indian History - The Cherokee call September the "black butterfly moon," and the Ojibwe call it the "rice moon." At this site, you'll be able to find the names of the months for many different tribes, as well as what happened on significant dates in native history. This fascinating resource also offers tribal names and their meanings as well as a nice collection of annotated links.
Timeline of Events: 1750-1939 - Text and images of selected American and world events and milestones that provide a broader historical context.
Turning Point: The American Civil War - See uniforms and other artifacts from the Civil War exhibits at the Atlanta History Museum. Volunteers hurried to enlist, believing it would be a short, heroic war. Unfortunately, it was not to be. Soldiers spent most of their time in camp. With close and wretched quarters, two-thirds of all the war deaths were due to diseases, not bullets. Learn more at this informative site.
U.S. Founding Documents - If you want a transcription of the Declaration of Independence with the original "Dunlap Broadside" capitalizations preserved, visit this site. There are also scanned originals of Thomas Jefferson's drafts of that document. The site also presents other U.S. founding documents such as the Constitution and the Federalist Papers. You can search the Constitution by keyword, too. How many items mentioned in the Bill of Rights (those are the first ten amendments) can you name?
US Historical Documents - The University of Oklahoma Law Center hosts "A Chronology of United States Historical Documents." The chronology begins in the precolonial era, with the Magna Carta and the Iroquois Constitution, and concludes with the State of the Union Address given by President Bill Clinton in 1998. Along the way, you'll find the Mayflower Compact, the famous "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech by Patrick Henry, the Monroe Doctrine, the Emancipation Proclamation, and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. Take a peek at the "other" verses of the U.S. national anthem, too (1814)
White House for Kids - Let Socks, the First Cat, take you on a fascinating kid's-eye tour of the White House in Washington, D.C. Buddy, the First Dog, can come along, too. You'll learn how the White House was built (bricks were made on the front lawn), tour the rooms, and find out about the First Family pets that have lived there (don't miss President Harrison's goat or Caroline Kennedy's pony). We learned something we didn't know before: the president's desk was once part of a ship, abandoned north of the Arctic circle in 1854! The HMS Resolute was later found by the crew of an American whaling ship. It was repaired and refitted, then sent to Queen Victoria as a gesture of goodwill. Later, when the ship was taken out of service and dismantled, a desk was made from some of its timbers. Queen Victoria presented the desk to President Hayes in 1880. The desk has been used by most presidents since then. Socks never gets to sit on it, though. Well, maybe he does, late at night, when no one is around.
Within These Walls - The National Museum of American History presents the history of a 250-year-old house and 5 of the families that have occupied it over the past 200 years. Built in the mid-1760s, the Ipswich, Massachussetts, house's diverse inhabitants have included colonists ), revolutionaries ), reformers ), and immigrants ). The actual house was moved from Massachusetts and now resides on the Smithsonian second floor. If you can't make it to Washington, D.C., this site allows you to experience the great changes and events of the nation's past through the eyes of these families.
Women In American History - Britannica Online presents a special multimedia exhibit on women in American history, featuring biographies, interactive timelines, Internet resources, and more.
Women of the West Museum - Be sure to visit the online exhibit "There are no Renters Here" and follow the story of one Nebraska farm family and their lives in a prairie sod house. Read letters and diary entries to learn about one year's incredible crop of watermelons and find out what families used for fuel. (Hint: Buffalo chips aren't something you eat.)
World's Columbian Exposition - Back in 1893, a wonderful fair took place in Chicago, Illinois, and it was called the Columbian Exposition. It introduced the American public to the wonders of the day: electric lights, the cotton gin, typewriters, and all manner of nineteenth-century technology. It was also the first appearance of food products we know so well today: carbonated soda, hamburgers, Juicy Fruit gum, Cracker Jack, and Aunt Jemima syrup, among many others. There were strange displays, too, such as a map of the United States "made entirely of pickles" and "not one, but two Liberty Bell models--one in wheat, oats, and rye, and one entirely in oranges." Take a virtual visit to the past here!
World's Columbian Exposition: Idea, Experience, Aftermath - You'll find a thoughtful essay and more pictures about the World's Columbian Exposition. Click on Legacy and learn how it has influenced places such as Disney World. Find out which famous composer wrote a piece in honor of the Exposition and more as you explore this site.
WPA Life Histories - In the late 1930s, Federal Work Project Administration writers were employed to go around and take "life histories" of Americans in order to preserve folklore and memories of the past. Reports from over 20 states are online for your reading pleasure. You'll find out about life in the `30s, but it's also fun to search for "tall tales" and read some of the amazing stories that have been passed down through the generations--now to you!
Yorktown Victory Center - The drama of the American Revolution and the birth of a great nation come to life at Yorktown Victory Center. In provocative indoor galleries, witness the Revolution through the eyes of those who were there—from soldiers on the battlefields to women on the home front, from American Indians to African Americans.
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