Today in History: Susie King Taylor

Today in History: Susie King Taylor

Today in History–August 6–the Library of Congress features Susie King Taylor, a teacher, nurse, and author who was born on a plantation in Georgia on this date in 1848. Learn more about Taylor and her Civil War service and remembrances by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more primary sources related to this lifelong…

Today in History: Elizabeth Keckley

Today in History: Elizabeth Keckley

Today in History–November 15–the Library of Congress features Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, whose emancipation deed was signed on this date in 1855. Although best known for her role as confidante and dressmaker to President Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd, Keckley was also an author and a generous philanthropist who assisted escapees from southern slavery. Find out more…

Primary Source Spotlight: U.S. Military Conscription (the Draft)

Primary Source Spotlight: U.S. Military Conscription (the Draft)

The Draft Riots of 1863 : A Historical Study Read at the Meeting of the Ohio Commandery Civil War draft riots Civil War induction officer with lottery box photograph Civil War Conscription Laws In Custodia Legis November 15, 2012 Freemen! Avoid Conscription! 1862 broadside Abraham’s draft, 600,000 more 1862 sheet music Southern “volunteers” 1862 political…

Primary Source Spotlight: Freedmen’s Bureau

Primary Source Spotlight: Freedmen’s Bureau

Freedmen’s Bureau image set Freedmen’s Bureau texts Freedmen’s Bureau correspondence and other texts Freedmen’s Bureau historical newspaper articles 1865-1872 Freedmen’s Bureau Records Preservation Act of 2000 Freedmen’s Bureau, 1865–1872 online exhibition items African American Odyssey: Reconstruction online exhibition Freedmen’s Bureau Records Smithsonian Freedmen’s Bureau Transcription Project Smithsonian “The Freedmen’s Bureau” by W.E.B. Du Bois The Atlantic Monthly Volume…

Finding Resources: Library of Congress Flickr Commons

Finding Resources: Library of Congress Flickr Commons

The Library of Congress collaborated with Flickr in 2007 to launch the Commons with the mission of providing another outlet for copyright free images from its collections and the goal of enjoining the Flickr community to contribute information about the sources: “Please help make the photographs you enjoy more discoverable by adding tags and leaving…

Guided Primary Source Analysis: First Post-War Legislature

Guided Primary Source Analysis: First Post-War Legislature

Use the Library of Congress primary source analysis tool to analyze the image. What do you notice? What do you find surprising? What can you learn from the bibliographic record? Why do you suppose the men in the image were referred to as radical members? What questions do you have? Next, analyze the two sources below…

Learning from the Source: Comparing & Contrasting Presidential Articles of Impeachment

Learning from the Source: Comparing & Contrasting Presidential Articles of Impeachment

What can we learn by comparing and contrasting the official articles of impeachment against the three U.S. presidents impeached by the House of Representatives? Johnson Impeachment – March 2, 1868 House of Representatives Articles of Impeachment for Andrew Johnson Supplement to the Congressional Globe U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 – 1875 Congressional Globe, Senate,…

Timely Connections: Teaching About Presidential Impeachment

Timely Connections: Teaching About Presidential Impeachment

In the article, Teaching Impeachment in Politically Risky Times, Education Week discusses the issues teachers face in the current context and the importance of seizing this teachable moment. “For the nation’s government and civics teachers, it all comes down to this: The wheels of a rarely used, constitutionally prescribed process—impeachment—have been set in motion. And…

Integrating Technology: Primary Source Crowdsourcing Campaigns

Integrating Technology: Primary Source Crowdsourcing Campaigns

By the People is a Library of Congress project that invites anyone to transcribe, review, and tag digitized images of manuscripts and typed materials from the Library’s collections. This is a great literacy activity for students. Come check it out by clicking the links below! By the People Campaigns People Susan B. Anthony Clara Barton: Angel…

Learning from the Source: Gettysburg Address Game On

Learning from the Source: Gettysburg Address Game On

This lesson may be completed in whole or in part, depending on the needs of your students and the time that you have. FOCUS QUESTION In what ways is equality a proposition, or belief, worth fighting for? LESSON OVERVIEW Students will consider whether equality is important to our democracy as they develop a deep understanding…