Look closely at the illustration. What can you determine about this broadside from the art? What more do you learn from the summary of this primary source? Do you think the illustration supports the summary? Why or why not? Look at both the front and back of this broadside. How does each stanza end? Why…
From America’s Library: Dwight D. Eisenhower Born: October 14, 1890 Died: March 28, 1969 Dwight David Eisenhower was an inspiring military leader, best-selling author, head of Columbia University, and president of the United States. As the top American general and later Allied Supreme Commander in the European theater, he directed Allied forces in World War…
This is a guest post from Glenn Jensen, a national board certified U.S. and world history teacher at Kennedy High School in Chicago, Illinois. Glenn has developed an exercise that is a great way to begin analyzing primary source texts because it has students focus on what they know, what they can extrapolate from that knowledge,…
Where is your eye drawn to first in the photograph? Why do you think the photographer wanted you to focus on this portion of the photo? Zoom into this photograph (online | .pdf). Investigate other details you see in the photo. What do these details add to the overall story that the picture tells? What do…
Primary sources Ansel Adams’s Photographs of Japanese-American Internment at Manzanar Japanese-American Internment Camp Newspapers, 1942 to 1946 Dorothea Lange Japanese American photos Veteran’s oral histories mentioning Japanese-American internment Congressional documents related to Japanese-American internment Behind Barbed Wire story map iBook: History of Portland’s Japantown Teaching resources “Suffering Under a Great Injustice”: Ansel Adams’s Photographs of…
Today in History–September 28–the Library of Congress features San Diego, California. On this date in 1542 Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed into San Diego Bay under the Spanish flag. Learn about the evolution of this southern California city by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access more primary source treasures. Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed into San Diego Bay…
What do you think the artist is trying to tell you through this poster? What details support your conclusion? Find out more about Spiro Agnew. Read the following curator notes: Anything Goes: Caricature Since the 1960s: Edward Sorel, Author and Caricaturist. What three reasons are given for the resurgence of caricature in the mid-1960s? What more did…
Today in History–September 22–the Library of Congress features Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale, who was hanged for spying on British troops on this date in 1776. This teacher turned soldier is famous for the words he allegedly spoke before his execution, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Find out more about patriot Nathan…
Below you will find numerous primary source activity ideas to use in conjunction with the novel My Daniel by Pam Conrad. Let us know which ones work for you. Publisher overview “All I want to find is one dinosaur,” Daniel was saying. “And I’ll find it right here. Like I do all my fossils.” Wandering…
Symbols of the United States primary source set, includes teacher’s guide Symbols of the United States primary source iBook Liberty bell Statue of Liberty American flag Star Spangled Banner American eagle Great Seal of the United States Uncle Sam The White House Washington Monument Yankee Doodle Dandy
Zoom into this map (online | .pdf). How many states do you see? Describe the differences between this 1833 map and a current map of the United States. What impression of the United States do you get from this map? Explain your reaction. Then use details from the source to explain what might have been the…
Today in History–September 15–the Library of Congress features writer Robert Penn Warren, who died on this date in 1989. A novelist and poet who won a Pulitzer Prize for his novel All the Kings Men and two Pulitzers for his poetry, Warren was also a teacher, critic. He also served as poetry consultant for the Library from 1944-45 and as…