Featured Source: El Paso Herald 1915 Christmas Page
Image: How Europe’s Soldiers Observe Christmas in Hospitals Near the Firing Line Poems Christmas Cease Firing! Story: The Cave of Santa Claus
Guided Primary Source Analysis: Little Rory Borealis
Look carefully at this map of the Arctic (online or .pdf document). Which countries could Rory live in if he lived above the Arctic Circle? Which of the animals in the picture would you NOT see in the Arctic Circle? Rory’s mother named him after the Aurora Borealis, also called the Northern Lights, which you…
World Spotlight: Arctic Circle & the North Pole
Arctic Region maps Arctic image set Arctic Circle image set Foreign Affairs oral histories mentioning the Arctic Arctic sheet music Books related to the Arctic Books related to the Arctic Circle U.S. legislation related to the Arctic Arctic Circle historic newspaper coverage Arctic Region Library of Congress Places in the News November, 2011 Arctic National…
Using Sources: Saving High Resolution Images
Many images from the Library of Congress are available in several formats: lower resolution JPEG (.jpg), higher resolution JPEG (.jpg too but a larger file size) and TIFF (.tif). TIFF files are the largest and, therefore, the highest resolution files. TIFF files are often crucial to focus on analyzing small text or other details in primary…
Today in History: Alfred Nobel Died
Today in History–December 10–Primary Source Nexus features Alfred Nobel, who died on this date in 1896. December 10 is the day that the Nobel prizes are awarded. Born in Sweden in 1833, Nobel was a technical whiz but also spoke several languages and wrote poetry and play scripts. The inventor of dynamite was also very…
Primary Source Spotlight: Buffalo Bill Cody
Stories from America’s Library Buffalo Bill Cody brief bio Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show Buffalo Hunting with the Duke Little Sure Shot and the Gang Nebraskaland Days: Buffalo Bill Rodeo American Treasures Buffalo Bill’s Special Service Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show Buffalo Bill image set Buffalo Bill films Bucking broncho 1894 Buffalo dance 1894 Sioux ghost…
Guided Primary Source Analysis: Geology of the Solar System
Zoom into this 1997 Geology of the Solar System map to read the text. List the challenges geologists face in mapping the solar system. Choose one planet (Venus, Mercury, Earth, Mars) and summarize what you learned about it from the map. Compare your findings with a peer who chose a different planet. Compare and contrast what you…
World Spotlight: Panama
Panama country study Panama timeline BBC Panama: Places in the News Panama primary source set from the World Digital Library Panama images Panama films & webcasts Panama maps Panama songs Panamanian literary recordings Panama documents and books U.S. historical newspaper articles mentioning Panama through 1922 Service in Panama: U.S. veteran oral histories Foreign Affairs Oral History Collection…
Today in History: Charles Julius Guiteau
Today in History–December 31–the Library of Congress features presidential assassin Charles Julius Guiteau. On this date in 1881, Guiteau penned a New Year’s letter to his jailer while awaiting trial for the assassination of President James Garfield. On July 2, 1881 Guiteau had shot the newly elected president who died seventy-nine days later of infections from the bullet wound. Guiteau’s trial…
Today in History: Christmas
Today in History–December 25–the Library of Congress features Christmas. Although the exact origins of this holiday are uncertain, the Christian church in Rome observed the Feast of the Nativity on this date in the year 336. Today, Christmas celebrations include both religious and secular traditions. Discover more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below…
Featured Source: Princeton Union Christmas Eve Dec. 24, 1914
“Christmas page.” The Princeton Union. (Princeton, Minn.), 24 Dec. 1914. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. Don’t miss these other Santa Clause resources!
Featured Source: Christmas Toys
“Christmas Toys.” Between 1908 and 1917. George Grantham Bain Collection. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Summary: Small children gazing through Macy’s toy window, New York City.