Massachusetts did it

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Massachusetts Did It

What is the definition of radicalism? Do you agree with the cartoonist’s choice to represent radicalism with a snake? Why or why not? Read the notes for this political cartoon. Do you think the elephant was a good choice to represent the G.O.P, or Republican party during this time period? Why or why not? Use…

National Anti-Suffrage Association

Guided Primary Source Analysis: National Anti-Suffrage Association

Look carefully at all the elements included in this scene. What do you think the photographer wanted the audience to think and feel? Be sure to back up your conclusion with evidence from the image. Choose two sources (see links below) to review. What arguments did they make against woman suffrage. Use what you learned…

Slave market of America

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Slave Market of America

What contradiction does this broadside illustrate and discuss? Support your conclusion using specific details from the source. Who created this broadside? Using details from the source to support your responses, explain the purpose of this broadside and the intended audience. Review the bibliographic record for this source, in particular the summary. What more did you…

Martin Luther King, Jr., three-quarter-length portrait, standing, facing front, at a press conference

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Martin Luther King, Jr. – Why We Can’t . . .

The last word in the sign next to Martin Luther King, Jr. is mostly covered by a microphone. List the word that you think is on the sign and why you think that. The words on the sign were the title of a book King published the year before the photograph was taken. Investigate the sources…

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Leonard Bernstein illustrated letter

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Leonard Bernstein illustrated letter

Leonard Bernstein was a famous American composer and conductor. Don’t read the words, just study the illustrations. Zoom into the images online. What is the setting? What is the story? Now read the letter. Challenge yourself to decipher the writing on the pages, then read the transcript. How does the actual letter compare with the…

Los sueños de las posadas o un magnífico aguinaldo

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Los sueños de las posadas

Reverse side What can you discover about the content of this broadside just by looking at the illustrations? Explain your discoveries using specific details from the images to support your responses. front side larger image | back side larger image Now review the bibliographic record, paying particularly close attention to the summary. In what ways were your discoveries…

Rank of Territories and States in Population at Each Census: 1790-1890

Guided Primary Source Analysis: States & Territories in Population

Review the complete document: “Statistical atlas of the United States, based upon the results of the eleventh census” H/T to educator extraordinaire, Cheryl Davis, aka @digitalteacher Which state had the biggest population growth according to this chart? Which region (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Northwest, Southwest) had the biggest population gains during these 100 years? What other trend(s) can you…

Synopsis of the fugitive slave law

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Synopsis of the Fugitive Slave Law

Review this synopsis of the fugitive slave law. Choose one of the synopsis points and find which part(s) of the fugitive law text the author drew from to create the summary. Use the text from the fugitive slave law to create your own synopsis using modern-day language. In the objections, the author states that the fugitive…

Nicknames of the states.

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Nicknames of the States

Which states/territories were not given nicknames? How many states are represented on this? Are there any U.S. states not found on this map? How much would it have cost for you to buy this map in 1884? Why is there an image of one or more pigs on every state? Use these state primary source collections to find out more about one…

Coping with the rising tide of European immigration

Guided Primary Source Analysis: European Immigration

According to the map, to which country in Europe are most legal immigrants going? From which countries are they coming? How do you know? What three steps were many West European countries taking in response to rising immigration numbers in 1992? What can you find out about current immigration to West European countries? What other observations,…

Robertson's geographic-historical series

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Robertson’s Geographic-Historical Series

Who do you think is pictured on the cover of this atlas? Why do you think that? How many years does this atlas cover? Review the list of pages below and choose one title to investigate further. Click the image above to access the digital pages. What did you discover about the topic and time…

The kidnappers

Guided Primary Source Analysis: The Kidnappers

There are 7 scenes in this political cartoon; take a look at them in greater detail in this .pdf document. What do they all have in common? Review the summary from the bibliographic record. What more did you learn? The cartoon’s center scene featuring Theodore Roosevelt could be viewed right side up or upside down. How…