The U.S. History Primary Source Timeline spans nearly 400 years, covering 9 time periods. Each time period includes an overview and several subsections and each of these, in turn, provide background information and a selection of curated primary sources. Colonial Settlement, 1600s - 1763 The American Revolution, 1763 - 1783 The New Nation, 1783 - 1815 National Expansion and Reform, 1815 - 1880 Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861-1877 Rise of Industrial America, 1876-1900 … [Read more...]
Looking Back: Top Content of 2021
December 29, 2021 by Leave a Comment
We were all hoping that 2021 would be easier than 2020 but the way it's going out certainly wasn’t what we had been wishing for. That said, let's look at the bright spots. More educators and students discovered and visited the Primary Source Nexus than the year before so we're glad that highlighting great content from the Library of Congress and strategies and ideas for teaching with primary sources seems to have been helpful. In 2021 we entered into a partnership with the National Education … [Read more...]
Looking Back: Top Content of 2020
December 27, 2020 by Leave a Comment
2020 certainly wasn't easy but we hope that another year of highlighting great content from the Library of Congress and strategies and ideas for teaching with primary sources was helpful. In 2020 we began spotlighting TPS Consortium members and the resources and professional development opportunities that they provide. We also significantly expanded the Citizen U Lesson Library. There are now links to over 150 multidisciplinary civics lessons for grades K-12. Every lesson includes … [Read more...]
Citizen U: Multidisciplinary Civics Lessons
November 5, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Citizen U integrates inquiry-based civics across core curriculum disciplines—English-language arts, math, science, and social studies—in elementary, middle school, and high school grades. Created through a grant awarded by the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources TPS program, Citizen U is a collaboration of the Barat Education Foundation, the Constitutional Rights Foundation, and DePaul University’s Office of Innovative Professional Learning. Get the Lessons! Download a lesson … [Read more...]
Primary Source Learning to Develop Civic Competencies
January 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment
In the Guardian of Democracy: the Civic Mission of Schools report, Lee H. Hamilton, founder of the Center on Congress and U.S. Representative from Indiana (1965 to 1999), wrote: Citizenship requires both knowledge about government and the ability to be involved in governance. It means knowing how to identify and inform yourself about issues, explore and evaluate possible solutions, and then act to resolve problems. It demands that you know how to interact respectfully with others. And it asks … [Read more...]
Primary Source Learning: Civil War
May 16, 2016 by 2 Comments
Civil War photograph lessons & activities Devil in the Details: Examining Visual Material from the Civil War The Mathew Brady Bunch New Technologies and New Uses Using Sources: Civil War Photography Technology & Tricks What Do You See? Civil War Photojournalism: A Record of War The Civil War Through a Child’s Eye Teaching Now: Integrating Literacy, History & Geography Teaching Now: Using Primary Sources with 21st-Century Learners Collection Connections … [Read more...]
Primary Source Learning: U.S. Presidents
February 11, 2016 by 1 Comment
Learning from the Source: lessons Abraham Lincoln & Me Primary Source Activity Book The Art of Mourning (Lincoln) Monumental Men Mourning Lincoln & the Art of Tribute Presidential Portraits Indian Territory Resettlement Guided primary source analysis activities A Plan of My Farm (Washington) Jefferson’s Pasta Machine Abolition frowned down (Quincy Adams) Rats Leaving a Falling House (Van Buren) Footrace, Pennsylvania Avenue (Tyler & Polk) … [Read more...]
Primary Source Learning About Lincoln
February 10, 2014 by 2 Comments
We all can learn a lot from Abraham Lincoln. Below you will find links to primary source activities, lessons, and projects from the Library of Congress, TPS-Barat and other TPS consortium members. Abraham Lincoln: Rise to National Prominence primary source set and teacher's guide Lincoln's Life Abraham Lincoln & Me Activity Book Gettysburg Address Image Sequencing Monumental Men Perspectives in Civil War Song Sheets Presidential Portraits Lincoln's Death Guided … [Read more...]
Today in History: Progressive/Bull Moose Party
June 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–June 22–the Library of Congress features the birth of the Progressive Party on this day in 1912. Led by Theodore Roosevelt, the Bull Moose Party promised to increase federal regulation and protect the welfare of ordinary citizens. Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access related resources. Bull Moose image set Bull Moose Trails (book, 1912) by Annie Hall Progressive Party image set National Progressive Convention, … [Read more...]
Jane Addams born. Check out our 
President William McKinley shot. Check out our 