Lesson objective In this primary source lesson students will gain a better understanding of the meaning and tone of "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by completing a scaffolded close reading of the poem using multiple source types (written text, spoken word, music, photos, illustrations and maps) while developing personal, lasting connections to literature by creating their own related interpretive pieces. Background Writer and poet Langston Hughes was a prominent figure in the Harlem … [Read more...]
NHD 2015: Leadership & Legacy Topic Ideas – The 1800s
October 28, 2014 by 1 Comment
Every year National History Day puts together a list of sample topic ideas. TPS-Barat went through that list and selected a subset of those topic ideas to create curated collections highlighting Library of Congress resources. All topic ideas are related to the 2015 NHD theme: Leadership & Legacy in History but the set below focuses on themes related to the 1800s. Links to more NHD follow this resource list. The Bloodless Revolution of 1800: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Legacy of … [Read more...]
Today in History: Siege of Vicksburg
May 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–May 19–the Library of Congress features the Union siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, begun on this day in 1863 under the command of General Ulysses S. Grant. By mid-June, nearly 80,000 Union troops had virtually sealed off the city. But it would take a few more weeks before Confederate forces surrendered on July 4. With the victory, the Union regained control of the Mississippi River, geographically dividing the Confederacy. Find out more about this Civil War campaign by visiting … [Read more...]
State Spotlight: Mississippi
September 26, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The September 25, 2012 Today in History post featured William Faulkner, creator of the fictional Yoknapatawpha County which was based upon and inspired by Lafayette County, Mississippi. Find out all about the real state of Mississippi through a review of thousands of primary sources available online from the Library of Congress. Mississippi stories from America’s Library Mississippi primary source set Mississippi image set from American … [Read more...]
Civil War General George H. Thomas born. Check out our 
Patrick Francis Healy inaugurated President of Georgetown University. Check out our