Background The “Corps of Discovery” expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the years 1804-1806 was instrumental in opening up western North America to settlement. After this defining exploration, fur companies further investigated westward routes. Financed by John J. Astor’s Pacific Fur Company, an 1812 expedition led by Robert Stuart began on the west coast…
Find out some intriguing ways to connect to one of the most beloved stories of all times with various primary sources. The Immigrant Experience: Down the Rabbit Hole Library of Congress Relocating to a new country can be a disorienting experience. Immigrants often find themselves in a strange new world where the rules have changed,…
This 1906 newspaper article quotes a 1904 magazine editorial, which sums up the “widely prevailing sentiment against the Chinese immigrant laborer in the United States.” Make a list of the arguments for the “defense of our political antagonism to the Chinaman”. The first page of the newspaper article responds to three arguments. Choose one and summarize the comparisons…
Describe how this illustration makes you feel. What details in the drawing contribute to this feeling? Write a description of this scene or write a poem to accompany the illustration. Now read the poem that this drawing illustrated. Describe how this poem compares with what you wrote. What other observations, reflections or questions does this source…
Carefully examine a larger image of this photograph. Then consider why the photographer chose to title the photo “The Poem”. Do you think this photo is poetic? Why or why not? How does this photograph make you feel? What do you think about when looking at this image? Make a list of 3 nouns, 3…
For elementary & middle school students Read this newspaper article, then make a list of the countries mentioned that celebrate April Fool’s Day and information about how they celebrate the day. Explain which story you found funniest or most interesting. Create an April Fool’s Day poem using information from the article and your own experiences. For elementary & middle school students Read this newspaper article, then…
Zoom into the top half of this newspaper page that contains only the article’s headline and subhead and photos and captions. Based on this information, explain the points you think the newspaper article will discuss. Now read the article. What is the main point, or claim, of the article. List the arguments the author makes and…
The shields displayed on this poster represent the flags of various countries. Do some research to see how many countries you can identify and make a list. Look closely at the details that you see in this poster. For what purpose do you think this poster was created? What details from the print and your own background knowledge helped…
If your students need help with asking questions when analyzing primary sources, bring out the question cubes. You can make them from paper or cleaned-out school milk cartons. Each student or student group should get two cubes (see image directly above and below) and roll both to help get those questions flowing. You can also…
Zoom into a more detailed image of this source. Explain what you can determine about Nellie Bly just by looking at this source (be sure to point out the details that support your findings). Read the following articles to learn more about Nellie Bly, Jules Verne and Elizabeth Bisland. Describe what you learned. Nellie Bly from America’s Library “Bly…
How does this source present the state of Florida? What details from the source support your response (see larger image)? Who is sponsoring this map? Why do you think so? What might that company hope to gain? Does the company still exist today? What more can you discover? Do a bit of research about the Spanish-American…
Use only details from the illustrations and text to determine what the author of this print wanted the audience to know (view larger image) about these people and their relation to an important historical event. Use evidence from the source to support your conclusions. Now review the bibliographic record from a copy of this source and read…