Explore the ways the free press has covered major events in history dating back to the American Revolution with PBS NewsHour EXTRA's interactive Journalism in Action: Civic Engagement and Primary Sources Through Key Moments in History, a website supported by a grant from the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program. Fun, engaging civic activities for middle and high school students illuminate historical documents and help students make their own judgments using news … [Read more...]
Timely Connections: U.S. Government Shutdowns
January 22, 2019 by Leave a Comment
The latest U.S. government shutdown, begun on December 22, 2018 and suspended on January 25, 2019 is the longest in history. Find out what happens during a government shutdown. Read news articles following the suspension of the shutdown. Review timelines of past shutdowns from various news sources. Investigate historical and current legislation related to U.S. government shutdowns. Then consider problems and solutions to government shutdowns. Q&A: Everything You Should Know About … [Read more...]
Timely Connections: Slavery & Compromise
November 2, 2017 by Leave a Comment
In a Fox News interview with White House chief of staff John Kelly on Oct. 30, 2017, the former marine general said that “the lack of an ability to compromise led to the Civil War”. Kelly's statement set off a firestorm of impassioned responses across traditional and social media about the cause of the Civil War and the history of slavery and compromise prior to this seminal event. Read some of the contemporary articles, review background information about compromises over slavery prior to the … [Read more...]
Finding Resources: Accessing Contemporary Articles
October 27, 2017 by Leave a Comment
In our new Timely Connections section, we will be linking contemporary articles to primary sources and teaching ideas. Some of the articles may come from websites, such as The New York Times and the The Washington Post, that restrict access to their content. Most sites provide subscription discounts to educators and allow anyone to access a limited number of free articles per month. But what happens if you don't have a subscription or when you've reached the monthly limit? Turn to your … [Read more...]
Analyzing Primary Sources: Learning from Newspapers
December 10, 2014 by 1 Comment
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) strike a balance between the reading of literature and informational texts and promote the use of a wide range of text types: “Through reading a diverse array of classic and contemporary literature as well as challenging informational texts in a range of subjects, students are expected to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspective.” [English Language Arts Standards: Key Design Considerations] Some items in … [Read more...]
Learning from the Source: Primary Source Perspectives of the Civil War
September 3, 2013 by 2 Comments
Overview Primary sources can help students grasp the reality and impact of historical events. This project connects students to people, events and daily life during the Civil War by having them report on selected topics using primary sources to research and illustrate their learning. To complete this project, students will . . . familiarize themselves with key Civil War events and people. gain an understanding and appreciation of the perspectives of the North and the South during the … [Read more...]
Portugal decreed that Jewish and Dutch settlers had three months to leave Brazil. Check out the Library's Today in History section 
Michigan joined the Union as the twenty-sixth state. Check out our 