Primary Source Spotlight: Skating
Figure skating Ice skating Speed Skating Related resources
Primary Source Learning: U.S. National Anthem & American Flag
Help students learn about the history and contemporary contexts of the U.S. national anthem and the American flag. Teaching resources The Star Spangled Banner (K-2) The Star Spangled Banner (grades 3-5) Stars, Stripes and Symbols of America: Comparing Our Flag, Past and Present (grades 1-2) Pledge of Allegiance Image Sequencing (grades 3-5) Direct students do some background…
Guided Primary Source Analysis: Jesse Owens
What does the image above make you think about? What sense of this man, Jesse Owens, do you get from this picture? Next, review the bibliographic record for this photograph. What more did you learn? Now read this short life history of Jesse Owens created in 1939. What do you learn about him from this source?…
Presidential Spotlight: Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter inauguration primary source set January 20, 1977 President Jimmy Carter Signed the Panama Canal Treaty September 7, 1977 from America’s Library Jimmy Carter image set Carl Sagan Briefing notes for President Carter and Vice President Walter Mondale Political cartoonist Herb Block on President Jimmy Carter “Gee! A medal from Gen. Goldwater” July 2, 1976…
Today in History: Jim Thorpe
Today in History–May 28–the Library of Congress features athlete Jim Thorpe, born on this day in 1888 in Indian Territory which is now Oklahoma. A double gold medalist (decathlon and pentathlon) at the 1912 Olympics and played baseball and football professionally. Learn more about the ups and downs of the man dubbed the “athlete of the century”…
Today in History: Olympic Games
Today in History–July 30–the Library of Congress features the Olympic Games, which opened on this day in 1932 in Los Angeles, California. It was the tenth Olympiad of the modern era and the first to have an Olympic Village where athletes were housed and fed. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more primary…
Today in History: Duke Kahanamoku – Surfing & Swimming
Today in History–August 11–the Library of Congress features swimmer Duke Kahanamoku, also known as the “father of international surfing“, who broke the world record in the 100-yard freestyle swim by 4.6 seconds in Honolulu Harbor on this day in 1911. Kahanamoku went on to win numerous gold and silver medals in several Olympic Games and helped to repopularize surfing as a sport. Find out…