Primary Source Spotlight: Architecture

Primary Source Spotlight: Architecture

Architecture primary source set Library architecture collections American Treasures of the Library of Congress: Architecture & Design Architecture, Design, and Engineering Drawings collection Brumfield Collection images of the architecture of the Russian North, including Siberia Carnegie Survey of the Architecture of the South collection Gottscho-Schleisner Collection U.S. architectural styles and trends Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American…

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Does the Camera Ever Lie?

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Does the Camera Ever Lie?

Zoom into a more detailed image of this newspaper page from 1901. Read only the headline and image captions. Then carefully review the images and make an educated guess about what the article will discuss. Now read the article. How does it answer the question posed in the title? What evidence is provided to support this…

Integrating Tech: Using Skitch & Evernote to Analyze Images

Integrating Tech: Using Skitch & Evernote to Analyze Images

This is a guest post from Kerry Gallagher, a Technology Integration Specialist at St. John’s Prep, a 1:1 iPad school serving grades 6-12, and former middle and high school history teacher. We learn about the lives of our friends partly through the images they share with us on social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and…

Today in History: Spanish Civil War

Today in History: Spanish Civil War

Today in History–July 17–the Library of Congress features the Spanish Civil War, which began on this date in 1936. Often considered a precursor to World War II, the military contest between left-wing forces and fascists attracted international involvement on both sides. The war lasted nearly three years and ended when  Nationalist troops led by Francisco Franco overcame Republic forces and…

Today in History: Samuel H. Gottscho and William H. Schleisner

Today in History: Samuel H. Gottscho and William H. Schleisner

  Today in History–June 21–the Library of Congress features Samuel H. Gottscho and William H. Schleisner. On this date in 1934, Samuel Herman Gottscho snapped a photograph of the north facade of the Nebraska state capitol in Lincoln. A photography enthusiast, Gottscho was a traveling salesman for 23 year before becoming a professional photographer in 1925 at the age…

Today in History: World Transportation Commission

Today in History: World Transportation Commission

Today in History–April 27–the Library of Congress features the World Transportation Commission (WTC). On this date in 1895, Harper’s Weekly carried a story on theWTC’s visit to Ceylon, now called Sri Lanka. The WTC was organized by a railroad publicist to find out more about international railroads and other foreign transportation systems. Find out more by visiting…

State Spotlight: Massachusetts

State Spotlight: Massachusetts

Massachusetts primary source set with Teacher’s Guide Massachusetts maps Pictorial Americana: Selected images of Massachusetts More Massachusetts images The Mohawk Trail Region primary source set Photographs of the sea floor of western Massachusetts Bay July 1999 Films and event recordings related to Massachusetts Massachusetts oral histories Massachusetts song recordings Massachusetts sheet music Song sheets related to Massachusetts Massachusetts books &…

Today in History: Coca-Cola

Today in History: Coca-Cola

Today in History–May 8–the Library of Congress features the soft drink Coca-cola, first sold  on this day in 1886 at Jacob’s Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia.  This carbonated beverage soon became a favorite in the United States; the company sales were around 100 million by the late 1890s. Learn more about the history of this iconic soda by visiting…

Today in History: Thomas Moran

Today in History: Thomas Moran

Today in History–February 12–the Library of Congress features painter Thomas Moran, born on this date in 1837. In 1871 Moran joined a scientific exploration of lands along the Yellowstone River headed by Ferdinand V. Hayden. Moran’s paintings, together with photographer William Henry Jackson’s photographs, helped spur public interest in the area and convince Congress to set aside the Yellowstone area as a…