Primary source lesson plans & activitiesAmerican Memory Timeline: Primary Source Excerpts and Discussion Questions Related to the Constitution The Constitution: Counter Revolution or National Salvation? The Constitution: Drafting a More Perfect Union The Meaning of the Federalist Papers Citizen U The U.S. Constitution: Continuity and Change in the Governing of the United States Preamble to the Constitution Image Sequencing What was the purpose of the Preamble? … [Read more...]
Featured Source: The whole story (election 1888) in a nutshell!
November 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Zoom into this 1888 presidential election document online or in a .pdf document. Look closely at the graphical elements of the complete document and compare and contrast the presentation of information in the Harrison and Cleveland maps. Which is more pleasing visually and why? How does the visual presentation affect the tone of each map? Describe your findings using specific details from the maps to support your conclusions.Now compare and contrast the textual information presented on each … [Read more...]
NHD 2017: CMHEC Topic Ideas – Politics, Law, Economy, Arts, Culture
October 13, 2016 by Leave a Comment
These curated resource lists coincide with the order of the topic ideas listed in the Chicago Metro History Fair (formerly CMHEC) NHD 2017 theme-related topic ideas. The links lead to resources from the Primary Source Nexus and the Library of Congress (LOC.gov) unless otherwise noted. Note: U.S. historic newspaper coverage is from 1789-1922 unless otherwise noted.Albert Parsons Inside/Outside PoliticsAlbert Parsons anarchist historic newspaper coverage International Working People's … [Read more...]
Presidential Spotlight: Barack Obama
February 4, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Barack Obama first inauguration primary source set January 20, 2009Barack Obama second inauguration primary source set January 21, 2013President-Elect Obama To Take Oath of Office on Lincoln-Inaugural Bible News from the Library of Congress December 23, 2008The Lincoln Bible used by Barack Obama at his first inaugurationThe Book Lincoln and Obama Have In Common videoForeign Affairs oral histories mentioning Barack ObamaBarak Obama being sworn in as President of the United … [Read more...]
Featured Source: Spiro Agnew parody
September 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment
What do you think the artist is trying to tell you through this poster? What details support your conclusion? Find out more about Spiro Agnew.Read the following curator notes: Anything Goes: Caricature Since the 1960s: Edward Sorel, Author and Caricaturist. What three reasons are given for the resurgence of caricature in the mid-1960s? What more did you learn about the art of caricature from the notes?The title of the featured poster mentions that it is a parody. Explain why you think or … [Read more...]
Featured Source: Monopoly Brothers Supported by the Little Consumer
September 9, 2014 by Leave a Comment
What is the setting of this political cartoon? What details in the source support your conclusion?How is the consumer depicted in this cartoon? How do the coal strikers compare to the trusts? What details in the source support your conclusions?Gov. Osborn is literally jumping on the "Taft bandwagon" in the cartoon. What does this detail suggest about this governor? Now read the bibliographic record. What more did you learn about the political situation in 1912 commented on in … [Read more...]
Featured Source: Republics of the Soviet Union
August 26, 2014 by Leave a Comment
How many Soviet republics are shown on this map? Which three were not recognized by the U.S. government?Use the Library's online zoom feature to compare and contrast this 1991 U.S. CIA map of the Soviet Republics to a 2009 U.S. CIA map of Russian administrative divisions. What major differences do you notice? How are republics referred to in Russia today?Provide a rough estimate of the size difference (kilometers or miles) between the two areas. Which Soviet republics shown on the map … [Read more...]
World Spotlight: Russia & the former Soviet Union
August 25, 2014 by 2 Comments
These primary source collections relate to Russia as well as the former Soviet Union.Russia primary source set World Digital LibrarySoviet Union primary source set World Digital LibraryTreaty on the Creation of the Soviet Union — Signed, Sealed, and Delivered? In Custodia Legis blog January 8, 2013Meeting of Frontiers, Russia & America in Alaska bilingual, multimedia English-Russian digital libraryProkudin-Gorskii Collection color photos from the Russian empire … [Read more...]
Featured Source: Massachusetts Did It
March 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment
What is the definition of radicalism? Do you agree with the cartoonist's choice to represent radicalism with a snake? Why or why not?Read the notes for this political cartoon. Do you think the elephant was a good choice to represent the G.O.P, or Republican party? Why or why not?Use the Primary Source Nexus search box to look for more information about Calvin Coolidge. What else did you learn about his political career?What other observations, reflections or questions does this … [Read more...]
Learning from the Source: Shifting Perspectives of Iran
December 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Enduring Understandings*Politics is a process to determine who governs and for what purposes. Time, place, and culture influence our perspectives on people and issues. Different perspectives affect the interpretation of history.ActivityHave students collaborate to compare and contrast how visual and text sources have described and depicted the country of Iran over time.SourcesMaps/infographicsIran, ethnic distribution, created 2004 by the United States Central … [Read more...]
Battle of Nashville won by Union forces. Check out our 
