Today in History: U.S. Constitution

Today in History: U.S. Constitution

Today in History–September 17–the Library of Congress features the U.S. Constitution. After much debate and compromise, the members of the Constitutional Convention signed the final draft of the Constitution on this day in 1787. It would take just over nine months to ratify this document that would become the supreme law of the land. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section and by delving into…

Today in History: Progressive/Bull Moose Party

Today in History: Progressive/Bull Moose Party

Today in History–June 22–the Library of Congress features the birth of the Progressive Party on this day in 1912. Led by Theodore Roosevelt, the Bull Moose Party promised to increase federal regulation and protect the welfare of ordinary citizens. Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access related resources. Bull Moose…

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Taft About to Eclipse Bryan

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Taft About to Eclipse Bryan

What scientific event does this source facetiously mimic? Do you think the analogy works in this context? Why or why not? This source is referenced as a photographic print but is it a single image? How do you know? How do you think the postcard was made? Do some research to find out more about the…

Featured Source: A Cleverer Crow

Pughe, J. S. “He won’t let go. A cleverer crow than the bird of Aesop’s fable.” 1908 May 13. Summary: In 1908, William Jennings Bryan was recommended by party members as the Democratic presidential nominee. Although very popular in the south and the west, many eastern Democrats opposed his nomination, citing both his two previous losses (1896…

Today in History: Uniform Presidential Election Day

Today in History: Uniform Presidential Election Day

Today in History–November 4–the Library of Congress features the passage of legislation on this day in 1845 requiring a uniform election day for President of the United States on the: “Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November of the year in which they are to be appointed.” The 1848 election was the first…

Primary Source Learning: Gilded Age Teaching Resources & Strategies

Primary Source Learning: Gilded Age Teaching Resources & Strategies

This morning I saw a tweet mentioning primary sources related to immigration in the Gilded Age and I began to wonder . . . What learning activities related to the Gilded Age could we imagine using Library of Congress primary sources? What other teaching resources and strategies are available on LOC.gov and elsewhere? See the results…

Today in History: Political Debates

Today in History: Political Debates

Today in History–October 21–the Library of Congress features political debates, highlighting the final round of the Kennedy-Nixon presidential debate which was televised on this day in 1960. Learn more about these “Great Debates“, the Lincoln-Douglas debates, and the role of radio in presidential debates and addresses of the 1920s and 1930s by visiting the Today in History section then click the links below…

Finding Resources: Chronicling America Historic Newspaper Topic Guides

Finding Resources: Chronicling America Historic Newspaper Topic Guides

The Teaching with Library of Congress blog provides some great tips for finding articles in the Chronicling America Historic Newspaper Collections and provides some teaching ideas as well. Be sure to check out, too, the following learning activity: Comparing Reports: Battle of Little Bighorn. Below is a list of topic guides by subject, each of which…