The Teaching with the Library of Congress blog gives some great tips on selecting the most effective primary sources to use with your students. The TPS-Barat program offers some more tips, suggesting teachers ask themselves the following questions when choosing primary sources for use in the classroom. Goal – What is the overall activity or project goal?…
Home on the Range (.mp3) Today in History–July 14–the Library of Congress features novelist Owen Wister, born on this day in 1860, whose 1902 novel The Virginian helped create the myth of the American cowboy. Click on the image above to zoom into key scenes from the novel highlighted on this literary map, then visit the Today in History section to learn…
Activity Guidelines Gather minutemen-related primary sources and print them out or make them available to your primary students digitally. As a class or in groups, have students review different primary sources and note what they see, think, and wonder. Next, you may choose to have students review source bibliographic information or secondary source materials and…
Today in History–July 11–the Library of Congress features the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr that took place on this date in 1804 and resulted in the death of Hamilton. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to learn more about these two men and the once-legal…
Today in History–July 5–the Library of Congress features Phineas Taylor Barnum, born on this day in 1810. Did you know that Barnum and Bailey’s circus pigs were trained to play the xylophone? Uncover more curious curiosities by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to grab more circus primary source goodies. Phineas Taylor Barnum Was Born from…
Today in History–July 1–the Library of Congress features postage stamps. On July 1, 1847, the United States Post Office issued a five-cent stamp honoring Benjamin Franklin, the first postmaster general under the Continental Congress, and a ten-cent stamp honoring George Washington. Philatelists and the just plain curious can find more tantalizing tidbits by visiting the Today in History section, and clicking the…
Today in History–June 28–the Library of Congress features World War I. Two events bracketing this global conflict happened on June 28. The assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sofia in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, set off a chain of events leading to the first world war. Five years later, on June 28, 1919, Germany and…
Today in History–June 24–the Library of Congress features Siam, now Thailand. On this day in 1932 a coup brought 700 years of absolute rule under a series of Siamese kings to an end. Visit the Today in History section to get more historical tidbits about the history of the monarchy and the World’s Transportation Commission, which visited in 1898…
Today in History–June 23–the Library of Congress features renowned choreographer Bob Fosse, born on this day in 1927. It seems Fosse was born into the business since his father worked in vaudeville. Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access more resources about Fosse, dance, and vaudeville. Robert “Bob”…
Today in History–June 22–the Library of Congress features Harry Houdini, king of handcuffs. Houdini married on this date in 1894 and never once attempted to escape from his wife Beatrice. Did you also know that before Google was a verb, Houdini was? Get more amazing information by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below…
Today in History–June 21–the Library of Congress celebrates the first official day of summer with some summertime resources. Visit the Today in History section to what they’re serving up, then follow the links below to access more primary source treasures. Don’t miss the baseball primary source spotlight either! Summer primary source set Summer sheet music More summer sheet…
The Photographs from the FSA and OWI collection provide vivid scenes of the harshness of life in rural America during the Great Depression. Students can observe the effects of New Deal relief work by comparing pictures of makeshift shelters and tent cities with resettlement camps and showcase housing. Look at images of tents, migrant camps, and labor camps for examples. You might…