Today in History–October 24–the Library of Congress features the United Nations. On this day in 1945 the U.N. charter was ratified. Derived from the 1942 Declaration by United Nations—26 nations pledged to continue fighting against the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) in World War II—the final U.N. charter was signed by 51 member countries. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then…
Today in History–November 22–the Library of Congress features John F. Kennedy, assassinated on this day in 1963. Find out more about this tragic day in our nation’s history by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access more resources and individual primary sources related to the 35th president of the United States. Primary sources Letter,…
Today in History–November 2–the Library of Congress features South Dakota, which entered the Union as the 40th state on this day in 1889. Visit the Today in History section to learn about the history and culture of the “Mount Rushmore” state, then follow the links below to access more primary source treasures. South Dakota primary source set with Teacher’s Guide South Dakota maps…
Today in History–October 5–the Library of Congress features the surrender of Nez Percé Chief Joseph to General Nelson A. Miles on this day in 1877. Learn more about the plight of this Native American tribe in the Today in History section then click the links below to access more primary resources and stories related to Chief Joseph, the Nez Percé, and other…
Today in History–September 14–the Library of Congress features Harvard University, named in honor of its first benefactor, John Harvard, who died on this day in 1638. Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more primary sources related to this venerable institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard images Harvard sheet music Harvard…
The Fall Issue of the TPS Quarterly is out and the featured article–“Beyond Typescript and Photographs: Using Primary Sources in Different Formats”–provides teaching ideas for using different primary source types in learning activities. Read the article to get tips on using handwritten manuscripts; posters, prints, and drawings; motion pictures; oral histories; historic sheet music and sound recordings; and…
Today in History–August 10–the Library of Congress features Missouri, which entered the Union this day in 1821, becoming the twenty-fourth state. Commonly known as the Show Me State, you can learn more about the state’s history and culture by visiting the Today in History section, then following the links below to access more primary source treasures. Missouri stories from America’s Library Missouri primary source set…
Today in History–August 5–the Library of Congress features San Francisco, California. On August 5, 1775, the Spanish ship San Carlos, commanded by Juan Manuel de Ayala, entered what would later be called San Francisco Bay. Learn more about this golden city by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access more primary source treasures. San Francisco maps San Francisco images Before and…
Today in History–August 1–the Library of Congress features Colorado, which entered the Union this day in 1876, becoming the thirty-eighth state known as the Centennial State. Visit the Today in History section to learn about the state’s history and culture, then follow the links below to access more primary source treasures. Colorado primary source set with Teacher’s Guide Raising Voices: Annotated Resource Sets…
Have students collaborate to compare U.S. newspaper coverage of the Battle of Little Bighorn with eyewitness accounts from Native Americans who were there. Ask them to compare descriptions of the battle as well as characterizations of opposing forces. Remind students to look for and note differences in tone, particularly as defined by word choice. You…
Today in History–June 16–the Library of Congress features the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. On this date in 1775, Congress authorized the position of chief engineer for the army to help build forts, survey terrain, and clear roads during the war. The work was so valuable that four years later Congress resolved, “That the engineers in the service…
Today in History–June 10–the Library of Congress features Guantánamo Bay. On this day in 1898, U.S. Marines landed at Guantánamo Bay. For the next month, American troops fought a land war in Cuba that resulted in the end of Spanish colonial rule in the Western Hemisphere. Get more historical information by visiting the Today in History section, then click…