Today in History–August 27–the Library of Congress features the discovery that mosquitos transmit yellow fever by U.S. Army physician James Carroll and pathologist Walter Reed on this day in 1900. The discovery was made because Carroll allowed allowed an infected mosquito to feed on him, resulting in severe yellow fever sickness. Learn more about yellow fever by visiting the Today in History section, then click…
Today in History–July 23–the Library of Congress features the invention of the ice cream cone, purportedly conceived by Charles E. Menches on this day in 1904 . This confectioner was one of several who were given credit for this delectable invention and who participated in the 1904 St. Louis World Fair. Find out more about the invention of ice cream…
Today in History–July 9–the Library of Congress features sewing machine inventor Elias Howe, born on this day in 1819. Find out more about Howe’s struggle to get recognized for his work and how the mechanical sewing machine helped transform the nature of work during the nineteenth century by visiting the Today in History section. Then click the links below to check out this…
Today in History–June 27–the Library of Congress features the Smithsonian Institution founded by James Smithson, who died on this date in 1829. A renowned British scientist, Smithson left the endowment to “increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.” Find out more about the man and the institution that includes numerous museums and research centers in the Today in History section….
Today in History–May 24–the Library of Congress features the first telegraphic message, sent on this day in 1844 by Samuel F. B. Morse. This invention opened up a whole new era in communications. Learn more about Morse the inventor, Morse the painter, and the telegraph by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access numerous related primary…
![Thomas Jefferson ["Maccaroni" machine with instructions for making pasta] Holograph drawing and text, 1787](https://primarysourcenexus.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/jeffersonpastamachine.jpg)
Curator description: Thomas Jefferson noted these plans for a macaroni or pasta machine while touring northern Italy in 1787. When Jefferson prepared these plans, macaroni was a highly fashionable food in Paris, where he was stationed as minister to France. He later commissioned his secretary William Short to purchase a macaroni machine in Italy, but…
Today in History: Submarines
Today in History–April 11–the Library of Congress features submarines. Although submarines were used as early as the War of 1812, the U.S. Navy acquired its first submarine on this day in 1900. Find out about the first submarine to sink a battleship and more by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access related…
Today in History–April 10–the Library of Congress features Arbor Day, first celebrated by Nebraskans on this day in 1872. Today people celebrate Arbor Day worldwide on the last Friday in April. Learn more about this holiday by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access related primary sources. Arbor Day primary source set Arbor Day image…
Today in History–April 3–the Library of Congress features writer and naturalist John Burroughs, born on this day in 1837. Learn more about this contemporary of John Muir and Henry David Thoreau by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access images and some of his writings and photographs as well as more environment and conservation teaching resources and primary…
Integrating primary sources into the social studies curriculum doesn’t take a quantum leap of imagination, but can you imagine how they could be paired with math? Numerous teachers who have gone through Teaching with Primary Sources programs delivered by TPS consortium members, have done just that. Intrigued? Check out their formulas for mathematical learning by…
Today in History–February 8–the Library of Congress celebrates the birth of writer Jules Verne, born on this date in 1828, by featuring air balloons and airships. Around the time Verne’s first book–Five Weeks in a Balloon–came out in 1863, the U.S. Army was using hydrogen gas balloons in Civil War reconnaissance missions. See what you can learn about air balloons and airships by visiting…