Learning from the Source: We Shall Overcome

Learning from the Source: We Shall Overcome

Students will analyze historical and contemporary primary sources to examine how citizens persevered to overcome injustice and affect change during the 1960s civil rights era and consider the lessons the first March to Selma in 1965 provides for us today. Enduring understanding: Time, place, and culture influence our perspectives on people and issues. Essential question:…

Guided Primary Source Analysis: The Banks of the Yellow Sea

Guided Primary Source Analysis: The Banks of the Yellow Sea

This Emily Dickinson poem was set to music by composer Ernst Bacon. Take a closer look at this sheet music and read the lyrics. What feeling does this poem give you? What specific word choices influence how you feel? What kind of music do you think would go with these words (happy, upbeat, sad, mournful, lively, slow,…

Guided Primary Source Analysis: The Carpet-bagger

Guided Primary Source Analysis: The Carpet-bagger

Read this brief description of carpetbaggers and scalawags from History.com. Next review this Encyclopedia of Virginia entry on Benjamin F. Butler, being sure to read at least the introductory paragraph as well as the first paragraph under the New Orleans header. Now look closely at the cover of this sheet music. Describe the perspective of carpetbaggers that you think…

Primary Source Spotlight: Vachel Lindsay

Primary Source Spotlight: Vachel Lindsay

Books by Vachel Lindsay Adventures while preaching the gospel of beauty  c. 1914 A handy guide for beggars, especially those of the poetic fraternity 1916 The golden book of Springfield 1920 “General William Booth enters into Heaven” lyrics by Vachel Lindsay (video of song performance) Vachel Lindsay historic newspaper coverage through 1922 Vachel Lindsay images Illinois…

Guided Primary Source Analysis: I Won’t Stand for Segregation

Guided Primary Source Analysis: I Won’t Stand for Segregation

Complete a primary source analysis of this image using the Library’s primary source analysis tool (see links below). Then click the image above to see if the information found in the curator’s note answers any of your questions. paper (.pdf) digital padlet Can you find a discrepancy between this primary source document (be sure to look…

World Spotlight: Serbia

World Spotlight: Serbia

Serbia primary source set World Digital Library Serbia maps Serbian image set Што се боре мисли моје (Serbian song recording) Foreign Affairs oral histories mentioning Serbia Historic U.S. newspaper coverage of Serbia (through 1922) U.S. legislation related to Serbia Guide to Law Online: Serbia Country Study: Former Yugoslavia

Today in History: Battle of Antietam

Today in History: Battle of Antietam

Today in History–September 17–the Library of Congress features Battle of Antietam, fought on this day in 1862. The bloodiest battle in the Civil War—more than 23,000 killed, wounded or missing in action–was fought in the hills of Sharpsburg, Maryland. Although the Confederates occupied the town of Sharpsburg at nightfall,  the battle was a Union victory. Find out more about Union…

Today in History: Julia Ward Howe

Today in History: Julia Ward Howe

Today in History–January 28–the Library of Congress features Julia Ward Howe, who became the first woman elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters on this date in 1908. Howe and her husband were active in the abolitionist movement. Later, time spent with Union troops inspired Howe to write the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” to the tune…