Story Maps are immersive web applications that tell the incredible stories of the Library’s collections through narrative, multimedia, and interactive maps. The story maps are created within a Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based software platform created by Esri. Story Maps are chock full of primary sources, including photographs, illustrations, texts, newspaper articles, and even maps. “I find story…
The Dream of Flight online exhibition With Wings as Eagles: From Fantasy to Flight (primary source sets documenting the history of flight) Today in History: Wright Brothers First Flight Early Women in Aviation 1910-19: Topics in Chronicling America Introduction & timeline Search strategies & selected articles American Female Pilots 1911-21: Topics in Chronicling America Introduction &…
Today in History–April 27–the Library of Congress features the World Transportation Commission (WTC). On this date in 1895, Harper’s Weekly carried a story on theWTC’s visit to Ceylon, now called Sri Lanka. The WTC was organized by a railroad publicist to find out more about international railroads and other foreign transportation systems. Find out more by visiting…
Zoom into a more detailed image of this source. Explain what you can determine about Nellie Bly just by looking at this source (be sure to point out the details that support your findings). Read the following articles to learn more about Nellie Bly, Jules Verne and Elizabeth Bisland. Describe what you learned. Nellie Bly from America’s Library “Bly…
For each of the following questions, use specific details from the map to support your conclusions (zoom into this map online or download a larger image). Who created this map? How do you know? Why do you think this map was created? Who do you think the audience might have been when it was published…
Today in History–November 17–the Library of Congress features the Suez Canal, opened on this day in 1869. The waterway connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Indian Ocean. The longest canal in the world without locks, this heavily-traveled channel stretches 101 miles across Egypt’s Isthmus of Suez. Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links…
List the different types of transportation that you see. How many instances of each type can you spot in the print? How have these types of transportation changed in the 21st century? What are some new types of transportation? What types of transportation can you imagine there might be in the 22nd century? What other observations, reflections or…
Theodor Geisel—a.k.a. Dr. Seuss—was born in 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts. And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street was the first of many children’s books that he wrote and illustrated. Geisel supposedly received 27 rejections before the book was published by Vanguard Press in 1937 thanks, as the story goes, to a chance run-in with and…
Primary source sets Transportation primary source set with teacher’s guide Transportation image set Transportation maps Films & webcasts related to transportation Oral histories related to transportation Life history mentioning transportation Historical texts related to transportation Historical newspaper coverage: modes of transportation PSN curated primary source collections Air Balloons & Airships America’s Roadways B&O Railroad Bicycles Cable Cars C&O Canal…
Today in History–January 17–the Library of Congress features cable cars. On this day in 1879, San Franciscan Andrew Smith Hallidie patented an improved “Endless Wire Ropeway”, which would become the cable-car system. San Francisco’s success with cable cars led to their introduction in cities across the country. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below for primary sources related…
Today in History–December 17–the Library of Congress features the first flights of the Wright brothers, flown on this day in 1903. Orville piloted the first flight that lasted 12 seconds and 120 feet and Wilbur piloted the fourth and final flight, remaining airborne for 59 seconds and traveling 852 feet. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then click…