Today in History–September 21–the Library of Congress features New Mexico. On this day in 1595, Don Juan de Oñate’s petition and contract for the conquest of New Mexico was presented to Luís de Velasco, the viceroy of Nueva Vizcaya. The petition was ultimately granted and Oñate’s expedition set out in 1598. A brutal leader, Oñate was later stripped…
Today in History–August 14–the Library of Congress features Oregon, which Congress named a territory on this day in 1848. The territory was massive, encompassing present-day Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and parts of western Montana and Wyoming. The smaller state of Oregon joined the union in 1859. Learn more about Oregon by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access more primary sources. Oregon stories from…
The Chicago meatpacking industry began its rise to prominence in 1865 with the opening of the Union Stock Yard. Meatpacking unions had their ups and downs over the years and company antiunionism took two basic forms: repression and paternalism. Armour, for example, was a company that “provided individualized pay, insurance and promotion incentives (including stock…
Today in History–February 1–the Library of Congress features writer and poet Langston Hughes, born on this date in 1902. Famous for his illuminating and moving depictions of African American life, Hughes was a prominent figure in the Harlem Renaissance movement. Learn more about this treasured American author by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more stories,…
Today in History–September 28–the Library of Congress features William Christopher Handy, whose song the “Memphis Blues” was published on this date in 1912. Handy introduced the blues into mainstream music and became known as the father of the blues. Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access a rich collection of blues music…
The Teaching with the Library of Congress blog gives some great tips on using the WPA Poster collection with students. One idea is to have students identify persuasion techniques. For a great resource on typical advertising persuasion techniques, check out Print Advertising Across the Centuries project. One teacher used this project as a template and created a…
Today in History–July 25–the Library of Congress features Macbeth, “The Play That Electrified Harlem“. The closing night performance of Macbeth, produced by John Houseman and directed by Orson Welles for the Federal Theatre Project (FTP) of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), was staged on July 25, 1936 and featured an all African-American cast. Find out more about this production by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the…
Today in History–July 8–the Library of Congress features the Great Depression, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell to its lowest point on this day in 1932. During the Great Depression many families lost their homes because they could not pay their mortgages so they sought alternative forms of shelter. Groups of these makeshift houses were often…
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…