Bill Barker, a Jefferson scholar and interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg, discusses the political philosophy of Thomas Jefferson, in relation to the launch of a new blog publishing Jefferson quotes on the Colonial Williamsburg website.
Note: this podcast is no longer available. To view a transcript of the original podcast, click here.
The American rebels stood to lose a lot by winning the war. Colonial Williamsburg sites interpreter B.J. Pryor discusses the risk of success, and the importance of the Fifth Virginia Convention in the move to war.
Historian Nancy Milton describes the English influences on the U.S. Constitution, including documents reaching as far back as the Magna Carta.
Britain's tax on paper goods was unremarkable in itself, but the colonies' furious response surprised two continents. Historian Linda Rowe talks about the Stamp Act.
Lady Dunmore, wife of Lord Dunmore (royal governor of Virginia from 1771 to 1776), was beloved by the colonists. Interpreter Corrine Dame reflects on Lady Dunmore's life.
Rural tradesman Wayne Randolph describes the farming of tobacco and the importance of the crop to colonial Virginia.
The San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site holds a significant responsibility to preserve the history of the State of Texas and the United States. The famous Battle of San Jacinto that brought Texas its independence was fought on this site. Because of the great importance of the battle to the course of history, the battleground is of state, national, and international significance, a fact that is attested to by the site's National Historic Landmark status. The primary purpose of the 1,200-acre site is to commemorate the battle and to preserve the battleground on which Texan troops under General Sam Houston achieved the independence of Texas by defeating a Mexican army led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna on April 21, 1836.
A second website related to the battleground, maintained by the Friends of San Jacinto, can be found here.
The site offers a multimedia presentation and occasional recreational and educational events (including living history events).
A double-pen, cedar log dogtrot house, Fanthorp Inn was built by an English immigrant, Henry Fanthorp, when Texas was part of Mexico. Fanthorp petitioned Stephen F. Austin in 1832 for permission to settle in this Original Austin Colony. He bought 1,100 acres and built his house in 1834 on the road that crossed his land, thus bringing travelers to his door immediately. Henry Fanthorp was appointed Postmaster by the Provisional Texas Government in 1835 and saw the advantage of offering other services and goods to his frequent visitors. Within time, Fanthorp's became a well-known stopping place for both travelers and the community.
The site offers tours, stagecoach rides, and occasional recreational and educational events (including living history events).
The park's location is historically significant since it is in the heart of the former President's home country. The area has been influenced by three major cultures: Native Americans, Spanish, and German. Indians roamed the Hill Country first, leaving behind artifacts which tell of their nomadic life. The Spanish conquistadors followed, bringing a culture which was to endure to the present. German immigrants settled the Hill Country in the early 1800s and their descendants still call it home. Their culture has had a major impact on the development of the region and the park itself. All of these cultures are represented at the park. The Visitor Center contains memorabilia from President Johnson's presidency and interactive displays about the land and people that shaped a president. Attached to the Visitors Center is the Behrens Cabin, a two-room dogtrot cabin built by German immigrant H. C. Behrens during the 1870s. The furnishings are typical of such homes in that period. Visitors can further explore the history of these immigrants by viewing the 1860s Danz family log cabin located just west of the Visitor Center. Also located in the park is the Sauer-Beckmann Farm, a living history farm. Life on the farmstead is presented as it was in 1918. Park interpreters wear period clothing, do the farm and household chores as they were done at that time, and also conduct tours for the visitors.
The site offers exhibits, tours, demonstrations, and occasional recreational and educational events (including living history events).
In 1992, Congress passed Public Law 102.42, permanently designating May as Asian Pacific American Month. Just as with other heritage months, May is barely enough time to scratch the surface of the many strands of history the month memorializes. In May 2009, Teachinghistory.org suggested some places to start digging. Continue to dig this year, with more suggestions.
Modern history textbooks now recognize the internment of Japanese Americans in prison camps during World War II, and its violation of the U.S. understanding of citizenship has increasingly become a core strand in narratives about the war. Digital archives offer rich collections of primary sources related to the internments. Many of these sources feature children, making them a natural choice for drawing students into the story of history. Others focus on law, press, and the choices adults made both during and after the internment years.
The lives and experiences of all groups in the U.S. overlap and intertwine with each other, and no group's history exists in isolation. Japanese American history didn't begin and end with World War II, nor did it exist in a vacuum. Enter the keywords "registration certificate 1942" into the search box at the Columbia River Basin Ethnic History Archive for a primary source that captures the complicated nature of identity, perception, and categorization in U.S. history. Remember that Chinese and Japanese Americans are not the only groups represented by this artifact—consider what groups' views motivated the creation of this source.
Groups within the U.S. have often banded together based on shared identities to push for change. The Seattle Civil Rights & Labor History Project tells the story of Filipino Americans and unionism in the Seattle canning industry.
World War II, the Korean War, and the whole span of U.S. international history and involvement (and lack of involvement) can shift when seen from different perspectives. The University of Southern California's Korean American Digital Archive includes photographs and documents related to international events—and to daily life.
Both a Pacific Island and a U.S. state, Hawaii has a unique position for Asian Pacific American Month. Many different cultures come together here, including Native Hawaiian, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese, among others, and it is one of only four states where non-Hispanic whites do not form the majority. Sources on the history of many of these groups can be found in the digital archives of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.
These resources touch on only a scattering of the many Asian American and Pacific American groups represented in the history of the U.S.—and only a scattering of the resources available to teachers. Comment and tell us what you use to teach Asian Pacific American history this month—and the rest of the year. What books, lesson plans, films, primary sources, and other materials have their place in your classroom and curriculum?