Agents of Social Change: 20th-Century Women's Activism

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Photo, Gloria Steinem and Dorothy Pitman Hughes, Dan Wynn, c. 1970
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Selected materials from the personal papers of Mary Metlay Kaufman, Dorothy Kenyon, Constance Baker Motley, Jessie Lloyd O'Connor, Frances Fox Piven, and Gloria Steinem. Also includes papers of the National Congress of Neighborhood Women (NCNW) and the Women's Action Alliance (WAA). The six women and two organizations are introduced with biographical essays (300-700 words). For each woman, the site provides from three to six texts, of 100 to 1,000 words, including correspondence, photographs, articles written by or about them, and bulletins and newsletters for movements with which they worked. Material includes fan mail received by Steinem, a letter from William Z. Foster to Kaufman, and a five-page speech Motley made to the Children's Organization for Civil Rights.

Papers for the NCNW include two photos, one poster, a brochure, and six pages of projects and activities. The WAA exhibit presents one photo, a press release, a mission statement, and a brochure. There are six high school lesson plans using the primary documents. The site will be useful for research in 20th-century feminism and women's activism.

Civics Online

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Painting, "Penn's Treaty with the Indians," Edward Hicks, c.1840-1844
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This site was designed as a resource for teachers and students of Civics, grades K-12, in Michigan public schools. The site provides access to 118 primary source documents and links to 71 related sites. Of these documents, 22 are speeches, 34 are photographs or paintings, and five are maps. The site is indexed by subject and "core democratic values" as determined by Michigan Curriculum Framework. A section for teachers includes one syllabi each for primary, middle, and high school courses. The syllabi are accompanied by interviews with the teacher who developed the assignments and by a student who participated in the curriculum, as well as by examples of student work. "Adventures in Civics" presents student visitors with a 178-word essay on Elian Gonzalez and an essay assignment for each grade level on what it means to be an American. The site links to six articles and 17 sites about Gonzalez.

Students may use a multimedia library, simultaneously searchable by era, grade-level, and core democratic value. The site also provides a timeline of American history with 163 entries (five to 500-words). The site provides a 1,000-word explanation of core democratic values and links to 41 other government and university sites about American history and civics. This site will probably be most interesting and useful for teachers looking for curriculum ideas.

Resources for Women's History Month

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With Teachinghistory.org's women's history resources and the rich resources available elsewhere on the Web, you can find ideas and materials for any time period, topic, or grade level. Whether you're covering well-known events like the Seneca Falls Convention or helping your students uncover little-known figures from history, primary sources, digital tools, and thoughtful teaching strategies can bring women's history to life in March—and in every month of the year!

Start your search for resources on our Women's History Month spotlight page, where you'll find website reviews, lesson plans, quizzes, videos, and other materials that encourage historical thinking.

Need even more resources? Try these suggestions for exploring Women's History Month materials beyond Teachinghistory.org:

  • Explore the Library of Congress's resources through its Women's History Month gateway.
  • Follow the links in the National Archive's guide to resources on women to discover primary sources on African American women, women in the military, women in politics, women's suffrage, and more.
  • Discover teaching resources, online exhibits, and other resources from the Smithsonian Institution, via its Women's History Month heritage page.
  • Learn about National Register of Historic Places sites related to women's history courtesy of the National Park Service's annotated list.
  • Download lesson plans on women writers, politicians, artists, activists, soldiers, and civil servants from EDSITEment.
  • Browse the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History's online journal History Now for essays and lesson plans on topics including women in reform movements, abolitionists, suffrage, the West, and more.
  • Read President Barack Obama's 2012 Women's History Month proclamation at the White House website.
  • Read up on the lives of women athletes, leaders, activists, and more on Bio.com.
  • Watch videos, view photos, and read essays on HISTORY.com's Women's History Month page.

Remember not to limit teaching about women in U.S. history to March! Many of these resources, as well as our spotlight page, are available year-round.

Helen Keller Kid's Museum

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Photo, Helen and Anne playing chess, 1900, American Foundation for the Blind
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The main feature of this website is an exhibit presenting the story of Helen Keller's life through five exhibits. Each exhibit offers text and photographs that examine a different period of her life from childhood through her career as a champion of the blind and a world figure. Together, the exhibits contain more than 30 photographs. "Who Was Helen Keller" offers a short Helen Keller biography; a recommended reading list with 19 books, including seven works by Helen Keller; a link to a free version of Keller's The Story of My Life; some fun facts and quotes; and a link to the Helen Keller Archives. The site also includes a chronology of Keller's life. This website is an excellent aid to teaching children the inspiring story of Helen Keller's life.

Anne Sullivan Macy: Miracle Worker

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Photo, Anne Sullivan stands with Helen Keller, c. 1893, AFB
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This website is dedicated to the life and legacy of Anne Sullivan Macy, who, in the words of the site's authors "was a pioneer in the field of education." The exhibition tells her story through an introduction and five galleries, each focused on a different period in the inspiring story of Macy's life, including galleries on her childhood and her work teaching Helen Keller that became the basis for the play The Miracle Worker. The galleries feature excerpts from Macy's correspondence and writings, quotes contained in various biographies, and passages about Macy from Helen Keller's Teacher: Anne Sullivan Macy. The full-text of many of Macy's letters are available. All 47 images can be viewed in a larger size and are accompanied by descriptions. The site also offers a brief, one-page biography of Macy; a chronology of her life; and a recommended reading list with 10 books (two for children). An outstanding introduction to the life of this extraordinary teacher.

Women of the Revolution

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From Colonial Williamsburg: Past and Present Podcasts

"Could the Revolution have been won without women? Author and Professor Holly Mayer thinks not. Learn more about the inner workings of the Continental Army."

The Colonial Williamsburg site also has an informative essay that offers interested readers more information on the roles women played during the Revolutionary War.

Martha Leads the Charge

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From Colonial Williamsburg: Past and Present Podcasts

"While General George Washington commanded the troops in the field, Martha led the charge at home. Historic Interpreter Lee Ann Rose describes the impact women made during the Revolution."

Colonial Williamsburg also offers more biographical information on Martha Washington.

The Art of Beauty

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From Colonial Williamsburg: Past and Present Podcasts

"Attaining ideal beauty in the 18th century might require hog's lard, mousehide, toxic lead, and daily application of gin. Historical Interpreter Meg Brown shares her favorite discoveries."

Interested in making your own colonial cosmetic products? Click here for authentic 18th century recipes to cure dry-skin, freshen rooms, and create body fragrances.

Colonial Gentry Girls

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Colonial Williamsburg's Harmony Hunter interviews historian Cathy Hellier to discover the daily activities of young aristocratic girls in Colonial America. In addition, Hellier discusses the most important duty of young gentry girls: marriage.

Interested listeners can learn more about the adolescence of gentry girls by perusing this article by Cathleene B. Hellier.