Digital Public Library of America
Search more than 4,500,000 primary sources from across the country from one website!
Maryland Historical Society Collections Online
Whether you’re bolstering your teaching of local history or the War of 1812, the MHS has artifacts to help.
Guampedia
Guam is often left out of discussions of U.S. history. Remedy the situation!
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site Virtual Museum Exhibit
What was life like in abolitionist Frederick Douglass’s home in Washington, DC? The NPS takes a look.
e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia
There’s far more to West Virginia than stereotypes suggest. Why not take some time to explore the state?
Living New Deal Project
Live in California? Trying to find local New Deal projects?
9/11 Memorial
What does our choice of memorial design say about the U.S. today?
DocsTeach
Team up with the National Archives and Records Administration to bring primary sources into your classroom!
Yale Digital Commons
A wheeled pull toy depicting Nixon with a crown? If you’re looking for a unique object to bring up in class, start with the digital commons.
Diary of a Civil War Nurse
What was life like for Amanda Akin, Civil War nurse in Washington, DC?
National Park Service History E-Library
Look into how historical sites are researched, prepared, and made public.
Taking the Mystery out of Copyright
If you need a succinct copyright overview for your students, this is a place to start.
Virginia Memory
Are you a Virginia educator teaching VA state history? My your task easy! Explore the Library of Virginia’s 70 collections of digitized primary sources.
Monticello Explorer
Can’t travel to Monticello? Take your students on a virtual tour of Jefferson’s estate with this website.
Missouri Digital Heritage
Missouri teachers looking for primary sources, look no further. Explore this portal for resources from libraries, universities, archives, and heritage sites throughout the state.
The Social Museum Collection at Harvard University
More than 6,000 images related to U.S. social conditions and institutions.
National Park Service, Teaching with Historic Places
Use this website to plan and organize lessons around NPS properties and locations.
Mount Vernon
Take a virtual tour of George Washington’s famous estate, Mt. Vernon.
NativeTech: Native American Technology and Art
Learn about Native American technology, including wigwams, beadwork, pottery, and tools.
American Landscape and Architectural Design, 1850-1920
Explore the history of American landscape and architectural design from 1850-1920.
Colonial Williamsburg
Experience life in Colonial Williamsburg without visiting Virginia.
Carnegie Libraries of California
Learn about the California libraries built with Carnegie funding.
Worthington Memory, Online Scrapbook
Explore the history and development of a small town. The online scrapbook provides an uncanny lens into town life.
Digital Archive of American Architecture
Explore U.S. architectural styles and ornamentation, or date the buildings in your town.
1939 World's Fair Photograph Collection
What images does a state choose to describe its way of life to the nation?
Thomas Jefferson Papers
What did Thomas Jefferson read?
Virginia Historical Inventory (VHI)
View Virginia’s antebellum architectural culture.
Photographs of the Historic American Buildings Survey: Georgia
What sort of structures did the WPA consider culturally important to Georgia?
Belgian-American Research Collection
What would your life have been like as a Belgian immigrant in Wisconsin?
Reston Collection Images
Explore the planned community of Reston, VA. Gain a better sense of the town that has become a burgeoning suburb.
Harrisburg's Old 8th Ward
Visit the businesses and meet the people of Harrisonburg, PA’s 8th Ward.
Boston Streets: Mapping Directory Data
Explore the history of Boston, MA, through photographs, maps, and atlas pages.
Connecticut History Online
Take a look at the “Constitution State,” with approximately 14,000 images depicting Connecticut’s history from the 19th through the 20th century.
Bethlehem Digital History Project
Imagine life as a Moravian in Bethlehem, PA.
Building an Archives
Learn about the history of the National Archives as well as how to start your own archives.
The American 1890s
Explore a unique website dedicated to American history during the 1890s.
Illinois Digital Archives
Primary sources on Illinois history with an emphasis on residential and commercial architecture.
Invincible Cities
Visual depictions of post-industrial urban decay in California and New Jersey.
Madison: Celebrating 150 Years
Learn about Madison, WI, from early settlement through its time as the “queen of bootleggers.”
Travel, Tourism, and Urban Growth in Greater Miami: A Digital Archive
Interested in the history of tourism? This site examines the topic within Miami, FL.
Monticello: The Home of Thomas Jefferson
Have you ever wondered how Thomas Jefferson spent his days?
New York Public Library Picture Collection Online
Support visual learners with a selection of more than 30,000 historical images.
History of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge
Follow the history of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, from its completion in 1938 to its collapse in 1940 and its 1950 reconstruction.
First Century of the First State University: The Creation of UNC
Primary sources document the history of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the first U.S. public university.
Teaching with Laurel Grove School
Local history teaches about slavery, emancipation, and freedom in Northern Virginia.
National Register of Historic Places Travel Itineraries
Explore the historic sites in more than 50 cities and towns across the U.S.
Studs Terkel: Conversations with America
Meet Studs Terkel—oral historian, radio host, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author.
Ohio Memory: An Online Scrapbook of Ohio History
A wealth of primary materials document Ohio life, culture, and history from prehistoric times to the recent past.
Library of Virginia Digital Library Program
Houses more than 1.2 million items on Virginia and life in the South.
France in America
In French and English, explore the history of the French in North America from the 1500s through the 1800s.
Built in America: Historic American Buildings Survey and Engineering
Government organizations document historic sites in drawings, photographs, and text.
SIRIS Image Gallery
Access close to 140,000 images from the Smithsonian Institution.
Taking the Long View: Panoramic Photographs, 1851-1991
Displays nearly 4,000 panoramic photographs of cityscapes, landscapes, and group portraits.
Thomas A. Edison Papers
A vast database of Thomas Edison’s papers, including correspondence, technical drawings, and clippings about the inventor.
Digital Library of Georgia
Examines the history and culture of the state of Georgia, presenting an extensive range of primary sources.
National Park Service: Links to the Past
Roughly 200 National Park Service locations preserve locations designated important to U.S. history and prehistory; explore their resources online here.
American Memory: Historical Collections for the National Digital Library
The Library of Congress offers an archive of more than 9 million primary sources dating from 1490 to the present.
Archival Research Catalog (ARC)
Access over than 78,000 digital government resources—from textual records to sound recordings and everything in between!