Spotlight on Elementary Education

History has been shaped and influenced by the out come of ancient trials—such as the Trial of Socrates in 399B.C.—to Rosenberg Trial in the 1950s. This site offers a comprehensive look at 50 prominent court trials throughout history and its resources can be used to give young learners an introduction to the history of the modern judicial system.

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Website Reviews

Find quality websites & primary sources
Nixtontapes.org
Photo, Richard M. Nixon, 1974, General Services Administration, NARA

Teaching Watergate? Introduce students to the Nixon tapes with more than 2, [...] »

History Explorer

The Smithsonian offers rich resources for teachers, but tracking them down [...] »

WestWeb: Western Studies and Research Resources

This gateway site provides a wealth of resources pertaining to the American [...] »

History Quiz

Test your history knowledge
Memorial Day: The Poppy Puzzle

Do you know the history of this symbol?

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Yo, Ho, Ho and a . . . Bushel of Oysters?

Shellfish pirates stole from the rich to feed themselves—and make a little [...] »

Celebrate More Than St. Patrick

The Irish contributed more to the U.S. than shamrocks and folktales.

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Beyond the Textbook

Question textbook narratives
The Atomic Bomb: Hiroshima and Nagasaki
photographic print, Second atomic bombing of Nagasaki, 1945 August, LOC

Controversial issues are often simplified in textbooks. Discover the facts [...] »

The Tet Offensive
Eddie Adams, Vietcong shooting prisoner cropped

American historians have depicted the Tet Offensive as the turning point for [...] »

Causes of the American Revolution
Broadside, A card, New York, 1774, LoC, rbpe 10700100

What were the causes of the American Revolution? They were more complicated [...] »

National Resources

Federal teaching resources
National Museum of African Art

Approach African American history and culture through African art.

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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Official poster, Veterans Day, 2008, United Staes Department of Veteran Affairs

Learn about the men who fought for American ideals and survived.

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Central Intelligence Agency
Glass negative, "Belle Boyd," Confederate spy, Between 1855 and 1865, LoC

You've seen spy movies, but what is the real history of U.S. [...] »

Ask a Historian

Defining Dred Scott
lithograph, The political quadrille--Music by Dred Scott, 1860, LOC

Who was Dred Scott, and what was the significance of his case?

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