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
SIRIS Image Gallery

Access close to 140,000 images from the Smithsonian Institution.

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National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center

More than 50 virtual exhibits ranging from Julia Child to West Point.

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Reston Collection Images

Explore the planned community of Reston, VA. Gain a better sense of the town [...] »

History Quiz

Test your history knowledge
The Blue and the Grey (and Red and Green and Yellow)

What do you think Civil War uniforms looked like? They varied more than you [...] »

United We Stand: Industry and Famous Strikes

Stand up (or sit down) for better working conditions! Test your knowledge of [...] »

European Explorers in North America after Columbus

Who else left Europe following the call of wealth, fame, religion, or other [...] »

Beyond the Textbook

Question textbook narratives
Coal and the Industrial Revolution
Photo, At the close of the day, January 1911, Lewis Hine, Library of Congress

How can the story of coal help students understand the nature of today's [...] »

Women's Reform Movement
Print, A downright gabbler, or a goose that deserves to be hissed, 1829

The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments in 1848 reflected the voices of [...] »

The Modern Civil Rights Movement: A River of Purposeful Anger
Dynamics of Idealism- Volunteers for Civil Rights, 1965-1982 432x240

Textbooks are silent about defining race and racism, even though the modern [...] »

National Resources

Federal teaching resources
Supreme Court of the United States

From John Jay to Sonia Sotomayor, the Supreme Court is the final word in law [...] »

National Archives and Records Administration
Letter, . . . Flag Design Suggestion, 10/1958, Sheryl Byland, NARA

With more than 10 billion items addressing U.S. history, you're bound to [...] »

National Museum of African American History and Culture

What does it mean to be an American? Answer this question through the lens [...] »

Ask a Historian

Civilization is All Relative

Common misconceptions of the classification of civilization are debunked. [...] »