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
John Brown's Holy War
Photograph, John Brown's Fort, 1999, PBS Online.

A variety of resources focused on the life and times of infamous [...] »

Bob Hope and American Variety
Cover, The Adventures of Bob Hope, 1963, Bob Hope Collection.

"When Vaudeville died, television was the box they put it in," according to [...] »

Negroes With Guns: Rob Williams and Black Power
Photo, Gun and Tarantino, February 12, 2006, Sir Mildred Pierce, Flickr

Do you think armed resistance is a justifiable reaction to racism? Explore [...] »

History Quiz

Test your history knowledge
Black Days in the Market

The Stock Market Crash of 1929 opened the curtain on the Great Depression. [...] »

Exploration and Innovation

Crossing vast oceans required specialized tools and knowledge. Discover more [...] »

A-mouldering in the Grave

"John Brown's Body" keeps reappearing. What do you know about the song?

[...] »

Beyond the Textbook

Question textbook narratives
Slavery
Photo, "An ex-slave," 1897, New York Public Library Digital Gallery

What was it like to be a slave in 19th-century America? Accounts contrast. [...] »

Denmark Vesey
An official report of the trials of sundry Negroes, 1822

Tried and executed in 1822, along with many other slaves, for a plotted [...] »

The Early Conservation Movement
photographic print, Quentin Roosevelt Planting a Tree, c1904, Edward S. Curtis,

The "go-green" movement is rampant in modern America. However, support for [...] »

National Resources

Federal teaching resources
Selective Service System
Lithograph, Don't wait for the draft--Volunteer, 1917, Library of Congress

Did you know that the draft was used in times of peace, as well as war?

[...] »
Federal Reserve Board

The economy's on everyone's mind. Take advantage of that fact to teach a bit [...] »

Federal Highway Administration
Lithograph, Chas. H. Kabrich, c. 1896, Donaldson Litho. Co., LoC

Do you fit today's transportation norms? Do you reside in a suburb or a city [...] »

Ask a Historian

Is the Story of George Washington and the Colt a True Story?
Washington and the colt from True Stories of Great Americans

Is it all right to make up stories about real people to teach children about [...] »