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

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ECHO (Exploring and Collecting the History Online)
Image, ECHO: Exploring and collecting History online-science, tech..., 2008.

Introduce yourself to the history of science, or learn to make your own [...] »

Harvesting the River
Photo, Mussel Harvester, Pearl, Illinois, Marshall County Historical Society.

Explore river life—with a particular focus on food harvesting.

[...] »
A Maritime Perspective on American Expansion, 1820-1890

We all know the role of the wagon in westward expansion, but what of ships [...] »

History Quiz

Test your history knowledge
We the People . . . Rarely Agree

What does the Constitution mean to you? Match each quote to the historical [...] »

Black Days in the Market

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

Teaching the 20th

When does the past go from 'recent' to 'history?' Consider these questions [...] »

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 [...] »

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 [...] »

National Resources

Federal teaching resources
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. [...] »

U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Clerk

A comprehensive current and historical look at this legislative body and its [...] »

U.S. Geological Survey
Photo, Brown Bat, June 20, 2008, Al Hicks, U.S. Geological Survey

How has land use altered over time, and what did the explorers encounter? [...] »

Ask a Historian

Little Wolf and President Grant
photographic print, The Interview, between 1887 and 1892, John C. H. Grabill, LO

Why did Little Wolf, a Cheyenne leader, go to Washington in 1873?

[...] »