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
Still Going On: Celebrating The Life and Times of William Grant Still
Gelatin Silver, Portrait of William Grant Still, 1949, Carl Van Vechten, LoC

Learn about famous composer William Grant Still through this online exhibit [...] »

South Texas Border, 1900-1920: The Robert Runyon Collection

This site showcases over 8,000 images documenting the history and [...] »

History Quiz

Test your history knowledge
First Impressions: The U.S. and Japan

In 1854, Japan signed a treaty with the U.S. How did the U.S. and Japan see [...] »

Which Witch?

Words constantly evolve and change over time. What did "witch" mean to these [...] »

Thanksgiving Dinner in 1943

What traditional Thanksgiving foods would have been hard to come by during [...] »

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. [...] »

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 [...] »

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
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?

[...] »
U.S. Air Force

From pilots to shuttle central command, how does the Air Force fulfill its [...] »

Society for History in the Federal Government
Transparency, U.S. Capitol exteriors, c. 1920-1950, Theodor Horydczak, LoC

Represents historians across executive, judicial, and congressional [...] »

Ask a Historian

The Many Faces of Immigration
Colored Lithograph, Welcome to all!, 1880, LOC

American is built upon immigration. However, attitudes about immigration [...] »