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
Bill of Rights Institute
Screenshot, Bill of Rights Institute home page

What would life be like without freedoms we take for granted—of the press, [...] »

Lest We Forget: The Triumph Over Slavery
Print, Haverly's genuine Colored minstrels, c. 1878, New York Public Library

Explore slavery in America from nine thematic perspectives.

[...] »
Edward S. Curtis's The North American Indian

More than 2,000 striking images of North American tribes from between 1907 [...] »

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 [...] »

Early American Artifacts

What did people living in what is now known as North America leave behind? [...] »

Presidents Day: Growing Up to Be President

Even American presidents were babies once!

[...] »

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. [...] »

John Brown's Raid
Painting, John Brown, 1867, Thomas S. Noble, NYPL Digital Gallery

Did Northerners all respond the same way to Brown's infamous raid? [...] »

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 [...] »

National Resources

Federal teaching resources
National Museum of the American Indian

Make sure that your students know not all Native Americans lived in tipis or [...] »

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Photo, NASA, ESA, and M. Livio and the Hubble 20th Anniversary Team (STScI)

Since its inception, NASA has accomplished many scientific and technological [...] »

U.S. Mint

A magician may be able to pull coins out of thin air, but most of us can't [...] »

Ask a Historian

U.S. Naval Power, 1775-1815
Print, Decatur's conflict with Algerine at Tripoli, 1877, Alonzo Chappel, NYPL

Believe it or not, the U.S. wasn't always particularly supportive of [...] »