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
Emergence of Advertising in America: 1850-1920
Illustration, Jell-O: America's Most Famous Dessert, 1925, Jell-O Company, Inc.

Follow the rise of professional advertising with these advertising items and [...] »

Samuel F. B. Morse Papers, 1793-1919

Explore the thoughts of Samuel F. Morse, artist and father of the [...] »

History: The National Park Service
Video still, George Wright's Legacy, 2009, National Park Service.

Visit this website to learn the history of many of the 384 areas under the [...] »

History Quiz

Test your history knowledge
The Garden of Infants

Kindergarten came to America in the 19th century on a wave of German [...] »

Textbook Twisters: Salem Witch Trials

Burn the witch! Discover how historical coverage of the Salem Witch Trials [...] »

Constitution Day Count

How does the Constitution measure up to other important documents in U.S. [...] »

Beyond the Textbook

Question textbook narratives
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 [...] »

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. [...] »

Rise of the Automobile
Photo, Model A Ford in front of antique gas pumps, August 4, 2007, Flickr

Americans today take cars for granted. How did they change American life? [...] »

National Resources

Federal teaching resources
U.S. Navy

Who defends our seas, and how do they do it? Explore primary sources and [...] »

Indian Health Service
Photo, "Baby being weighed by nurse," IHS, 1887-1969, Dept. of Health

Disease ravaged colonial-era Native American populations. What health [...] »

National Institute for Literacy
Photo, "Artis struisvogel leest krant van oppasser,"1951, Flickr Commons

Do you have struggling readers in your class? Try incorporating literacy [...] »

Ask a Historian

Forebears’ Furniture
2nd floor plan of William Maclay mansion, built in 1793

How would a 1790 Pennsylvania farmhouse have been furnished?

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