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
Carnegie Libraries of California
Photo, Los Angeles/Cahuenga, Pat & Bernie Skehan, Carnegie Libraries of CA.

Learn about the California libraries built with Carnegie funding.

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American Photography: A Century of Images
Photo, Shrimp-pickers in Peerless Oyster Co., March 1911, Lewis Hine, LoC

How has photography altered our perception of and the actuality of reality [...] »

Gold Rush!
Detail, homepage

Bring yourself up to speed on the Gold Rush, including the minorities [...] »

History Quiz

Test your history knowledge
Presidential Valentines

The politics of love—answer these questions about valentines to and from U.S [...] »

European Explorers in North America after Columbus

Who else left Europe following the call of wealth, fame, religion, or other [...] »

Voices in the Whirlwind

To each prophet, a certain way of speaking. Match civil rights leaders with [...] »

Beyond the Textbook

Question textbook narratives
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 [...] »

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? [...] »

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 [...] »

National Resources

Federal teaching resources
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 [...] »

National Portrait Gallery

Allow students to "meet" their favorite historical figures.

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Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

Design embodies both artistic ingenuity and responses to everyday problems [...] »