More than 2,300 firsthand accounts of slavery and 500 black and white photographs of former slaves are presented on this website. These materials were collected in the 1930s by the Federal Writers' Project of the Works Project Administration, a Roosevelt Administration New Deal bureau.

Each slave narrative transcript is accompanied by notes including the name of the narrator, place and date of the interview, interviewer's name, length of transcript, and catalog information. Each photograph has similar notes. Browse photographs and narratives by keyword, subject, and narrator. An introductory essay discusses the significance of slave narratives and a selection of excerpts from eight narratives along with photographs of the former slaves. This is a rich resource for exploring slavery, historical memory, and New Deal efforts to document America's past.

Part of the Library of Congress American Memory site, this online archive draws from two Library of Congress collections on the life of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. The Abraham Lincoln Papers in the Library's Manuscript Division contain over 20,000 items, over 2000 of which are contained on this site. Items include correspondence, speeches, and reports accumulated primarily during Lincoln's presidency (1860-1865). The documents are accompanied by annotated descriptions (roughly 150 words) composed by the Lincoln Studies Center at Knox College. The papers are in chronological order and are keyword searchable. The second collection highlighted in this exhibit is "We'll Sing to Abe Our Song," over 200 sheet music compositions that represent the popular music of the Civil War era. These pieces are drawn from the Alfred Whital Stern Collection in the Library's Rare Book and Special Collection division. The sheet music is searchable by title, composer, and subject. The site also offers links to other Library of Congress sources on Lincoln, including a photograph gallery of 16 images of the Lincoln family and other political figures of the Civil War era; over 50 Civil War maps; and a link to lesson plans for the entire American Memory Collection, including eight Civil War lesson plans appropriate for elementary and secondary students. This site is ideal for researching Lincoln's presidency and popular culture of the Civil War era.

Homepage for Mt. Vernon Estate and Gardens, George Washington's Virginia estate, this site offers valuable sources for researching the life and home of the first U.S. President. An exhibit contains more than 50 images of furniture, art, documents, and other Mount Vernon household objects. Each image is accompanied by a 150-word description of the artifact and its location or significance to the estate. A virtual tour of Mt. Vernon's mansion takes visitors through every room with a photograph and 350-word description of the room and its furnishings. An archaeology section describes digs at eight sites on the estate, a 500-word description of a current excavation of Washington's distillery, and a 1500-word essay on the Mt. Vernon mansion's restoration beginning in 1858. An Educational Resources section offers a fifth-grade lesson plan, complete with trivia about Washington, excerpts from his Rules on Civility, and anecdotes from his military career and presidency; a 2000-word essay on Washington's attitude toward slavery and information on his slaves' lives, including links to a facsimile copy of Washington's 1798 slave census and 18 images of paintings and artifacts depicting the everyday lives of Mt. Vernon's slaves. This site is ideal for researching Washington's life and home, and it could also be useful for those studying material culture and archaeology.

These 12,000 items (72,000 digital images) allow the visitor to explore James Madison's life, the Revolution, or the Early Republic. Materials include his father's letters, Madison's correspondence, personal notes, drafts of letters and legislation, and legal and financial documents. Material covers the period from 1723 to 1836.

Page images of correspondence can be browsed by title, name, or correspondence series or they can be searched by keyword or phrase appearing in the bibliographic records (descriptive information) of the collection. Additionally, the full text of correspondence for which transcriptions are available can also be searched by keyword or phrase. A timeline covers the period from 1751 to 1836 and is useful for placing the events of Madison's life in historical context. Three essays are available, including one on Madison's life and papers and one on Madison at the Federal Constitutional Convention.

This website features approximately 20,000 documents relating to President Abraham Lincoln's life and career. All of the materials are available as page images and about half have been transcribed. Resources include correspondence, reports, pamphlets, and newspaper clippings. While the documents date from 1833 to 1897, most material was written between 1850 and 1865, including drafts of the Emancipation Proclamation and Lincoln's second inaugural address. A chronological index offers names of correspondents and document titles.

Special presentations on the Emancipation Proclamation and the Lincoln assassination provide introductions, timelines, and 24 images of related documents and engravings. Additional resources include 16 photographs of the Lincolns and key political and military figures of Lincoln's presidency. This is an excellent resource for researching Lincoln's presidency and American politics prior to and during the Civil War.

Presents the diary of officer George Percival Scriven (1854-1940), part of the U.S. Army's occupation of Bohol--a Philippine island--from 1900 to 1902. "The journal was written partly as a personal memoir and partly as a draft of notes for a book that he was planning on writing." A background essay of 6,000 words on the occupation and one of 350 words on Scriven furnish the context for this valuable document, which is accompanied by 25 photographs from four other Duke University collections. This site also offers six links to related sites. Useful as a description of Philippine life through the eyes of an American soldier and for its first-hand account of the surrender by the President of the Provisional Republic of Bohol to American troops.

Four guided investigations designed to teach students how to read primary sources and construct historical narratives lie at the heart of this website. Topics are: the Spanish-American War, the Scopes Trial, Social Security, and Rosa Parks. Each topic includes a short introductory video, a timeline of events, a central question, and extension activities. For example, the Rosa Parks investigation poses the question: "Why did the boycott of Montgomery's buses succeed?"

After completing a simple login, students read annotated documents—including letters written by the boycott organizers, a speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. and an interview with a woman working in Montgomery—and answer guiding questions, and draw on their responses to answer the question. The website also includes a useful introduction to the idea of historical thinking.

Developed primarily to support a PBS film, this website uses Twain's writings to illustrate his life. An interactive scrapbook, similar to the one patented by Twain, is the centerpiece of the site and provides access to nine chapters of his life. Each chapter is illustrated by period photograph—the scrapbook includes about 100 photographs—and Twain's personal observations. Excerpts of about 15 letters written by Twain are included, as are some 25 news clippings of his lectures, travels, and public appearances. Visitors can also see approximately 20 drawings from first editions of some of Twain's books. The scrapbook offers about 25 audio clips of actors—most notably Hal Holbrook—reading Twain's writings and 15 video clips of the Mississippi River and other sites important to Twain's work. An accompanying chronology lists the events of Twain's life, and Classroom Activities offers five lesson ideas for introducing middle- and high-school students to Twain and his place in American history.

The site asks for sponsorship pledges and markets the video and soundtrack, but overall this site is well designed and offers valuable material for investigating Mark Twain in historical context.

Drawn primarily from documents at the National Archives' National Personnel Records Center, this exhibit explores "the contributions of the thousands of Americans, both military and civilian, who served their country during World War II." Arranged into seven sections--"Prelude to War"; "New Roles"; "Women Who Served"; "The War in the Pacific"; "The War in Europe" "Science Pitches In"; and "The War is Over"--the site presents approximately 60 photographs, editorials, letters, and governmental reports, such as General Benjamin O. Davis's 1943 report concerning racial discrimination in the military. A 3,000-word background essay narrates the materials. Though lacking in depth and limited in size, the exhibit offers a selection of valuable and interesting materials regarding the war effort.