For Us the Living

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For Us the Living is a resource for teachers that engages high school students through online primary-source based learning modules. Produced for the National Cemetery Administration's Veterans Legacy Program, this site tells stories of men and women buried in Alexandria National Cemetery, and helps students connect these stories to larger themes in American history. Primary sources used include photographs, maps, legislation, diaries, letters, and video interviews with scholars.

The site offers five modules for teachers to choose from, the first of which serves as an introduction to the cemetery's history. The other four cover topics such as: African American soldiers and a Civil War era protest for equal rights, the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth after Lincoln’s assassination, commemoration of Confederates during Reconstruction, and recognition of women for their military service. Most of the modules focus on the cemetery’s early history (founded in 1862) although two modules reach into the post-war era. Each module is presented as a mystery to solve, a question to answer, or a puzzle to unravel. Students must use historical and critical thinking skills to  uncover each story. Each module ends with two optional digital activities, a historical inquiry assignment and a service-learning project, related to the module theme.

Teachers should first visit the “Teach” section which allows them to preview each module (including its primary sources, questions and activities), learn how to get started, and see how the site’s modules connect with curriculum standards. In order to access the modules for classroom use, teachers do have to create their own account, but the sign up process is fast, easy, and best of all, free! The account allows teachers to set up multiple classes, choose specific module(s) for each class, assign due dates, and view student submissions.

First World War: The War to End All Wars Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 01/25/2008 - 22:21
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Image, World War I U.S. propaganda poster, c. 1917, First World War
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The stated purpose of this website is to provide an overview of World War I. This it does effectively through hundreds of essays, 3,100 encyclopedic entries, 618 biographies, 318 resources on the war's major diplomatic and military events, and a timeline. Primary documents include over 100 diaries and firsthand accounts of soldiers and politicians, 3,900 photographs, 651 propaganda posters, and 155 audio files of songs and speeches. Documents include treaties, reports, correspondence, memoirs, speeches, dispatches, and accounts of battles and sieges.

The site also provides 95 essays on literary figures who wrote about the war. While admittedly a work-in-progress, the site offers much material on the leaders who engaged their countries in war and on the experiences of ordinary soldiers who fought the battles.

Ernie Pyle's Typewriter Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 12/18/2008 - 14:46
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Wes Cowan of PBS's History Detectives investigates the history of a Corona 3 typewriter, trying to determine if the typewriter was ever used by World War II battlefront correspondent Ernie Pyle.

USS Indianapolis Survivor Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/17/2008 - 15:41
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Wes Cowan of PBS's History Detectives interviews USS Indianapolis survivor L.D. Cox, who relates his memories of the ship's sinking.

Conversation with World War II PT Boat Veterans Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 01/04/2008 - 14:03
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Three World War II veterans share their stories of serving on PT Boats in the Solomon Islands at the same time as John F. Kennedy during World War II. (John F. Kennedy's PT Boat, PT-109, was struck and sunk in 1943.) The presentation includes film clips of the (now deceased) survivors of PT-109.

African-American Voices of the Civil War

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Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Charles Fuller discusses his life and motivations as an African-American author. The presentation also includes discussions and performances which bring the testimonies of slaves, soldiers, reporters, and activists from the Civil War to life, focusing on African-American history during the Civil War and African-American memory of the war.

Local War Stories: Francis Murphy Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 01/04/2008 - 14:03
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World War II U.S. Navy veteran Francis Murphy talks about his experiences during the war, in the Atlantic theater.

Audio and video options are available.

Local War Stories: Gerald Halderman Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 01/04/2008 - 14:03
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World War II U.S. Navy veteran Gerald Halderman talks about his experiences during the war, in the Pacific theatre.

The audio of this clip is available as a downloadable MP3 file.

Local War Stories: Theodore Akimoto Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 01/04/2008 - 14:03
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World War II veteran Theodore Akimoto shares his personal memories of the war.

The audio from this clip is available independently as a MP3 file.