Religion and the Civil War: A Guide for Pre-Service Teachers
Help students understand the how religious beliefs shaped Americans’ understanding of the Civil War using sheet music from the Library of Congress.
Piscataway Park and Tobacco Farming
In 1700s Maryland and Virginia, farmers lived and died by the quality of their tobacco. Teachers tour Maryland’s Piscataway Park, learning about farmers’ struggle against their environment to grow and cure the perfect crop.
Monticello: Jefferson's Experiment
TAH teachers get an introduction to Monticello as Thomas Jefferson’s ’laboratory.'
Pockets from the Past: Daily Life at Monticello
What do the contents of pockets say about their owners? TAH teachers model strategies for examining and questioning artifacts.
Ford's Theatre: Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address
Ford’s Theatre Society’s Sarah Jencks leads teachers through Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address and follow-up activities, in this example of on-site TAH professional development.
Slave Life at Mount Vernon
How do the buildings and artifacts at Mount Vernon reflect the lives of the people who lived and worked there? Educators explore the slave quarters and question what they find.
For Us the Living
A series of five primary source based learning modules that encourage high school students to explore American history through the stories found in Alexandria National Cemetery.
Children's Lives at Colonial London Town
Invite young students into colonial history with the stories of children from three very different families.
After Slavery
Does your textbook make Reconstruction sound simple? Explore the real pain and complexity of Reconstruction with primary sources focusing on the Carolinas.
Lincoln on the Big Screen
How do historians think about films like Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln? Take a look with Teachinghistory.org!
Defining Dred Scott
Who was Dred Scott, and what was the significance of his case?
Teaching the Emancipation Proclamation on Constitution Day
This Constitution Day, the National Endowment for the Humanities asks, how is the Emancipation Proclamation like the U.S. Constitution?
Bleeding Kansas
What were the origins of this infamous controversy?
Slavery in Colonial British North America
Slavery in colonial America was not an exclusively Southern institution.
Probing Probate
How do we know what people in the past owned and valued?
African American History Month: Civil Rights Worldwide
These African American civil rights activists affected more than the U.S.
Abolitionist Speeches by African American Women
How do the speeches of Sojourner Truth and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper differ? Historian Carla Peterson examines documents for answers.
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site Virtual Museum Exhibit
What was life like in abolitionist Frederick Douglass’s home in Washington, DC? The NPS takes a look.
1804 Inventory
What can an inventory tell you about daily life in Delaware in 1804? Curator Barbara Clark Smith asks this document four questions.
Civil War Poster!
What can a quilt, a map, some photographs, a haversack, and a receipt tell you about the past?
John Brown's Body
Chandra Manning discusses the song “John Brown’s Body,” and how music can be an important source in discovering the past.
Civil War Letters
Historian Chandra Manning analyzes Civil War letters from black and white Union soldiers and a Confederate soldier.
Slavery in Wyoming
Slavery outside of the South is often overlooked, as is Wyoming history.
Open Yale Courses
Looking for a little professional development? Miss your college classes? Try Yale’s.
From Slavery to Freedom: The African-American Pamphlet Collection, 1822-1909
Peruse an extensive collection of pamphlets related to African-American life leading up to, during, and following the Civil War.
Slavery in Canada
Slavery in Canada? Who were these people? What were their lives like?
Ron Gorr on Socratic Seminars with Primary Documents
Anchor Socratic seminars in primary sources and watch your students work together to arrive at historical understanding.
In Pursuit of Freedom
Frederick Douglass approached the abolition of slavery from within the confines of the Constitution.
Black Confederates
Most African Americans (free or slaves) never joined the ranks of the Confederacy. Are there cases where individuals did?
Divided Allegiance
Being born in the United States was not always a guaranteed path to citizenship.
On Gendering the Constitution
The agitation among women’s rights activists over the language of the 14th Amendment.
Children and Youth in History
Bring history home to young students with sources they can relate to—and prompt older students to think about the construction of concepts like “child” and “teenager.”
Keep Your Top Eye Open
Boston abolitionists on the lookout for slave-catchers in 1851.
Selling a Slave
The obstacles and restraints on disposing of one’s human “property.”
Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address
Teaching the Reconstruction? Ford’s Theatre’s Sarah Jencks leads teachers through Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address and follow-up activities.
Naming Colonial History
Everyone knows what “American Revolution” means. But can you identify these other labels used in naming colonial history?
The Disaster of Innovation
How the cotton gin revolutionized the use of slaves and the production of cotton in the Southern United States.
Freedom's Story: Teaching African American Literature and History
Slavery, Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Movement—you have to teach these topics, so check out these essays to enrich your curriculum!
Trade Routes and Emerging Colonial Economies
The direct and indirect impacts of various trade routes during the 16th through 19th centuries.
Classroom Glory
Does the movie “Glory” depict historical accuracy or wholesale fiction?
Robert Gould Shaw
Where does the glory of Robert Shaw and the men of the 54th Massachusetts reside?
Forty Acres and a Mule
The origin of the “Sherman Reservation” in Special Field Order No. 15, by which the Southern coastal low country was set aside for resettlement by ex-slaves.
New Jersey's Quakers and the American Revolution
Did you know the Quakers were pre-Revolution abolitionists?…
Senatorial Division
A Congressional balance of power between North and South on slavery
With or Without Slavery?
Forcing the issue in Bleeding Kansas. The Lecompton Constitution, slavery, and children born to slaves.
Slave Receipts
What do slave receipts reveal? Ever considered using similar documents to teach?
Anacostia Community Museum
What is community? What does it do for us, and how does it shape who we are?
Frederick Douglass's Autobiographies
Use autobiographies to deconstruct views of slavery and historical heroes.
Narratives of Slavery
One institution, two very different perspectives. An expert contrasts records.
Cherokee Law of Blood
A Cherokee Nation Supreme Court document reveals the fluidity of racial identity.
Beyond Face Value: Depictions of Slavery in Confederate Currency
Learn about southern culture through the images on Confederate currency.
John Brown's Holy War
A variety of resources focused on the life and times of infamous abolitionist John Brown.
Thomas Jefferson Papers
The largest collection of original Jefferson documents in the world. Really, we’re serious.
African American Sheet Music, 1850-1920
View 1,300 pieces of sheet music composed by and about African Americans.
Mr. Lincoln's Virtual Library
A keyword-searchable archive containing over 2,000 of Abraham Lincoln’s papers.
Virginia Historical Society
View the Virginia Historical Society’s extensive collection of materials documenting Virginia history.
Jefferson's Blood
Learn about Jefferson’s forgotten descendants, children of his slave mistress.
Mount Vernon
Take a virtual tour of George Washington’s famous estate, Mt. Vernon.
Images of African Americans from the 19th Century
Your first resource for photographs and images depicting African Americans during the 19th century.
The Underground Railroad
Travel the Underground Railroad with this interactive website.
John Brown and the Valley of the Shadow
A comprehensive collection of primary source materials which cover the infamous Harper’s Ferry raid.
The Crisis of the Union
An impressive array of tracts (and more) brought together for your convenience.
National Geographic Online: The Underground Railroad
Would you have survived along the Underground Railroad?
Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition
What was said, written, and drawn about slavery? Gain a more complete image of the institution, its evil effects, and how it felt to be a slave.
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
Teaching Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War? Explore this storehouse of Lincolnian history.
Colonial Williamsburg
Experience life in Colonial Williamsburg without visiting Virginia.
Selected Historical Decennial Census Population and Housing Counts
What questions have past censuses posed? What were the results?
WPA Life Histories, Virginia Interviews
Explore Depression-era, ex-slave, and urban youth life stories.
Afro-Louisiana History and Genealogy, 1718-1820
Consider assigning contextual reports on the lives of individual slaves.
Encyclopedia Britannica: The 1911 Edition
Find out what people thought of everything from ablation to vinegar in 1911.
The Hartford Black History Project
Follow the formation of the African American community in the city of Hartford, CT
Brooklyn's Eighteenth-Century Lott House
Conduct your own “virtual dig” of a Dutch farmhouse.
The Capital and the Bay, ca. 1600-1925
What picture have people painted of the Washington, D.C. in written works?
Heading West and Touring West
View maps of the West, while simultaneously looking into the lives of traveling performers.
Slave Movement During the 18th and 19th Centuries
Analyze data to understand the impact of slavery on the colonies and nation.
Private Passions, Public Legacy: Paul Mellon's Personal Library
Enjoy this sneak peek at the Mellon Collection of Virginia history.
An American Family: The Beecher Tradition
Did you know that Harriet Beecher Stowe’s family was also involved in abolitionism?
Hall of Black Achievement Gallery
Meet 30 influential African Americans who contributed across a wide variety of fields.
Papers of John Jay
Read the correspondence of lesser known founding father John Jay.
The 19th Century in Print: Books
What were people reading around the time of the Civil War?
Across the Generations: Exploring U.S. History through Family Papers
Experience Caucasian, middle-class Northeastern life through the collections of four families.
St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project
Explore the largest collection of freedom suits available to U.S. researchers.
Voices from the Days of Slavery: Former Slaves Tell Their Stories
Hear the recollections of ex-slaves and freedmen in their own voices.
Freedom Bound: The Underground Railroad in Lycoming County, PA
How did the Underground Railroad work? Listen to an insider’s story.
Rare Map Collection
Explore maps from throughout America’s history, with a special focus on 19th century Georgia.
Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture
Learn about the history of the United States up to 1815 with this website dedicated exclusively to early American history.
The Internet African-American History Challenge
A great website for introducing African American history to young or new students.
Crisis at Fort Sumter
Work through the Fort Sumter crises alongside our nation’s leaders.
Third Person, First Person: Slave Voices
Explore American slavery through this website’s 33 primary source documents.
Freedmen and Southern Society Project
Follow the emancipation process through the eyes of its participants.
Excerpts from Slave Narratives
The 46 first-person accounts on this website effectively chronicle slavery in the United States.
History: The National Park Service
Visit this website to learn the history of many of the 384 areas under the stewardship of the National Park Service.
American Originals
Explore 14 significant and compelling documents from the National Archive Holdings.
Civil War Letters of Galutia York
Read about the Civil War from private Galutia York’s perspective.
Civil War Women
Learn about the role of three American women during the Civil War.
American Slave Narratives
Read and listen to firsthand narratives on slave life during the 19th century.
Brooklyn in the Civil War
What role did Brooklyn play in the War Between the States?
Lest We Forget: The Triumph Over Slavery
Explore slavery in America from nine thematic perspectives.
Rebellion: John Horse and the Black Seminoles
What role did runaway slaves and free African Americans play in the Second Seminole War?
Slavery and the Making of America
An extensive glimpse into slave life and the history of slavery in the United States.
Library of Congress: Webcasts
Access more than 500 webcasts from the Library of Congress.
Portal to Texas History
Texas educators, looking for primary resources on state history? Search this portal for thousands of images and documents drawn from Texas-based archival collections.
The Lives and Writings of Antebellum Students at UNC
What did college students think about their lives and larger issues in the 19th-century?
Teaching Future Historians: U.S. History Lesson Plans Using Primary Documents
A diverse array of Antebellum, Civil War, and Gilded Age lesson plans for your convenience.
Liberian Letters
What was life like for freed slaves returned to Africa? Read letters to former owners.
Dolley Madison Digital Edition
Read Dolley Madison’s personal correspondence from her youth through her widowhood.
Oxford African American Studies Center
Access more than 5,000 biographies, maps, and images relevant to African American history.
Northern Visions of Race, Region, and Reform in the Press
Investigate racial issues during and after the Civil War through letters, illustrations, and official documents.
Probing the Past
What might you have owned in Maryland or Virginia in 1740-1810? (Lesson plans included!)
Early American Imprints, Series II: Shaw-Shoemaker, 1801-1819
Uncover novels, readers, hymnals, almanacs, diaries, maps, treaties, and more from between 1801 and 1819.
American State Papers, 1789-1838
Access Congressional documents from the first 25 Congresses.
American Broadsides and Ephemera, Series I, 1760-1900
Explore American life through advertisements, literature, poetry, Civil War envelopes, and more!
The Lincoln Institute
Explore Lincoln’s presidency; and access related classroom resources, including lesson plans.
The African-American Mosaic
Let the Library of Congress introduce you to African-American history from colonization to the WPA.
Monticello: The Home of Thomas Jefferson
Have you ever wondered how Thomas Jefferson spent his days?
New York Public Library Picture Collection Online
Support visual learners with a selection of more than 30,000 historical images.
John Brown, Harpers Ferry, Students, History and Technology
Middle school students interpret history at Harpers Ferry.
A Look at Slavery through Posters and Broadsides
How to identify the author, audience, date, and message of historical posters.
National Register of Historic Places Travel Itineraries
Explore the historic sites in more than 50 cities and towns across the U.S.
African-American Perspectives: Pamphlets from 1818-1907
Pamphlets and documents from 1875 to 1900 highlight African American leaders and organizations.
Samuel J. May Anti-Slavery Collection
With over 300,000 pages available for full-text searching, this is one of the richest collections of anti-slavery and Civil War materials in the world.
Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938
Read the accounts of former slaves in oral history interviews collected by the Federal Writers’ Project.
African-American Experience in Ohio: From the Ohio Historical Society
Take a look through more than 30,000 items relating to African American life in Ohio between 1850 and 1920.
Slaves and the Courts, 1740-1860
Delve into the complex history of slavery and the law with this collection of primary sources.
In Motion: The African-American Migration Experience
Secondary and primary sources describe 13 African American migration experiences.
Dred Scott Case
Follow the proceedings of the Dred Scott case with facsimiles and transcriptions of 85 legal documents.
Territorial Kansas Online
Primary and secondary sources examine the growing divisions in Kansas and the nation prior to the Civil War.
Slavery in New York
Nine galleries explore the history of slavery in New York City.
Mexican-American War and the Media
More than 5,500 transcribed newspaper articles related to the Mexican-American War.
First American West: The Ohio River Valley, 1750-1820
Explore sources from the mid-18th-to-early-19th-century European migration into the Ohio River Valley.
Abraham Lincoln Papers
Approximately 20,000 documents provide a window into President Abraham Lincoln’s life.
Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project
This site examines Illinois history and the life of Abraham Lincoln in the years 1831 through 1860.
Documenting the American South
Nearly 1,400 documents covering Southern life from the 18th to early 20th centuries.
Africans in America
Trace the history of Africans in America through Reconstruction, with 245 images, maps, and documents.
Digital History
Multimedia resources for teaching slavery, private life, technology, and film.
North American Slave Narratives, Beginnings to 1920
Explore all of the known published slave narratives, to better understand the experience of slavery and the culture that slaves created in the nation.
Tangled Roots
Primary sources point out cultural connections between the experiences of African and Irish Americans.
Uncle Tom's Cabin and American Culture
Explore Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin as the American cultural phenomenon it was.
Sunday School Books: Shaping the Values of Youth in 19th-Century America
Provides full-text transcriptions and page images of 1815–1865 Sunday school books addressing religious instruction for youth.
Freedmen's Bureau Online
Read about crimes committed in the former Confederate states between 1865 to 1868.
Valley of the Shadow: Two Communities in the American Civil War
Take a closer look at the Civil War with this extensive database that offers a comparison of two Shenandoah Valley counties—Augusta County, VA and Franklin County, PA.
Geography of Slavery in America
Provides transcriptions and images of more than 4,000 newspaper advertisements for runaway slaves and indentured servants between 1736 and 1803.
Atlantic Slave Trade and Slave Life in the Americas: A Visual Record
Showcases more than 1,230 images depicting the enslavement of Africans, the Atlantic Slave Trade, and slave life in the New World.
Our Documents
Presents 100 milestone documents in American history, from the Richard Henry Lee Resolution of June 7, 1776, to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.