Calisphere: A World of Primary Sources

Here is a link to the University of California "Calisphere" site. This site has priamry source photographs on California history from 1848 to the 1970s. The photographs are divided into historical periods. Each section contains an brief overview of the period, questions for students to consider about the photographs, activities and worksheets.

Although the site focuses only on California history, teachers should find stuff they can use in a U.S. History class. For instance, the site has photos that relate to Western Expansion, the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Dust Bowl and the Depression, Japanese Internment Camps, etc.

Scopes Monkey Trial

Here's a great site about the Scopes "Monkey" Trial:

Famous Trials in American History: Tenessee v. Scopes

The site includes photos, trial transcripts, the textbook that Scopes used to teach evolution, and biographies of all the important figures of the trial. It's a fantastic site!

All of American History on one Web Site

From Revolution to Reconsturction ... and What Happened Afterwards is a great website that includes Outlines of American History, Documents and Biographies . Don't let the name confuse you either. It has stuff from 1492 to the present.

U.S. History for Kids

U.S. history is brought alive for kids through stories, trivia and activities at America's Story. This site, which was created by the Library of Congress, is geared for the younger audience. However, as an adult, I found myself perusing the site for couple of hours. It's very entertaining and informative.

A Little Humor....

Want to learn about the history of European / Native American relations in five minutes? Read this transcript from a radio play done by the Firesign Theatre titled Temporarily Humbolt County. It's really funny!

I especially like when the Spaniards start signing "God Bless Vespucciland". The joke is that America was named after Amerigo Vespucci. However, why would it have been named after his first name and not his last?

Enjoy!

A good teacher resource

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History includes a number of primary documents, exhibitions, and lesson plans that teachers can use in their classrooms.

Online American History Journal

I found a great online American history journal called History Now. It is published quarterly on the web with each issue focusing on a specific topic. For instance, the December, 2006 issue is about nineteenth century technology. Each issue includes five or six short articles, links, and lesson plans. It appears to be a good resource for teachers, students, and anyone else who wants to learn a little about American history.