History Websites

American History

• The American Civil War Homepage - Many useful links to sites about the Civil War. Includes pictures, biographies, battle information, and primary source information.
  
  
• American Colonial Trades - For information on Colonial occupations.
  
  
• American Folklife Center - Includes audio samples of music and stories, digital images of rare letters and photographs, and video clips focusing on the living traditions of regular folk.
  
  
• American Memory: Historical collections from the National Digital Library - A fascinating online source of materials on the history and culture of the United States. Includes pictures, films, and recordings. Sample collections include American baseball cards from 1887-1914 and 50 years of Coca Cola commercials. From the Library of Congress.
  
  
• American Presidency Project - Searchable database containing over 86,000 documents related to the Presidency. Contains full texts of inaugural addresses, executive orders, press conferences, State of the Union addresses, Fireside Chats, debates, and other presidential statements, addresses, and orders.
  
  
• American Rhetoric - Full text, audio and video versions of famous speeches and other recorded media events.
  
  
• America's Story - From the Library of Congress. Find out what the first swimsuits were made of, what Lincoln had in his pockets the night he was assassinated, and much more. This a site full of fun and interesting stories about our country and its past.
  
  
• Biography of America - Covers American history from the Ice Age through the 20th Century. For each time period there is a list of key events, a map, a transcript with more in-depth information, and a webliography of related sites. Based on a series of video programs from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Annenberg Foundation.
  
  
• California Gold Rush - Photos, stories, art work, and more.
  
  
• Chronicling America - Digitized and searchable newspaper pages from historic American newspapers from 1860-1922.
  
  
• Chronology of U.S. Historical Documents - Full-text documents from the Magna Carta (1215) to the present. Includes a variety of documents including the Iroquois Consititution, presidential papers and inaugural addresses, and Civil War letters. From the University of Oklahoma College of Law.
  
  
• Colonial Williamsburg - Click on "History Explorer" to find information on colonial family life, food, clothing, and occupations.
  
  
• The Gulf War: an in-depth examination of the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War - Includes oral history reports from top officials, firsthand accounts from soldiers and pilots, and information on the weapons and technology.
  
  
• H.I.P. Pocket Change - Activities including games, cartoons, and a time machine for those interested in U. S. history or coins and how they're made. From the U.S. Mint. Requires Flash.
  
  
• Historical Maps of the United States - Historical maps of U.S. cities, national historic parks, memorials, military parks and battlefields.
  
  
• History Wired: A Few of Our Favorite Things - Try this site's unique way to share American history. Click with the mouse to take a virtual tour of selected objects from the National Museum of American History. If the Java map does not work for you, click on the "Text Only Version" link on the bottom of the page.
  
  
• The Immigrant Experience - Explore the history of American immigration through "Family Histories," the stories of six families from different immigrant backgrounds, or check out "The Peopling of America" to find out the forces behind immigration. Click on "Passenger Search" to see if you can track down your own ancestors. From the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation.
  
  
• Lewis and Clark - join the expedition!
  
  
• Liberty! The American Revolution - Information on topics including military information, daily life in the colonies, and the global community.
  
  
• National First Ladies' Library - Biographies and other information about America's First Ladies. Also includes a timeline option that gives information on topics such sports, popular culture, daily life, science, technology, and the arts. Curriculum materials for teachers are included in the site's online resources.
  
  
• New Perspectives on the West - Includes information on the people, places and events that shaped the American West. Based on the PBS program by filmmakers Ken Burns and Steven Ives.
  
  
• PBS United States History - Historical information on topics including the ancient world, the U.S., war and espionage, and biographies.
  
  
• A People at War - Information and pictures on many World War II topics. From the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
  
  
• Picturing Modern America 1880-1920: Historical Thinking Exercises for Middle and High School Students - Sharpen your observation skills as you decipher clues in photographs that help you interpret history and learn more about the United States.
  
  
• Picturing the Century: One Hundred Years of Photography from the National Archives - Pictures of the 20th Century featuring America and Americans abroad. From the National Archives and Records Administration.
  
  
• Primary Documents in American History - from the Library of Congress. Documents from the years 1763 to 1877. Updates will be made on a regular basis, including the addition of documents from the 20th Century.
  
  
• Remembering Pearl Harbor - A National Geographic site with historical pictures, survivors' stories, movie information and more.
  
  
• Salem Witch-Hunt - An interactive witch-hunt based on historical records. "Experience the trials. Will you survive?" From National Geographic.
  
  
• Smithsonian National Museum of American History Virtual Exhibitions - View Smithsonian Institute exhibitions online. Covers a variety of topics, often with interactive multimedia activities.
  
  
• Web Guides by the Library of Congress Digital Reference Section - Online guides to the Library of Congress collections.
  
  
• White House Historical Association - How many weddings have been held at the White House? When was the first White House jogging track built? Why is the White House white? Find the answers on this web site full of White House facts, history, and photographs.
  
  
• Within These Walls - A virtual tour of a real house brought to the Smithsonian Institute from Massachusetts. Learn about the five families who lived in the house between the 1760's and the 1940's, the times they lived in, and the changes in the house during its 200 year history as a home.
  
  
  
  

Minnesota History

• Minnesota Discovery Center< - Minnesota's Iron Range history in written materials, oral history recordings, videos and photos.
  
  
• Minnesota Historical Society
  
  
• Minnesota Historical Society Collections - Access to papers, visual resources, death indexes, and much more.
  
  
• Minnesota History Topics - from the Minnesota Historical Society
  
  
• Minnesota Reflections: Minnesota Digital Library< - nearly 53,000 images and documents shared by more than 108 cultural heritage organizations across the state.
  
  
• Workday Minnesota - Issues that face Minnesota workers, labor unions, and organizations. "Our admitted bias is that we present the world of events and issues through the prism of social and economic justice and the dignity of work. We offer Workday Minnesota as an alternative to the world of corporate-dominated media."

General History

• Any Day Today-in-History - Long lists of birthdays, deaths, events, holidays, religious history and observances searchable by any day of the year.
  
  
• Best of History Web Sites - An award-winning site for students, teachers and history buffs. Includes annotated links to sites searchable by historical period, K-12 lesson plans, games and activities, and a Google search option.
  
  
• Costumes and Clothing - Provides links to sites giving information on clothing from all over the world. From Multnomah County Library, Portland, Oregon
  
  
• EyeWitness: History Through the Eyes of Those Who Lived It - Accounts of historical events gathered from letters, newspapers, accounts of ancient historians. Includes some photos and voice recordings.
  
  
• The History Place: the Past into the Future - Fact-based exhibits on topics including American History, Nazi Germany, and World History.
  
  
• Hyperhistory Online - Covers 3,000 years of world history. Includes timelines, maps, and information on people, places, and events.
  
  
• PBS History - Historical information on topics including the ancient world, the U.S., war and espionage, and biographies.
  
  
• PBS NewsHour Extra - A special NewsHour with Jim Lehrer for students. Includes domestic and international headlines with interactive reports, editorials written by readers and discussion boards for hot topics. Also includes lesson plans for educators. Recommended for gr. 6 and up.
  
  
• Walk Through Time - A history web site for 7-9 year olds. Includes links that allow you to read about historic figures and play games. From BBC.
  
  
• Women's History Month - Articles on the women's history movement and the status of women today. Includes biographical information, pictures, games and quizzes, and links to other resources. From Infoplease.com.
  
  
• World Digital Library - An important resource offering significant primary materials from countries and cultures around the world.

Ancient History

• Ancient and Classic Cultures - A list of web sites on different periods and cultures of ancient history. Prepared by Multnomah County Library,Oregon.
  
  
• Ancient Egypt - Information on trades, daily life, gods and goddesses, and much more. This site even has an Egyptian game you can play on-line.
  
  
• Ancient Egypt Webquest -Information about daily life, King Tut, Egyptian games and more. For elementary and middle school students.
  
  
• The Roman Empire In the First Century
  
  
• The Romans - Information about leisure, buildings, religion, the Roman Army and more. From BBC Education.
  
  
• Winged Sandals - Animated stories and games about the characters of classical Greek mythology. Also includes craft instructions, searchable information about characters in the myths, and brief essays on ancient Greece. For extra fun, ask the Oracle a question about your future. For children age 6 to 12.
  
  
  
  

World History

• Eyewitness: World War One - Information about various World War I topics. Includes a gallery of photographs.
  
  
• Hyperhistory Online - Covers 3,000 years of world history. Includes timelines, maps, and information on people, places, and events.
  
  
• Latin America - Information on ancient and modern Latin American cultures. Brought to you by the Brooklyn Public Library, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and the Brooklyn Children's Museum.
  
  
• Middle Ages - Information on homes, religion, clothing, and more. Includes links to recommended web sites.
  
  
• Nova Online: the Vikings
  
  
• Science Museum of MN Maya Adventure - Includes historical information, activities, and photos of Mayan sites.
  
  
• The Story of Africa - Africa's top historians look at the events and characters that have shaped the continent's history.
  
  
• The Vikings - A great website that's easy to read and includes cartoon illustrations, photos, maps, a timeline, and fun activities. Try taking the journey through a Viking town, play the printable board game, or quiz yourself with Thorkel's challenge. Also includes lists of places to visit online and in person. Recommended for grades 2-6. From the BBC.
  
  
• World Digital Library - An important resource offering significant primary materials from countries and cultures around the world.
  
  
  
  

African Americans

• African American Odyssey - A special presentation from the Library of Congress on African American history. Includes transcripts of interviews with slaves, pamphlets on slavery published from 1824 to 1909, historic pictures and more.
  
  
• African American History Challenge
  
  
• African American Perspectives: Pamphlets from the Daniel A.P. Murray Collection 1818-1907 - A collection of pamphlets that reviews almost 100 years of African American history and culture. Search by keyword or browse by subject or author. Also includes a timeline of African American history (1852-1925), a selected bibliography, and a virtual 1898 meeting of the National Afro-American Council. From the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress.
  
  
• The Faces of Science: African Americans in the Sciences
  
  
• Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black History Month
  
  
• National Geographic: The Underground Railroad - You are a slave in 1850's Maryland. Will you run away using the Underground Railroad or stay with the farmer who owns you?
  
  
• Our Shared History: African American Heritage - A United States National Park Service (NPS) site with resources related to African American history and culture. Includes photos, writings by African Americans, and links to other National Park Services resources on this subject.
  
  
  
  

Native Americans

• Edward S. Curtis' The North American Indian - The complete collection of images and comments by Edward S. Curtis from his work, "The North American Indian," published from 1907 to 1930. Curtis' work can be searched by subject, tribe, or geographic location. A Library of Congress American Memory Project.
  
  
• Edward S. Curtis: Buildings - Historic photographs of Indian dwellings
  
  
• Legends of Our Times: Native Ranching and Rodeo Life on the Plains and Plateau - "Traces the history of Native people as buffalo hunters, horsemen, ranchers, and cowboys, and as entertainers and participants in the sport of rodeo." Includes images of items from an exhibit organized by the Canadian Museum of Civilization.