Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Multicultural America: Croatian Americans
Provides an overview of the traditional culture and lifestyle of Croatian Americans. (Note: Content is not the most current.)
A&E Television
History.com: Tailgating: How the Pre Game Tradition Can Be Traced to Ancient Times
The ritual grew as ownership of automobiles and then mass production of portable grills and plastic coolers soared. Tailgating before college and professional football games is an American tradition. Temporary tent cities pop up in...
A&E Television
History.com: How Alexander Hamilton's Men Surprised the Enemy at the Battle of Yorktown
Hamilton's leadership in the war's last major land battle would deliver the future Secretary of the Treasury his long-sought glory. Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, known for his famous, fatal duel with Aaron Burr...
A&E Television
History.com: How Al Capone Spent His Time in Alcatraz
Public Enemy #1 was transferred to the now-infamous island prison a few weeks after it opened. To Americans of the 1920s and '30s, he was the notorious gangster Scarface Al, Public Enemy No. 1. But when he arrived at Alcatraz in late...
Stephen Byrne
History for Kids: Native American Entertainment
History for Kids provides an overview of the various forms of entertainment enjoyed by Native Americans. Young students will enjoy learning about what native American children did for fun. Includes links to teacher resources.
John F. Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center: Blues Journey
Trace the history of the blues in America through the play, Blues Journey, based on the book by Walter Dean Myers. You can see video clips of the stage play, listen to blues radio shows, and learn about different types of blues music.
Library of Congress
Loc: Family Customs Past and Present: Exploring Cultural Rituals
Photos, documents, music, and stories help students deepen their understanding of the rituals and customs of various cultures throughout American history.
Ducksters
Ducksters: Quiz: Native American Entertainment Games, Sports, Music, Dance
History Questions: Native American Entertainment Quiz, Test, and WebQuest
Other
Classical Music Navigator: Forms and Styles
This alphabetized list of musical forms and styles briefly defines and describes the types of musical sounds and genres created throughout history.
Ducksters
Ducksters: Tennessee State History for Kids
Kids learn about the history and timeline of the state of Tennessee including early explorers, Native Americans, Country Music, the Civil War, and becoming a state.
Musicals 101
Musicals 101: History of the Musical Stage: Ziegfeld Follies
This article gives a history of the Ziegfeld Follies, with information on its creator Florenz Ziegfield, its origin, and the performers. The site also includes thumbnails of pictures of the Follies.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: See, Hear and Sing
Lots of history of American music with fun links and audio clips, most from the 20th century. A neat site to learn more about America's past.
Other
Unstrung History of American Guitar: The Guitar and the Birth of American Music
The guitar in America began as an instrument used in popular music in the city and then branched out to minstrel shows, ragtime, and even jazz. Read about the history of this ubiquitous instrument and how it took on its American character.
Black Past
Black Past: Cooke, Sam (1931 1964)
Sam Cooke's influence on music, as the pioneer in cross-over from gospel to rhythm and blues, is described in this encyclopedia entry. His music was important to the African-American identity in the Civil Rights movement.
Other
Black Gospel Music: The History of Gospel Music
This site explores the history of Gospel music, including how gospel music began and some of the various incarnations it has gone through.
Black Past
Black Past: Jones, Quincy
This encyclopedia entry offers a brief look at Quincy Jones, who began as a jazz trumpet player, but has expanded his career beyond music into film and television. There are links to websites for more information.
Black Past
Black Past: Joplin, Scott
This is a brief encyclopedia biography of the ragtime composer, Scott Joplin, whose music was influential in the growth of jazz.
Other
American Forces Press Service: Interest Grows in Music Pioneer James Europe
Article from the U.S. Department of Defense commemorating James Reese Europe for both his contribution to the 369th Infantry Regiment in World War I and his place in jazz history before and after the war.
Digital History
Digital History:the Great Migration
The Great Migration for African Americans began during World War I as blacks left the segregated south to find jobs in the north. Read about how segregation followed them into their northern neighborhoods. See also how the Harlem...
Digital History
Digital History: The Birth of American Popular Culture
A description of many different forms of popular culture in the first half of the 19th century ranging from sensationalized newspapers to dime novels to pseudoscience. Read about Stephen Foster's music, theatrical productions, and even...
Digital History
Digital History: Slave Culture
Find out about the contributions African slaves and African American slaves made to not only their culture, but American culture in general. See what words have African roots, how African culture influenced food and music, and how there...
Musicals 101
Musicals 101: Florenz Ziegfeld
This site from Musicals 101 provides great biographical information on Florenz Ziegfeld. The text is in-depth with pictures included, and covers not only Ziegfeld's life, but also Anna Held, and the birth of Ziegeld's Follies.
PBS
Pbs American Masters: Sarah Vaughan
An informative biography of jazz singer Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990 CE) is presented highlighting her long musical career.
Digital History
Digital History: Formation of Modern American Mass Culture
A mass culture developed in America in the 1920s due to several factors. Read about the influence of radio, movies, and spectator sports in the adoption of common speech. Find out about the creativity of the time in literature and music.
Other popular searches
- American Music History
- Early American Music History
- African American Music History
- History of American Music