Was the Southern states' decision to secede from the Union protected by the United States Constitution? Eighth graders discuss the constitutionality of the South's justification for secession, particularly the secession of South...

The United States Civil War resulted in the highest mortality rate for Americans since the nation's inception. Delve deeper into the causes for the drastic separation of states with a history lesson plan that features analysis charts,...

As part of a study of post Civil War era, young historians investigate the changes in voting rights during the Reconstruction Era (1863-1876), the fraud involved in the Hayes-Tilden presidential election of 1876, and efforts by Pap...

If you're teaching point of view, this is the instructional activity for you! First, decipher the writer's point of view from a primary resource, then compare and contrast the primary source with a secondary source to explore the...

Those new to teaching an AP level language and composition prep course and seasoned veterans will find much to treasure in a unit that is designed to help young language scholars develop the skills they need to analyze the language...

Eliminate the hard work of creating an entire literature unit with this reading guide for the novel Sarah, Plain and Tall. From background information about the author and her motivation for writing the story to...

Never again will you need to worry about coming up with a writing prompt! This packet contains, as it says, 501 prompts that are suitable for fourth graders on up. The prompts are paired into four categories (persuasive, expository,...

Here's a poster that highlights the skills needed for the close reading of primary source documents when gathering evidence to support historical claims.

The Library of Congress celebrates its bicentennial. This article looks at the Library's bicentennial birthday party, held inside and outside the Thomas Jefferson Building, celebrated the achievements of Americans everywhere.

This Congressional Research Service report examines the ethnic tensions between Albanian rebels and the Macedonian government during the 1990s as well as the global response to the conflict in Macedonia in 2001. In addition, it provides...

The Library of Congress offers riveting accounts of soldiers who were held as prisoners of war by the Japanese in World War II. Read about their experiences, and listen to some audio diaries or watch videos of interviews with these brave...

Read the amazing stories of World War II soldiers captured by the Germans and imprisoned in POW camps. The Library of Congress offers their stories as well as video interviews with some of these brave men.

Library of Congress website on the Panic of 1857 as well as the acquisition of Maryland-Pennsylvania.

From the Library of Congress, this article presents detailed information about the 1783 Treaty of Paris and the end of the Revolutionary War. Contains many links to many different primary resources as well as details of the Treaty...

This site from the Library of Congress provides links to the original land cession deals between Indians and the Federal Government are provided. Search for documents can be accomplished by searching for Indian tribe, state/territory, or...

Use this Today in History site as a jumping off place to view information about the Rough Riders, the Battle of San Juan Hill, and the Spanish-American War that is available in the Library of Congress. Find photographs, pamphlets, and...

The Library of Congress takes an in-depth look into the life of Abraham Lincoln through the use of Alfred Whital Stern's collection of Lincoln memorabilia. View letters written by Lincoln as well as various objects from his life....

This U.S. Library of Congress offers information on the society of Sri Lanka, including population, ethnic groups, caste, religion, health education, and more.

Read a general overview of the history of Minnesota, complete with a wealth of supplementary photos, primary source documents, and maps.

Learn about the immigration of the Chinese people to California through primary source documents and images. Understand the tensions and issues that arose as the immigration continued from 1850-1925.

The Statue of Liberty was a gift to the United States from France. This Library of Congress timeline provides more interesting information about how this statue came to be in New York harbor. Includes (requires QuickTime).

When the first Library of Congress was destroyed by the British, Thomas Jefferson offered his personal library as a replacement. This site presents a brief overview of these events, and includes photos and a portrait.

Library of Congress site discusses the life of Jesse James and the development of the first labor day in the United States. With links to related, in-depth information.

This article from Library of Congress' Performing Arts Encyclopedia gives an extensive explanation of the history of ragtime. Trace the development of the genre from the 1850s through the 1970s.