Research Guides: Teaching K-12 History with Online Primary Documents: The United States of America

U.S. History (Open Access)

The Avalon Project
This site contains transcriptions of Revolution-era documents. It also includes a searchable version of the Federalist Papers, and other 20th and 21st century documents.
Civil Rights Digital Library
The Civil Rights Digital Library Initiative delivers educational content about the American Civil Rights Movement through three principal components: 1) a digital video archive of historical news film, 2) a virtual library, and 3) secondary Web-based resources such as contextual stories, encyclopedia articles, lesson plans, and activities.
Digital Public Library of America Exhibitions
These digitized exhibits collect a range of primary materials related to American history, sourced from libraries, archives, and museums from across the United States.
Documenting the American South
This is a full scale digital library created by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition to documenting the history of the American South, they provide unit and lesson plans.
Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Online Catalog (PPOC)
The PPOC contains catalog records and digital images representing a rich cross-section of still pictures held by the Prints & Photographs Division and, in some cases, other units of the Library of Congress.
Martha Ballard's Diary Online (DoHistory)
This site uses the 200-year-old diary of midwife Martha Ballard to explore the role of primary documents in doing history. The History Toolkit is particularly useful for teachers.
PBS - U.S. History Inquiry Kits
From life in the early American colonies to the modern-day role of the United States, this collection of 61 research starter kits aligns to related U.S. History curriculum units and examines various social studies themes. Each kit features a collection of themed primary sources and thinking questions to prompt discussion.
Rosa Parks - In Her Own Words
This digital exhibit from the Library of Congress showcases rarely seen materials that offer an intimate view of Rosa Parks and documents her life and activism.
Salem Witch Trials
This collection by the University of Virginia contains both scanned and transcribed primary sources including documents, maps, and books from the 1692 Salem witch trials.
Teaching with Documents: Lesson Plans
From the National Archives of the United States comes this comprehensive set of lesson plans for teaching U.S. history.
The Triangle Factory Fire
At the turn of the 20th century a fire took 146 lives at a textile sweatshop in New York City. This online exhibition explores the causes and aftermath of the fire through primary and secondary documents. It also highlights the labour reforms brought about by the tragedy. Also included are resources for teachers.

Teaching K-12 History with Online Primary Documents

U.S. History (Open Access)

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