The American Civil War was fought within the United States from 1861 to 1865. The election of President Abraham Lincoln in 1860 increased tension between the North and South. Lincoln's political party was interested in stopping the...

Photographs of and letters from slaves and former slaves who fought for the Union or were forced to fight for the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Read about the case against Alger Hiss, who was accused of spying for the Soviet Union. Investigation was done by the House Un-American Activities Committee.

An excellent collection of artifacts that highlight the aims and aspirations of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Members of the IWW, known as Wobblies, played a unique role in the American labor movement. Artifacts include...

A complete discourse on the incorporation of black soldiers into the Union Army during the Civil War. The 54th Massachusetts Regiment is discussed in regard to the recruitment and the attack on Fort Wagner.

This is a collection of 29 Grade-Leveled texts (6-12)on the topic The Civil War. The American Civil War lasted for only 5 years but divided the country along bitter lines as the North fought to keep southern states from seceding from the...

The Scopes Trial, also known as the Scopes Monkey Trial, was the 1925 prosecution of science teacher John Scopes for teaching evolution in a Tennessee public school, which a recent bill had made illegal. The trial featured two of the...

In July 1975, the first joint Soviet-American spacecraft docking took place. In this activity, students will analyze the way that government officials in both the United States and the Soviet Union valued space exploration for more than...

This site is from a unit that covers the period from the Second World War up to the Cold War. It looks at relations between the United States and the Soviet Union and the thinking of their leaders. Students are asked to consider five...

The University of Michigan offers the full text of "War-lyrics and Other Poems," which was written by a Union sailor and dedicated to former commander, Vice-Admiral David G. Farragut. Users are able to read the text in its entirety, or...

Read about the surprising and swift collapse of the Soviet Union and its satellite countries beginning with Poland in 1989. Watch a map which shows the change from a single country, USSR, into many independent countries, and find out...

This is a collection of 16 Grade-Leveled texts (6-12) on the topic The Cold War. After America and the Soviet Union fought as allies in World War II, a new "cold" war emerged between the two superpowers characterized not by direct...

Students will compare and contrast military recruitment posters to analyze various perspectives regarding the role of African Americans during the Civil War. They will determine the purpose of each poster - one recruiting black men for...

Frederick Douglass had the ear of Abraham Lincoln. Read about how he used his influence to allow African Americans to join the Union Army,

Detailed account of the anti-communist campaign conducted by the House of Un-American Activities and Joseph McCarthy during the period in the United States known as the Second Red Scare. The primary targets of such suspicions were...

A short report on America by 1900: "..the American nation had established itself as a world power. The West was Won. The frontier -- the great fact of 300 years of American history -- was no more."

This encyclopedia entry recounts the colorful life of Coleman Young, long time mayor of Detroit.

A political cartoon depicting a Union and a Confederate veteran united in support for the Spanish-American War. A painting entitled Twelve-Inch Gun depicting elegant officers and ladies aboard a battle ship, civilizing gentility and the...

An essay dedicated to Samuel Gompers, founder of the American Federation of Labor, written by Emma Goldman and published in 1925.

Although he was the old sage of the American Revolution and the Founding generation, Benjamin Franklin's considerable work in the areas of journalism, science, and invention often obscure his many contributions to the creation of the...

An essay on John Paul Jones and a history of the American flags he flew on his ships. The essay was written shortly after Sept. 11, 2001.

Although he surely could have remained in office longer, George Washington served only two terms in office. Read about his Farewell Address, one of the important speeches in American history. He gave advice concerning both national and...

This encyclopedia article from Wikipedia explores the life and work of David Glasgow Farragut, an admiral of the U.S. Navy during the American Civil War. Farragut is often remembered for the heroic quotation, "Damn the torpedoes, full...

This resource traces the history of Colorado from its earliest inhabitants to its admittance as the thirty-eighth state of the union.