Homework Links: History

History: General / Mega-Sites

Facts on File databases FACTS ON FILE REFERENCE DATABASES: Login to FACTS ON FILE from our Database Login page (if you're using FACTS ON FILE on your home computer, you'll have to enter your library card barcode) to access a great collection of history reference databases including:

Archaeology Magazine - Free online content includes archaelogy news, feature articles, field reports, and links on a wide variety of archaelogical research and discoveries around the world, ranging from ancient civilizations to more recent American history. High school and up. (Archaeological Institute of America)

Avalon Project - Online text of historic documents (primary sources) from the ancient era (4000 B.C.E. - 399) to the 21st century. Includes hundreds of documents such as the Code of Hammurabi, Athenian Constitution, Magna Carta, Articles of Confederation, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, and Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as numerous treaties, documents of both World Wars and later conflicts, and much more. (Yale University)

Best of History Websites - Annotated links to over 1000 selected history web sites, arranged by time period / location, plus links to curriculum materials for teachers. (By two educators, Thomas Daccord and Justin Reich; personal / commercial site)

Children and Youth in World History new - 'Explore the history of children and youth through primary sources, website reviews, teaching modules, and case studies.' For teachers and students, high school and up. (Center for History and New Media, George Mason University)

Country Studies - A detailed chronological history for each country in the world, as well as information on current government, economy, environment, etc. (Library of Congress)

Eyewitness - Primary materials including first-person accounts, documents and images. Covers a variety of events in the U.S. and abroad, including the Fall of the Bastille in 1789, the American Revolution, the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, the meeting of Truman and Stalin, and the re-unification of Germany. Presented in both HTML and Flash versions. Use the Table of Contents to choose a specific topic. High school and up. (National Archives)

Historical & Cultural Contexts - 'Do you keep a journal, write letters, send emails, take pictures, or write poetry? If you do, you are recording history, creating the kinds of primary sources that historians use to learn about daily life in the past.' With this collection of interactives, you can 'use your sleuthing skills to figure out when and where an historical event took place by examining some primary sources and using an educated guess to pinpoint them on a map and timeline.' (Annenberg Media)

Historical Maps - A large collection of historical maps dating from the 15th century onward. You can search for maps by keyword, or browse by geographic location or subject (General Maps, Cities & Towns, Conservation & Environment, Discovery & Exploration, Cultural Landscapes, Military Battles & Campaigns, and Transportation & Communication). Click on a map to get a zoomable image. (Library of Congress)

History & Politics Out Loud - Searchable database of important speeches and other recorded materials (primary sources), including speeches of Martin Luther King Jr., Winston Churchill, FDR, John F. Kennedy, Nikita Krushchev and others. (Northwestern University)

History Guide - Resources - A selection of annotated links, grouped under the headings Primary Documents, Meta-Lists, United States History, Western Civilization, World History, and Resources for Teachers. High school and up. (University of Alabama)

How We Got Here new - An informative weekly radio podcast exploring the history behind today's headlines. High school and up. (Public Radio International et al.)

Social Issues Photographs - Historical pictures on a variety of political and social topics such as women's issues, government, labor organizations, utopian colonies, ethnic groups, social and leisure activities, and World War II Japanese Internment camps. Search by keyword or topic (University of Washington). For more sources of historic photos, see GENERAL HOMEWORK HELP: Pictures.

Time Trek Travel Agency - A fun site created by a group of 10 and 11 year old students 'to help you learn about how various cultures and civilizations have changed throughout time. We'll tell you what sights to see, what kinds of food to eat, and how you should expect to dress on your tour. You'll also learn about the historical events that are taking place during your visit and about advances in science and technology in the time stop you're visiting.' Covers eras from ancient history to the present. For ages 9 to 15. (ThinkQuest Library; Oracle Education Foundation)

World History For Us All - Designed for teachers, but background materials should be helpful to high school students as well. This site offers teaching units, lesson plans, activities, & resources, and introduces educators to an integrative approach to world history, culture, and geography. (San Diego State University and UCLA)

World History Sources new - 'A resource center designed to help high school and college world history teachers and students locate, analyze, and learn from online primary sources and further their understanding of the complex nature of world history issues.' (Center for History and New Media, George Mason University)

Calendars, Timelines, Time Capsules, etc.

Astronomical Information Center new - Current and historical information about time, time zones, calendars, holidays, the International Date Line, and more. High school and up. (U.S. Naval Observatory)

Calendars through the Ages - Information about all different types of calendars, including Chinese, Christian, Indian, Islamic, Jewish, and ancient calendars. Also offers related sites on the History of Daylight Saving Time and the History of Clocks & Timekeeping new (Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement / U.S. Department of Commerce). See also Calendar, a brief history of calendars and their development in various cultures, with links to related topics (Wolfram Science World).

dMarie Time Capsule - Enter a date from a specific year (1800 through 2001) and you'll get a list of the top news headlines for that week, plus hit songs, consumer prices, and more. The site allows you to created your own customized page using the information you choose. NOTE: data for the years 1800 - 1875 is spotty. (Commercial site)

On This Day - Use this New York Times page to find out what important events took place in previous years on any particular day of any month (commercial site). Click on 'Go to a previous date' to select your date. BBC News also offers an 'On This Day' page.

Perpetual Calendar - Need to know if June 15, 1813, was a Wednesday or a Friday? Enter a year, past or future, for a calendar of that year. (Personal site; by software engineer Herb Weiner)

This Day in History - Select your birthday, or any other day of the year, to find out what has happened on that day in past years. Also gives a list of famous people born on that day, and hit songs of the 1950s - 1980s. (Commercial site: History Channel)

Timelines - Links to a multitude of timelines and chronologies, some covering general world history, others on the history of a specific country or subject (such as Ancient Rome or the Civil Rights Movement), or the life of a specific person (such as Jackie Robinson or Galileo). Arranged by broad subject area. This page has not been updated since 2004, so expect some broken links. (By George Emery, a librarian at Canisius College)

Today in History - Another fun site offering text and images from events of the past for each day of the month. Click on 'archives' to choose a day or browse by month. (Library of Congress)

World Clock - Need to know what time it is in Addis Ababa, Bujumbura, Ulaanbaatar or Zagreb? This page offers the current time in dozens of cities around the world, arranged A to Z; you can also sort the list by country or time zone. (Commercial site)

Food, Fashion, & Money

America the Bountiful - Explores American history in different eras through foods that were commonly consumed. (University of California)

Bissonnette on Costume - A visual dictionary of fashion from the eighteenth through the twentieth centuries; you can search it by geographic area, time period, or subject. Excellent, clear photographs of costumes show most styles in full length view from the front, back, and side, with close-ups of some details. (Kent State University)

Costume Page - What did people wear during the Renaissance, or in Ancient Mesopotamia? This site offers selected links on the history of fashions around the world, arranged by historic periods. (Personal site; by costume-maker Julie Zetterberg Sardo)

Fashion Era - Articles and images on the history of fashion and costume, mostly from the 19th through 20th centuries (Personal / commercial site; by Pauline Weston Thomas and Guy Thomas).

Fashion, Jewellery & Accessories - Images and text surveying various aspects of fashionable dress from the 17th century to the present, 'with the emphasis on progressive and influential designs from the major fashion centres of Europe; also includes accessories such as jewellery, gloves and handbags.' (Victoria and Albert Museum)

Food Museum - Brief articles with pictures explain the origins and uses of hundreds of all types of foods. Scroll down the page for an alphabetical list of foods. (Collaborative educational site)

Food Timeline - 'Ever wonder what the Vikings ate when they set off to explore the new world? How Thomas Jefferson made his ice cream? What the pioneers cooked along the Oregon Trail? Who invented the potato chip...and why?' This page offers links to many interesting articles on food in history, plus recipes from different times and places. (By reference librarian Lynne Olver)

Harvest of History - Primary sources (images, objects, documents) on American agricultural history (Farmers' Museum, Cooperstown, NY).

History of the U.S. Income Tax - A brief overview of the origins of income taxes and the Internal Revenue Service, plus links to documents, articles, cartoons and quotes. For advanced students (Library of Congress). See also History of the U.S. Tax System (US Treasury Department).

How Much is that Worth Today? - Compares the purchasing power of money in the United States (or colonies) 1665 to any other year including the present (Personal site, by Lawrence H. Officer and Samuel H. Williamson, University of Illinois Economics Professors). You can also use the inflation calculator, What is a Dollar Worth?, to compare how prices for goods & services have changed from 1913 to the present (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). For much more information on the comparative value of money in history, see the Economic History Association.

Medieval Cookery - Recipes, menus, and other resources on cookery of the middle ages. (Personal site; by cookery enthusiasts Daniel Myers and Kristen Sullivan)

Money Links - A collection of links to sites that provide information on prices and wages at different times in history. (University of Exeter, UK)

Ready-To-Wear Clothing - In pre-industrial America, most clothing was crafted at home or by professional tailors or dressmakers from individual measurements taken of each customer. This site offers an introduction to the history of ready-made clothing and the development of standard sizes and measurements. (National Institute of Standards)

Seeds of Trade - 'This virtual book... is an introduction to the fascinating history of cultivation and some of its impacts on today's society.' You can use the site to learn about an individual plant or plant product, a category of products (such as building materials or drugs), a historical era, or a region of the world. High school and up. (Natural History Museum, London)

World of Money - Explains the different types of money, the history of money, saving money, how money is made, and money and society (British Museum). See also History of Money (Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis), and Fun Facts About Coins and Money (US Mint). See Historical American Currency for images of U.S. paper currency since the Colonial era, with brief summaries on the historical context for each period (Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco). For more on the history and technical aspects of money, see Secrets of Making Money (PBS).

New Jersey / South Plainfield History

See: LOCAL INFORMATION

Women's History

FACTS ON FILE: AMERICAN WOMEN'S HISTORY ONLINE - Covers the important people, events, legislation, and issues relevant to the study of women's history in the United States. Login to FACTS ON FILE from our DATABASE LOGIN PAGE to access American Women's History Online. If you're using FACTS ON FILE on your home computer, you'll have to enter your library card barcode to begin.

African American Women in Congress - Brief biographies of past and current women in the Congressional Black Caucus, and a record of their achievements. See also Women in Congress, described below.

American Women through Time - A timeline ranging from prehistory through 2001, with links to more information on most topics. Also provides links to other timelines related to American women's history, including biographical timelines for more than two dozen notable American women. (Middle Tennessee State University)

Discovering American Women's History Online - Links to online collections of primary sources (photos, letters, diaries, artifacts, etc.) that document the history of women in the United States. You can search for materials by subject, state, time period, or primary source type. High school and up. (Middle Tennessee State University)

Gale Women's History Month Resources - Activities, biographies, links, quiz, timeline, and more. Middle school and up. (Thomson Gale Publishing)

Hatshepsut: From Queen to Pharaoh - Images and an audio program about Hatshepsut, who ruled Egypt for two decades (ca. 1473-1458 B.C.), and was the first important female ruler known to history (Metropolitan Museum). See also The Precinct of Mut, Queen of the Gods (Brooklyn Museum). For a broader look at the position of women in Ancient Egypt, see From Warrior Women to Female Pharaohs (BBC).

History of Women in Sports Timeline - A chronological overview of women's involvement in sports from 776 B.C. to the present, with links to more information on some topics. (American Association of University Women, St. Lawrence County Branch)

Jewish Women: This Week in History - Find out what happened on particular dates throughout 350 years of American Jewish women's history. (Jewish Women's Archive, non-profit organization)

NJ Women's History - Facts, images, and documents dealing with the history of women in New Jersey; arranged by time period. Also offers related links and bibliography. (Rutgers)

No Job for a Woman - Examines the effect of war on women's lives in the 20th and 21st centuries, with photos and suggested classroom activities & discussion questions on women's role in wars - as soldiers, nurses, workers and home-makers. Focus is on Great Britain, but much of the material is relevant to women in general (Imperial Museum). Women at War offers video and audio interviews with American women veterans (Library of Congress).

Places Where Women Made History - Links to websites of 74 historic places associated with varied aspects women's history in the U.S., such as the Susan B. Anthony House, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Building, and the Women's Rights National Historical Park. Each website offers background material on the events or persons connected with the place. (National Park Service)

Time for Kids: Women's History Month - Background on Women's History Month, plus short bios & pictures of influential American women from Sojourner Truth to Condoleezza Rice, and more. For grades K-6. (Time Magazine)

Votes for Women Photographs - This collection of images from 1850-1920 includes portraits of early feminists, suffrage parades, picketing suffragists, and an anti-suffrage display, as well as cartoons commenting on the movement. (Library of Congress)

Woman in 18th Century England - This site provides a sense of what life was like for a woman in 18th century England by putting you in her place. You will be presented with a series of life choices, along with relevant historical information, and then learn about the consequences of your choice. High school and up. (University of Michigan, student project)

Women in Congress - Historical essays, links, biographical profiles, and images of each woman Member from 1917 to the present. (U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Clerk)

Women in World History - Information and resources about women's experiences in world history. Includes sections on women rulers, female heroes, and links to related websites (Personal site; by Women's Studies teacher / writer / consultant Lyn Reese). See also World Women's History Websites, arranged by time period (George Mason University).

Women's History - Highlights the varied resources on women's history and culture available from the extensive online collections of the Library of Congress. High school and up.

Women's History Quiz - Test your knowledge about women's history! Middle school and up. (National Women's History Project)

Women's Life in Ancient Greece & Rome - In-depth information covering poets & writers, philosophers, legal status of women, public & private lives, occupations, medicine, religion, and more. High school and up. (Stoa Consortium, authors Mary R. Lefkowitz and Maureen B. Fant)

Women's Rights 1848 - present - Background on the U.S. women's rights movement beginning with the Seneca Falls convention. Features an overview and timeline of events from 1848 to 1998 (National Women's History Project). See also Seneca Falls Women's Rights National Historical Park [UPDATED LINK!] and text (primary document) of the 1848 Declaration of Sentiments (National Park Service).

Women Who Changed History - Stories of amazing American women like Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, and Sally Ride, plus the history behind women's fight for the right to vote. Includes quizzes and other activities. Middle school and up. (Scholastic Inc.)

Women Who Changed the World - Biographies of 300 important women from ancient times to the present, plus related articles, links, video clips, timeline, and 'In their own Words' features. You can browse the biographies alphabetically ('A - Z'), geographically ('Where they lived') or by occupation ('What they did'). Middle school and up. (Encyclopedia Britannica; commercial site)

Women Working, 1870 - 1930 - Online books, pamphlets, photographs, and manuscripts (primary resources) exploring women's roles in the U.S. economy between the Civil War and the Great Depression. Documents conditions in the home and at work, costs of living, recreation, health and hygiene and more. High school and up (Harvard University). A Woman's Work is Never Done offers 'a selection of images that illustrate many facets of American women's work, from the beginning of the American Revolution through the Industrial Revolution'; includes background information for each category. High school and up (American Antiquarian Society)

Prehistory & Ancient History

Ancient & Classical Cultures - Annotated links arranged by region or culture (African, Aztec, Celt, early man & Stone Age, Egyptian, Greek, Hebrew, Inuit, Islamic, Roman, South American, Viking, and others). (Multnomah County Library)

Ancient China - Explores the cultures of Ancient China, including crafts, artisans, writing, tombs & ancestors, and more; with photos. Click on a subject, then click on the image that appears. (British Museum)

Ancient City of Petra - Founded along the ancient trade routes between Arabia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean Sea, the ancient city of Petra became very wealthy and powerful. This site describes the history of Petra, and takes you on a virtual walk through the ruins. (American Museum of Natural History)

Ancient Greece - Well-organized and interesting site explores life in Ancient Greece using interactive stories and descriptions. Covers daily life, festivals & games, gods & goddesses, knowledge & learning, war, and more. (British Museum)

Ancient History - Articles, multimedia, links, and interactive content on a variety of topics in ancient history. Covers Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Vikings, Anglo Saxons, India, and others. High school and up. (BBC)

Ancient Japan - Describes ancient Japanese history, culture, and Buddhism. High school and up. (Washington State University)

Ancient Olympics - Stories of ancient Olympic athletes, the various sports and games played, FAQ, and an online tour of Olympia. (Tufts University)

Art of the First Cities - Explores the history and culture of the world's earliest civilizations in Mesopotamia and surrounding regions, the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, across Iran and Central Asia to the Indus Valley. Explores such topics as religious beliefs, death & burial, writing, and clothing. (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Daily Life - This site, designed by two teachers, offers a look at daily life in Ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt, India, China, and the Pacific Northwest U.S. For elementary or middle school students. (Personal / commercial site, Don Donn)

Egypt: Secrets of an Ancient World - Explore the pyramids with this interactive site from National Geographic (commercial site). For more on Ancient Egypt, visit Egypt's Golden Empire (PBS; commercial site), Mysteries of the Nile (PBS; commercial site), Ancient Egypt (Royal Ontario Museum), Ancient Egypt: Science & Technology (Museum of Science, Boston) and Eternal Egypt (Center for the Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage, Egypt). Egyptians offers articles, timelines, pictures, and games to teach you about the pyramids, the Nile, mummies, hieroglyphs, magic, and more (BBC). Tutankhamun explores the life, death, and re-discovery of King Tut (National Geographic; commercial site).

Megiddo - A history of Megiddo, which is widely regarded as the most important biblical period site in Israel. Includes descriptions and photos of archaeological excavations on the site. (Tel Aviv University et al.)

Pavlopetri, Greece new - Describes recent discoveries at the world's oldest submerged town, which suggest that Pavlopetri, off the southern Laconia coast of Greece, was occupied some 5,000 years ago, at least 1,200 years earlier than originally thought when the city was discovered in 1967. (MACHU Project, European Union)

Pompeii: Stories from an Eruption - Chronicles the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, with many photos and descriptions of artifacts recovered from Pompeii and nearby towns. (Field Museum, Chicago)

Prehistory - This website actually covers both prehistory and ancient history. Topics include Big Game Hunters, China, Egypt, Greece, India, Japan, Latin America, Mesopotamia, North America, Rock Art, Native American shelters (under 'Settlements'), and Vikings. Good overviews of each subject, with images (Minnesota State University). For more on prehistoric life, see DINOSAURS, FOSSILS, & THE PREHISTORIC WORLD.

Rome Exposed - This site created by two students describes everyday life in ancient Rome, including houses, family, slavery, food, clothes, entertainment, and religion (Personal/commercial site). Romans looks at many aspects of ancient Rome, including the city of Rome, the Roman army, roads & places, leisure, family & children, technology, and religion; for elementary and middle school students (BBC). The Roman Empire in the First Century offers an overview of ancient Rome, with a good section on Life in Roman Times, as well as information on society, emperors, politics, religion, and more, plus special features including a timeline, interactive game & quiz, short video clips, and a virtual library; middle school and up (PBS). The Digital Roman Forum is an interactive digital model of the Roman Forum as it appeared in late antiquity, showing temples, shrines, public areas and civic buildings. Click on any of the places shown to get background information, along with still images and virtual panoramic views. Images suitable for all ages; accompanying text for high school and up (UCLA).

Stonehenge - Historical background and related resources on the famous ancient British monument; includes Stonehenge FAQ. (English Heritage: Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England)

Tomb of Perneb - 'Travel through space and time with the tomb of Perneb, on its journey from ancient Egypt to its current home at the Met. Includes an animated reconstruction of the tomb, games, and more.' Middle school. (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Explorers

American Journeys - Eyewitness accounts (primary documents) from explorers, Indians, missionaries, traders and settlers as they lived through the founding moments of American history, from the sagas of Vikings in Canada in AD1000 to the diaries of mountain men in the Rockies 800 years later. Includes maps, portraits, and other images. (Wisconsin Historical Society)

Christopher Columbus - Information about Columbus and his 1492 journey, including articles, maps, timelines, and online journal questions. Also describes the natives of the lands explored by Columbus, and explains what happened to Columbus after he returned to Spain. (Glencoe / McGraw-Hill)

Conquistadors - Learn about the Spanish Conquistadors in the New World, and the legacy of their contact with Native Americans; includes a timeline. For middle and high school students. (PBS)

European Voyages of Exploration - Describes Spain and Portugal in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, explains the economic, political, and cultural motivations for their voyages, and examines the consequences of their colonization of the Americas. (University of Calgary)

Exploration & Discovery - Dozens of links on world explorers, exploration, and navigation, from 10th to the 17th century; mostly covers European explorers. Includes timelines, maps, and primary documents. Last updated July 2005, so expect some broken links. (By high school teacher Tracey Osborn)

Exploration through the Ages [UPDATED LINK!] - 'Retrace the steps of the great explorers from the far-off days of ancient Egypt, to 19th & 20th century expeditions of the harsh North & South Poles...' This site explores the global exchange of cultures, plants, animals, & disease; changing view of the world; the development of map-making; life at sea; and more. Includes biographies of explorers from Alexander the Great to Matthew Henson, a timeline of voyages, plus pictures & descriptions of ships and navigation tools. High school and up. (Mariners' Museum)

1492: An Ongoing Voyage - This site answers the questions, 'What was life like in the Western Hemisphere and the Mediterranean before 1492? What spurred European expansion? How did European, African and American peoples react to each other? What were some of the immediate results of these contacts?' (Library of Congress)

Africa

Africa: The Cradle of Civilization - 'Unveils the true essence of Africa from the beginnings of humanity to the rise and fall of its great civilizations. This site covers the issues, the events, and topics concerning Africa today and in the past.' Includes interactive audio and video features. Use the menu on the right side of the screen to choose a topic; once you're there, use the drop-down menu on the left. (ThinkQuest Library; Oracle Education Foundation)

African Resources on the Internet - Selected links to African Studies materials for students and teachers, K-12. Includes African languages, environment, travel, African-American, and country-specific sites, along with multimedia resources such as music, art/images, and maps. Does not appear to be updated regularly, but most links are still good. (University of Pennsylvania)

Mandela - 'A five-part radio series documenting the struggle against apartheid [in South Africa] through rare sound recordings, the voice of Nelson Mandela himself, as well as those who fought with him, and against him.' Includes text and photos. High school and up. (Radio Diaries, Inc. & Corporation for Public Broadcasting)

The Ottomans - Examines the history, military, royalty, and culture of the Ottoman Empire. (Commercial site: LuckyEye Interactive and Netideas Capital Limited)

Story of Africa - The history of Africa from the dawn of time to the present. Covers the rise and fall of empires and kingdoms, religion, slavery, and trade. Also depicts life under colonialism, the struggle against it, and the achievement of independence. Includes audio and links. (BBC)

Asia

See also:
Vietnam War
World Wars I and II
ETHNIC / MULTICULTURAL RESOURCES
For Russia / Soviet Union, see: Europe

Ancient Japan - Describes ancient Japanese history, culture, and Buddhism. High school and up. (Washington State University)

Arms & Armor: Japan - Learn about the armor, masks, swords, and helmets used by the Japanese Samurai warriors (Metropolitan Museum).

China: 50 Years of Communism - A look back at the history of China from 1949-1999, with articles, images, and multimedia content (BBC). See also Li Zhensheng: Red-Color News Soldier for an overview of China's Cultural Revolution, 1964-1976; brief text with lots of photographs (Contact Press Images).

History and Politics of India - Explores the history and politics of India from ancient times, through Mughal and British rule, to the present. (UCLA)

History of China - Explores Ancient and Imperial Chinese history, arranged by time period (neolithic through 1911); includes images. (Minnesota State University)

History of Japan - From the Jomon Period (through 300 B.C.E) to the twentieth century. (Stockton College)

History of Vietnam - From the early dynasties through the Vietnam War and postwar economic and social modernization. Click on 'Vietnam' in the lefthand menu to choose a time period or topic. (By C.N. Le, professor of Sociology at University of Massachusetts)

The Ottomans - Examines the history, military, royalty, and culture of the Ottoman Empire. (Commerical site: LuckyEye Interactive and Netideas Capital Limited)

Silk Road - Text and images highlight both commodities and culture which travelled 5,000 miles from the far East of China to the far West of Byzantium during the European Dark Ages. (San Jose State University)

Tiananmen Square - A timeline which 'tracks how the protests began in April among university students in Beijing, spread across the nation, and ended on June 4 with a final deadly assault by an estimated force of 300,000 soldiers from People's Liberation Army.' Site includes online video of the entire Frontline program about the Tiananmen Square protests, and about China in 2006, seventeen years after the protests occurred. (PBS)

Vietnam War

Anti-Vietnam War Protests - A year-by-year summary of key events in the war itself, and in the anti-war movement, with accompanying primary source documents, images, audio and video materials, and links to additional information throughout. For older students. (University of California, Berkeley)

Pentagon Papers Archive - A brief overview plus supporting materials (primary sources) relating to the case of the Pentagon Papers, classified documents on the Vietnam war published by the New York Times in 1971. Audio and transcripts, Supreme Court documents, and more. (George Washington University)

Vietnam War Era Ephemera - Reproduces leaflets and newspapers (primary sources) distributed during the anti-war and other activist campaigns of the 1960s and 1970s (University of Washington).

Vietnam Project - Recorded interviews, photographs, a collection of original documents and other primary source materials relating to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. For older students. (Texas Tech University)

Europe

Arms & Armor: Europe - Learn about armor and helmets worn by knights during the Middle Ages, plus tournaments & jousts, horses, and heraldry. (Metropolitan Museum)

British History - Lessons on British History from the Battle of Hastings and the Norman Conquest through the 20th Century, with sections on the Normans, the Middle Ages, the Tudors, Civil War & Revolution, Empire & Sea Power, Abolition, Victorians, Homefront WW1 & WW2, and Making Modern Britain. Includes related links, and an interactive Timeline of British History from the Neolithic age to the present day. (BBC)

Children's Lives - Explores different aspects of children in British history, including education & creativity, holidays & entertainment, and health & work. There is also a section on Young Runaway Slaves in Great Britain during the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as online exhibits of a variety of childhood-related objects. (Victoria & Albert Museum of Childhood). See also Victorian Children, for grades 3-6 (Channel 4, UK).

Communism in Central & Eastern Europe new - Articles, timelines, videos and other material related to the revolutions of 1989 in Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania, and to the state of democracy, culture and civil society in the region today. (Transitions Online, a nonprofit media organization based in Prague). Making the History of 1989: The Fall of Communism in Eastern Europe new offers essays, interviews, and over 300 primary sources, including government documents, images, videos, and artifacts (George Mason University). Both sites for high school and up.

Eighteenth Century England - A collection of student projects from the University of Michigan, exploring numerous aspects of life in 18th century England. Includes Capital Punishment in 18th-Century England, The English Bride, Join the British Army!, 18th-Century Food, and dozens of other topics. High school and up.

England and the Transatlantic Slave Trade - Examines the role of England in the Transatlantic slave trade, and its social, cultural, economic and ecological consequences. Sites of Memory provides additional information on The Slave Trade and Plantation Wealth, Black Lives in England, and Abolitionists. (English Heritage)

French Revolution new - 'An accessible and lively introduction to the French Revolution as well as an extraordinary archive of some of the most important documentary evidence from the Revolution, including 338 texts, 245 images, and a number of maps and songs.' High school and up. (Center for History and New Media, George Mason University)

Gulag - Describes the suffering of prisoners in the Gulag (forced labor camps) of Stalin's Soviet Union, as well as struggles to end Soviet political repression. Includes photos and other images. High school and up. (National Park Service et al.)

History for Kids - Colorful lessons in history, mostly for kids under 12. Focus is on the United Kingdom, but Ancient Greece, the Vikings, and World Wars I & II are also included. Similar content is also available at Primary History. (BBC)

Jewish Life in Eastern Europe - Describes the different places Jews lived and their everyday life and culture in Eastern Europe before World War II, including music, food, language, politics, and religion. With pictures, recipes, and audio. (YIVO Institute For Jewish Research)

Life in a Castle - 'A British historian talks about everyday life in a medieval English castle, giving a sense of how lords and ladies, archers and engineers, cooks and carpenters lived their lives behind castle walls.' (PBS)

Life in Elizabethan England - Explains everyday life and customs in England during the Renaissance. Topics include games, food, money, language, weddings, occupations, fashion, household management, and more. (Personal site, by Maggie Secara and Paula Marmor, two Renaissance enthusiasts)

Life in the Middle Ages- Explores what daily life was like in the Middle Ages. (Annenberg Media)

NetSerf - A huge directory of links on various aspects of Medieval times, including art & architecture, music, religion, science & technology, and more; arranged by subject. Most of the resources are at the college level, but high school students will find some useful information here, too. (Catholic University of America)

The Ottomans - Examines the history, military, royalty, and culture of the Ottoman Empire. (Commercial site: LuckyEye Interactive and Netideas Capital Limited)

Renaissance - Explores the intellectual and economic changes that occurred in Europe from the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries (Annenberg Media). PBS also has an excellent site on The Renaissance which includes an interactive timeline. The Renaissance Connection (Allentown Art Museum) demonstrates connections between the Renaissance and our own era in many aspects of life, including the arts, lifestyles, commerce, and science & technology.

Stonehenge - Historical background and related resources on the famous ancient British monument; includes Stonehenge FAQ. (English Heritage: Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England)

Vikings - Describes the Vikings' voyages of exploration as well as their daily life. (Norwegian Ministry of Education)

Virtual Victorians - 'Explores the themes of childhood, education, housing, domestic life, transport, leisure, factory working life and agricultural life by following the daily lives of Elizabeth and John Poslett, two Victorian Tiverton factory workers, across one week in September 1874.' (Tiverton Museum and University of Exeter, UK).

Latin America

ETHNIC / MULTICULTURAL RESOURCES

Early Americas Digital Archive - A collection of online texts originally written in or about North, South, or Central America from the late fifteenth through early nineteenth centuries (primary documents). You can search by author or title from the front page; click on 'Archive' to browse by author or title or do a full-text search; or click on 'Gateway' to browse links to other online texts. (University of Maryland)

Conquistadors - Learn about the Spanish Conquistadors in the New World, and the legacy of their contact with Native Americans. For middle and high school students. (PBS)

Puerto Rico at the Dawn of the Modern Age - Explains the history of Puerto Rico from 1800 to 1930, and its relationship to Spain and the United States. High school and up. (Library of Congress)

Meso American Sites & Cultures - Good overviews of Aztec, Toltec, Maya, Zapotec, Teotihuacan, and Olmec cultures of Central America; includes some images. High school and up. (Minnesota State University)

South American Sites & Cultures - Similar to the Meso America site above, this one covers the Inca and other early civilizations of South America. High school and up. (Minnesota State University)

Middle East

Arms & Armor: The Islamic World - Learn about the armor, swords, and helmets used by the Sultan's cavalry soldiers during the Middle Ages (Metropolitan Museum).

CIA in Iran new - Explores the pivotal role of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in the plot which overthrew Iran's elected Prime Minister in 1953. High school and up. (New York Times)

Egyptians - Articles, timelines, pictures, and games to teach you about the pyramids, the Nile, mummies, hieroglyphs, magic, and more (BBC). For more on Ancient Egypt, see Prehistory & Ancient History section.

History of Israel - Chronological history of key events in Israel's history since its creation in 1948, plus links to related materials (BBC).

Middle East: Global Connections - Explores the history of the Middle East region and the relationship between the Middle East and the West, looking at events through the lens of politics, science, economics, and more. Examines the appeal of religious militancy, the role of women, the impact of oil & other natural resources, and other 'big-picture' questions. (WGBH)

Middle East: Online Tours - Historical background on the kingdoms of ancient South Arabia, the Queen of Sheba, and Iran before Islam: the Sasanian dynasty. Includes images of related artefacts. High school and up. (British Museum)

Middle East Study Resources - An extensive directory, arranged by subject, of internet resources on the history, culture, society, religion, politics, and economics of the Middle East region. Not regularly updated, so expect some broken links. (SUNY Albany)

Muslim Heritage - Explores 1000 years of Muslim history, focusing particularly on the contribution of Muslim culture to present day science, technology, and civilization. (Foundation for Science Technology and Civilisation, UK)

The Ottomans - Examines the history, military, royalty, and culture of the Ottoman Empire. (Commercial site: LuckyEye Interactive and Netideas Capital Limited)