Eighth Grade Social Studies Classes
American History and Government
- American History of the Discovery and Pre-Colonial Period
- Web de Anza
- The Charters of Freedom
- From the National Archives, an exhibition of Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Although there is no substitute for an actual visit, this exhibit will allow you to study the documents in detail. In addition, this exhibit will permit you to examine the Letter of Transmittal and pages two and three of the Constitution, which are only rarely displayed.
- Delegates to the Constitutional Convention (The Founding Fathers)
- This is a set of short biographies, with articles on each of the Founding Fathers who were delegates to the Constitutional Convention.
- American Memory at the Library of Congress: 1800- 1850
- The collections here cover the first half of the Nineteenth Century. They include many photographs and images.
- American Memory at the Library of Congress: 1850-1900
- The collections here cover the second half of the Nineteenth Century. They include many photographs and images.
- Images of African-Americans From the 19th Century
- The N.Y. Public Library has made this collection of images available. Search by subject or keyword.
- The Making of America
- Making of America (MOA) is a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction. The collection is particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology. It contains approximately 1,600 books and 50,000 journal articles from the 19th century, a major endeavor in preservation and electronic access to historical texts.
- From Revolution to Reconstruction
- Online texts in American History, with links to many primary sources. Very useful to see what was actually written or stated.
- U.S. Historic Documents
- Historic Documents from the United States, at the University of Kansas Electronic Library.
- A History of American Agriculture: 1776-1990
- Chart following eleven major themes of agricultural history in the U.S., decade by decade. Click on the theme/decade to see what major events and developments happened. Provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- North American Slave Narratives, Beginnings to 1920
- "Documents the individual and collective story of the African American struggle for freedom and human rights in the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. When completed, it will include all the narratives of fugitive and former slaves published in broadsides, pamphlets, or book form in English up to 1920 and many of the biographies of former slaves published in English before 1920."
- Documenting the American South
- Most information about nineteenth-century America comes from Northerners. This database presents primary source materials documenting the cultural history of the American South from the viewpoint of Southerners. It offers diaries, autobiographies, travel accounts, titles on slavery and regional literature drawn from the splendid Southern holdings of the UNC--CH Academic Affairs Library.
- A Digitized Library of Southern Literature: Beginnings to 1920
- Full-text of literature from the American South is linked from this page, which includes an essay to introduce it, "Literature in the American South ( From Encyclopedia of Southern Culture.")
- Lewis and Clark
- From the University of Virginia, the journals of Lewis and Clark are presented.
- Lewis and Clark
- PBS presentation of Lewis and Clark.
- Franklin Institute Hotlists
- This is a nice place to search for a wide variety of topics including Lewis and Clark, the Oregon Trail, Thomas Jefferson, the Salem Witchcraft Trials, the Civil War, the Great Depression, the Vietnam War, and much more.
- Nineteenth Century Resources
- A Gopher site with a large number of links to full-text documents related to people and events of the Nineteenth Century.
- Antebellum Richmond
- Links that describe life in Richmond, Virginia, during the time just prior to the Civil War. Includes descriptions of various areas of life during slavery in this city of the Old South.
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- American Memory at the Library of Congress: Civil War
- The collections here cover the second half of the Nineteenth Century. They include many photographs and images from the Civil War.
- The U. S. Civil War Center
- A clearinghouse of Web Pages (at the Louisiana State University) related to the U.S. Civil War (1861-1865). A lot of information is available here.
- Civil War Home Page
- The American Civil War Homepage at the University of Kentucky gathers together in one place hypertext links to the most useful identified electronic files about the American Civil War (1861-1865).
- Rare Map Collection - American Civil War
- The University of Georgia offers an excellent collection of over 30 historic maps related to the U.S. Civil War battlefields and locations.
- Maps and Exhibits: The American Civil War
- Includes a big collection of battle maps listed by state and date. Also has a yearly timeline of major events and battles. Lots of other information too. Explore!
- Slavery Abolition Resources
- A comprehensive set of links related to the study of the Abolitionist movement, and the surrounding historical period.
- Selected Civil War Photographs,1861-1865
- The famed Brady photos from the Library of Congress, contains 1,118 photographs. Most of the images were made under the supervision of Mathew B. Brady, and include scenes of military personnel, preparations for battle, and battle after-effects. The collection also includes portraits of both Confederate and Union officers, and a selection of enlisted men.
- Civil War in Pennsylvania and Virginia
- The Valley of the Shadow: Living the Civil War in Pennsylvania and Virginia. A hypertext portrayal of communities on two opposite sides of the War. Many, many documents of those times are available here.
- Lincoln's First Inaugural Address
- The national upheaval of secession was a grim reality at Abraham Lincoln's inauguration. Jefferson Davis had been inaugurated as the President of the Confederacy two weeks earlier. The former Illinois Congressman had arrived in Washington by a secret route to avoid danger, and his movements were guarded by General Winfield Scott's soldiers.
- Making of America
- A digital library documenting American social history between 1850 - 1877 will be selected, scanned, and made available. When this project is completed approximately 5,000 volumes with imprints will be available. Many are now offered as scanned images (not searchable test).
- The History Net
- Commercial organization with several online magazines devoted to history, and in particular, past wars (WWI, WWI, Vietnam, etc.). Features eyewitness accounts!
- African-American Women Writers
- "A digital collection of some 52 published works by 19th-century black women writers. A part of the Digital Schomburg, this collection provides access to the thought, perspectives and creative abilities of black women as captured in books and pamphlets published prior to 1920. Key-word-searchable."
- Panoramic Maps, 1847-1921
- From the Library of Congress: "The panoramic map was a popular cartographic form used to depict U.S. and Canadian cities and towns during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Known also as bird's-eye views, perspective maps, and aero views, panoramic maps are nonphotographic representations of cities portrayed as if viewed from above at an oblique angle."
- Taking the Long View: Panoramic Photographs, ca. 1851-1991.
- From the Library of Congress: About 4,000 panoramic views of American main streets, landscapes, bathing beauties, disasters, and other events. Broad topics: cities and towns, scenic views, group portraits, schools, fairs and expositions, agriculture, industry, engineering work, military activities, transportation, and sports.
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- Links to Famous Women
- These are links to distinguished woman of past and present with an alphabetical search engine, and links to related women studies sites.
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- New Deal Network
- Information about Roosevelt's program dealing with the Great Depression. Includes a very wide variety of resources relating to the 1930s, as affected by the New Deal.
- "Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal cultural programs marked the U.S. government's first big, direct investment in cultural development. In many ways, they present a mirror image of today's federal policy picture...." This is a very good, brief outline of those programs.
- Herbert Hoover: Thirty-First President, 1929-1933
- Son of a Quaker blacksmith, Herbert Clark Hoover brought to the Presidency an unparalleled reputation for public service as an engineer, administrator, and humanitarian.
- More Information On Herbert Hoover
- Thirty-First President, 1929-1933. Includes sections on: Presidential Election Results, Cabinet Members, Notable Internet Biographies, Historical Documents, etc.
- Voices from the Dust Bowl
- This collection consists of audio recordings, photographs, manuscript materials, publications, and ephemera generated during two separate documentation trips to California farm labor camps in 1940-41, sponsored by the Archive of American Folk Song. Includes "The Migrant Experience" an informative essay about life in farm labor camps.
- Social Security History
- Exceptionally well presented collection of information on the history of the Social Security program and Social Security Administration. A mix of general-interest material and items that may appeal primarily to scholars. Graphics and photos abound, and there are sound and video clips.
- The Day of the Black Blizzard
- One of the most devastating events of the Thirties was the Dust Bowl. This story tells how it happened to some of the people who lived then. At this link to Discovery you can search this database.
- Color Photographs From 1938-1944
- These two collections consist of the color photographs produced by a pair of government photography units within the Farm Security Administration (FSA) and the Office of War Information(OWI) between 1939 and 1945. Provided by the Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress.
- Voices from the Thirties
- These life histories were written by the staff of the Folklore Project of the U.S. Work Projects Administration (WPA) from 1936-1940. See also: Voices from the Thirties: An Introduction to the WPA Life Histories Collection This Library of Congress collection includes 2,900 documents representing the work of over 300 writers from 24 states.
- The Federal Writers' Project
- "During the Great Depression of the 1930s, as many as one out of four Americans could not find jobs. The Works Progress Administration (WPA), put 8,500,000 jobless to work, mostly on projects that required manual labor. Countless bridges, highways and parks were constructed or repaired." Some workers were writers who interviewed interesting Americans, and them wrote about them.
- Washington as It Was: Photographs by Theodor Horydczak, 1923-1959
- From the mid 1920s through the 1950s, this collection(about 14,350 photographs online) documents the architecture and social life of the Washington metropolitan area in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. Includes a special presentation: Discovering Theodor Horydczak's Washington.
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The Columbus Landfall Home Page
Illustrates the possible places that Columbus visited on his first journey to the Americas. Includes articles which examine the various theories as to where he actually landed.
Columbus and the Age of Discovery
Over 1,100 full-text articles and reports related to Columbus and the explorations from Europe to the "New World". A bit difficult to use due to its arrangement. Try starting with the Hypertext Index of Articles, then go into "For public use. (Reprint Permission Granted.)" Then explore the entries, arranged alphabetically. Has many articles in the Spanish language.
1492 Exhibit
The story of Columbus and his voyages to the New World, made available from the Library of Congress.
The 17th and 18th Centuries
"Designed to help high school teachers of American history bring their students to a greater understanding of the role religion has played in the development of the United States." Nice collection of links to information resources.
Religion and the Founding of the American Republic
Over 200 early American books, manuscripts, letters, prints, paintings, artifacts, and music from the Library of Congress' collections and loans from other institutions.
William Penn
An examination of the person who founded as a "Holy Experiment", the state of Pennsylvania, and concluded the "Great treaty" with the Delaware (American Indians).
Puritanism & Colonial Period: to 1700
Resources for a literature course include several important documents of the Great Awakening.
From the University of Oregon, a study of the Spanish Exploration and Colonization of "Alta California" 1774-1776.
Blach Junior High de Anza Web Pages
A collection of web pages commemorating the expedition of California made during the late 1700's.
de Anza Expedition Resources
Especially for teachers, some resources to use while studying de Anza.
English Bill of Rights
Complete text of the 1689 English law: An Act Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and Settling the Succession of the Crown.
Eighteenth Century Resources -- History
Another major collection of links to the most famous people of the Enlightenment.
Liberty Library of Constitutional Classics
The following is a list, many with links to the actual full text, of classic books and other works on constitutional government.
The Age of Enlightenment: Paintings
The Enlightenment produced its own style of painting, and you can see some examples at this web site.
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques: The Social Contract
One of the major writings of the Enlightenment, which affected the American system of government.
Voltaire: A Treatise on Toleration
Another of the major writings of the Enlightenment, which affected the American system of government.
Magna Carta and Its American Legacy
The National Archives and Records Administration offers this excellent explanation of the Magna Carta as it relates to U.S. laws and democratic ideas. Also as a link to the text of the Magna Carta.
Historical Documents of Great Britain
Collection of primary source historical documents from the British Isles, from the earliest times through the present: Magna Carta, parliamentary addresses, political statements by thinkers and leaders, philosophical writings, and more.
The Glorious Revolution Era (1675-1692)
Outlines the events and people in the U.S. during the Glorious Revolution that was occurring in England.
St. Thomas More
Biographical and philosophical information on St. Thomas More, of England. This information is taken from the Catholic Encyclopedia on the Web.
Declaring Independence
- The time-line and background on the American Declaration of Independence from Great Britain are presented here, with images and explanation of the key people and their contributions to this historic document.
- Exhibition with information about the signers of the Constitution. Visit the US Archives at http://www.archives.gov
- Article from the Library of Congress: "The Constitution defines the fundamental law of the United States federal government, setting forth the three principal branches of the federal government, outlining their jurisdictions, and propounding the basic rights of U.S. citizens."
- Allows searching of The U.S. Constitution, Federalist Papers, Declaration of Independence, and other early U.S. historical documents.
- The Continental Congress Broadside Collection (253 titles) and the Constitutional Convention Broadside Collection (21 titles) contain 274 documents relating to the work of Congress and the drafting and ratification of the Constitution, plus similar primary sources.
- The Central Intelligence Agency has made a special presentation available on how spying (military intelligence) played a part in the U.S. Revolutionary War.
- A chapter from the great commentary, Democracy In America, by Alexis de Tocqueville, the French writer who visited America shortly after its founding.
- Historic Documents from the United States from 1750-1800, at the University of Kansas Electronic Library.
- This site is a great resourse for the Revolutionary War.
- Links to many of the causes which led to the Revolutionary War.
Woman Studies
New Deal Cultural Programs: Experiments in Cultural Democracy
- Federal Government Resources on the Web
Information on many government agencies and departments are available from this website provided by the University of Michigan Documents Center. Excellent starting place for research on any area of the U.S. government. Use this link for a search of Federal Government information.
U.S. Government Information Sources
Access to federal government information organized by the National Technology Transfer Center. Click on the branch of government your agency or organization is part of, and follow the pathway to the website. You may also search by the name of the agency with their search engine.
Ben's Guide to Government
Find out all about the U.S. Government at this "master site" designes especially for people of all age groups.
Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
Brief background data is available on all members of the House and Senate. Search by name. Includes all members who have served, going back to the Continental Congress. Tip: Try a search on "Bidwell, John".
The White House
The Web Page of the Office of the President of the United States.
American President Web Resources
Collection of links organized by the president's name. Leads to Web pages related to each president.
Grolier Online: The American Presidency
Encyclopedia articles about the presidency and the presidents for various grade levels.
The Presidents of the United States of America
From the White House, a series of articles on the Presidents of the U.S., including inaugural addresses and quotations. Also has links to additional resources on each president.
Presidents of the United States
The Internet Public Library has an excellent collection of links to information about all U.S. Presdients. Just click on a presidential link, and his special page will be brought up. Then click on: Election Results, Cabinet Members, Presidency Highlights, Internet Biographies, Historical Documents, Media Resources, Fast Facts, or Other Internet Resources for information in those areas.
The Presidential Record
This collection of information about U.S. Presidents is provided by the Public Broadcasting service, to accompany their PBS Television series: The Presidents. See sections:" Snap Shot, The Era, Domestic Policy, Foerign policy, and Presidential Politics-- in order to get a feel for their work, life and times.
Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents
This collection is being published in commemoration of theBicentennial Presidential Inauguration that was observed on January 20,1989. Dedicated to the institution of the Presidency and the democraticprocess that represents the peaceful and orderly transfer of poweraccording to the will of the people.
Portraits of the Presidents and First Ladies
A set of 156 portraits of presidents and first ladies, and several of the forty-one presidents also appear in military settings or informal surroundings. Popular subjects, such as images of inaugurations and the White House, are included, as are such perennial favorites as Abraham Lincoln with Sojourner Truth, Calvin Coolidge at a baseball game, Warren G. Harding with his lively dog Laddie, and Dwight D. Eisenhower with American paratroopers in England.
Time Line of Presidents and First Ladies
Each president and first lady is listed chronologically according to the president's term(s) in office. There are also links to their pictures, when available.
Voices of American Presidents
Hear Real Audio and MP3 recordings of the presidents of the Twentieth Century.
Presidential Libraries
From the National Archives, a digital collection of materials documenting actions, lives, and times of the U.S. presidents. You will have to use the links on the page to go to various collections. For background, see the essay "An Overview of the Presidential Libraries".
Imperial Presidency
Brief definition and examples of the meaning of the term: Imperial Presidency.
The Imperial Presidency's New Vestments
Lengthy essay about how the office of the President has expanded its powers beyond what the Constitution allows.
Global Interventionism and a New Imperial Presidency
Overview of a policy paper, with link to the full report, produced by the conservative political think tank, the Cato Institute.
THOMAS
U.S. Senate and House of Representatives legislative information provided by the Library of Congress. Find out about current and past lawmaking, and future laws being considered. Be sure to scroll down the entire page to see all that is available.
The U.S. Senate
The official U.S. Senate website. Check on the work of individual senators, creation of laws in the Senate, and how the Senate operates-- plus other useful information.
The U.S. House Of Representatives
Listing of all information available with regards to the U.S. House of Representatives. Just about anything you might want to know about our country's laws and the legislative process is available here.
Project Vote Smart
Information on elected officials and those running for public office at the state and national level.
Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
Brief background data is available on all members of the House and Senate. Search by name. Includes all members who have served, going back to the Continental Congress. Tip: Try a search on "Bidwell, John".
Congressional Operations: Educational Resources
A series of informative reports on how Congress operates, its organization, and history is offered here. Mostly focuses on the House of Representatives.
Politics and Political Parties
A collection of links to information about political parties, politicians, elections and related matters (CHS Library links).
- FindLaw
Knowing the law helps understand government, and vice versa. This site organizes useful links to resources where you can find vast amounts of information about laws on certain subjects. You may go directly to find lots of information on "Supreme Court Cases By Year" Here! (That way you can see the cases that were decided for any given year. Very helpful. Good place to start looking!)
Recent U.S. Supreme Court Decisions (Since 1990)
The United States Supreme Court decides on the interpretation of laws passed by Congress. This site allows access to many of the decisions made since 1990. Also includes information about the Court, and links to selected Historic Supreme Court Decisions.
U.S. Supreme Court Cases
Search the FindLaw database for many U.S. Supreme Court opinions on cases that are not covered by the recent and historic databases. Fills some of the gap between 1975-1990. If you didn't find it there, try here.
Historic File of U.S.Supreme Court Decisions
Contains the full text of 7,407 U.S. Supreme Court Decisions from 1937 to 1975. Decisions can be read on your browser's screens. Most are very large and may take a while to download.
U.S. Supreme Court Cases
USSC+, a commercial database provider allows online access to its collection of over 5,000 U.S. Supreme Court decisions. You will need to select the type of search (e.g., by Citation, Parties, Docket, Word or Phrase) at the top of the screen.
U.S. Constitution and Related Court Cases
FindLaw's excellent set of resources with annotations from the Congressional Research Service Library of Congress with links to cited Supreme Court Cases.
The United States Code
Search this database for the full text of the laws of the land. Or, if it is easier for you, use the Table of Contents at the bottom of the site to see laws according to their subject.
Laws and Legal Information By Subject
Cornell University's links can be accessed through a set of topic categories, and an alphabetical listing of topics, and a searchable index. Just start with the general subject area, and follow the pathways to more specific topics.
General Source
Social Science History Resources
- This site lists resources by grade level. For the Eighth Grade it includes the years from Colonial America and the birth of our nation through the early 1900's.