This collection uses primary sources to explore the poetry of Emily Dickinson. Digital Public Library of America Primary Source Sets are designed to help students develop their critical thinking skills and draw diverse material from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States. Each set includes an overview, ten to fifteen primary sources, links to related resources, and a teaching guide. These sets were created and reviewed by the teachers on the DPLA's Education Advisory Committee.

In the first bend of this unit, students will closely read multiple perspectives on the “American Dream” in
order to collect information to use and integrate that information into an evidence-based perspective.
Students will examine primary and secondary source documents to make informed decisions about
what information to collect that may inspire their writing about “The American Dream.”

In the second bend of this unit, students will engage in a short-research process to create a draft of
argumentative speech on the “American Dream” with a specific purpose, audience, and tone in mind.
They will use their inquiry research questions from bend one to begin analyzing search results and citing
and gathering relevant, accurate, and credible information.

A map of the eastern United States in 1790 showing the western extent of the territories to the Mississippi, and the distribution of European–American population at the time. The map is keyed to show areas of population densities ranging from under 2 inhabitants per square mile to areas with 90 or more inhabitants per square mile.

This collection uses primary sources to explore the Populist Movement. Digital Public Library of America Primary Source Sets are designed to help students develop their critical thinking skills and draw diverse material from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States. Each set includes an overview, ten to fifteen primary sources, links to related resources, and a teaching guide. These sets were created and reviewed by the teachers on the DPLA's Education Advisory Committee.

The following poster analysis worksheet was designed and developed by the Education Staff of the National Archives and Records Administration. You may find this worksheet useful as you introduce students to posters as sources of historical, social and cultural information.

The following poster analysis worksheet was designed and developed by the Education Staff of the National Archives and Records Administration. You may find this worksheet useful as you introduce students to posters as sources of historical, social and cultural information.

Poster circulated in Philadelphia in 1839 to discourage the coming of the railroad, 1839

This collection uses primary sources to explore the postwar growth of the American suburbs. Digital Public Library of America Primary Source Sets are designed to help students develop their critical thinking skills and draw diverse material from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States. Each set includes an overview, ten to fifteen primary sources, links to related resources, and a teaching guide. These sets were created and reviewed by the teachers on the DPLA's Education Advisory Committee.

On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 mission brought the first humans to the Moon. On that day President Nixon spoke with crewmembers Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin via telephone-radio transmission.

Source: This edited presentation features film footage from the White House Staff Super 8 Film Collection and audio from the White House Communications Agency Sound Recording Collection.

Use this tool to record your responses to a primary source. Sample questions are provided for guidance

Students may download or print completed analyses

Examine a collection of primary source documents about airplanes in the United States.

Examine a collection of primary source documents about highways in the United States.

Examine a collection of primary source documents about railroads in the United States.

Examine a collection of primary source documents about trolleys and streetcars in American history.

The lessons in this unit are designed for an ELA class. They are intended to be used, if possible, in a collaborative unit with a history teacher using the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In this unit, students will explore the different forms of transportation over time—from the New World and early America, to present day—and their impact on society and the environment (Change and Continuity). They will explore the impact of the different forms of transportation on economics, migration, and geography (where people live and how they adapt their environment to their transportation need), as well as how to become critical readers by gathering information from a variety of primary and secondary sources to understand the impact of transportation on history.