Lesson plans, primary sources, quotes and games from our nation's leaders...
http://ushistorysite.com/presidents.php
Here's a fun presidents name game for the holiday... http://ushistorysite.com/games/president_hangman.php
Monday, February 20, 2012
Ladies and Gentlemen... The Presidents of The United States
Thursday, February 09, 2012
The History Blog
There is man named Livius, who endeavors not to suck. In fact he's great. He gives context to all things history. Mostly medieval and Ancient European history (but isn't that usually the most interesting anyway?), but his thoughts and postings run the gambit.
Enjoy the blog at http://www.thehistoryblog.com/
Friday, December 30, 2011
The Famous Daily Launches
Last weekend, the Famous Daily (http://famousdaily.com/) launched. The Famous Daily shows us what makes today special through highlighting important events that occurred on this date in history.
The information featured in the famous daily includes:
-Today's Famous Birthdays showing which famous person celebrates a birthday today
-Today's History which shows 5 key events from history that occurred on this date
-A Famous Quote that was said on this day in history
-Today's holiday and the location in the world it is celebrated
-Today's famous event in sports, entertainment, and geography
The Famous Daily is published on the web each morning. Users can also sign up to get the Famous Daily via email each morning (http://famousdaily.com/subscribe/ushistorysite.html). It is free to receive the Famous Daily through email each morning.
Each day - it is exciting to get an email showing what happened on this date in history. And Famous Daily is here to make it easy for anyone to be informed either through email or on the web.
Friday, April 22, 2011
World War One - Online Magazine
Through online networking I've recently connected with, Simon McShannon, the creator of the online publication, "Dugout-WW1".
‘Dugout-WW1’ merges all aspects of WW1 in one publication. Simon's offering the first magazine for Free.
The magazine features and covers all significant episodes from World War One. Including the key figures, the politics, the battles, weapons the hot topics and much much more. This instantly downloadable magazine contains approximately 80 Pages per issue, and is packed full of pictures, illustrations, information and lesser-known facts regarding this bloody and tragic conflict.
Every Issue Features
- A Re-Enactment Group
- Major Battle
- Key Civilian or Military figure of World War One
- Famous Military Unit
- 3 factsheets (Navy, Army and Air force)
- Artillery and Weapons
- Mess Hut (Recipes from World War one)
- Book’s Review
- DVD’s Review
- Events & News
- Most Articles Have Embedded Video Links
- Internet Linked Advertisers
- Classified Advertisements
The magazine is available online at www.worldonewar.com and www.dugout-ww1.com. Be sure to checkout the preview to see just how easy it is to read.
Compared to most historical magazines currently retailed, Dugout-WW1 is not only a great wealth of information but a great addition to the military enthusiast’s collection.
With a wealth of clickable links which take you, the reader, to video footage and much more…. at an affordable bargain price.
You can follow Simon McShannon and "Dugout-WW1" on Twitter.
With a wealth of clickable links which take you, the reader, to video footage and much more…. at an affordable bargain price.
You can follow Simon McShannon and "Dugout-WW1" on Twitter.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
How do you Teach Longitude and Latitude?
Contribute to the conversation at OurGlobalHistory.Blogspot.com - http://ourglobalhistory.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-to-teach-longitude-and-latitude.html
Do you have a secret in teaching kids the wonders of maps? Would you like to learn how other teachers do it?
Head on over to OurGlobalHistory
Thursday, February 10, 2011
History Simplified with Music
Another post at OurGlobalHistory.Blogspot.com:Roman History Simplified through Song and Comic
Thursday, January 27, 2011
New post at OurGlobalHistory.blogspot.com
Byzantine Podcasts: Lars Brownworth's Lost to the West
http://ourglobalhistory.blogspot.com/2011/01/byzantine-podcasts-lars-brownworths.html
World history teachers... follow me there....
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The Civil War - A Concise History - Book Review
With the 150th anniversary of the Civil War fast approaching, it is probably time you brushed up on your Civil War history. If you're in need of a refresher on the topic or have never ventured into the Civil War era, The Civil War: A Concise History
Author Louis P. Masur begins with the causes of the conflict and continues year by year covering major political, social events of the time. Not to mention the military events, battles and important characters of the war.
The book
How the war changed from an effort to restore Union towards an all-out war that would change the fundamental existence of the Southern society. And how the war changed to become a battle to abolish slavery.
Masur continues in the aftermath of the war, including post-war policy and reconstruction. It's a good introduction into this very complicated era of American history.
The Civil War: A Concise History
Thursday, September 09, 2010
A New Blog... with a broader view...
So I've had this blog (USHistoryBlog.com) for some time. I love US History and I love finding resources to help teach US History. The site has been good to me. I've made some online acquaintances, it's given me an outlet for some of my thoughts, and I get lots of free stuff from it. The problem is, that I currently don't teach US History. I used to teach it... Now I teach World History... and I've really learned to love the culture and discovery of World History. And I don't foresee a change in that regard anytime soon. So I'm transitioning to a new outlet with a new blog.
I'll still keep USHistoryBlog.com up and running, and update periodically, but this new blog will allow me to share things I'm actually doing in class and learning on my own.
http://ourglobalhistory.blogspot.com
Thanks for hopping over... I hope you like this as much as you've enjoyed USHistoryBlog.com.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Lafayette: The Lost Hero, a PBS Documentary
Marquis de Lafayette... a name you know I'm sure. At least a name you've heard of. The name may start the gears in your mind and then suddenly come to a screeching halt when you're forced to stop the machine and wonder... "How do I know that name?" You may have heard of Lafayette College, or maybe there's a town you've heard of called Lafayette or Fayetteville. Perhaps you've driven on Lafayette street. It's a familiar name for sure, but perhaps the story behind the name is a little more vague.
You may have heard of a place called Lafayette, or Fayetteville, or Lafayette Hill or you may know a street with the same name. But who is Lafayette?
an often neglected and controversial figure of American and French history. Through letters and memoirs PBS has put together a documentary that follows the life and legend of Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette.
Why would a young, wealth French aristocrat leave the comforts of his French life to fight for the independence of another nation on another continent? The documentary will answer this question, as well as bring to light many other untold tales about Lafayette and his family.
Visit the Facebook Page for Lafayette: The Lost Hero: set up by film maker Oren Jacoby.
Lafayette: The Lost Hero from The Documentary Group on Vimeo.
Monday, August 16, 2010
For Love of LIberty - The Story of America's Black Patriots
Introduced by Colin Powell, hosted on-camera by Halle Berry and narrated by Avery Brooks, For Love of Liberty uses letters, diaries, speeches, journalistic accounts, historical text and military records to document and acknowledge the sacrifices and accomplishments of African-American service men and women.
The story spans the Revolution to today and examines why, despite enormous injustice, these heroic men and women fought so valiantly for freedoms they themselves did not enjoy.
The project's goal is to raise public consciousness and shed light on an extraordinary and relatively unexplored aspect of our nation's history. The central theme of the initiative, the price of liberty, is relevant to all Americans.
_________________________________________
Here are the links to For Love of Liberty web site:
http://www.forloveofliberty.net - Watch videos, read stories/bios, and check out an awesome timeline of US Wars
http://forloveofliberty.com - This site is all about the documentary. See images from the film, meet the cast and purchase the video.
_________________________________________
Here are facilitators guide for both High School and College...
http://ushistorysite.com/documents/FLOL_HS_Guide.pdf
http://ushistorysite.com/documents/FLOL_College_Guide.pdf
_________________________________________After September 30, 2010, the site will no longer be active due to funding issues by the Army. In an effort to distribute the materials before the site goes away... please send this to friends, colleagues and veterans. Below are the links to download the documentary. (Or you can buy it...)
For Love of Liberty Documentary Links:
Chapter 1: Introduction - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=
Chapter 2: The Revolution - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=
Chapter 3: The Civil War - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=
Chapter 4: WWI - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=
Chapter 5: WWII - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=
Chapter 6: The Korean War - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=
Chapter 7: The Vietnam War - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=
Chapter 8: The Middle East - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=
Chapter 9: Conclusion - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=
Play All: - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Why Every President Sucked...
I recently received an email from Eric Olsen, a marketing writer and consultant. He seems like a brilliant chap. One of those guys that's good at everything... he appears to be very successful in life and in career. The reason he contacted me... is because he's also a musician and historian at heart. He's taken his musical talents, mixed them with some wit and cynicism... and he's put together a compilation of songs with the theme that every President has not met expectations.
His website: WhyEveryPresidentSucked.com has the intent of ridding our society of the search for the perfect president. It won't happen.
There is a lot of truth to what he's saying... but there are also some things I might argue...
For example, in his song about Lincoln Eric states through his lyric...
"the sad thing is
for the cost of the war
you could have bought and freed
every slave you’re fighting for..."
But Lincoln didn't want to free the slaves. He wanted to preserve the union. Buying all the slaves from the Southern plantations would not have done anything to mend the divide between North and South. The south was fighting for preservation of their culture. Preservation of their economy, their way of life. The slave owners would not have allowed anyone to buy their freedom in mass numbers like that.
Overall the idea is brilliant... This can undoubtedly be used in the classroom. Choose an era or a president and show the song and the lyric in class. Discuss. Find the faults, find the truths, find the reasons why the President "sucked". I know the kids will love this. Have them make their own songs... Send them to Eric, I'm sure he'd love to hear them.
Each president has a short summary of the imperfect event or happenings that work as the theme for the song, as well as the lyrics for better understanding.
Below is his 'Why JFK Sucked' song... with lyrics.
"The CIA sent 1,500 Cubans to Cochinos Bay
Exiles armed and ready to revenge of Fidel
And to mimic a natural uprising
Defeating Castro’s communizing ways
And the deal was that the U.S. had their backs
If things would go awry
Awry they went, but no one came
Where was JFK
Who promised he would save the day
the bay of pigs
it was a big
disaster for America
rather than an uprising
everything came down
Where was JFK
Who promised he would save the day
And to save the little pretty face he had left
he had to pay Castro $53 million to get the prisoner’s back
Where was JFK
Who promised he would save the day"
10 Greenest Presidents
It was only a matter of time before a list like this surfaced. Many administrations did excellent work in promoting environmental and sustainable causes. These are the 10 best.
- Teddy Roosevelt - Comes as no surprise... He's the original Environmentalist
- Jimmy Carter - he was always more of a humanitarian than an executive anyway...
- Thomas Jefferson - Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clarke did a lot for his ranking.
- Bill Clinton - With Gore over his shoulder, you'd expect some change...
- Richard Nixon - he made the list of Presidents with the worst environmental record too...
- Franklin Roosevelt - Civilian Conservation Corps... part of the New Deal
- Abraham Lincoln - established the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Lyndon Johnson - protected 9 million acres of land with the Wilderness Act
- Woodrow Wilson - oversaw the creation of the National Park Service... (Teddy's idea...)
- John Kennedy - had his guys look into the effect of pesticides and chemicals... laying groundwork for the EPA.
To read more about each President and their contributions go to the Daily Green
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/greenest-presidents-460808 - You can also see a list of the Presidents with the worst environmental policy...
Saturday, July 31, 2010
History Carnival #90 -
Hello, and welcome to the 90th History Carnival!
From the horse's mouth... " The History Carnival is a monthly showcase of blog writing about history, usually held on the 1st day of the month. It's hosted at a different blog each month to provide a variety of approaches and perspectives."
I've received plenty of nominations from a few different view points, on plenty of different topics.
I had asked in my original post about hosting this carnival that blogs be submitted with my readers in mind. I asked that the posts have some kind of information (lesson plan idea, resources, etc... that could be used in a classroom. But I think this stipulation was ignored. Because a "carnival" is simply a way to bring new blogs to my readers, I decided to keep any blog nominated that related to American History.
So here they are... enjoy.
Anthropology in Practice has some interesting information about the Hudson River in the late 17th century. With the reconstruction of the World Trade Center, they've discovered a sea wall that was built in 1899. This bit of archeology is especially interesting to me this summer. I've taken two workshops this summer that have discussed archeology in and around Philadelphia. I have a new found appreciation for archeology and the idea that underneath every building, there is probably remnants from another time. This post is no exception.
Soldier's Mail is an excellent blog that publishes World War I letters. I haven't read this blog, but was pleased when it was nominated. There's a lot here to pull from. This particular post is written from a soldier who was recently in a field hospital, and is expecting a furlough soon. Teachers, see if you can use some of these in the classroom.
Northwest History sticks it to the man... or... the museum. Read this open letter to curators at the Baron Von Munchausen home. Though I don't know whether this is a farce or not. The only Baron Von Munchausen I know is an exaggerated German baron who made up stories about himself that have became legend. It's because of this, and the fact that I can't find any proof that a house like this exists, that I give you fair warning that what you're about to read may be a joke. If it is true, it is an example of why we should all do our own research.
Religion in American History gives an overview of the book, Strangers and Pilgrims, Travelers and Sojourners. It's an explanation of the reasoning for the book and the content and ideas behind the six volumes.
The Denver Post has great pictures of "America". The entry is entitled, America in Color from 1939-1943. There was a lot happening in the world and in America in those five years... but the pictures don't reflect what might immediately come to mind. These images, by photographers of the Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information, are some of the only color photographs taken of the effects of the Depression on America’s rural and small town populations. Check them out... they're fascinating.
Civil War Memory is attempting to inform the public about a movie they haven't seen. To their credit, the preface the post by clearly stating they haven't seen it, but do want to bring this Civil War tale to the public for discussion about its validity. It's a movie about Richard Kirkland a Confederate Sargent who risked his own life to save the life of a Union soldier at the Battle of Fredericksburg.
Reader's Almanac has a Walt Whitman poem in commemoration of an 1860 meteor. Reader's Almanac is the blog of the Library of America, which as cool books but for a pretty penny. You can sometimes try them out for cheap, and then cancel. This is what I did to get a collection of Abraham Lincoln's writings. The blog is commemorating the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with a series of posts following the history of the war as it occurred 150 years ago.
World War II - Day by Day - this blog is a cool idea. It's a daily update of what was going on in the War on this day. A time line of sorts. Might be good fodder for classroom discussions when studying the war.
And that does it... thanks for checking in. This is the spot where I'd normally inform you about the host for next month, but it appears as if the Carnival is taking a break for September. Look for another host here in October
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