Resources for National History Day 2023: Frontiers in History

A frontier in music: United States Patent 5,255,452 - the shoes used to perform the anti-gravity illusion move seen in Michael Jackson's 1988 "Smooth Criminal" video. Congratulations to all the students who participated in and were recognized at the National History Day 2022 contests! Your work is always inspirational, and we are happy to know … Continue reading Resources for National History Day 2023: Frontiers in History

Treaty of Paris on webpage

Milestone Documents in American History

A new resource from the National Archives – Milestone Documents – provides access to primary sources that highlight pivotal moments in the course of American history and government.

Commemorate Bill of Rights Day with Student Programs and Classroom Resources

Register your students to be the first to experience new programs on the Bill of Rights and the Constitution!

President Barack Obama Participates in a Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The 100th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

In recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in November 2021, we have several new teaching resources, and will present a live program for young learners.

We the People

We Rule: Civics for All of US, a new civic education initiative from the National Archives – just in time for Constitution Day!

New "We Rule: Civics for All of US" interactive distance learning programs for Constitution Day help elementary students explore the big ideas of the Constitution and connect the document to their own lives.

Testimony of Bridget Donaghy to the Board of Special Inquiry

Decisions of the Board of Special Inquiry: The Story of Irish Immigrant Bridget Donaghy

In this guest post, former intern Griffin Godoy shares how he researched federal records to trace the immigration and naturalization story of an Irish Teenager.

Aerial view of rows of houses in the suburbs

Post-WWII Teaching Resources

Find primary sources and teaching activities for the Postwar United States (1945 to early 1970s).

Photograph of Lee Tso attached to his identification papers

Questioning Chinese Exclusion: The “Chinese Village” at the 1899 National Export Exposition

In this guest post, teacher Maria Adamson shares techniques for drawing students into the messiness of history, and giving them practice asking critically minded questions of the sources they encounter. Using this approach, she developed two new teaching activities focusing on identification papers of several Chinese people who were "on exhibit" in an ethnographic display in Philadelphia in 1899.

A New World War II Teaching Resource

Our new World War II page includes hundreds of primary sources and teaching activities!