Golden Spike Ceremony

New Resources: Transcontinental Railroad, Revolutionary War, WWII, and a Youth Art Competition

Discover new primary sources and teaching activities on DocsTeach. Learn about an art competition for grades 4-6.

Access the Writings of the Founding Fathers on Founders Online

Founders Online, a brand new online tool, is a searchable archive of the correspondence and other writings of six of the Founding Fathers.

Considering Context in Primary Sources: The Art of John Trumbull

What is a Primary Source?  In the very simplest terms, a “primary source” is described as any record that was created at the time of an event by someone who was there.  In short, an eyewitness account of some kind.  Perhaps it is a photo, map, letter, or other document such as a census record.  … Continue reading Considering Context in Primary Sources: The Art of John Trumbull

The Declaration of Independence

In celebration of our nation declaring its independence 237 years ago, today's spotlight is—of course—on the Declaration of Independence. The National Archives is its permanent home. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in which the American colonies set forth a list of grievances against the British Crown and declared they … Continue reading The Declaration of Independence

Agreed-upon Boundaries at the Close of the Revolutionary War

As Independence Day approaches, this week we're highlighting this 1775 "Annotated Map of the British Colonies in North America with the Roads, Distances, Limits and Extent of the Settlements." During the negotiations to end the Revolutionary War, all sides used a copy of the so-called Mitchell map. The red lines marked on the map were … Continue reading Agreed-upon Boundaries at the Close of the Revolutionary War