The demand for women’s suffrage began in the 1840’s and culminated in 1920 with the passage of the nineteenth amendment. Two competing organizations were established in 1869 and eventually merged in 1890 to become the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). Cartoons, newspaper articles, and marches demonstrate the urgency with which women sought this basic democratic right. In the following primary source set, these materials are made available for instruction and research.

The Library of Congress holds the best collection of primary sources anywhere on the Civil War and Reconstruction. (See especially the exhibitions under “d” below.) Therefore, the great challenge is to choose the most significant yet engaging and classroom-friendly from among hundreds of thousands of photos, drawings, newspaper articles, speeches, maps, and songs. Each item in this set focuses on a vital point in the conflict and its aftermath. Each item offers clear and meaningful opportunity for students to dig deeper.

The following immigration flow map is a valuable resource both to further understanding of the progression of the immigration experience and as an example of a flow map for virtually any topic or lesson plan. Tracing the origins of the immigrant decision to leave their homes through their settlement into a new environment, this flow map provides visual clarification through primary source materials from the Library of Congress. In addition, educators may use the flow map as an example of how to produce a flow map and how to incorporate primary source documents into sequential order.

In the following lesson plan students will examine several primary source images and documents related to Civil War wounded. From the sources, students will develop a narrative about changes in the responsibilities of the federal government in response to the enormous numbers of wounded Union soldiers. This lesson can stand alone or kick off a research project. 

See the online exhibit How Civil War Transformed Disability. Use the Exhibits pull-down button above. 

Students are often intrigued by individuals who question authority and seek change. Thus, the following multimedia set was created with a focus on Reformers and Gangsters in American History from Antebellum to Prohibition (1840s-1920s). The following evidence supports the case that reformers who desired change impacted American society resulting in the rise of organized crime. This collection presents evidence focused on the climate of thought arising from the Second Great Awakening, the Abolitionist movement, and women’s struggles for social justice.

The period of time between 1900 and 1941 was punctuated by a dramatic increase in mass media production including film, recordings, and photography. The following primary source set and the Library of Congress showcase many of the most well-known sources from the time. Topics include the Women’s Suffrage movement, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Great Depression which are explored through primary source materials such as political cartoons, sheet music, and digital photographs. The source set features a large number of Library of Congress lesson plans available for use. 

The primary sources compiled in the following set are designed to provide snapshots of Theodore Roosevelt during different periods of his life, beginning with a photograph of his birthplace/childhood and extending through the late stages of his life. Some of the sources are outwardly pro-Roosevelt, while others question Roosevelt’s integrity and represent a more anti-Roosevelt perspective. Certain topics play a prominent role in the documents, particularly Roosevelt’s role in the Progressive Movement and Imperialism. 

War has lasting and damaging effects on society. The three obvious areas are political, economical, and social. This primary source set details evidence of the impact that the Civil War had on dividing the North and the South. The sources tell the story of a nation struggling to gain economic and political footing and power in the world, while at times being unaware or naive of the social tear that such an ambitious goal could have on such a young nation.

The following lesson serves as an introduction to the Age of Progressivism. In this unit, students should connect the various ways individuals and communities respond to new innovations. In response to industrialization, civilizations across the globe reacted in a number of ways ranging from violent protests to political engagement to isolating from the political process. In the early 1840s in a town in western Massachusetts, Northampton, the Northampton Association of Education and Industry (NAEI), formalized their beliefs in a binding constitution.

The Library of Congress holds thousands of the most important primary sources on slavery and opposition to it and has devoted extensive and thoughtful labor to bringing them to the public. (See also the CES Primary Source Set: “Civil War and Reconstruction”). This primary source set offers distinct and vitally important sources not included in other primary source sets.