US History Resources
Here's a great place to start your research project
I often find that the hardest part of conducting research is getting started. In this section are websites that you can use to get a good start on researching a topic.
Who needs textbooks with these free online history reference sites?
These websites all focus on a specific theme WITHIN US history
These websites are written in simple, straightforward language
How about watching a video about US history?
This webstite generates timelines so you can put events into a global context
Why not visit your local library - from your laptop?
Quizzes (these are a really useful study tool!)
Of course, the greatest Research tool out there is Google - so why not become an expert?
I often find that the hardest part of conducting research is getting started. In this section are websites that you can use to get a good start on researching a topic.
- Times Topics - This site is run by the New York Times. It has a mix of articles from the newspaper (going back to 1981) and general information about topics. Topics are organized into people, subjects, places, and organizations. They don't have entries for every topic, but if you're lucky enough to be researching a topic that they have covered, they'll have useful content.
Who needs textbooks with these free online history reference sites?
- Digital History - Like a free digital super-textbook! Full of information, divided by era.
- USHistory.org - Another amazing resource. Again, it's like a free online textbook (in a good way!)
- History Matters - Mostly primary sources, lots of stuff. Not a very attractive website, but don't let that turn you off.
- Eyewitness to History - Another great collection of primary sources
- Library of Congress - this link takes you directly to the Library of Congress's extensive American History Collections
- National Archives - these are America's archives, and they have TONS of stuff
These websites all focus on a specific theme WITHIN US history
- "Divining America" - Religion in American history
- "Freedom's Story" - African American History
- African American World - excellent timeline of African American History
- Nature Transformed - American History and the environment
- The Valley of the Shadow - All about ordinary people during the Civil War living in two communities: one northern, one southern.
- "The Price of Freedom": Americans at War - Smithsonian website all about America's wars
- Voting America: 1840-2008 - This website's all about elections
These websites are written in simple, straightforward language
How about watching a video about US history?
- Crash Course US History - animated videos by author John Green - overall, these are the best video history videos I know of.
- HipHughes - if you want to know what it would be like to take a really good lecture-based US History class, check this guy out.
- Hippocampus - Lots of videos about US history
- PBS American Experience - Companion website to the series. Includes lots of full episodes and extra information.
- Ted-Ed videos - Educational videos produced by TED. Not all of them are about US history, but lots of them are
This webstite generates timelines so you can put events into a global context
- WhoWhatWhen - Use this site to generate timelines showing who else was alive when a particular person was alive, and what else was happening.
Why not visit your local library - from your laptop?
- San Diego Public Libraries - lots of great databases to search, you just need to have a library card.
Quizzes (these are a really useful study tool!)
- American History AP Quizzes
- Pearson American History Quizzes
- US History Practice Tests from the "American Pageant" textbook
- Ms. Honegger's 11th Grade STAR Test Review - This one has more than just quizzes, it also has video lectures and study guides. Great website.
Of course, the greatest Research tool out there is Google - so why not become an expert?