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Mr. Ruppert's American History Web Links

Links Are Divided Up Into the Following Categories

Comprehensive / Encyclopedic US History Reference Sites
New York State and Local History Sites
Perform Your Own Family History / Geneology Research Sites
Comprehensive Primary Source Document Sites (each site you may link to contains many documents)
Key Primary Source Documents In US History (each link is directly to one specific document)
Key People in US History (links all to full biographical essays on important Americans we will study)
Key People / Events / Movements in US History (this category is furthur divided into different historical eras) -- Only My A++ rated sites make it here!
Links To Student Work (on my "American Heroes" page)

I)  Comprehensive / Encyclopedic US History Reference Sites

• A Biography of America -- 26 part video series (30 min. episodes) which comprehensively covers American History from the Age of Exploration to Modern America -- watch the episodes online.(set up your own free account in order to gain access and view)
• Digital History -- An interactive, multimedia history of the United States from the Revolution to the present.
• L.O.C. - official site of the Library of Congress...Great research tool on US/World History and Cultures
• U.S.GOVT. - FirstGov.gov, the official U.S. gateway to all government information, is the catalyst for a growing electronic government. Our work transcends the traditional boundaries of government and our vision is global–connecting the world to all U.S. government information and services.
• America's Story - part of the LOC site...a fun and eclectic romp through selected people and events from US History
• American Memory - American Memory provides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience. It is a digital record of American history and creativity. These materials, from the collections of the Library of Congress and other institutions, chronicle historical events, people, places, and ideas that continue to shape America, serving the public as a resource for education and lifelong learning.
• History Quest - Unusual and little known facts on American history
• The History Channel - See many moments / speeches from 20th century history "live" / In History Today update daily
• The West (1787 - 1914) - Companion to the 8 part PBS series / a complete resource from Lewis and Clark to the early 20th C
• Popular Songs In American History - American Folk and Traditional Music with Lyrics, Midi Files, Tune Information
  and History behind the folksongs and ballads. With folksongs arranged by time period.
• A Guide To American Flags
• Life In The Whitehouse -- The White House presents Life in the White House, an exclusive presentation of the rich history of the White House and West Wing. Includes good brief bios of all the Presidents and First Ladies.
• Smithsonian Institution Research Information System (SIRIS) - A serious research tool for finding books and documents in the Smithsonian Institution collections. Type "s=Indians of North America" for Native American resources.
• From Revolution to Reconstruction And What Happened Afterward - A Hypertext on American History from the colonial period until Modern Times.  Contains online topical essays, bios of Presidents and influential Americans, and a wealth of primary sources.
• Eyewitness -- From the National Archives...amazing topical multimedia photo journey through US History

II)  New York State and Local History

• The Underground Railroad in New York State - includes and excellent summary of Rochester and surrounding areas
• Rochester History - An online journal with articles written on the history of Rochester and surrounding areas going back to 1939
• Vintage Views - Rochester in the 20th century
• The Erie Canal - A Multimedia Tour
• ROCHESTER'S HISTORY: AN ILLUSTRATED TIMELINE - A complete history of our city...lots of photos and primary source documents and maps to link to from the site

III)  Family History / Geneology Research Sites

• Family Search - This web site is run by the Mormoms (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).  It is the Internet hub of their efforts to research the genealogies of all American citizens.  Perhaps your family information can be found here?
• Family Tree Magazine web site - This online magazine resource has links to many Internet genealogy resources.  Definitely worth a look.
• Ancestry.com - This is the most extensive collection of family history records on the Internet.  A lot of their information requires membership, but your family might think it's worth it for the wealth of information available here.

IV)  Comprehensive Primary Source Document Sites (each site contains many documents)

• Our Documents  - To help us think, talk and teach about the rights and responsibilities of citizens in our democracy, we invite you to explore 100 milestone documents of American history. These documents reflect our diversity and our unity, our past and our future, and mostly our commitment as a nation to continue to strive to "form a more perfect union."
• National Archives Online Exhibit Hall - Some excellent online exhibits from the kingpins of primary sources! View photos, texts, and more. Includes the highest quality digital reproductions of the Declaration of Independence complete with pages available nowhere else.
• From Revolution to Reconstruction And What Happened Afterward - A Hypertext on American History from the colonial period until Modern Times.  Great primary source links under the "documents" link
• Avalon Project -- Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy

V)  Specific On-line Primary Source Documents in American History To Consult

VI)  Key People in US History -- Biographical Essay Links

•  From Revolution to Reconstruction And What Happened Afterward - A Hypertext on American History from the colonial period until Modern Times.  Great biographies on hundreds of important contributors to making American History
• The World of Benjamin Franklin - Get a glimpse of the many sides of Franklin, and learn how he earned his reputation as a man of the Enlightenment.
  
• The Autobiography Of Benjamin Franklin - A handy hypertext version, covering Franklin's life to 1757.
  
• Benjamin Franklin: an Online Documentary History - A serious effort to make large amounts of Franklin's papers and journals available on the web. Click on "Introduction & Search" and select the "Search" option, or browse by era. Be prepared to learn entirely too much! For example, when a Molasses Act was about to pass in Parliament in 1731, Franklin published "the mortifying news" in the June 24th edition of the Pennsylvania Gazette.
  
• Andrew Jackson on the Web - the most comprehensive "Old Hickory" site  / includes a 3hr video lecture by Jackson scholar Robert Remini
• Frederick Douglass: an online biography - A brief but well written summary of Douglass' entire life, subdivided into five chronological sections plus a chronology and bibliography.
  
• John Brown - From the PBS series John Brown’s Holy War, an overview of John Brown, Bleeding Kansas, the raid on Harper’s Ferry, the Secret Six, virtual tour of Harpers Ferry, and the impact that Brown had on the coming of the Civil War.
  
• Abraham Lincoln Online - A full-featured collection of Images, speeches, letters, and historical sites about the Great Emancipator.
  

VII)  Key People / Events / Movements in US History (In-depth and Interactive Links)

The Colonial Period (Discovery through 1754)

• Archiving Early America -- Here at Archiving Early America, you will discover a wealth of resources — a unique array of primary source material from 18th Century America. Scenes and portraits from original newspapers, maps and writings come to life on your screen just as they appeared to this country's forebears more than two centuries ago.
• Oneida Indian Nation Exhibits (Northeast) - Wampum, bead work, and other artistic forms on exhibit at the Oneida Nation's Cultural Center in New York State. The official Oneida website also contains considerable historical and cultural description and writings. The Oneida are one of the five great tribes that formed the famous Iroquois Confederacy.
  
• The Moundbuilders (Nat'l Park Service) - Emerald Mound, the second largest ceremonial earthwork in the United States, stands as a monument to the Native architects who built it over two centuries before Columbus waded ashore in the Caribbean. The Mississippians, as they are known, erected earthworks across the Delta and the southeast when Europeans were living through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
  
• Canadian Museum of Civilization: Mystery of the Maya - Information about the Mayan civilization, culture, and the IMAX film, from a 1995 exhibit at the museum.
  
• Native vs. White American Values - Three charts that summarize one author's view of how Indians and White-identified Euro-Americans differ in basic outlook. Opinionated, but thoughtful.
  
• 1492: An Ongoing Voyage - 1492. Columbus. The date and the name provoke many questions related to the linking of very different parts of the world, the Western Hemisphere and the Mediterranean. What was life like in those areas before 1492? What spurred European expansion? How did European, African and American peoples react to each other? What were some of the immediate results of these contacts? 1492: AN ONGOING VOYAGE addresses such questions by examining the rich mixture of societies coexisting in five areas of this hemisphere before European arrival. It then surveys the polyglot Mediterranean world at a dynamic turning point in its development.
• Native American Wire -- Current news articles relating to Native American issues
• Age of Exploration- The Mariners' Museum of Newport News, Virginia provides a complete survey of sea-based discovery, from ancient times through about 1800. The site contains a timeline for quick reference and a topical menu for more detailed descriptions with a few illustrations.
  
• 13 Originals:  Founding the American Colonies - Wealth of Links to explore early history of the Original 13
• Salem Witch Trials Interactive Experience - From National Geographic
• Virtual Jamestown - Computer simulated look into Fort Jamestown, circa 1619
• The Jamestown Online Adventure
• Colonial House -- PBS
• Brief History of Jamestown - Basic information about the settlement and relations with the Powhatan Confederacy, including brief illustrated descriptions, a sketch map of the original fort, and a timeline. Excellent National Geographic exhibit link.
  
• Mayflower Web Pages: History and Genealogy - Provides a history of the famous vessel, plus a complete passenger list, documents (including the famous Compact along with genealogical information about each signer), journal excerpts (including Bradford's "Of Plymouth Plantation"), wills and probate lists. Excellent comprehensive site of Plymouth Colony.
• New Netherlands - Multi-page narrative from Henry Hudson's voyages to the fall of New Amsterdam (renamed New York) in 1664. A map of the colony is provided on page 7. The subsequent role of the Dutch in New York is discussed on page 8.
  
• Thanksgiving Holiday in American History - The 19th century origins of the festival, and subsequent adoption of Thanksgiving as a national holiday in the 20th century. From the Library of Congress
• Captive Passage: The Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Making of the Americas
  They arrived in chains, but their contributions have forged new links in the history of the Americas.
• Africans In America: The Terrible Transformation - Companion site to the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) video series. Read the narrative and then click on the Resource Bank for more detailed information on the slave trade.
  
• African Slave Trade Timeline - Detailed narrative and links place the American slave trade in a wider African/Atlantic context. Produced by Professor Cora Agatucci of Central Oregon Community College.
  
• Colonial Williamsburg - America's best "living museum" will give you some ideas about how people lived in the 18th century.in Virginia
  
• Religion & the Founding of the American Republic - Library of Congress electronic exhibit highlighting the religious intensity of succeeding waves of European immigrants and how it affected the course of colonial history.
  

American Revolution through the Constitution (1754 - 1787)

• Archiving Early America -- Here at Archiving Early America, you will discover a wealth of resources — a unique array of primary source material from 18th Century America. Scenes and portraits from original newspapers, maps and writings come to life on your screen just as they appeared to this country's forebears more than two centuries ago.
• Virtual Marching Tour of the American Revolution - The year is 1777, the year that the rebels become a mature army
• French & Indian War Page - Selected documents, a list of forts and other historical sites you can visit, and links to other related web pages.
  
• Boston History - The Freedom Trail - On-line version of the famous tourist attraction. Note especially the Boston Massacre site, the Old South Meeting Hall, from which Sam Adams launched the Tea Party, and Paul Revere's house.
  
• Patriots agitate: the Boston "Tea Party" - A short summary of events, with links to more information about Sam Adams and the Patriot movement.
  
• John Adams and the Boston Massacre - John Adams served as defense attorney for the soldiers accused of killing colonists in the Boston Massacre. Trial transcripts and drawings are provided.
  
• Declaring Independence: Drafting the Documents - A Library of Congress exhibit providing original copies of the Declaration of Independence, related documents and letters, and a chronology of events surrounding the Declaration's creation and publication.
  
• Account of a Declaration -  Brief biographies of prominent members of the first two Congresses, many of whom signed the Declaration of Independence. Some portraits are provided as well. There are also an assortment of Revolutionary era documents.
  
• Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention - This site contains numerous documents related to national government in the early years of the United States...great connection to the National Archives and high res look at the Dof I, Const., etc.
• A Valley Forge diary, 1777 - The observations of Albigence Waldo, a surgeon who provides many interesting details about daily life at Valley Forge, as well as the worries and concerns common among most of the men in the Continental Army who endured the harsh winter there.
  
• Yorktown 1783 - A map showing British and Franco-American positions at the beginning of the decisive siege. Click on the map to get a closeup view!
  

Constitution through the Mexican-American War (1787 - 1848)

• Temple of Liberty - A Library of Congress on-line exhibit showing the development of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. throughout American history.
  
• Captive Passage: The Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Making of the Americas.  They arrived in chains, but their contributions have forged new links in the history of the Americas.
• A Day in the Life of Monticello - Typical activities at Jefferson's famous home, in which he participated fully after leaving office in 1809. Site sponsored by the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation.
  
• Alexander Hamilton -- Watch the full PBS American Experience Video online...America's most underrated founding father
• Jefferson and Sally Hemmings: Science Meets History - DNA test results indicate that at least some of the descendents of Sally Hemmings, whose half-sister (and Jefferson's wife) Martha Wayles Skelton (1748-1782) shared the same father, were Jefferson's offspring. The site provides a collection of links to news accounts and other reports related to the controversy. Note particularly the scientific study published in the leading research journal Nature [v.396: 27-28 (5 Nov. 1998)].
  
• Slave Life at Jefferson's Monticello - Though hardly a typical plantation, Monticello provides an opportunity to learn about the life enslaved African Americans led in the South. There is a gallery containing photos and another illustrated section describing key themes called "Ties That Bind."
  
• Planning the Lewis & Clark Expedition - Maps and sketches of the sort used to prepare for the trip into the uncharted territory of the great American west. Part of the University of Virginia's historical map collection.
  
• National Geographic Lewis and Clark Journey - When Thomas Jefferson dispatched Lewis and Clark to find a water route across North America and explore the uncharted West, he expected they'd encounter woolly mammoths, erupting volcanoes, and a mountain of pure salt. What they found was no less surprising. See it all on our journey: journal entries, historical photos, drawings, and more.
• Lewis and Clark Inteactive Trail Map - Companion to the PBS Ken Burns program...Walk in L & Cs shoes!
• National Geographic's The Way West - Travel west to California in the late 1840s along the wagon trails.
• American Experience: The Donner Party - A "tasty" trip West with the Donner and Read families
• Oregon Trail Virtual Tour
• In Search of de Tocqueville's Democracy in America - Survey Alexis de Tocquevilles's travels in America, a chronology of his life illustrated by pictures of famous sites in France, and read some quotations from "Democracy in America." The site is sponsored by C-SPAN, broadcasters of Congressional debates and other governmental activities.
  
• Erie Canal - The University of Rochester's official site has maps, images, drawings, biographies and chronologies showing the creation and subsequent development of the canal and related equipment. This ambitious online project is only just in its early stages.
  
• Old Sturbridge Village - A living history museum in Massachusetts that embodies preindustrial village life in America.
  
• Scientific American - The first magazine to carry this name was not very technically oriented, but like the Penny Magazine it captures the flavor of the new urban middle class, with its focus on the future and progress. The online site provides the first eight issues from the year 1845.
  
• The Evolution of the Conservation Movement, 1850-1920 - The first signs of environmental consciousness emerged among reformers just before the Civil War. This collection of pamphlets, essays, and images includes the full text of Henry David Thoreau's "Excursions." Use the timeline to find resources.
  
• The Transcendentalists - Thorough coverage of America's first indigenous philosophical movement, including its leading figure, Ralph Waldo Emerson.
  

Causes of the Civil War through The Civil War (1848 - 1865)


• American Slave Narratives - A small selection of narratives of slave life by those who lived in slavery and then experienced freedom. The narratives were collected by historians and anthropologists hired by the Federal government during the New Deal of the 1930s. A selection of very brief sound clips is also provided (a WAV player is required, but Netscape and Microsoft browsers should be able to handle this by themselves). Links to other Web sites and a bibliography round out this important Web page.
  
• Selected statistics on slavery - A brief but interesting collection of data, with a supporting bibliography. Produced by an amateur historian.
  
• Underground Railroad - A full-featured site that includes music, a time line, a map, and links to other websites. It provides a good sense of what a journey north through New England into Canada with Harriet Tubman was like. Created by National Geographic...go on the simulation to gain your feeedom!
• Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: African American Research - The forced breakup of African American families due to the internal slave trade has made it difficult to trace family lineages and learn about family history. This web site suggests ways to perform research that any student of slavery will find useful.
  
• Uncle Tom’s Cabin and American Culture - From the University of Virginia, an extensive site including the text of the novel, illustrations, and reviews and responses to the book.
  
• The Lincoln-Douglas Debates - Information about each of the debates including the transcripts from an extensive site at Northern Illinois University. Includes biographical information and background information on the historical themes of that era in American politics.
  
• The Dred Scott Case - This website from Washington University Libraries provides an overview of the case, a chronology, and links to numerous sites including the case documents.
  
• American Civil War Battles - This site contains descriptions of most of the major battles of the American Civil War (some of the minor battles as well)
• You're the General Game -- Make decisions as US Grant at the Battle of Shiloh
• USS Monitor: History and Legacy - This Civil War ironclad was a technological marvel; explore her continuing story.
• The Home of the American Civil War Page - Your A to Z reference guide to the Civil War
• The Civil War Home Page - Another comprehensive site to all things Civil War related...lots of primary sources.
• The Gettysburg Address - Drafts and final text, the only photo of Lincoln at Gettysburg, and document preservation techniques are all part of this Library of Congress display.
  
• Selected Civil War Photographs - Over 1100 photos of Civil War figures and events. Click on "Search" by subject or keyword, or simply browse the best single collection of war photos. Most of the items were produced by the leading photographer of his time, Mathew Brady, or his assistants.
  
• An Iowa soldier 's letters home - Private Newton Scott's letters were typical of those written by young men on both sides in the Civil War. Additional information about Scott's service record and wife Hannah are provided as well.
  
• Civil War music - Read the words (and in some cases hear the melodies) of famous Union and Confederate songs, including "Marching Through Georgia" and "When Johnny Comes Marching Home."
  
• Sherman's March:  Interactive Map
• Civil War 150 - The History Channel Interactively Commemorates the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War in 1861.

Reconstruction through America Becomes A World Power (1865 - 1900)

• American's Reconstruction:  People and Politics After the Civil War from Digital History
• Reconstruction:  The Second Civil War - PBS American Experience site -- view entire documentary online.
• The Race To Utah - Interactive journey with the UP and CP as they construct the transcontinental railroad
• 500 Nations Streaming Video
• Ellis Island Online Database 1892-1924 - This site contains directions for searching the microfilm records of American immigrants who arrived here between 1892-1924. You can also find information on U.S. census records and U.S. Naturalization records.
• Ellis Island Interactive Experience-- From the History Channel / Will you be allowed to enter through the Golden Door?
• Ellis Island Video on Youtube
• More Ellis Island Interactivity!
• Lower East Side Tenement Museum - Experience life as a recent 19th-early 20th century immigrant to New York City living in a tenement.  Incredible virtual reality tour of 97 Orchard St. tenement complete with audio tour.  Online history at its best!
• More Tenements! / YouTube Clip On Tenement Living
• Corner The Market Game -- Can you be as successful in business as "The Rock"???
• New York:  A Documentary Film -- PBS Companion Site to Episode 3:  Sunshine and Shadow (1865 - 1898) and Episode 4:  The Power and the People (1898 - 1918)
• Hidden New York -- A Virtual Reality Tour of 12 Little Known Locations Throughout the City
• Crucible of Empire:  The Spanish American War PBS Site

The Turn of the Century through World War I (1900 - 1918)

• First In Flight -- Discovery Channel shows you the Wright Brothers Flight in virtual reality
• The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire - Horrific history leads to much needed workplace safety reform -- You are there.
• Online Edition of Jacob Riis' How The Other Half Lives
• Win the Election of 1912 Game -- You become a last minute 4th party entry in this famous 3 way race!

Post World War I through pre-World War II (1918 to late 1930)

• Pershing's Doughboys -- learn what it took to be part of the A.E.F.
• Life of a Doughboy -- an inside look at lice, mud, food, etc. that made up their world in the trenches
• The Great War Slang -- new words that came out of the Great War
• The Doughboy Center -- your most comprehensive site of A.E.F. information
• Life In The Trenches -- virtual tour
• 1918 Influenza Epidemic
• A Primer for 1920s Vocabulary
• Get Your Model T Here!
• The New Deal Network
• A New Deal For The Arts
• The FDR Rap -- Part of the FDR Presidential Library Site...a ton of FDR info.

Causes of World War II through World War II (1930s - 1945)

• National Geographic Remembering Pearl Harbor - As close as you can come to being there, online.
• National Geographic:  Untold Stories of D-day
• Discovery Channel:  D-day Remembered in their own words
• Fireside Chat / December 9, 1941 / FDR addresses the public re the task ahead of us
• A More Perfect Union - Smithsonial presents the Japanese-American experience during WWII
• National Geographic:  Battle of Midway
• Battle of the Atlantic: Allied Naval Intelligence in World War II - While German U-boats wrecked havoc on merchant shipping in the Atlantic, Allied intelligence worked diligently to break the enemy's communication codes.
• Battle of the Atlantic Game -- Can you lead a convoy safely across the ocean, avoiding those deady U-boats?
• PRODUCE FOR VICTORY:  Posters on the American Home Front (1941-45) World War II posters helped to mobilize a nation. Inexpensive, accessible, and ever-present, the poster was an ideal agent for making war aims the personal mission of every citizen. Government agencies, businesses, and private organizations issued an array of poster images linking the military front with the home front--calling upon every American to boost production at work and at home. Smithsonian Institute site.
• Powers of Persuasion -- poster art from WW II (see Bugs Bunny selling war bonds!)
• The Manhattan Project -- An Interactive History

Post World War II (1945 - Present)

• The Living Weapon -- Watch the full PBS documentary online which details the United States biological weapons program from during World War II until 1975.

The Cold War

• CNN Interactive -- The most comprehensive Cold War site around -- from the Space Race to Spy Rings, its all here
• 14 Days In October -- The Cuban Missile Crisis

Civil Rights Movement

• Separate is Not Equal - Smithsonial Virtual Exhibit on the Brown v. Bd. decision
• Songs of the Civil Rights Movement
• MLK Online -- Speeches, Video, etc.
• Voices of Civil Rights -- Audio reflections of the participants themselves

Vietnam War

 

Everything Else

• The Watergate Files (Formerly Top Secret!)

VIII)  Links To Student Work On My "American Heroes Page"

 And, of course, you can always try a google.com search for whatever you seek on the Internet!