Putting the "Social" back in Social Studies

Why We Remember the Holocaust

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:01:51 -0500

todaysdocument: Operation Cue - May 5, 1955 Part of the overall...

Tue, 07 May 2013 12:01:24 -0500

[Operation Cue] - A few minutes after detonation the atomic blast in Operation Cue looked like this, 05/05/1955 ARC Identifier 541787

Two-Story House at Operation Cue, 5,500 Feet from Blast, before the Blast, 05/05/1955 ARC Identifier 6234460

Two-Story House at Operation Cue, 5,500 Feet from Blast, after the Blast, 05/05/1955 ARC Identifier 6234461

Mannequin in a Two-Story House at Operation Cue, 5,500 Feet from Blast, before the Blast, 05/05/1955 ARC Identifier 6234464

Mannequin in a Two-Story House at Operation Cue, 5,500 Feet from Blast, after the Blast, 05/05/1955 ARC Identifier 6234466

[Operation Cue] - One-story shed beside LP (liquified petroleum) tank - both smoldering from heat of flash, 05/05/1955 ARC Identifier 541790

[Operation Cue] - One-story shed beside LP (liquified petroleum) tank as blast wave hits disintegrating shed, 05/05/1955 ARC Identifier 541791

todaysdocument:

Operation Cue - May 5, 1955

Part of the overall “Operation Teapot” series of nuclear test explosions in Nevada, Operation Cue was a civil defense exercise to intended to observe the effects of nuclear weapons on a civilian infrastructure, including the construction of test houses populated with mannequins.

Photographs of Operation Cue from the Records of the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization, 1947 - 1962

via DocsTeach

fdrlibrary: Day 56: May 5

Mon, 06 May 2013 12:01:36 -0500

fdrlibrary:

Day 56: May 5

diaryofafyt: mickwe: World population by longitude and...

Wed, 01 May 2013 12:01:23 -0500

diaryofafyt:

mickwe:

World population by longitude and latitude (via World Population By Latitude, Longitude | Geekosystem)

The geography teacher in me LOVES this. Maps are awesome!

i-said-adventure: as-adorable-derps-do: j-wolf-harding: demons...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:01:45 -0500

i-said-adventure:

as-adorable-derps-do:

j-wolf-harding:

demons:

The immediate reaction of German POWs upon watching uncensored footage of the concentration camps shot by the US Signal Corps.

People often forget that most of the German troops had no idea about what was going on, they weren’t all fanatic Nazis bent on genocide, they were just regular soldiers who answered the call when their country went to war.

^ This

THANK YOU SO MUCH OMG

It’s so important to teach this. Many students think the Nazi’s were evil. And while the regime committed horrific atrocities, many individual soldiers didn’t really know. The Germany people didn’t really know.

It’s an important lesson, what can happen when good people do nothing, or when good people don’t pay attention to the atrocities committed in their name.

renateharris: If you are a teacher, you have to watch this. If...

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 10:40:48 -0500

renateharris:

If you are a teacher, you have to watch this. If you have school age children, you have to watch this. And if you know a teacher….make them watch this. I plan on showing this at staff development for our new school year.

If you need some motivation while you’re grading and lesson planning this weekend.

thekidscallmemskost: todaysdocument: mypubliclands: The...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:29:07 -0500

Photograph of Civilian Conservation Corps Enrollee Planting a Tree ARC Identifier 594253. todaysdocument.tumblr.com

Students in Guyana are happy that Peace Corps Volunteer Tka Tyne helped revive their local learning center! peacecorps.tumblr.com

2 days ago – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry laughs after getting a hug from Ryousei, an 18-month-old he met while touring the Zojoji Shrine, in Tokyo. statedept.tumblr.com

Will the Base Runner Start for Third? by Clifford Berryman, 8/17/1906, U.S. Senate Collection (ARC 6010644) -- Congressarchives.tumblr.com

Gorgeous sunrise photo at Tipsoo Pond in Mt. Rainier National Park, Washington. AmericasGreatOutdoors.tumblr.com

thekidscallmemskost:

todaysdocument:

mypubliclands:

The Federal Government on Tumblr

Increasingly, Federal agencies (like us here at the Bureau of Land Management) are using Tumblr to share photos, science, events, initiatives, and other great content with the Tumblr community. Here’s a list of some awesome Federal government blogs you should be following on Tumblr. It’s probably not exhaustive, but these are the ones we know about that post more than occasionally.

Reblog and help share the word:

America’s Great Outdoors: The Department of the Interior (our parent agency) shares an amazing photo a day of your public lands.

Archivist of the United States: The Tumblr of our “collector in chief” at the National Archives, David S Ferriero.

Bureau of Reclamation: Reclamation, and Interior Dept agency, is the largest wholesale water supplier and the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States, with operations and facilities in the 17 Western States.

Congress in the Archives: Since the First Congress in 1789, the records of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have documented the history of the legislative branch. The National Archives helps you explore this history.

Conservation at Work: The Natural Resources Conservation Service, part of the Department of Agriculture, posts photos of conservation on farms and other private lands across the nation.

Fish and Wildlife Service: The Pacific Region of the FWS encompasses extraordinary ecological diversity. Photos, science, and more.

Internal Revenue Service: Because who doesn’t want tax information on Tumblr? Useful tips, videos, etc., straight from the IRS.

My Public Lands: The awesomeness of the Bureau of Land Management, which manages more than 245 million acres of amazing lands, as told by students, interns, and newer employees.

Our Presidents: One space to bring the past 13 Presidents together. Discover behind-the-scenes history here. Managed by the National Archives.

National Archives: News and current events from the United States National Archives and Records Administration whose holdings include the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, military records, Presidential records, and millions of other documents related to the Federal Government.

Peace Corps: Life is calling. How far will you go? Get up close with the amazing work done by peace corps volunteers.

U.S. Department of State: Videos, photos, testimony, and updates from the State Department. Foreign policy updates on Tumblr—how cool is that?

Today’s Document: Highlighting interesting documents the National Archives’ holdings—both the well-known and the obscure—to observe historical events (usually the significant events but sometimes just the curious ones).

USA.gov: Government made easy. On Tumblr. Enough said.

US National Archives Exhibits: Images and stories from the National Archives related to “Searching for the Seventies: the DOCUMERICA Photography Project,” the newest exhibition on display at the Archives’ facility in Washington, DC.

But wait, there’s more!

Preservation at the National Archives: All things preservation at the National Archives and Records Administration. Posts to this site come from all of the Preservation Programs departments, including: Conservation, St. Louis Preservation, and National Preservation Programs.

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library: Dedicated to the memory of our nation’s 35th president and to all those who through the art of politics seek a new and better world.

LBJ Time Machine: Taking a trip through time, from the birth of Lyndon Johnson in 1908 through 2013 at the LBJ Library and Museum.

FDR Library: Follow the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum as we count down to the rededication of the Roosevelt Library and the opening of the new permanent museum exhibits.

The Tumblrweed Times from the National Archives at Riverside, CA: We are the National Archives at Riverside—a unit of the U.S. National Archives. Our records document the Federal government in the western states of Arizona, southern California and Clark County, Nevada.

Because I’m a really big nerd…

historicalheroines: I’ve created these flyers for a school...

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 12:01:24 -0500

historicalheroines:

I’ve created these flyers for a school activist project where I bring more attention to the women in history that have been forgotten or ignored. This blog will be an extension of those flyers where I post longer biographies of these women and other bad-ass women like them. Too often women’s achievements have been pushed aside, either by others in their lives, or else by the historians who choose to ignore them. This tumblr is dedicated to celebrating them and bringing their achievements to light!

schr0dinger: will never not reblog because historygasm

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:01:47 -0500

schr0dinger:

will never not reblog because historygasm

publius-esquire: Founding Fathers: A Powerpoint Or, Something

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 20:26:46 -0500

publius-esquire:

Founding Fathers: A Powerpoint

Or, Something

"Parents, be a partner instead of a prosecutor And parents, you know, it’s OK for your child to get..."

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:01:19 -0600

“

Parents, be a partner instead of a prosecutor

And parents, you know, it’s OK for your child to get in trouble sometimes. It builds character and teaches life lessons. As teachers, we are vexed by those parents who stand in the way of those lessons; we call them helicopter parents because they want to swoop in and save their child every time something goes wrong. If we give a child a 79 on a project, then that is what the child deserves. Don’t set up a time to meet with me to negotiate extra credit for an 80. It’s a 79, regardless of whether you think it should be a B+.

This one may be hard to accept, but you shouldn’t assume that because your child makes straight A’s that he/she is getting a good education. The truth is, a lot of times it’s the bad teachers who give the easiest grades, because they know by giving good grades everyone will leave them alone. Parents will say, “My child has a great teacher! He made all A’s this year!”

Wow. Come on now. In all honesty, it’s usually the best teachers who are giving the lowest grades, because they are raising expectations. Yet, when your children receive low scores you want to complain and head to the principal’s office.

Please, take a step back and get a good look at the landscape. Before you challenge those low grades you feel the teacher has “given” your child, you might need to realize your child “earned” those grades and that the teacher you are complaining about is actually the one that is providing the best education.

”

- What teachers really want to tell parents. (via mb24jg)

knowhomo: LGBTQ* Podcasts You May Have Missed Stuff You Missed...

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 12:01:19 -0600

knowhomo:

LGBTQ* Podcasts You May Have Missed

Stuff You Missed in History Class, from How Stuff W?rks, is a wonderful source for information about LGBTQ* culture. In the last year, they did the podcast “Who Wore the Pink Triangle,” and even covered a gay man who may have been the inspiration for Indiana Jones.

Should you find yourself with time, check out their podcast on iTunes or on HowStuffWorks.com. They also have an app!

Interested in Pink Triangle History?

Want to know more?

A Survivor’s Story — Read Here

Paragraph 175 — Read Here

Pink Triangle History — Read Here

(Upsetting) Post-Camp History — Read Here

Pink Triangle Memorial — Read Here

Theatre/Play about Pink Triangles: Bent — Read Here

Graphic Novel, including a Hitler Youth Homosexual Relationship — Read Here

pbsthisdayinhistory: Feb. 18, 1885: Huckleberry Finn is...

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:22:39 -0600

pbsthisdayinhistory:

Feb. 18, 1885: Huckleberry Finn is Published

On this day in 1885, Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in the United States. The book follows Huck and Jim, a runaway slave, as they travel on a raft down the Mississippi River.

Due to the book’s crude language and depiction of slavery and life in the South, Huckleberry Finn was banned in some places in the U.S. Today, literary critics recognize it as a literary masterpiece, but the book remains controversial in schools.

Keep learning about Twain’s work and other literary classics with American Masters’ “The American Novel” timeline.

Image: 1884 Illustration from first edition of Huckleberry Finn (Library of Congress).

pbsthisdayinhistory: February 1964: House of Representatives...

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:01:47 -0600

pbsthisdayinhistory:

February 1964: House of Representatives Passes Civil Rights Act

This week in 1964, a landmark piece of legislation that outlawed all major forms of discrimination in the U.S. passed the House of Representatives: The Civil Rights Act of 1964. It would go on to pass the Senate in June and was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2, 1964.  

Test your knowledge about some of the defining moments and events that led up to this civil rights victory with a quiz: The Year 1963.

Image: The Civil Rights Act of 1964. What’s in it: Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, 1964. Pamphlet. (NAACP Records, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress)

pbsthisdayinhistory: February 10, 1967: Twenty-fifth Amendment...

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:01:17 -0600

pbsthisdayinhistory:

February 10, 1967: Twenty-fifth Amendment is Ratified

On this day in 1967, the Twenty-fifth Amendment was ratified and added to the U.S. Constitution thirteen days later on February 23. The amendment clarified the role of the Vice President during unique situations.

The main points are:  

1. If a President dies or resigns, the Vice President becomes President .

2. If the Vice President seat becomes open, the President needs to nominate a Vice President and Congress needs to vote .

3. With a written declaration, the President may appoint the Vice President as an “Acting President.” 

4. The Vice President and Congress can call an emergency order that states that the President is incapable to carry on his duties. The President may veto the provision, but needs to prove that he is capable.

Think you know the U.S. Constitution? Refresh your memory with our collection of U.S. amendments!

Image: Page 1 of the Twenty-fifth Amendment (National Archives)

tiny-librarian: Queen Victoria’s wedding dress and wedding...

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 12:01:32 -0600

tiny-librarian:

Queen Victoria’s wedding dress and wedding shoes. She set the fashion for white bridal gowns, which has continued to this day.

Two of my students are doing their History Day Project on Godey’s Magazine who reported on and helped popularize white wedding dresses thanks to the Queen.

19 Maps That Will Help You Put the U.S. in Perspective

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 16:59:03 -0600

19 Maps That Will Help You Put the U.S. in Perspective:

diaryofafyt:

Map projection and distortion are very real - my 6th graders and I had fun exploring both concepts.

collectivehistory: Some of the African American men of the...

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 12:01:33 -0600

collectivehistory:

Some of the African American men of the 369th (15th N.Y.) who won the Croix de Guerre for gallantry in action, 1919 (NARA)

charlie-says-sloth: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Rosa...

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 12:01:16 -0600

charlie-says-sloth:

10 Things You Didn’t Know About Rosa Parks

littlemissmutant:

aninvisibleman:

1. Parks had been thrown off the bus a decade earlier by the same bus driver — for refusing to pay in the front and go around to the back to board. She had avoided that driver’s bus for twelve years because she knew well the risks of angering drivers, all of whom were white and carried guns. Her own mother had been threatened with physical violence by a bus driver, in front of Parks who was a child at the time. Parks’ neighbor had been killed for his bus stand, and teenage protester Claudette Colvin, among others, had recently been badly manhandled by the police.

2. Parks was a lifelong believer in self-defense. Malcolm X was her personal hero. Her family kept a gun in the house, including during the boycott, because of the daily terror of white violence. As a child, when pushed by a white boy, she pushed back. His mother threatened to kill her, but Parks stood her ground. Another time, she held a brick up to a white bully, daring him to follow through on his threat to hit her. He went away. When the Klu Klux Klan went on rampages through her childhood town, Pine Level, Ala., her grandfather would sit on the porch all night with his rifle. Rosa stayed awake some nights, keeping vigil with him.

3. Her husband was her political partner. Parks said Raymond was “the first real activist I ever met.” Initially she wasn’t romantically interested because Raymond was more light-skinned than she preferred, but she became impressed with his boldness and “that he refused to be intimidated by white people.” When they met he was working to free the nine Scottsboro boys and she joined these efforts after they were married. At Raymond’s urging, Parks, who had to drop out in the eleventh grade to care for her sick grandmother, returned to high school and got her diploma. Raymond’s input was crucial to Parks’ political development and their partnership sustained her political work over many decades.

4. Many of Parks’ ancestors were Indians. She noted this to a friend who was surprised when in private Parks removed her hairpins and revealed thick braids of wavy hair that fell below her waist. Her husband, she said, liked her hair long and she kept it that way for many years after his death, although she never wore it down in public. Aware of the racial politics of hair and appearance, she tucked it away in a series of braids and buns — maintaining a clear division between her public presentation and private person.

5. Parks’ arrest had grave consequences for her family’s health and economic well-being. After her arrest, Parks was continually threatened, such that her mother talked for hours on the phone to keep the line busy from constant death threats. Parks and her husband lost their jobs after her stand and didn’t find full employment for nearly ten years. Even as she made fundraising appearances across the country, Parks and her family were at times nearly destitute. She developed painful stomach ulcers and a heart condition, and suffered from chronic insomnia. Raymond, unnerved by the relentless harassment and death threats, began drinking heavily and suffered two nervous breakdowns. The black press, culminating in JET magazine’s July 1960 story on “the bus boycott’s forgotten woman,” exposed the depth of Parks’ financial need, leading civil rights groups to finally provide some assistance.

6. Parks spent more than half of her life in the North. The Parks family had to leave Montgomery eight months after the boycott ended. She lived for most of that time in Detroit in the heart of the ghetto, just a mile from the epicenter of the 1967 Detroit riot. There, she spent nearly five decades organizing and protesting racial inequality in “the promised land that wasn’t.”

7. In 1965 Parks got her first paid political position, after over two decades of political work. After volunteering for Congressman John Conyers’s long shot political campaign, Parks helped secure his primary victory by convincing Martin Luther King, Jr. to come to Detroit on Conyers’s behalf. He later hired her to work with constituents as an administrative assistant in his Detroit office. For the first time since her bus stand, Parks finally had a salary, access to health insurance, and a pension — and the restoration of dignity that a formal paid position allowed.

8. Parks was far more radical than has been understood. She worked alongside the Black Power movement, particularly around issues such as reparations, black history, anti-police brutality, freedom for black political prisoners, independent black political power, and economic justice. She attended the Black Political Convention in Gary and the Black Power conference in Philadelphia. She journeyed to Lowndes County, Alabama to support the movement there, spoke at the Poor People’s Campaign, helped organize support committees on behalf of black political prisoners such as the Wilmington 10 and Imari Obadele of the Republic of New Africa, and paid a visit of support to the Black Panther school in Oakland, CA.

9. Parks was an internationalist. She was an early opponent of the Vietnam War in the early 1960s, a member of The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and a supporter of the Winter Soldier hearings in Detroit and the Jeannette Rankin Brigade protest in D.C. In the 1980s, she protested apartheid and U.S. complicity, joining a picket outside the South African embassy and opposed U.S. policy in Central America. Eight days after 9/11, she joined other activists in a letter calling on the United States to work with the international community and no retaliation or war.

10. Parks was a lifelong activist and a hero to many, including Nelson Mandela. After his release from prison, he told her, “You sustained me while I was in prison all those years.”

This is so great to know and I knew absolutely none of it before reading this post. Should be taught in schools.

theatlantic: The Oldest Known Photographs of a U.S....

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:01:21 -0600

theatlantic:

The Oldest Known Photographs of a U.S. President

The first photograph of a sitting United States president was taken of William Henry Harrison on March 4, 1841. The new executive had just delivered his inaugural speech — the outdoor address now most remembered (wrongly) for giving him the pneumonia that would kill him — and he paused, afterward, to pose for a portrait using the new technology of the daguerrotype.

That photograph, much like its subject, had an unexpectedly short tenure. Harrison’s inaugural portrait has since been lost to history — meaning that the oldest surviving photograph we have of an American president depicts a chief executive after his presidency. There are a couple candidates for “oldest.” But they are, regardless, depictions of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president, in office from 1825-1829.

Read more. [Images: AP, Smithsonian, Wikimedia]