Access to primary source document collections for studying history is one of the most exciting online opportunities. K-12 students heretofore would not be able to peruse first-hand accounts, old news articles, maps and so much more without visiting real major archive collections in person. Schools in rural areas have pushed accessibility via this new technology and some have outpaced their colleagues even in university communities, because they have seen this new window onto knowledge and research.

According to Lee Ann Potter in the Nov/Dec 2011 issue of Social Education, primary sources can be used as points of entry into difficult topics and ignite a conversation and allow students to draw important conclusions; discover details about horrific events, especially human responses; consider the origins of prejudice;confront ghastly topics that feed today's fears with the benefit of a buffer created by the passage of time; and provide evidence that every generation confronts similar issues.

A tool for analyses of these documents can be found www.loc.gov/teachers.

Don Mabry's Historical Text Archive is one of the largest and best-cataloged collections. The University of Kansas and Michigan State contain comprehensive collections of links--ancient to modern resources all around the world, journals , museums, associations and other libraries.

NARA, the U.S. National Archives and Record Administration,now called just Archives, has just begun to display its holdings, almost all of which cannot be found elsewhere. For starters look at the collection of WWII posters and often-cited but not in full documents like the Emancipation Proclamation and the Japanese Surrender at the end of WWII. Information about the relocation of many Japanese in the United States can also be found by visiting the Smithsonian site.

The 1930 Census Data has been digitized--a fascinating glimpse into the demographics of that era. The Making of America at the University of Michigan is fascinating, because it ends with the turn of the 19th century. Prints and other such documents, heretofore in private stacks, have been placed online.

Here are some examples of specialized collections: 25,000 photos of California history at Berkeley, the Renaissance in Elizabethan England, and the U.S. Office of Scientific and Technical Information.

The official site for the U.S. Supreme Court includes slip opinions that are released on the day that a case is decided, volumes of all of the Court's published opinions since October 1991, and oral argument and briefing schedules for current cases. While text is still the mainstay of the Court, the technology is used for its in-depth and daily update capacities. Famous American Trials cover the Scopes Monkey trial, Amistad, Salem Witchcraft and the Scottsboro Trials. These precedent-setting events come alive.

Our Documents is a collaboration among many archive agencies to provide wider access to key U.S. History expressions of turning points. Often, texts include excerpts of these primary sources but students will gain greater understandings if they can read the entire document. Graphical documents, such as the Great Seal and Edison't patent of the electric light bulb, are included in addition to the more familiar treaties. The scope also reflects the "whole" United States, such as the Hawaiian annexation, child labor and Chinese exclusion and creation of Japanese internment camps, act. Students canview aerial photographs of missiles in Cuba. Whatever the topic, the "original" can be included! Best History Sites, in addition to the above features, is frequently updated so that historical resources, not typically accessible, are handy. For instance, background resources about Iraq, a topic not often taught in school, have been posted. For a comparison between British and U.S. views of historical events look at Spartacus.

Children of Chinese immigrants, housed at Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, are collecting memoirs so that slice of history will be preserved.

To debate the most controversial issues of our day look at Justice Learning, sponsored by the Annenberg Trusts, NPR and the New York Times Learning Network. Students can hear the voices of government leaders. This site fits the senior government and modern problems modules.

EDC has prepared lessons for students to scrutinize historical photographs for acquiring interpretation skills. The selection is interesting and varied.

The Digital History Reader is a content- and inquiry-based for teaching European and American history with illustrative, multi-media downloads.

Historical Thinking Matters is a collaboration between the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University and Stanford University's History Education group. The resources can be used flexibly and creatively.The site has 5 inquiries, among which is the Scopes Trial and Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Boycott.Each site poses a central question. Short movies, timelines, relevant text references, contrasting views, and primary source documents with analyses. Students can also maintain an interactive notebook with additional resources and guiding questions. Teacher materials and strategies with lesson plans and student work samples. This site exemplifies the use of technology as a tool to expand available information and deepening student learning.

The National Jukebox offers recordings on a streaming-only basis. The introduction observes that during both WWI and WWIImany songs made the top 20 lists. Music can be browsed by category, language, place, date ranges, and composer, for instance.