Website Spotlight: The West

 

Website URL: http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/program/

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

In this post, I limit myself to those specific aspects of the website which I find fit particularly well within our face-to-face class sessions (each student is required to bring a laptop to class) or as the basis for the students' regularly-assigned written reactions.

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I ask the students to work through the following links:

I. People:
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/

Stephen F. Austin
William Clark
Francisco Coronado
Charles Crocker
Charles Goodnight
Sam Houston
Meriwether Lewis
James K. Polk
Sacagawea
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Father Junipero Serra
Joseph Smith
Leland Stanford
Levi Strauss
John Sutter
Frederick Jackson Turner
Narcissa and Marcus Whitman
Brigham Young

II. Events Timeline
http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/events/

Extensive, very well done timeline.

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Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course module on the wiki:

2. The other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT 

Website Spotlight: Mountain Men and the Fur Trade Virtual Museum

 

 
Website URL: http://www.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/museum/index.html

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

In this post, I limit myself to those specific aspects of the website which I find fit particularly well within our face-to-face class sessions (each student is required to bring a laptop to class) or as the basis for the students' regularly-assigned written reactions.

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I ask the students to work through the following links:

Trapper's Camp
http://user.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/museum/camp/camp.html

Rendezvous Trade Goods
http://user.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/museum/goods/goods.html

Guns of the Mountain Men
http://user.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/museum/guns/guns.html

Cache
http://user.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/museum/cache/cache.html

Want Ads for Mountain Men
http://www.mtmen.org/mtman/html/ads.html

Indian Sign Language
http://www.mtmen.org/mtman/html/signs.html

Mountain Men Lingo
http://www.mtmen.org/amm/gloss.html

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Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course module on the wiki:

2. The other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT 

Website Spotlight: Oregon Trail

 

Website URL: http://www.america101.us/trail/Allabout.html 

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

In this post, I limit myself to those specific aspects of the website which I find fit particularly well within our face-to-face class sessions (each student is required to bring a laptop to class) or as the basis for the students' regularly-assigned written reactions.

++++++++++

I ask the students to work through the following links:

Introduction

http://www.america101.us/trail/Introduction.html

Discoverers and Explorers

http://www.america101.us/trail/Discoverers.html

"Jumping off"
http://www.america101.us/trail/Jumpingoff.html

The Route West
http://www.america101.us/trail/routewest.html

Power
http://www.america101.us/trail/Power.html

Hardships
http://www.america101.us/trail/Hardships.html

Camping
http://www.america101.us/trail/Camping.html

Buffalo
http://www.america101.us/trail/buffalo.html

Native Americans
http://www.america101.us/trail/buffalo.html

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Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course module on the wiki:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Expansion

2. The other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT 

Website Spotlight: U.S.-Mexican War

Website URL: http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/index_noflash.html

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

In this post, I limit myself to those specific aspects of the website which I find fit particularly well within our face-to-face class sessions (each student is required to bring a laptop to class) or as the basis for the students' regularly-assigned written reactions.

++++++++++

On the war itself, I ask the students to work through the following links:

James K. Polk and the Mexican War
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/jp_jp_and_the_mexican_war.html

Stephen F. Austin
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/biographies/stephen_austin.html

Sam Houston
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/biographies/sam_houston.html

Captain John C. Fremont
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/biographies/john_fremont.html

Colonel Stephen W. Kearny
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/biographies/stephen_kearny.html

General General Antonio López de Santa Anna
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/biographies/antonio_lopez_de_santa_anna.html

The American Army
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/american_army.html

Army Life: U.S. Army
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/army_life_us.html

Army Life: Mexican Army
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/army_life_mexican.html

Newspapers: U.S. Press
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/us_press.html

War Correspondents
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/war_correspondents.html

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/war/wars_end_guadalupe.html

Was the U.S.-Mexican War Necessary?
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/aftermath/was_the_war_necessary.html

Crucible for Greatness
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/aftermath/crucible_for_greatness.html

Many Truths Constitute the Past
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/aftermath/many_truths.html

On Manifest Destiny, I use the following:

Introduction
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/md_introduction.html

The Power of an Idea
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/md_power_of_an_idea.html

An Ideal or a Justification?
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/md_an_ideal_or_a_justification.html

An Early Agenda of Expansion
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/md_an_early_agenda.html

Manifest Destiny - Sam W. Haynes
http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/md_manifest_destiny.html

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Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course module on the wiki:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Expansion

2. The other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT 

Website Spotlight: Trail of Tears

Website URL: http://www.nps.gov/history/NR/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/118trail/118trail.htm

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

In this post, I limit myself to those specific aspects of the website which I find fit particularly well within our face-to-face class sessions (each student is required to bring a laptop to class) or as the basis for the students' regularly-assigned written reactions.

++++++++++

I ask the students to work through the following links:

Setting the Stage
http://www.nps.gov/history/NR/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/118trail/118setting.htm

Reading #1: The Cherokee Nation in the 1820s
http://www.nps.gov/history/NR/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/118trail/118facts1.htm

Reading #2: "You cannot remain where you now are ..."
http://www.nps.gov/history/NR/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/118trail/118facts2.htm

Reading #3: "Every Cherokee man, woman or child must be in motion..."
http://www.nps.gov/history/NR/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/118trail/118facts3.htm

Photo #3: Rattlesnake Springs
http://www.nps.gov/history/NR/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/118trail/118visual4.htm
 
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Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course module on the wiki:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Expansion

2. The other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT 

Website Spotlight: James K. Polk

 

Website URL: http://millercenter.org/president/polk 

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

Among the many worthwhile aspects of the Miller Center (University of Virginia) site, I ask the students to concentrate on the following four essays:

Life Before the Presidency
http://millercenter.org/president/polk/essays/biography/2
Campaigns and Elections
http://millercenter.org/president/polk/essays/biography/3
Domestic Affairs
http://millercenter.org/president/polk/essays/biography/4
Foreign Affairs
http://millercenter.org/president/polk/essays/biography/5

~~For a review of the Miller Center website:

TeachingHistory.org (National History Education Clearinghouse)
http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/website-reviews/14722

++++++++++

Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course module on the wiki:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Expansion

2. Other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT

Website Spotlight: Andrew Jackson

Website URL: http://millercenter.org/president/jackson

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

Among the many worthwhile aspects of the Miller Center (University of Virginia) site, I ask the students to concentrate on the following four essays:

Life Before the Presidency
http://millercenter.org/president/jackson/essays/biography/2
Campaigns and Elections
http://millercenter.org/president/jackson/essays/biography/3
Domestic Affairs
http://millercenter.org/president/jackson/essays/biography/4
Foreign Affairs
http://millercenter.org/president/jackson/essays/biography/5

~~For a review of the Miller Center website:

TeachingHistory.org (National History Education Clearinghouse)
http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/website-reviews/14722

++++++++++

Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course module on the wiki:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Expansion

2. Other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT

Website Spotlight: Gold Rush

Website URL: http://museumca.org/goldrush/fever.html

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

In this post, I limit myself to those specific aspects of the website which I find fit particularly well within our face-to-face class sessions (each student is required to bring a laptop to class) or as the basis for the students' regularly-assigned written reactions.

++++++++++

These are the specific sections I ask my students to work through:

Part 1
http://museumca.org/goldrush/fever01.html

a. Lure of Gold

b. California [especially the two subsections entitled "Californio" and "California Indian"]

c. Discovery

d. First Finds

e. The News

f. Across Land

g. By Sea

Part 2
http://museumca.org/goldrush/fever-part2.html

a. Elephant

b. Miner's Life

c. Prospecting [work through all five of the subsections]:

Chinese Camp
Arrastra
Miwok Mining Site |
Coyote Hole
Long Tom

d. Commerce [check out the Levi Strauss example]

e. Entertainment

~~For reviews of this website:

History Matters (The U.S. Survey Course on the Web)
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4915/
TeachingHistory.org (National History Education Clearinghouse)
http://teachinghistory.org/history-content/website-reviews/23069

++++++++++++++++

Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course module on the wiki:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Expansion

2. The other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT

Website Spotlight: Gold Rush

Website URL: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

In this post, I limit myself to those specific aspects of the website which I find fit particularly well within our face-to-face class sessions (each student is required to bring a laptop to class) or as the basis for the students' regularly-assigned written reactions.

++++++++++

I ask the students to work through the following links:

Gold Rush Introduction
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/

Special Features: Online Poll--Journey of the Forty-Niners
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/sfeature/poll.html

Over the Oregon-California Trail
http://pbskids.org/wayback/goldrush/journey_oregon.html

Panama shortcut
http://pbskids.org/wayback/goldrush/journey_panama.html

Around Cape Horn (the tip of South America)
http://pbskids.org/wayback/goldrush/journey_capehorn.html

Special Features: Gold Rush Game: Who Will Strike it Rich?
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/sfeature/game.html

1. White man from upstate New York
2. Californio man from Los Angeles
3. Chinese man
4. Chilean man
5. White woman from Missouri

Mexicans in the Gold Rush
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/peopleevents/p_mexicans.html

Chinese Immigrants and the Gold Rush
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/peopleevents/p_chinese.html

Stephen Spencer Hill and African Americans in the Gold Rush
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/peopleevents/p_hill.html

Map: 8 major "strikes" in the California Gold Rush
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/map/index.html

++++++++++++++++

Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course module on the wiki:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Expansion

2. The other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT

Website Spotlight: Alamo

Website URL: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/

Introductory Note:

Welcome to one in a series of posts which spotlight quality websites that I use with my U.S. History survey course students at Azusa Pacific University to enrich the regular material in our learning modules.

In this post, I limit myself to those specific aspects of the website which I find fit particularly well within our face-to-face class sessions (each student is required to bring a laptop to class) or as the basis for the students' regularly-assigned written reactions.

++++++++++

I ask the students to work through the following links:

Survivor Stories
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/sfeature/sf_survivors.html

The Navarro Family
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/sfeature/sf_family.html

The Republic of Texas
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/sfeature/sf_republic.html

Timeline
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/timeline/index.html
I always love the timelines in these American Experience websites. This particular one is very detailed, containing a well-annotated explanation of each date.

Stephen Austin
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/peopleevents/p_austin.html

Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/peopleevents/p_santaanna.html

Davy Crockett
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/peopleevents/p_crockett.html

Jim Bowie
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/peopleevents/p_bowie.html

William Travis
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/peopleevents/p_travis.html

Sam Houston .
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/peopleevents/p_houston.html

Texas Annexation and Statehood
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/alamo/peopleevents/e_annex.html

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Concluding Note:

I hope you will use this blog post in conjunction with both the modules on my Learning Professor wiki and the numerous other posts in my Website Spotlight series.

1. The website spotlighted in this post fits within the following U.S. History survey course module on the wiki:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/Expansion

2. The other blog posts in my Website Spotlight series--chronologically displayed by U.S. History survey course module-- can be found on this wiki page:
http://thelearningprofessor.wikispaces.com/WEBSITE+SPOTLIGHT