Classroom Internet Library

World History

African Voices
Learn about the people, history, and culture of Africa at this site from the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Follow the history of Africa from pre-history to present day with an interactive timeline and explore themes in African culture over time and hear Africans speak of their daily life.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Timeline of Art History
Explore the world of art history at this site from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. You can navigate the site using a clickable world map and timeline and view examples of art with detailed descriptions.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

The Legacy Project
Exploring the impact of historical tragedies of the 20th century though art and scholarship is the foundation of this site. Virtual exhibits include: Frank Stella, The Polish Village Series, Echoes of Guernica, and 49 of 2870 - A Memory of September 11. There is also a visual arts library with contemporary works from artists around the world searchable by artist, world event, decade, artist's country of origin, and theme. The site also features a searchable filmography curated by Josh Siegel of the The Museum of Modern Art, a searchable Literary Sampler with writings from around the world, and a Virtual Symposium with ongoing discussions of remembrance issues in cultures around the world.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Audio Interviews
e. e. cummings on what makes an artist. Watson and Crick on the discovery of DNA. Any Warhol speaks on how he selected his portrait subjects. Artists, poets, writers, actors, politicians, and other key figures of the 20th century are featured in audio interviews at this site from the BBC. In addition to the interviews, you will also find biographies.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Ancient Egypt
Learn about life in ancient Egypt at this site from the British Museum. The site has features on writing, mummies, Egyptian life, the Pharaohs, pyramids, trades, time, geography, and gods and goddesses. Each section include a story, a challenge activity, and an exploration section where you can delve deeper into a topic.
Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Thebian Mapping Project
Explore the Valley of the Kings Valley of the Kings at this site featuring articles, photographs, maps and drawings. You can explore a 3D recreations and interact with models of each tomb as well as view movie lectures.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Turning the Pages
Step into the British Library and turn the pages of two medieval manuscript's, the Sherborne Missal and Sultan Baybars' Qur'an. You can look at the documents page-by-page and zoom into sections of each page for a detailed look.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable:

British Library Images Online
Browse through thousands of images from the British Library. You'll find images of manuscripts from authors like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, Shakespeare signature, and the Magna Carta as well as prints, illuminations, and drawings.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

CIA World Factbook
How many kilometers of paved road are there in Sweden? (162,707) What is the birth rate in Chile? (16.46 births/1,000) What is Madagascar's form of government? (republic) This site from the CIA provides a wealth of statistics about countries, territories, and principalities around the globe.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Aneki World Data
What country has the most billionaires? What are the coldest places in the world? What country has the highest national debt? Find out at this site full of world and regional rankings and country profiles from the CIA World Fact Book.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary Teacher Section: No Searchable:

Portals to the World
This site from the Library of Congress provides links to information about the nations and regions of the world covering topics like education, culture, history, government, language, literature, media, religion, science, and geography.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Varies Teacher Section: No Searchable:

Pearls
The only gemstone created by animals and not by a geologic process, pearls have a unique beauty. This site looks at how pearls form and traces their role in history.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

National Geographic Kids
Do you know that polar bears have black skin that helps them stay warm? That girls in ancient Egypt had pet geese? That the golden poison-dart frog has enough toxin to kill 8 people? Learn these and other cool facts at this site that features articles, games, activities, experiments, and news just for kids! Visit the cartoon factory and create your own captions, print out coloring sheets, or test your geography skills. No matter what your mood, you are sure to find something fun to learn and do at this site.
Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: No

EyeWitness
Learn about history from the people who lived it. First person accounts, images, and audio files of historical events ranging from an account of the destruction of Pompeii by Pliny to Harry Truman's reflections on being President help put a human face on our past.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Centropa
This site documents through photography and documents Jewish life in pre and post World War II Central and Eastern Europe.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Band of Brothers
Hear the stories of World War II vets at this companion site to the HBO miniseries. You'll find stories, letters, and video clips that help capture what it was like during World War II. You can search for stories by name, location, or branch of service. You can also enter your zip code and find out what was going on in your area on the homefront.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Home Front 1939-1945
This site uses online activities, primary source documents, video clips, timelines, and worksheets to explore the impact of World War II on Great Britain.
Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable:

20th Century Heroes and Villains
Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis, Truman and the Atomic Bomb, Winston Churchill and Dresden, Stalin and the industrialization of the USSR, Mussolini and Abyssinia.This site puts these five figures of major historical importance under the microscope. Each event is covered by an introduction and then a series of essential questions to research. Students can then vote as to whether the figures were heroes or villains and justify their verdict.
Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

The First World War
This site provides primary source materials, battle overviews, diaries, posters, photographs, war poetry and prose, articles andaudio files to help capture the events, people, and emotions of World War I.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

The Cave of Lascaux
Site of some of the world's most incredible examples of Paleolithic art, the Lascaux cave has been closed to the public since 1963. Thanks to the web, you can now take virtual tour of the cave and visit the Great Hall of the Bulls, the Painted Gallery, the Chamber of Felines, and the Shaft of the Dead Man.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Scholastic Explorers
Explore cultures and ecosystems at this interactive site from Scholastic. You can learn about Native American culture, endangered ecosystems, and the ocean. Each virtual mission includes field report s from research teams, a teacher host, and activities for students.
Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: No

Ancient Mexico
Explore the art, culture, and history of ancient Mesoamerica
Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: No

Congo Expedition
In 1909 Herbert Lang and James Chapin set sail for the northeastern Belgian Congo. They spent over five years in this largely unexplored region recording their impressions and collecting zoological and anthropological specimens. This site features expedition diaries; stereographic images; primate photographs; historical maps; Chapin's watercolors of fish, reptiles, mammals, birds and village life; and musical instruments from the Congo.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Adventure TV
Take streaming-video trips to exotic places around the word. From desert, to jungle, to ocean depths you can explore the cultures and natural wonders of the world. The site features six video channels: Mountains, Jungle, Water, Desert, Snow, Safari's, and Educational.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: N/A Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Cold War
Timelines, primary source documents, video clips, activities, and case studies help put the Cold War in context.
Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable:

Illustrated History of the Roman Empire
This site has articles, maps, pictures, an online quiz, and more. It also has a companion site for kids with interactive maps, articles, postcards and a cutout of a Roman helmet.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

The Quest for Immortality: Treasures of Ancient Egypt
This virtual exhibit from the National Gallery of Art features streaming video guides and images of objects from Ancient Egypt. You can even take a virtual tour of a reproduction of the tomb of Thutmose III.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable:

Secrets of the Pharaohs
Find out how a mummy was made, examine some of the treasures from King Tut's tomb, or learn about the science behind studying ancient artifacts from Egypt at this companion site to the PBS series.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

MythWeb
Learn about the heroes, gods and monsters of Greek mythology. The site includes an encyclopedia of mythology, a look at some Greek Gods and heroes; an illustrated version of the Labors of Heracles, and a teacher section with teaching tips and ideas.
Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Worldometers
What's the current population of the world, how many people were born today, how many bicycles were produced this year, how many book titles were published? Find out at this site that keeps a running tally of statistics on the world's population, food supply, education, energy, health, government, and the environment.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Inside Parliament
Learn how the British Parliament works at this site for students. For easy navigation, go to the site guide. You'll find activities, fact sheets, and games throughout the site. There is a special Junior Parliament section for students under 12.
Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Varies Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Parliament Live
Learn how the British government works at this site where you can view live webcasts or listen to live audio feeds from the British House of Lords, Commons, or Westminster Hall.
Intended Audience: GeneralReading Level: N/A Teacher Section: No Searchable:

Guernica: Testimony of War
Proving the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words, Picasso's masterpiece Guernica powerfully captures the horror of war. This site traces the history of the painting, the Spanish Civil war, the bombing of Guernica, and also examines the role of art in politics.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable:

The Last Expression: Art and Auschwitz
Using essays, biographies, interviews, and art this site explores the role, function and meaning of art in Nazi concentration camps during WWII with a special focus on Auschwitz.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable:

World News Network
Keep current with what's happening around the world from politics, society, and business to sports, entertainment, and science.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Global Tribe
Travel meets idealism at this companion site to the PBS series. This site examines world cultures, global issues, and people who are making a difference. Explore Mexico, South Africa, and the Philippines and meet an Aztec youth, look at the art of Apartheid, listen to Cape Town rap, or listen to a hudhud chant.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet
Merchant, husband, father, warrior, and prophet...this companion site to the PBS series traces the life and legacy of Muhammad. You can learn more about Muhammad and view clips from the film concerning gender issues, other religions and prophets, violence and jihad, the Aquarian, and how Muhammad informs American Muslims' lives today. The site also provides an interactive feature that allows to to take a virtual Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: No

Death of the Father: Ends in Political Authority
What impact not only the death but the symbolic treatment of a dictator have on a country? This site from Cornell's Institute for Digital Collections uses the deaths of Tito, Stalin, Hitler, Hirohito, Mussolini, and Ceausescu to explore the question.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable:

Chariot Race 2002
Gentlemen and ladies, start your horses. Learn about chariots and chariot racing at this site from TLC. You can trace the history of the chariot with an interactive timeline or try your hand at a chariot racing game.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Armored Warrior
Work your way through the final days of the Normandy Campaign of 1944 as commander of a Sherman tank. This interactive work of fiction is based on the real-life experiences of Canadian tank crews that fought in North West Europe during the Second World War. This site from the Canadian War Museum also features background information on World War II and the Battle of Normandy.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable:

Scrapbook of the Revolution: Interpreting the Mao Era
Two two photo albums purchased by an Assistant Professor of Digital Media at Marymount Manhattan College from a man at the Gui Shi flea market in Beijing from the basis of this site. You can view images from the albums andrespond to the images in an interpretation section where you can also read the interpretations of others.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: N/A Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

The Great War
From the causes of the war and the new technologies employed in the war to life in the trenches and the peace process this site uses primary source documents and activities to help students understand World War I.
Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Language Museum
Fon-Gbe, Kekchí, and Bauzi are just some of the 2000 languages profiled here. You will find a sample text for each of the languages profiled with an English translation, a breakdown of where the language is spoken, and how many people speak it.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary Teacher Section: No Searchable:

Top Biography
A look at the life and work of over 350 famous artists, writers, entertainers, explorers, spies, reformers, musicians and more. From Marco Polo and Benjamin Franklin to Genghis Khan and Walt Disney quotations, chronologies, and snappy graphics bring these historical figures to life. You can even download screensavers and wallpaper featuring some of the people profiled.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

A Concrete Curtain:The Life and Death of the Berlin Wall
The wall that separated a city also represented the split between nations during the Cold War. This site tells the story of the Wall from the Berlin Blockade in 1948 tostory of the Wall from its creation to its fall.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable:

Ho-am Museum
Take a virtual tour and look at some of the ancient and Buddhist art; paintings and calligraphy from the Koryo Dynasty to the end of the Choson Dynasty, white porcelain from the Choson Dynasty; Punch' ong Ware; and Celadon pottery. You will need to download the Live Picture Viewer plug-in provided by the museum to view the site.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Viewing Japanese Prints
Explore 300 years of Japanese printmaking from 17th-19th century Ukiyo-e to 20th century Kindai hanga. You'll find images of prints, background information on the artist and a discussion of the style of each print.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Under Fire: Images from Vietnam
This site captures the story of the Vietnam War through the lenses of the photographers who often risked their lives to capture the war. Interviews with the photographers provide additional perspective on this painful period of our history. Some of the photographers featured at the site died in the war, interviews with their colleagues and biographies profile their lives and their work.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Devices of Wonder
Learn about some of the mechanical inventions, toys, and parlor games that were the predecessors of today's movie, robotic, optical, and computer technologies. From the Magic Painter Game to Magic Lantern Slides, this site takes you back in time to explore the sometimes surprising paths that led to today's technologies.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: No

Los Angeles County Musuem of Art
This site features thousands of images of works in the museum's collection. The museum has significant collections of African, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, South and Southeast Asian, and Islamic art. It also has collections of textiles, prints and drawings, and photography.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: N/A Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Leaves of Gold
Learn about the Medieval art of illumination at this site from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. You ca browse through the pages of manuscripts, learn how manuscripts were made, and even design your own manuscript online!
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: No

War Stories
Find out what it is like to be a war correspondent at this site from the Newseum. The site features video interviews with Dan Rather, Peter Arnett, John Quinones, Christiane Amanpour, Peter Jennings, Ted Kopel, and Edith Lederer as well as an examination of how changes in technology have changed war coverage.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Diary of a War Artist
Read excerpts from British artist Edward Ardizzone's diaries of his time spent with Allied troops in Italy from July 1943 and January 1944.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Hannah Arendt Papers
German-American philosopher and political theorist Hannah Arendt spent much of her academic career focusing on the causes of totalitarian regimes of the 20th century, especially Nazi Germany. This site from the Library of Congress contains some of her correspondence, articles, lectures, speeches, book manuscripts, transcripts of Adolf Eichmann's trial proceedings, and notes, and other printed matter. The papers span the years 1898 to 1977, with the majority from after 1948.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Himalayan Art
Explore the world of Himalayan and Tibetan art at this site that exhibits images of art from museum, university and private collections around the world. In addition, you will also find online exhibits exploring the art of the region.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Art Images for College Teaching
You will find hundred of images of art from ancient art and architecture to 20th century art at this site designed to enhance art history courses at the college level. You will also find correlations to the major undergraduate art history survey textbooks.
Intended Audience: Teachers Reading Level: N/A Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Cold War
Travel back to the days of bomb shelters and international espionage. This site from the Cold War Museum has an interactive timeline with articles covering key events in the cold War; online exhibits on the Berlin Wall, spy planes, and posters from the CIA; and a Cold War photo gallery.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

The Ethics of War
What constitutes a "just" war? How do the world's major religions view war? What are the international rules of war? This site from the BBC explores these and other issues related to conflict.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Origins of Writing
This collection of articles traces the history of written language from hieroglyphs and Chinese calligraphy to the Gutenberg press and the Cherokee alphabet.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

When They Were Young: A Photographic Retrospective of Childhood
A boy soldier in Tennessee, a girl raking leaves, Jewish children in Warsaw Poland, English children in a ditch during a German air raid, a boy playing with his shadow. This site from the Library of Congress tells the story of children from across cultures, socio-economic groups, and eras with images.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: N/A Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

The Korean War
Often the overlooked war, the Korean War claimed the lives of 36,570 American men and women. This site from the U.S. Department of Defense includes first person accounts, fact sheets, and imagesdocumenting the Korean War.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Aneki World Rankings
What country has the highest divorce rate? What is the hottest country in the world? Who has won the most World Cups? Find the answer to these and lots of other questions at this site that ranks countries according to a wide-variety of criteria.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Most Wanted Art Recovery Project
Vermeer's "The Concert", Renoir's "Portrait of a Young Parisian", almost the entire collection of The National Museum of Iraq - all of these art works have disappeared. This site lists and describes stolen artworks from around the world.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Lost Treasures From Iraq
Following the fall of Baghdad, the Iraq Museum was looted and the world's most important collection of Mesopotamian and Islamic art disappeared. This site from the Oriental Institute, University of Chicago has posted images of some of the works that were housed in the museum.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: N/A Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Calendars Through the Ages
Did you know that February once had 23 days or that the Islamic Calendar is based on the moon? This site looks at calendars through history and looks at the origins of the seven day week.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Meeting God: Elements of Hindu Devotion
Explore the Hindu religion at this site from the American Museum of Natural History. You'll find articles looking at the religion as well as a gallery of personal shrines.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable:

Cultures on the Edge
Explore culture around the world at this quarterly online magazine. You'll find photographic essays by some of the world's best photographers, video interviews, news and commentary all designed to expose you to new cultures. Visit India, Afghanistan, Kenya, the Andes, South Africa, and South and South East Asia.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Chinese Home
Take a tour through a Chinese home from the Quing Dynasty at this site from the Peabody Essex Museum. You can learn about the daily life of the family who lived in the house; explore Chinese architecture and design; and examine everyday items in the house.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Cultures
Animations, images, and essays illustrate cultures around the world from the Hopi and their Anasazi ancestors to the the Greek shrine of Dodona. Other stories include the Amistad slave ship rebellion; the Muwekma Ohlone and their Pacific Islander cousins; Angkor Wat in Cambodia; and Timbuktu, Great Zimbabwe and Afropop.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Museum of Costume
This museum in Bath, England displays articles of men's women's and children's fashion from the 16th-20th century. You can view selected items in the museum's collection or test your historical fashion knowledge with Costume Drama Game where you can dress a model in the correct clothing for that year.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Castles of the World
This site, dedicated to castles around the world, features lots of images and includes a section for kids. You can learn about the different kinds of castles like shell keeps and Motte-and-bailey castles.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Armored Warrior
Work your way through the final days of the Normandy Campaign of 1944 as commander of a Sherman tank. This interactive work of fiction is based on the real-life experiences of Canadian tank crews that fought in North West Europe during the Second World War. This site from the Canadian War Museum also features background information on World War II and the Battle of Normandy.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Diary of a War Artist
Read excerpts from British artist Edward Ardizzone's diaries of his time spent with Allied troops in Italy from July 1943 and January 1944.
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No