Teaching
History Online
Number
25: 13th January, 2002
Introduction
1.
Census
Online
2.
Zeppelin
Raids in the First World War
3.
British
Railways in the 19th Century
4.
John
F. Kennedy
5.
Cold
War History Project
6.
Undercover
in Nazi Germany
7.
History
Ideas
8.
Ancient
Egypt
9. Tudor
England
Introduction
Spartacus Educational
publishes Teaching
History Online
every week. The newsletter includes news, reviews of websites and
articles on using ICT in the history classroom. Members of the mailing
list are invited to submit information for inclusion in future editions
of Teaching
History Online. In this way we hope to create
a community of people involved in using the Internet to teach history.
John Simkin
spartacus@pavilion.co.uk
Census
Online: Last week I reviewed Census Online, the new website produced
by the Public Record Office. Unfortunately, the PRO withdrew the service
on Friday 6th January after being swamped with people wanting to use
the 1901 Census records. The PRO estimates that 7 million people were
trying to access the service at the same time. This crashed the system
as it could only cope with 1.2 million visitors a day. The PRO completely
underestimated the worldwide interest in history and genealogy and
major alterations have had to be made to the service. It is hoped
that the site will be up and running again on Monday 16th January.
Zeppelin
Raids in the First World War: Count von Zeppelin, a retired German
army officer, flew his first airship in 1900. They were lighter than
air, filled with hydrogen, with a steel framework. When the war started
in 1914, the German armed forces had several Zeppelins, each capable
of travelling at about 85 m.p.h. and carrying up to 2 tons of bombs.
With military deadlock on the Western Front, they decided to use them
against towns and cities in Britain. This website produced by the
Public Record Office looks in detail on the Zeppelin raid on Hull
in June 1915.
British
Railways in the 19th Century:
A comprehensive encyclopedia of railways in Britain. Each
entry contains a narrative, illustrations and primary sources. The
text within each entry is hypertexted to other relevant pages in the
encyclopedia. In this way it is possible to research individual people
and events in great detail. The sources are also hypertexted so the
student is able to find out about the writer, artist, newspaper, organization,
etc., that produced the material. So far there are sections on Railway
& Bridge Engineers, Railway Entrepreneurs, Locomotives, Railway
Companies, Liverpool & Manchester Railway, Railway Art, Railway
Towns and Cities, Historical Developments, Railway Experiences and
Railway Stations.
John
F. Kennedy: The main objective of the John F. Kennedy Library
and Museum is to advance the study and understanding of President
Kennedy's life and career and the times in which he lived; and to
promote a greater appreciation of America's political and cultural
heritage, the process of governing and the importance of public service.
The library's website includes a detailed biography and a collection
of speeches and photographs.
The
Cold War: The Cold War International History Project disseminates
new information and perspectives on the history of the Cold War. The
project supports the full and prompt release of historical materials
by governments on all sides of the Cold War, and seeks to accelerate
the process of integrating new sources, materials and perspectives
from the former "Communist bloc" with the historiography
of the Cold War which has been written over the past few decades largely
by Western scholars reliant on Western archival sources. It also seeks
to transcend barriers of language, geography, and regional specialization
to create new links among scholars interested in Cold War history.
Among the activities
undertaken by the project to promote this aim are a periodic Bulletin
and other publications to disseminate new findings, views, and activities
pertaining to Cold War history.
Undercover
in Nazi Germany: Play the role of James Spod, a Secret Agent working
in Nazi Germany. His mission: to leave a bomb in the hotel where Hitler
is staying! However, only players who know their history have any
chance of succeeding. This is an entertaining way of introducing or
revising the topic of Nazi Germany, produced by Russel Tarr of ActiveHistory.
History
Ideas: A collection of twenty history activities for students
aged between 5 and 11. Titles include Creative History, The Greek
Alphabet, Perseus Role-Play, Boudicca's Revolt, Roman Invasions, Poor
Tudors, Looking at Historical Objects, Greek Theatre, Our Roman Roads
and Roman Britain.
Ancient
Egypt: The British Museum's web site on ancient Egypt is intended
for students aged 8 to 11. The website site is divided into ten chapters
which address themes or topics relevant to ancient Egypt. For each
chapter there is a ‘Doormat' page, which is an atmospheric introductory
page to the chapter. Within each ‘chapter' there are three sections:
‘Story', ‘Explore' and ‘Challenge'. The 'Story' is
a presentation of information in a narrative form. The 'Explore' is
a non-linear presentation of information. The 'Challenge' is an activity
that allows pupils to practise certain skills (historical, analytical,
mathematical, observational) within the context of a theme or topic
relevant to ancient Egypt.
Tudor
England 1485 to 1603: A comprehensive website on Tudor England
that includes sections on Tudor Monarchs, Tudor Relatives, Tudor Citizens,
Six Wives of Henry VIII, Portraits of the Tudors, Life in Tudor England,
Tudor Genealogy, Facts & Figures, Primary Sources, Tudor Quizzes,
Tudor Bibliography and Tudor Links.
Please email John Simkin at spartacus@pavilion.co.uk
if you have information you want included in next month's edition
of Teaching
History Online.
