Teaching
History Online
Number
26: 20th January, 2002
Introduction
1.
Domesday
Book
2.
CastleXplorer
3.
The
Cold War
4.
Harry
S. Truman: The Presidential Years
5.
Joseph
Stalin Biographical Chronicle
6.
The
Romanov Dynasty
7.
NAACP
Timeline
8.
Undercover
in Nazi Germany
9.
Mr.
Wilson's History Website
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
Domesday
Book: The Domesday
book was commissioned in December 1085 by William the Conqueror, who
invaded England in 1066. The first draft was completed in August 1086
and contained records for 13,418 settlements in the English counties
south of the rivers Ribble and Tees (the border with Scotland at the
time). This excellent website has been set up to enable visitors to
find out the history of the Domesday Book and to give an insight into
life at the time of its compilation.
CastleXplorer:
This website allows people to locate castles in Britain using interactive
maps or to select them from an alphabetical list. Each castle includes
a description and brief history, photographs, full visitor information
and directions as well as a link to a map. The site also includes
a history of castles, an extensive glossary of castle terminology,
information about organizations that maintain castles and links to
other useful information.
The
Cold War: There
are 6 galleries in the Public Record Office Cold War Exhibition, each
containing a number of case studies. Each Case Study is designed so
that it can be used as a 'stand alone' item in one or two classroom
sessions. However, each Case Study in a Gallery is linked to form
a more coherent area of research. This has been done to give students
and teachers the maximum amount of flexibility. Each Gallery is accompanied
by a timeline and a glossary to help students and teachers in putting
the source material into context. Each source is accompanied, where
appropriate, by useful notes and a transcript. At various points throughout
the Exhibition, there are links to other websites where extra information
or other resources can be found.
Harry
S. Truman: The Presidential Years: At the Truman Presidential
Museum & Library there is a 10,500-square-foot exhibition of the
major issues and events of Harry S. Truman's presidency. There is
now a website version of this exhibition and it includes sections
on: First Four Months, Decision to Drop the Bomb, Postwar Challenges,
Europe 1947, Origins of the Cold War, Recognition of Israel, Second
Term, Cold War Turns Hot, America 1952, Leaving Office, Legacy Gallery
and A Living Legacy.
Joseph
Stalin Biographical Chronicle:
Lenin wrote
in December 1922 that "Comrade Stalin, having become General
Secretary, has concentrated enormous power in his hands: and I am
not sure that he always knows how to use that power with sufficient
caution. I therefore propose to our comrades to consider a means of
removing Stalin from this post and appointing someone else who differs
from Stalin in one weighty respect: being more tolerant, more loyal,
more polite, more considerate of his comrades." This advice was
not taken and Stalin became one of the most detested dictators in
history. This
website provides a detailed biography of Joseph Stalin. It also includes
numerous photographs and a collection of his speeches.
The
Romanov Dynasty: The
Romanov dynasty ruled Russia from 1613 until the February Revolution
of 1917. The family was descended from Andrei Ivanovich Kobyla, a
Muscovite boyar who lived in the first half of the 14th century. The
name Romanov was taken from Roman Yuriev, the father of Anastasia
Romanova, who was the first wife of Tsar Ivan IV. Michael Romanov,
grandnephew of Anastasia, was elected tsar by a National Assembly
in 1613; he was the first of the dynasty to rule Russia. This website
provides biographies of Important Romanov rulers including Peter I,
whose reign marks the beginning of imperial Russia; Catherine II,
a German who married into the family; Alexander I, who defeated Napoleon
in 1812; and Alexander II, who emancipated the serfs in 1861.
NAACP
Timeline: The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured
People was founded by a multiracial group of activists on 12th February
1909. For
more than ninety years, the NAACP has been built on the individual
and collective courage of thousands of people. People of all races,
nationalities and religious denominations, who were united on one
premise - that all men and women are created equal. This timeline
provides details of the activities and achievements of the NAACP.
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.
Mr.
Wilson's History Website:
The Head of History at St Thomas Aquinas High School in Manchester
has produced a website where visitors can access his teaching resources.
This includes sections on Manchester in the Blitz and an A-Z of the
Second World War. There is also information and advice on GCSE History,
National Curriculum Levels, study skills, school trips and website
resources.
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.
