Document-Based Questions and Primary Sources

New York State Education Department's Document-Based Question Web Site
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/dbq/ssindex.html
Online tutorial explaining how to write and use document-based questions.

Document-Based Question: Erie Canal
http://www.bethpagecommunity.com/Schools/socialst/k5/eriedbq.htm
DBQ created for fourth graders by the staff at Bethpage Public Schools.

Throughout the Ages - A Visual Document Resource
http://www.archives.nysed.gov/projects/throughout/
An interactive website housing hundreds of primary source documents with built in tools that create differentiated worksheets for students.

Using Primary Sources on the Web
http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/RUSA/
Designed by the  American Library Association to help students locate and evaluate primary sources on the web.  The site includes practical information for students as well as links to many primary source sites.

The Learning Page-Primary Source Lessons
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/psources/pshome.html
Lessons teaching students importance of primary documents.

History Firsthand
http://learning.loc.gov/learn/lesson97/firsthand/main.html
Detailed unit plan of lessons teaching students how to use primary sources.

Hotlist on Primary Sources
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listssprimala.html
Great hotlist of primary source sites.

National Archives and Records Administration:  Digital Classroom
http://www.nara.gov/education/classrm.html
Contains links to primary source documents, lesson activities, and document analysis worksheets.

Primary Sources on the Web
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/hmss/primary.html
Site created by Houghton Mifflin Company linking to primary sources on the web.

Professional Cartoonists' Index
http://cagle.slate.msn.com/politicalcartoons/
American and international cartoonists share their professional political cartoons. Be sure to visit the Teachers Guide which describes lessons for using political cartoons with elementary, middle, and high school students. 

A HyperText on American History
http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/usa.htm
Contains primary source documents related to American history spanning from the colonial period till the present.

HistoryOnline:  Primary Sources
http://www.jacksonesd.k12.or.us/k12projects/jimperry/Primary.html
Links to many sites featuring world historical primary sources.