The critically acclaimed PBS series, "The West," provides the text of the actual Pacific Railway Act, designed to aid in the construction of a Railroad and Telegraph Line from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean.

NOVA ferrets out long-forgotten secrets of architects and engineers of the early civilizations. Content focuses on the trebuchets of medieval Europe, the pharaoh's obelisks of ancient Egypt, the moai statues of Easter Island, the...

A few pages from the journal of Narcissa Whitman who was a missionary in the Oregon Country. She was later murdered along with her husband at the Whitman massacre.

This PBS series companion for The Roman Empire: Ancient Voices, The Social Order, and Life in Roman Times features a text and visual narrative about life in first century Rome.

Inventor Nikola Tesla is the subject of this extensive PBS site. In addition to information on Tesla's life and work, the site offers insight into the ways in which society and invention affect each other.

This companion website of a NOVA program that aired in 1999 features extensive information that focuses on moon research and includes a history of the Apollo missions as well as the science of the moon's origins.

Wonderful biography of Themistocles, the great Athenian general and politician who established the Greek navy.

Help students understand differences among cultures with respect to the roles men and women play. This learning module explores how the role of women in the United States differs from the same role in Kenya.

Through a variety of activities understand the role of U.S. foreign policy when it comes to the Philippines. Students will know the differences between isolationism and interventionism.

The Kurds and Arabs have had ongoing tensions throughout history. The presence of the U.S. in Iraq during the war has taken soldiers from helping create a free nation to smoothing the waters between these two cultures. This learning...

Kyrgyzstan is a nation in Central Asia. This learning module will look at how women are viewed and treated and what is expected of them in Kyrgyzstan. Consider the freedoms women have in the United States to other nations.

Read about one of the most surprising political defeats in American history. The election of 1948 between President Harry Truman and Thomas Dewey was supposed to be a landslide. Find out about Truman's stand on policies, and read about...

This NewsHour archive piece describes Brood X, the periodical cicada emergence that takes place every 17 years in many Eastern states.

Utilize this segment highlighting President Barack Obama's reversal of the decisions the Bush Administration regarding stem cell research in the classroom. March 10, 2009.

President Obama addresses Congress with his plan for the economy following his signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Teachers and leaders can utilize the discussion questions provided. February 25, 2009

With fear in the eyes of the nation, NewsHour Extra provides highlights of President Obama's stimulus package followed by discussion questions. February 18, 2009.

The Second Amendment and the right for United States citizens to bear arms is an issue often contested throughout the United States today. A recent ruling by the US Supreme Court is another example of such issues. June 30, 2010

President Obama signed into law a historic health care bill; making the most dramatic changes to the American health care system in four decades. Follow the details of the bill, its history, and the controversy behind this historic bill,...

Because of recession and the costs of gas on the decline, many worry that the search for new forms of energy will be put on hold. Read and discuss as a class these concerns. October 24, 2008

Students and educators can deepen their knowledge of the bank bailout in the US and how it should be used to stimulate the economy and get businesses back up and running through these activities and lesson plan. November 14, 2008

In July, 2010 the U.S. Congress passed a financial reform bill that will greatly change America's economy and is the largest financial overhaul since the New Deal. (July 16, 2010)

President Obama gave a speech in Cairo, Egypt to the Muslim world asking for more acceptance and peaceful relations between the regions. (June 4, 2009)

This informative site discusses various types of nuclear bombs including the atomic bomb,thermonuclear weapons and dirty bombs.

PBS provides in-depth news coverage of Obama's presidential transition including analysis, interviews, background reports, a list of key positions (named as they are filled), and related links. Continuously updated.