History comes alive with primary sources
Making primary source analysis and interpretation central to the teaching of history can have a dramatic impact on overall student academic achievement, for primary source-based history lessons that use an inquiry approach to analyzing and interpreting primary sources not only teach historical literacy, but also build and reinforce a set of transferable skills--observation, organizing data, record-keeping, developing and testing hypotheses, constructing arguments, conducting research, writing. With primary sources at the center, learning history becomes an integral part of any curriculum, at any grade level.
Sponsored by a Teaching American History grant from the Department of Education, Using ESSEX History offered Frameworks-aligned content seminars to middle and high school teachers across Essex County. The project collected hundreds of local primary resources that relate to the seminar topics. They can be accessed via the chronological headings on the right or by entering the Using ESSEX History website and clicking on "Primary Resources."
SALEM in History: The Science and Art of Learning from Evidence and Materials in History is a content-based, professional development program open to all elementary, middle and high school teachers of American history in the Salem Public School district. This Teaching American History grant from the Federal Department of Education was a partnership between the Salem Public Schools, Salem State College, Peabody Essex Museum and the National Park Service, Salem. It includes primary resources as well as lesson plans and other resources for K-12 teachers.
This site is the beginning of a commitment to make available to the public - particularly students and teachers - a range of historic resources on Essex County, Massachusetts.
Explore early settlement, maritime and industrial sites in Essex County with Primary Sources.