National Archives
By Erin Brereton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Treasure trove of history, lineage, and other resources.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this website.
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What’s It About?
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) website features legal and historical records, documents, and other materials from the federal government. Users can order veteran military service records; view census data; conduct genealogy research; and obtain documentation that relates to key historical periods and events. According to NARA, only 1 to 3 percent of all legal and historical documents are deemed important enough to keep on file, but NARA's website makes it look like much more.
Is It Any Good?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
- Families can talk about finding information online. How can you tell if it's credible? Some sources, like Wikipedia, rely on regular folks for its information, so you can't always be sure it's valid. What makes this site different?
Talk about the difference between opinion and fact. If you find information on a website that isn't from a reputable source, such as a university, should you check another site to see if it's correct?
The site contains information about a number of written historical documents and history-based videos. Discuss how messages differ in speeches and written records. Does your child feel one communication method is more effective? Why?
Website Details
- Subjects: Language & Reading : reading, using supporting evidence, Social Studies : events, government, history
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning : collecting data, part-whole relationships, Self-Direction : academic development, personal growth
- Genre: Educational
- Pricing structure: Free
- Last updated: October 18, 2018
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