The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
By Patricia Monticello Kievlan,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Stellar history resource offers great primary source access.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this website.
Videos and Photos
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
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What’s It About?
THE GILDER LEHRMAN INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN HISTORY's website is the online home of the independent cultural organization that focuses on collecting, sharing, and interpreting key artifacts from American history with students, teachers, and parents across the country. The site is divided into seven sections: History by Era (the main portal for exploring the Institute's historical content), Programs and Exhibitions (where parents and students can apply for online and in-person educational experiences), Primary Sources (where users can digitally browse the collection), History Now (the Institute's journal, with essays and videos from historians), Multimedia (with videos and audio files from historians and other experts), Community (where parents and students can connect with others and save bookmarked resources), and About (where users can learn about the Institute's history, people, and mission). Parents and students can create a free account; this lets them bookmark favorite resources and join the Institute's online community to share content via social media, access the collection catalog, and create their own resource lists. Teachers can register (for free) to become an affiliate school, which offers additional access benefits and the option to host a traveling exhibition of Institute resources.
Is It Any Good?
This interactive historical website provides a large amount of context into the events that shaped America. The best bets for parents and students are in the History by Era, Programs and Exhibitions, and Primary Sources sections. Programs and Exhibitions includes an AP U.S. History study guide; it's organized into 10 time periods that each feature a time line, primary source documents, videos, and essays. The Primary Sources section is also great: A reference guide and search features let users sort through images and videos to dive deeply into history. Its bookmarking and sharing features are great, too. This site's developers are helpfully self-aware about just how much information they've packed onto their website, and these saving features (plus the intuitive, persistent navigation) make it easy to get your bearings.
The best thing about this website is how well it brings primary source media to life. That includes old-school documents plus videos, including everything from color illustrations of Theodore Roosevelt and Taft from Puck and the still-shocking "daisy" ad for Lyndon B. Johnson's 1968 presidential campaign. There's excellent content plus expert context, making this a reliable, ultra-rich resource to boost understanding and engagement. The largest issue is that if you're not a history buff, you may only find yourself using this site once or twice before moving on; there's just so much content. Overall, The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History has a lot to explore, so give yourself time to dive deep and revel in its riches.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about history. If your child takes an AP U.S. History class, how can this best be used as a go-to reference for study?
Browse and search the primary sources as inspiration for projects or as references for research papers. Why are primary sources useful? How do they help us access and understand the past?
Use the resources here to create your own multimedia museum exhibit. Which story would your museum tell? What additional commentary would you need to add to tell your story?
Website Details
- Subjects: Language & Reading : reading comprehension, text analysis, using supporting evidence, writing clearly, Social Studies : citizenship, cultural understanding, history, timelines
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning : analyzing evidence, asking questions, memorization, thinking critically, Self-Direction : academic development, self-assessment, self-reflection, work to achieve goals
- Genre: Educational
- Topics: History
- Pricing structure: Free
- Last updated: May 26, 2021
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