Primary Sources for K-12

Bread Label

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:19:38 -0400

Howdy Doody was a redheaded puppet and the star of a children's TV show from 1947-1960. Buffalo Bob Smith, Clara Bell the Clown, and other puppets made up the cast of the show. Wonder Bread was one of the sponsors. This label was on the end of the package of bread.

Advertising Banks

Wed, 2 Mar 2011 21:08:23 -0500

In the 1950s and 1960s many banks provided free slotted folders for saving money. The traditional piggy bank was another bank give away. Use these primary sources to teach and learn about saving for the future.

Sound Recording

Thu, 3 Feb 2011 15:44:00 -0500

Uncle Josh (Cal Stewart) recordings were very popular during the early 1900s. His comedy skits set the stage for future comedians like Minnie Pearl. Listen to the recording of Groundhog Day at Pun’kin Center.

Victorian Trading Card

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:49:45 -0500

Examine this advertising trade card. Trade cards were popular during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Young people would collect them and paste them into scrapbooks.

Greeting Card

Thu, 9 Dec 2010 11:40:02 -0500

Holidays are celebrated in different ways. This is a money card made by the Norcross Greeting Card Company in 1952. What holidays do you celebrate? What traditions do you have in your family?

Certificate

Tue, 9 Nov 2010 15:42:36 -0500

Certificates from school are primary sources with a variety of information. Examine this dental health certificate.

Candy Container

Thu, 7 Oct 2010 00:21:13 -0400

Halloween conjures up thoughts of witches, ghosts, goblins, and of course candy. The candy containers featured in this Primary Source of the Month were made by Rosbro Plastic in Providence, Rhode Island. Rosbro Plastics and other manufacturers made holiday candy containers to capitalize on the sentiment of consumers hoping they would buy their goods.

Inkwell

Mon, 6 Sep 2010 16:58:02 -0400

Before the ballpoint pen, students used a pen that they dipped in an inkwell for writing. The desks had a hole in the upper right hand corner where the inkwell was placed. Have you ever used a pen that you dip in ink?

Calendar

Wed, 4 Aug 2010 15:35:12 -0400

Lots of calendars are given away by businesses each year. It is a way to advertise their services. This calendar was provided by the Cusick Funeral Home in the 1930s. Yes, even funeral homes advertise! Explore this interesting primary source.

Political Postcard

Thu, 8 Jul 2010 09:36:50 -0400

Postcards were popular during the early years of the twentieth century from 1900 - 1912. Many were humorous. Some poked fun at the opposing party. Others carried slogans. One of the more novel campaign postcards was the mechanical which featured movement. You could pull a tail on a donkey or elephant and the picture of the candidate would appear.

Children's Costume Clothing

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:39:37 -0400

Have you ever played dress-up? Thousands of children have worn play outfits that were popular during that era. What dress-up outfits are popular today? Ask your relatives what outfits they wore?

Edison Cylinder Recording

Wed, 12 May 2010 12:50:09 -0400

In 1877, Thomas Edsion found a way to record sound on a tin-foil cylinder. A few years later, Chichester A. Bell and Charles Sumner Tainter developed a wax cylinder. In 1887, Edison continued working on his phonograph using wax cyliders. The phonograph became a popular form of entertainment. Cylinder records were produced until 1929. Listen to the words in Every Little Bit Added to What You've Got Makes Just a Little Bit More by Collins and Harlan.

Railroad Shipping Document

Sat, 3 Apr 2010 23:14:24 -0400

By reading shipping documents, you can learn about the various goods that were carried on trains.

Shooting Medals

Tue, 9 Mar 2010 12:36:24 -0500

Shooting matches were quite popular during the 1930s and 1940s. Medals from these matches provide interesting information. Examine some of these medals and meet the National Pistol Champion of 1947,

Victorian Trade Card

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:26:30 -0500

Examine this advertising trade card. Trade cards were popular during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Young people would collect them and paste them into scrapbooks.

Holiday Photograph

Fri, 4 Dec 2009 16:03:13 -0500

Holidays are celebrated in different ways. This is a photograph from the mid 1940s probably during World War II. Look at the image. Who do you think was celebrating this holiday? What holidays do you celebrate? What traditions do you have in your family?

Toy Premiums

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 00:31:15 -0400

Advertising giveaways are popular to collect, but also tell a story about the time period. In this activity have students look at some toy premiums from the past and compare them to what is collected today.

Fashion Artifact

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 15:02:47 -0400

Between 1870 and 1920, feathers were used in fashion for women's hats, fans, and other accessories. Several varieties of birds became extinct during this time period. View a vintage feather fan and read about feather trade and the conservation movement.

Sound Recording: Interview

Tue, 4 Aug 2009 15:26:10 -0400

Listen carefully to this interview of Mr. Wilson and his granddaughter, Linda. Then, describe what you hear by investigating its parts. This is a great activity for the classroom.

Political Buttons

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 11:47:57 -0400

Political buttons were first used in the 1896 presidential campaign between William McKinley and William Jennings Bryan. They were made by placing a thin piece of celluloid protective covering over paper and then wrapping it around a metal disk. Many colorful designs were created during the golden age (1896 - 1916) of campaign buttons.
What other kinds of artifacts have been used in political campaigns? Browse CyberBee's Political Memorabilia for some answers.

Newspaper Clipping

Sun, 31 May 2009 23:52:34 -0400

Newspaper clippings are often kept because an individual is interested in the person or information provided. Examine this clipping dated June 24, 1910.

Hand Written Document

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:57:56 -0400

A verse was found written in the back of an old book dated 1869. Stories and poetry clipped from magazines and newspapers were pasted on top of the pages. In the front of the book was the name Sadie Barnaby. View this short poem and think about what it means.

Sheet Music: The Whistler and His Dog

Wed, 1 Apr 2009 22:22:52 -0400

Sheet music was well established in the United States by the early 1800s. Early music was printed with engraved plates. By the 1840s, chromolithography was used to create illustrated covers. After the Civil War, the stereotype process allowed publishers to mass produce sheet music. It became so popular during this era that it was issued as supplements to newspapers. Source: The Library of Congress The Whistler and His Dog is an instrumental piece of music for piano (without words).

Eyewitness Account

Sun, 1 Mar 2009 11:35:51 -0500

Effie Barnaby was a Postal Telegraph Manager at the Massillon, Ohio branch in the early twentieth century. On Friday, June 30, 1911, she received a message from Mr. Collins that she was being moved to the Cleveland, Ohio branch and would be checked out on Monday, July 3. Read her account of the event and what happened. On one of her letters she writes, "about the law for working hours for women that nearly made me lose my job."

Edison Cylinder Record

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:53:11 -0500

Victorian Trade Cards

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:06:46 -0500

Learn about Victorian trade cards by examining two examples from J&P Coats. Trade cards were very popular advertisements for products and services during the late 1800s. In fact, people collected them and pasted them in scrapbooks.