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Archive: March 2015 (5 Posts)

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

The Great Gatsby: Establishing the Historical Context with Primary Sources

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby is one of the most often taught in American literature classes. However, the further we move away chronologically from 1922, a time of economic boom following the devastation of World War I, the less students know about this significant time between the Great War and the War to end all Wars.

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

Edgar Allan Poe: Using Primary Sources from the Library of Congress to Deepen Understanding of “The Raven”

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

Because of his tendency toward the macabre, the stories of Edgar Allan Poe are frequently associated with Halloween, but his writing has had a far deeper reach than connections to the holiday. As National Poetry Month approaches, students can explore his work and its cultural impact through primary sources from the Library of Congress.

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

Tragedy and Transformation: Looking at San Francisco’s Chinatown with Primary Sources

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

Much of the city, including its Chinese immigration enclave, Chinatown, was destroyed by tremors and fires. While this was a devastating tragedy, it was also an opportunity to rebuild and renew. Below is a series of photographs from the Library's Prints and Photographs collections that offers a path for student engagement with San Francisco's pre- and post-earthquake Chinatown.