A New Set of Interactives on Congress and Civic Participation

Election season is a perfect time to think about the different ways in which Americans participate in government and civic life. Three new educational interactives make it easy for students to explore civic participation using Library of Congress primary sources.

These interactives are the latest in a series of app- and web-based projects supported by the Library of Congress, each of which takes a creative approach to investigating different moments in, and aspects of, the nation’s civic life. All the projects, including the previous five, as well as information about the grants that supported them, can be found here.

Journalism in Action

Developed by PBS NewsHour Extra

This interactive learning tool for middle and high school students explores moments in the history of U.S. journalism using historical primary sources. Through fun, interactive activities, students can inquire, ask questions, and make their own judgments using news articles, broadcast segments, political cartoons, and photographs curated from the online collections of the Library of Congress.

Civics: An American Musical

Developed by FableVision Games

Do your students have what it takes to be the next hit Broadway musical producers? In this civics learning game, students assume the role of a theater producer adapting true events from United States history to the stage. It’s up to them to observe, reflect, and question primary sources taken from the Library of Congress’ archives to create a new smash Broadway musical hit that is historically accurate and celebrates the power of ordinary citizens in creating change.

Voices for Suffrage

Developed by Second Avenue Learning

What was so important about the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention? How did the path to suffrage differ between states? In Voices for Suffrage, students use primary sources to explore, replay, and engage with these questions and many more that form the women’s suffrage movement. Students will learn about the tactics, arguments, key people, and historical events that led to women gaining the vote, and they’ll have fun doing it!