Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

The Bulgarian Government Web Site was launched on December 27, 1999.

tag(s): europe (84)

This is a truly extraordinary collection of images of Russia during the period 1900-1915. The photographer's techniques enabled the Library of Congress to recreate high quality, full-color images of 100 year old scenes that look as though they were taken yesterday. Though the site has a wealth of technical information, the images themselves will be most useful. The site includes numerous buildings that were destroyed during the Russian revolution of 1917.

tag(s): photography (130), russia (36)

The London Museum of Natural History created this site to chronicle the voyage of Captain Cook, who was the first European to bring natural scientists to Australia. Learn what they found and how they documented their work.

tag(s): australia (28), explorers (64)

Australia's aboriginal cultures were flourishing thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. This sites describes their artwork and its role in aboriginal culture.

tag(s): art history (102), australia (28)

he Australian Broadcasting Corporation offers this series of profiles of Australian citizens. The profiles change frequently, and there's also an archive of past profiles. Here's a chance to see some personalities the Australians consider interesting.

tag(s): australia (28)

The Australian government prepared this site to commemorate the centennial of confederation, celebrated in 2001. It contains a large collection of facts, images and information about the country that hosted the 2000 Olympics. There are also detailed maps and a timeline.

tag(s): australia (28), olympics (45)

This page is devoted to the study of Japan in the 17th-19th centuries, during the Tokugawa Shogunate. It documents the cultural, political, and military history of the period in significant detail. Good resource for serious high school research, or for teachers who need background on the evolution of Japanese culture, especially regarding Japanese reactions to Western influence.

tag(s): 1800s (75), japan (56)

Special features: bilingual - This site has info on the Prime Minister of Japan. It includes his reports, speeches, policies, press conferences, budgets, etc. It also contains statistical information on Japan which may be useful. One interesting area is the opinion section.

tag(s): japan (56), statistics (121)

This Japanese site offers a collection of classical Japanese artwork, suitable for study as part of an exposure to Japanese history. The interface isn't the greatest, and the images contain watermarks, but the site works fine as an example of the unique nature of Japanese artistic representations.

tag(s): japan (56)

Though its focus is by no means entirely on World War II, that war was no doubt the most trying time for Japanese Americans. This site contains numerous resources on the experiences of Japanese Americans during the war, as well as other resources highlighting the accomplishments of Japanese Americans and their efforts to preserve their ethnic heritage.

tag(s): japan (56), japanese (47), world war 2 (161)

The BBC's presentation of African history works forward from about 200 AD, examining cultures of various African regions and the influences of Islam, colonialism, and the like. There are extensive subdivisions, each with its own presentation, images, timeline, and resources. There's a wealth of information here for any study of Africa and its history.

tag(s): africa (148)

Special features: great database of African maps. This site offers many different maps on African countries ...anything from vegetation to political (many political). There is also a range in years; some maps date back as far as 1975. This site may be useful if you're looking for specific detail (agriculture in 1994); however, the map files are large and may take a while to download.

tag(s): africa (148), maps (220)

The Smithsonian has created a colorful, if sometimes awkward, resource for studying African history, art, and culture. The site features works by African sculptors and artists, but the African history time-line is the most useful instructional component. It shows African influences in Spain, the New World, and many other places. We hope the content for these sections will expand over time. Still, this is a very useful resource for explaining the evolution and spread of African cultural elements.

tag(s): africa (148), spain (13)

Here's a South African site that offers images and camera feeds from a variety of wildlife parks and refuges in Africa. There's no way to know exactly what you'll find, and the speed of your connection will certainly affect the performance, but you can find great images here. No animals at the live camera? Visit the highlights from live camera feeds!

tag(s): africa (148), animals (294), webcams (19)

This site is published by the Kingdom of Jordan and offers a retrospective on the history of that nation in the 20th century. Jordan's conciliatory policies have given it a special role in current Mideast affairs, and this site can help students understand how those policies evolved.

tag(s): jordan (4)

This Israeli government site offers up-to-date information about government and life in Israel. The site is updated frequently.

tag(s): israel (14)

The Washington Post presents this extensive site which examines the conduct and consequences of the Gulf War in 1991. Complete with maps, damage assessment charts, and commentary by former commanders, the site chronicles the war's effect on the middle east while discussing the problems inherent in managing a limited conflict. Good starting point for a discussion of the interplay between military, political, and diplomatic interests in American foreign policy.

tag(s): middle east (50)

Learn about the discovery and mapping of Egyptian tombs in and around Thebes. Site includes pictures, maps, and historical context.

tag(s): egypt (56), pyramids (21)

There's lots of information here, most of it in the form of text. There are also maps, images, and the like. The site is particularly noteworthy for the depth of its content, which makes it a great starting point for on-line research.

tag(s): romans (52), rome (37)

Developed at Tufts University. This is a rich resource for the study of ancient Greece and its archaeological sites. Students can select regions or specific sites and investigate the archeological evidence found at those sites. Beautifully photographed and mapped, with a strong selection of related links.

tag(s): archeology (28), greece (47), greek (47), greeks (46), OER (43), romans (52)