Best of History Web Sites

History Resources

Best of History Web Sites, created by EdTechTeacher, is an award-winning portal that contains annotated links to over 1200 history web sites as well as links to hundreds of quality K-12 history lesson plans, history teacher guides, history activities, history games, history quizzes, and more.

Best of History Web Sites has been recommended by The Chronicle of Higher Education, The National Council for the Social Studies, The New York Public Library, the BBC, Princeton University, — and many others.

Historical People of Today, July 17

Russian tsar Nicholas II (was executed along with his family by Bolsheviks in 1918) The brutal killings marked the fall of the Romanov dynasty and the definitive end of imperial rule in Russia. Their deaths were part of the Bolsheviks' effort to prevent any return to monarchy during the Russian Civil War. Saddam Hussein (officially became president of Iraq in 1979) He assumed the presidency of Iraq after forcing President Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr to resign. Once in power, he launched a brutal purge of political rivals. His reign was marked by human rights abuses, wars with Iran and Kuwait, and eventually led to U.S. intervention and his downfall in 2003 Angela Merkel (born in 1954) Merkel became the first female Chancellor of Germany and one of the world’s most powerful leaders. A former physicist, she served from 2005 to 2021 and was known for her pragmatic leadership, especially during the Eurozone crisis, the migrant crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Walt Disney (ppened the first Disneyland theme park in 1955) The park had a rough start with malfunctioning rides and plumbing issues, but it quickly gained popularity. Disneyland became a blueprint for theme parks worldwide, transforming family entertainment and establishing Disney as a global cultural and economic powerhouse.

Where to Start?

  • See our Lesson Plans page for a curated list of sites offering quality resources ready for classroom use. Although there are many sites with good lesson plans, students are sure to enjoy the engaging ideas and primary sources offered by the Library of Congress and the U.K. National Archives, whose online offerings are generous.
  • Check out Games and Animations for links to historical simulations, educational video games, high-quality animations, online quizzes, and more! Learn about medieval water supply with the game Waterworks, or cook your way through the ancient world with Tasting History!
  • Our Election 2020 page collects links to the polls, think tanks, and interactives you'll need to help students make sense of the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election. Try PBS's Election Decoder, a useful interactive that brings students through the electoral maps of every election in U.S. history, or peruse the New York Times' list of 11 Ways to Engage Students from Now Until November.
  • We're proud to offer plenty of Medieval History links, including videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more. Explore quarantine and social distancing in Tudor England during the plague, or listen to the story of a Byzantine princess who chronicled the history of her empire.