The Library of Congress

Lesson One – Introduction to American Memory and Primary Sources

This lesson will introduce you to the resources of American Memory. You will view several "Today in History" pages that focus on World War I events. How do you search for relevant primary source material? How can a photograph, newspaper article, song, or speech enrich your understanding of the Great War? Ernest Kendall, teacher of U.S. Capitol pages. Mr. Kendall with group of students I. Washington as It Was: Photographs by Theodor Horydczak, 1923-1959

1. American Memory consists of more than 100 collections of digitized documents, photographs, recorded sound, moving pictures, and text from the Library of Congress.

2. You can browse a listing of all collections and use the search tool to locate primary source material. Do not think of American Memory as an encyclopedia or textbook as it is more like a museum or archive with some unique resources or treasures to be found.

3. Today in History has an archive search feature to locate material by full text, specific day, or month. Searching for "World War I" yields the following key pages:

• June 28, 1914. Archduke Ferdinand is assassinated.
• May 7, 1915. German submarine sinks Lusitania. American lives lost.
• April 6, 1917. The United States enters World War I.
• September 12, 1918. 1st American Expeditionary Forces offensive.
• November 11, 1918. Allied powers sign armistice.
• July 15, 1948. John J. Pershing, brilliant WWI-military commander dies.

4. June 28, 1914 is an important date usually associated with the start of World War I. Browse the page.

• Look closely at the photograph of Ypres Belgium.
• Study this photograph using the Primary Source Analysis sheet.
• Click on the link to Taking the Long View: Panoramic Photographs.
• You can search for other WWI-era photos in this collection by using keyword search, typing in "world war 1914-1918."
• The subject index browse feature suggests many useful subheadings under World War, 1914-1918.

5. June 28, 1914 also has some interesting World War I-era sheet music.

• Display He draws no color lines.
• Examine this sheet music using the Primary Source Analysis sheet.
• Connect to Historic American Sheet Music.
• You can search for other WWI-era songs in this collection by using keyword search, typing in “world war 1914-1918.”

6. July 15, 1948 provides important background material on General Pershing.

• Link to Here is Anecdote of General Jack Pershing.
• Study this newspaper article using the Primary Source Analysis sheet.
• Browse the collection The African American Experience in Ohio.
• It is possible to search for other WWI-era articles in this collection by using keyword search, typing in world war 1914-1918 and setting pull down menu to match all words. Add an additional keyword such as lynching.

7. July 15, 1948 also has a link to Pershing's speech From the battle fields of France. Review this speech using the Primary Source Analysis sheet. You will be able to examine additional speeches from American Leaders Speak: Recordings from World War I and the 1920 Election in the next lesson.

8. April 6, 1917 concludes our survey of World War I related pages in Today in History.

• Listen to the audio recording of Over There performed by Billy Murray in 1917, located in a special presentation of American Variety Stage.
• Examine a sample copy of sheet music for Over There.
• Other sheet music versions of this song can be found in Historic American Sheet Music.
• For homework, you may choose to analyze either the audio recording of Over There or one of the sheet music versions using the Primary Source Analysis sheet.

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