Social Studies Resources
Social Studies Topics
Current Events
USA Today - Daily news, weather, and sports.
BBC News - Good source of world news.
Philly Online- The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Daily News.
Places in the News - maps for current events.
All Kinds of Social Studies Information
Social Studies for Kids - This site has information on geography, US and world history, holidays, economics, archaeology and more.
Countries and Regions
The CIA World Factbook - Lots of information on countries of the world. Good for reports.
Geography IQ - Maps and facts about countries of the world. Good site for information for reports.
Countries of the World - Information from Infoplease.
Ducksters Geography - Information about many of the countries of the world.
One World - Nations Online - Information about continents and countries. There are many links for each country to web sites for history, government, and news.
Climate Zone - If you need to find information about the climate in a country, this is a good place to go. The climate is described in terms that you can understand. There is also temperature, rainfall and snow fall information for cities in each country.
Geography Glossary - Definitions of geography words such as atoll and estuary.
Kids Games around the World - Young people around the world are playing the same kind of games that you are.
Lizard Point Geography Games - These quizzes will really test your knowledge. A great way to prepare for a geography test.
Geography Games - Find out how much you know.
Kids Geo - Games to locate countries on the map.
GeoNet - A game to test your knowledge of the US and the world.
Africa
African Studies Center - Lots of links to sites with information on all of the countries of Africa.
Africa's Geography - There is information about African countries and many printable maps of African countries.
Africa Geography - From Ducksters. There are a lot of ads on this site.
Test Your Geography Knowledge - Africa - A quiz on the location of African countries.
Africa: Explore the Regions - Explore the regions of Africa such as the Sahara and the savannah. You will meet the people and also find out about the plants and animals.
Libya - Information from the CIA World Factbook.
Asia
China - Information from InfoPlease.
Kids Web Japan - A great way to learn about Japan.
India - From the National Geographic.
India and the Himalayas - The menu is in the upper right hand corner.
Pakistan - Geography and history from InfoPlease.
The Philippines - Information from the National Geographic.
The Philippines - Facts from Fact Monster.
Vietnam - Information about Vietnam from the National Geographic.
Vietnam - Facts (good for reports) from Fact Monster.
Asia Kids - Learn about the language and stories of Asian Countries.
Canada
Canadian Heritage - This site has lots of information about life in Canada - sports, recreation, travel, history, environment, and more
The Atlas of Canada - Maps (of course) but lots of other useful stuff. Look in the Learning Resourses section for an introduction to cartography (map making), a gazetteer (a dictionary of place names, and a glossary.
Canadian Geographic Online - GeoNews, articles and Canadian Geographic for Kids (if you have Flash installed)
The Great Canadian Geography Challenge - Registration information and questions from previous year's competitions.
Canadian Geography Games - From Sheppard Software.
Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean
Central America - Information and maps from InfoPlease.
Central America - Lots of printable maps from Enchanted Learning.
Mexico - Facts about the history and geography from Fact Monster.
Welcome to Puerto Rico - Information on the geography, history and culture. There is also information on the cities of Puerto Rico.
El Boriqua - Information about Puerto Rico's history and culture.
A Collector's Vision of Puerto Rico - Art and culture of Puerto Rico.
Europe
The European Union - Information from the CIA World Fact Book.
Europe - There are links to information on the countries of Europe here.
Europe Physical Geography - From the National Geographic.
The United Kingdom - Information on the geography and history from Infoplease.
The Middle East
Afghanistan - A country which is in the news a lot. This information is from the CIA world factbook.
Afganistan for Kids - An introduction to the country.
Iran - Information from the BBC.
Iraq Country Information - From Infoplease.
Akhlah: The Jewish Children's Learning Network - History, maps, and other facts about Israel.
The Embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan - Information about Jordan from their embassy in Washington, DC.
Lebanon - Information from Infoplease.
Saudi Arabia - Information from the Saudi Arabian embassy in Washington, DC.
Syria - Country information from Infoplease.
Turkey - Lots of information from Fact Monster.
Yemen - Country information from Fact Monster.
Islam - Information about the religion of Islam from the BBC.
South America
South America - Learn about the continent and the individual countries.
Latin America Geographia - An introduction to the countries of South America
United States
The Fifty States - Lots of information on US states from Infoplease.
50 States and Capital Cities - This is the place to start if you need things like state capital, state tree, state flag, etc. It is a little hard to figure out where things are at this site, but just keep clicking away and you will find lots and lots of information about each state plus pictures.
Statemaster - If you need lots of statistics about the states, this is place to look. It has things like education, health (including the per cent of toothless people), finances, and the best places to live.
The Great Lakes Information Network - All kinds of information about the Great Lakes including maps.
Rivers of the United States - Information from InfoPlease
Pennsylvania - The official homepage for the state of Pennsylvania.
Cities
City Data - Information about US cities including income, education, ethnic groups, climate, and more.
PhilaPlace - A good way to learn about the city of Philadelphia.
Maps
Printable Outline Maps - From Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
The Atlas of Canada - Maps (of course) but lots of other useful stuff. Look in the Learning Resourses section for an introduction to cartography (map making), a gazetteer (a dictionary of place names, and a glossary.
Perry - Castenada Map Collection - Big collection of state and country maps from the University of Texas.
City Maps - Maps of the cities of the world.
Google Maps - Good for printing local maps.
Flags and National Anthems
Flags of the World - From the CIA Fact Book.
International Civic Arms - Coats of Arms for cities and provinces of countries.
National Anthems - Words, music, and the history of the anthem.
Colonization to Revolution
1492 :An ongoing voyage - Columbus and the new world.
History of Jamestown - English settlement in 1606.
Mayflower History - The Mayflower Compact, the Mayflower passenger list, and lots more information on the first permanent settlement in New England.
The Pilgrim Story - The history of the Pilgrims from Pilgrim Museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
13 Originals - Founding the American Colonies. Brief histories of the founding of each colony.
Colonial Williamsburg - Visit a colonial town.
USHistory.Org - Information on colonial Philadelphia, and links to other American history sites. By the Independence Hall Association of Philadelphia
Virtual Tour of Historic Philadelphia - Take a tour of the most historic mile in America. See Independence Hall, Carpenters Hall, The Liberty Bell and much, much more.
Explore Pennsylvania History - Information about the history of the state.
Fort Necessity - The French and Indian war started at this fort in Pennsylvania.
The French and Indian War - A YouTube video by Watertown High School.
The French and Indian War Timeline - From PBS.
The Birth of the Navy - Find out about the early years of the US Navy. This site is by the Mariners' Museum.
Liberty! The American Revolution - Important events in the American Revolution.
The Philadelphia Campaign 1777 - Revolutionary war battles in the Philadelphia area - includes Germantown, Brandywine, Whitemarsh, and Valley Forge.
Historic Valley Forge - Visit the site of the winter camp of the Colonial army during the Revolutionary War.
The Betsy Ross Homepage - Information on the history of the US flag.
The Declaration of Independence - See a copy of the Declaration and read about its history.
Colonial Hall - Biographies of America's founders including the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Important American Historical Documents - The Declaration of Indepence, the Constitution and other important document. This is from Ben's Guide to the Government.
The Museum of the American Revolution - A great place to visit in Philadelphia.
From the Constitutional Convention to 1860
Lewis and Clark - For two years, Lewis and Clark explored the western part of North America.
The War of 1812 Website - This site has articles, a chronology and battle maps.
The Star Spangled Banner - Inspired by the raising of the flag over Fort McHenry in 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote the words for our national anthem.
The Erie Canal: A Brief History - Opened in 1825 in New York, this canal was important to the growth of the young United States.
The Donner Party - Logs of the members of a wagon train who were trapped in the snow in the mountains of the west in the years of 1846 - 1847.
The US-Mexican War - (1846 - 1848) Bilingual site. It has a really nice timeline.
The Mexican War - One page summary of the Mexican war.
The Oregon Trail - OK, you've played the game, now learn more about the trail.
Memoirs of the Gold Rush - Many stories about the California gold rush. There is much useful information here for school reports.
The Discovery of Gold in California - By John A. Sutter, 1848.
Wells Fargo - The Wells Fargo stage coach was a very important way to cross the United States from coast to coast.
I Will Be Heard - Abolitionism in America. This site tells about the history of movement to abolish slavery. It also has biographies of abolitionists.
The Civil War
The Civil War at a Glance - This site is good if you only need a chronology of the war. This site also has maps.
The Civil War - This site has lots of information about the war. Look at some of the Harper's Weekly magazines which have articles and pictures of the war.
Eyewitness History: The Civil War - Real people describe the historical events that they lived through.
The Abraham Lincoln Research Site - This site has a lot of information about president Lincoln and about his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln.
Civil War Battle Summaries - Description of all of the battles of the war. They are listed by state or by campaign - use the menu on the left side of the screen.
Manassas Battlefield - Site of the first and second battles of Bull Run (Manassas).
Antietum - Sept. 17, 1862. The bloodiest battle of the Civil War.
Vicksburg - The battle for Vicksburg was conducted from March to July of 1863.
Appomattox Court House - Where the Civil War ended.
From Reconstruction to 1900
The Gilded Age - The time period between 1865 and 1901 which saw industrial prosperity, westward expansion, the arrival of many immigrants, and the beginning of the formation of labor unions.
The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow - A century of struggle for rights for African Americans which begins with Reconstruction. From PBS
The Transcontinental Railroad - Made travel from the east coast to the west coast easier. It was finished in 1869.
The Chisholm Trail - Brought beef from Texas to Kansas and into the American diet.
The Age of Imperialism - The history of the US during the late 19th and early 20th century. Expansion of the US interests to Pacific and Latin America.
Timeline of the Woman's Rights Movement - from Infoplease.
Votes for Women - A history of how women got the vote. This site has nice time line.
The Spanish American War - An introduction.
The Spanish American War in Motion Pictures - the first time that the motion picture camera was used to film a war.
The Twentieth Century
World War I: Trenches on the Web - Start your visit at the Reference Library page where you will find links to timelines, biographies, and maps.
The Great War - PBS documentary on World War I.
The Great Depression - Many Americans lost their jobs and their money. Western farms suffered from a long drought, and many farmers had to move.
The New Deal Network - America during FDR's administration between 1930 and 1940.
World War Two - The United Kingdom in World War II by the BBC. You can also find out about the life of British Children during WWII.
The Korean War - Information from InfoPlease.
The Civil Rights Timeline - a history of the modern civil rights movement. From Infoplease.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial - A monument to the longest and least popular war in American history.
The First Gulf War - 1990 - 1991. America secures its oil interests in the Persian Gulf.
The Iraq Timeline - A history of Iraq and its wars.
Other Information
America's Story - Introduction to American history and geography. Meet amazing Americans, visit the states, travel in time, and learn about America's music.
Fun With History - Free streaming videos about many events in American history.
The American Currency Exhibit - The history of money in the United States. There are lots of illustrations.
Historical Maps of the United States - From the Perry Castenada Map Collection.
Nature Transformed: The Effect of Environment on American History - Essays on the impact of the environment on the development of America.
The American Memory - A variety of topics in American history illustrated with photos and other materials from the Library of Congress.
The People Who Make America
Native Americans
America's Stone Age Explorers - Who were the first inhabitants of the Americas and where did they come from?.
Index of Native American Resources on the Internet - A good starting point for your search for information on Native Americans.
Native American Nations - Links to web site by and about Native American tribes.
NativeTech: Native American Technology and Art - The arts and crafts of New England's native Americans. Very clear explanations of how the native Americans used beadwork, plants, weaving, and pottery.
African-Americans
K-12 Electronic Guide for African Resources on the Internet - From the University of Pennsylvania.
The African-American Mosaic - Exhibits on African-American history from the Library of Congress.
African-American History Timeline - Besides the timeline, there is also an large collection of links to African-American history websites.
Arab-Americans
Famous Arab Americans - Information about famous Arab Americans.
Asian-Americans
Asian-Nation: The Landscape of Asian Americans - information on the history and culture of Asian-Americans.
Ancestors in America - This site has a timeline and links to other Asian-American web sites. By PBS.
The Chinese in California: 1850 - 1925 - Many photographs from the Library of Congress.
European Americans
Ellis Island - Huge numbers of immigrants to American came through Ellis Island in the 1800's and 1900's.
Government
National US Government
Ben's Guide to the US Government for Kids - A good guide to how the various branches of the goverment operate.
The White House - Information about the president and the members of his cabinet.
Inside the White House - Learn about the history of the White House and the families who have lived there.
The CIA for Kids - Want to be a spy? Check out this web site from the Central Intelligence Agency.
The FBI - Maybe you want to be an agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The National Security Agency - You might want to be a codebreaker when you are older.
The President's Cabinet - The departments of the executive branch of the government.
The US State Department - Getting along with other countries of the world is very important. Find out about the Secretary of State and other diplomats.
The US Department of Agriculture - Good food and a healthy environment are the jobs of the Agriculture Department.
The Department of Interior - These are the people who take care of the national parks, and for the land and wildlife in the US.
The National Parks Service - Learn more about the wonderful national parks in the United States.
The EPA Student Center - The Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for protecting us and the land from pollution.
FEMA for Kids - This is the site of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. They help the country when a flood, tornado or other disaster strikes. Here, you can learn how to be ready for a disaster. There are games, too.
The Department of Defense - In charge of the armed forces.
The Department of Homeland Security - Keeping Americans safe.
The Bureau of Printing and Engraving - They print all of the US money.
The Census Bureau - Information on the population and tons of facts about the United States.
Heads of State in all Countries of the World
Types of Governments Around the World - There are good definitions here for words like constitutional monarchy or republic.
Elections and Electoral Systems Around the World - This site lists the winners in the latest government elections in countries around the world. Good for reports for social studies.
Elections
Elections and Voting - Find out more about how elections in America work.
Project Vote Smart - You can find information about current and future elections.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Governor's Website - Currently it is the site for Governor Wolf.
The Pennsylvania General Assembly - Composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Project Vote Smart - Look here to find out who your government representatives are. Go to the menu section for "My State"
Philadelphia City Government - Find out what is happening in the city and in your neighborhood.
Philadelphia City Council - Do you know who your council representative is?
Other Government Information
The National Constitution Center - Located in Philadelphia, PA. Learn more about the constitution and how it affects your life and freedom.
FedWorld/Flite Supreme Court Decisions Home Page - The full text of over 7000 Supreme Court decisions made between 1937 and 1975.
World History
General History
History World - Articles, timelines, and links to related web sites.
Periodical Historic Atlas of Europe - Maps of Europe from the year 1 to the year 20000. The maps are for 100 year intervals.
Quart.us - World and US history for middle school students. This is a good site for homework help.
History for Kids - From Britain. History and games.
Interactive History - Animations, games, videos, virtual tours, and quizzes from the British Broadcasting Corporation.
World History Games - From the ancient world to the modern age.
A Comparative Chronology of Money - from ancient to modern times. Brief descriptions of the uses of money throughout the ages. There are no pictures.
Ancient History
Archaeology Resources
Archaeology for Kids - From Mr. Donn.
Archaeology Magazine - News and articles about archaeology.
Ancient History in General
Ancient Scripts - An introduction to writing in the ancient world and information on the individual languages.
Mr. Donn's Ancient History Page - Information and activities for many ancient cultures such as Egypt, Greece, Italy, China and India. There are things here for both teachers and students.
Daily Life in Ancient Civilizations - Find out about everyday life in ancient China, India, Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
Prehistoric Cultures
Prehistoric People - links for web sites and some good ideas for school projects.
Who's Who of Early Man - A good introduction to the development of early man from 3 million BC to 25,000 BC.
Prehistoric Man - Links to topics such as prehistoric art and prehistoric daily life.
The Evolution of Man - From the BBC.
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt - A nice introduction to ancient Egypt with pictures, explanations, stories, and games. Maybe not the place to go if you need to write a really long report.
Discovering Ancient Egypt - A really interesting site with information on hieroglyphs, kings and queens and much more.
Ancient Egypt - There is a lot of information here. From Quatr.us .
Egyptian Mythology Gallery - Information on Egyptian gods.
Guardian's Ancient Egypt Kid Connection - Information about gods, mummies, and pyramids. There are also games, quizzes, and things to make.
Pyramids: The Inside Story - Explore the inside of a pyramid and find out how they were built.
Ancient Near East
Mesopotamia - Excellent site from the British Museum. It has information about the cultures of Assyria, Babylon and Sumer.
Ancient Mesopotamia - Information and lots of pictures from the University of Chicago.
The Persians - This is an introduction to the history of the Persians. From Quatr.us
The Hittes - an ancient people who lived from 1600 to 1200 BCE.
Canaan and Ancient Israel - Information about the land and the people from the University of Pennsylvania Museum.
The Megiddo Expedition - Site of epic battles in ancient times.
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece - A good introduction to ancient Greece. From the British Museum.
Ancient Greece - You will find all kinds of information about ancient Greece in this site by Mr. Donn.
Ancient Greece - from BBC Schools.
Who Were the Ancient Greeks - Lots of information about ancient Greek life.
The Iliad - One of the most important stories ever told. Every Greek school child would have know this story.
Ancient Rome
The Mysterious Etruscans - These people lived on the Italian Peninsula before the Romans.
Classics Unveiled - This site has sections on Roman history and Roman life. There is also a section on Roman mythology. This site was written by students at the York Mills C. I. in Ontario, Canada.
Ancient Rome - Children's Section - A good introduction to Roman life, and you can click on the Grown Up section to learn more.
The Romans - Information about ancient Rome. This site also has some videos of ancient Roman sites.
Pompeii - Pompeii was a busy Roman city until 79 AD when the the volcano Vesuvius erupted and buried the city under lava and ashes.
Pompeii: Window on Ancient Rome - See Pompeii in this YouTube video.
Roman Emperors - Biographies of the emperors.
The Romans in Britain - Information about Roman life, the Roman army, and a good timeline.
Central America
Aztec History - Lots and lots of information about the Aztecs.
Who Were the Maya - by Robert Sharer. An introduction and a very good timeline. From the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
Mayan Kids - An introduction to the ancient Maya.
The Maya - Find out more about the Maya at this site by Mr. Donn.
Mayan Calendar Tools - Covert Mayan and Gregorian dates.
The Mesoamerican Ball Game - a very dangerous sport.
The Mayan Ball Game - a YouTube video.
South America
The Nazca Culture - These early people of Peru made huge drawings in the desert. From Inside Peru
The Moche - Early people of Peru who made really beautiful pottery. This site is from Inside Peru.
The Incredible Incas for Kids - The Inca lived in what is now Ecuador and Peru.
The Conquistadors - Biographies of the men who conquered the native people of South and Central America.
Asia
History of China - This site has a timeline in addition to information on Chinese history.
Ancient China - A great site by the British Museum.
The Mongols in World History - The world of Genghis Khan and Marco Polo.
Japanese History - History and links to other sites by Japan-Guide.Com.
The Samurai Archives - Lots of information about the samurai.
Ancient India - This is a good introduction to the geography, culture, and religions of early India. This web site is by the British Museum.
The Ancient Indus Valley - The Harappan culture of India and Pakistan.
The Lost City of Angkor Wat - A video from National Geographic about this Cambodian city.
Africa
Africa - Information about its history and culture from Mr. Donn.
The Story of Africa - From very earliest time until the present.
The Middle Ages
NetSerf - The Internet Connection to Medieval Resources. Here you will find links to a great many web sites dealing with the Middle Ages.
Mostly Medieval: Exploring the Middle Ages - Information about calendars, heraldry, ballads and medicine. You also might want to look at The Merkat Cross which has lists of books and movies about the middle ages.
The Middle Ages for Kids - From Ducksters.
Medieval Europe - by Mr. Donn
The Black Death - A great plague which killed many people in Europe starting in 1348.
Medieval Warfare - Lots of good pictures of arms and armor.
Byzantium - Biographies of Byzantine emperors and pictures of coins from their reigns.
The Early Islamic World - From Ducksters.
1001 Inventions and the Library of Secrets - A video about the Moslem inventions of the middle ages.
The Labyrinth - Search for information about the Middle Ages.
Castles of the World - Lots of information about castles and pictures of castles from many countries.
The Vikings - Viking raiders made life very difficult in the Middle Ages.
The Medieval Technology Timeline - Information about the tools and technology of the middle ages.
Renaissance and Reformation
The Renaissance - The development of trade, the exploration of the world, and an explosive growth of art.
The Renaissance - a good introduction from Kids Discover.
The Galileo Project - Information about the man and his world.
Renaissance Art in Italy - This page has lots of links. Look at some of the great works of art by Michelangelo, Raphael, and Titian.
Leonardo da Vinci - artist, scientist and inventor.
Michelangelo - A great artist of the Italian Renaissance.
Martin Luther - The life of the monk who started the protestant reformation.
Tudor History - England in the period between 1485 and 1603. There are biographies, and articles about life in Tudor times. There is also a list of movies which take place during Tudor times.
Queen Elizabeth I - Biography and history of events during her reign.
The Thirty Years War - Major European war between the years of 1618 and 1648.
Modern World History: 1700 - The Present
1700 - 1799 - A chronology of events from InfoPlease.
The Seven Years War - 1756 - 1763. This was really a world war. In the American colonies it was called the French and Indian War.
James Watt - His invention of the steam engine would lead to the Industrial Revolution.
The Chateau of Versailles - Take a tour of this beautiful home of French royalty.
Napoleon Bonaparte - Biography, battles, and information about movies and TV shows about Napoleon.
The Battle of Waterloo - The end of Napoleon's hope for empire. This site has maps and videos.
1800 - 1899 - A chronology of events from InfoPlease.
Simon Bolivar - The liberator of several South American countries.
The Industrial Revolution - Changed how the world worked and traveled.
The History of the Railroad - In 1825, the first railroad ran from Stockton to Darlington in England.
Queen Victoria - Victoria would be queen of England from 1829 - 1901. Her country would become one of the most powerful countries in the world.
The Crimean War - 1853 - 1856. England, Turkey, France and Sardinia were fighting Russia.
The 20th Century - Year by Year - Events for each year of the century plus timelines and news of disasters, entertainment and sports.
First World War.Com - This site has a huge amount of information about the war.
Trenches on the Web - A history of World War I.
The Russian Revolution - A short description of the Revolution of 1917.
World War II - From the BBC.
The Vietnam War - Timeline, events and photos.
A Short History of the Internet - The development of the Internet was a world changing event.
The Middle East and The West: A Troubled History - Events in the Middle East history which have led to modern problems. From NPR.
The Gulf War - War with Iraq in 1990 - 1991.
The Iraq Timeline - From the 1920's to the present.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Levant - Known as ISIS. This information is from Wikipedia.
History of Great Britain
The British Monarchy - This is the official web site of the British monarchy and has biography of all of the kings and queens. There is also a kids section.
BBC History - Lots on British history here and there is also a kids section. By the British Broadcasting Company.
Exhibitions of British History - Important events in history. By the British National Archives.
Early British Kingdoms for Kids - Britain in the Middle Ages.