Websites

Websites can provide valuable information to supplement what you find in encyclopedias, books, and databases. However, not all websites are created equal - anyone can publish information online, so it's crucial to evaluate sources carefully. The websites listed below have been selected because they are credible, reliable, and appropriate for academic research. They come from respected institutions like museums, educational organizations, and government agencies that employ historians and experts to create their content.

PBS Learning Media: American Experience

What is it?
PBS Learning Media and American Experience provide high-quality educational videos, articles, primary sources, and interactive resources about American history, including extensive coverage of the Progressive Era.

Why use it?
PBS content is thoroughly researched, produced by professional historians and filmmakers, and designed to make history engaging and understandable. You'll find documentaries about specific progressives as well as topics like women's suffrage, and labor movements. The combination of video content, written articles, and primary sources helps you understand both the facts and the human stories behind the Progressive Era.

Where to begin?
Start by searching for your progressive's name in the search bar. Browse and review the relevant results.
You will need to manually add any sources you use to NoodleTools.

DocsTeach

What is it?
DocsTeach is an interactive website from the National Archives designed specifically for students to explore and analyze primary source documents from American history. The site features thousands of historical documents, photographs, maps, and other records, including materials related to the Progressive Era, all organized into searchable collections.

Why use it?
DocsTeach gives you direct access to real historical documents from the National Archives - the actual records of the U.S. government. You can find original documents like photographs, political cartoons, letters, and speeches. The site is designed to help you practice analyzing primary sources with built-in tools and activities. Because these are official government records, they're highly credible and perfect for supporting your research with authentic evidence.

Where to begin?
Start by searching for your progressive's name in the search bar or click on "Popular Topics." Topics like "Labor History," "Women's Rights," or "Rights in America" are rich in relevant resources. When you find a source, be sure to read the description for context. Also, the zoom in tool may prove especially helpful when examining primary sources.
You will need to manually add any sources you use to NoodleTools.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

What is it?
The Gilder Lehrman Collection is one of the great archives in American history with 87,000 primary source documents. The Institute's website provides free access to these documents covering all periods of American history including the Progressive Era.

Why use it?
On this website, you'll find letters, photographs, speeches, and other original materials related to Progressive Era reformers and movements. The site also features essays written by professional historians that provide context and analysis, helping you understand not just what happened but why it mattered. Because the content is specifically designed for students and reviewed by historians, it's both accessible and academically credible.

Where to begin?
You could start by using the search bar to look for your progressive's name. You could also start by browsing the collection. You can filter your search by time period, topics and type.
You will need to manually add any sources you use to NoodleTools.

Teaching & Learning with Historic Places

What is it?
Teaching with Historic Places is a program from the National Park Service that connects American history to actual historic sites and landmarks across the country. While primarily designed for teachers, the site features excellent student-friendly resources including "curiosity kits" for Progressive Era figures like Dr. Alice Paul, Carrie Chapman Catt, Ida B. Wells, and women labor activists. These kits include articles, photographs, interactive maps, and primary sources that bring these reformers' stories to life.

Why use it?
Many progressives are connected to historic places - Jane Addams's Hull House, Theodore Roosevelt's Sagamore Hill, Alice Paul's campaign headquarters, and more. The National Park Service provides well-researched, credible information (it's a .gov source) that shows how these reformers lived and worked.

Where to begin?
Start by searching for your progressive's name in the search bar, or browse the curiosity kits for Alice Paul, Carrie Chapman Catt, Ida B. Wells, and women labor activists.
You will need to manually add any sources you use to NoodleTools.

National Women's History Museum

What is it?
The National Women's History Museum website is a digital resource dedicated to documenting and celebrating women's contributions to American history. It features biographies, articles, timelines, and primary sources about women who shaped the nation, including many female progressives like Jane Addams, Ida B. Wells, Alice Paul, and Florence Kelley.

Why use it?
If you're researching a female progressive, this website is invaluable. It provides well-researched, accessible articles written by historians and educators that highlight women's roles in social reform movements. The site covers suffragists, labor activists, settlement house workers, and other reformers who fought for change during the Progressive Era.

Where to begin?
Use the search bar to look up your progressive's name, or browse the "Biographies" section. You can filter your search by topic, era, and location. After reading the main biography or article about your progressive, check "Additional Resources" to continue your research.

"How to Cite this Page" provides MLA citations.

Smithsonian Learning Lab

What is it?
The Smithsonian Learning Lab is a free online platform with over 1.4 million digital resources from all 19 Smithsonian museums, including photographs, artifacts, videos, and documents. You can search for specific progressives and find primary sources.

Why use it?
You're getting access to authentic materials from actual museums—like Jacob Riis's original photographs, portraits from the National Portrait Gallery, and historical documents—which make your research more credible and interesting.

Where to begin?
Watch the Basics of Resources in the Smithsonian Learning Lab video. (2:09 minutes)