Website: Maps from American Battlefield Trust

MAPS from American Battlefield Trust provides access to engaging maps, videos, and apps from American history.

The MAPS section is part of the larger battlefield website.

The animated maps are actually videos that bring to life the movement of troops and battles of American wars. The Revolutionary War Animated Map covers America’s war for independence from Lexington to Yorktown and beyond. The Civil War Animated Map includes everything from Fort Sumter to Appomattox and more. In addition to the overview videos, specific battles are also available.

Over 400 maps are currently available such as the Battle of Cedar Mountain in Virginia during the Civil War. Both historical maps and battle maps are available.

Users can access the maps by war (Civil War, Revolutionary War, War of 1812), battle, or type of map (animated, battle, historical.

The American Battlefield Trust also have map apps available include the Civil War Battle Maps app.

Libraries will find these maps to be an excellent way to help students visualize the “big picture” related to these American wars. Work with the history teacher to weave these maps into the curriculum.

To learn more, go to https://www.battlefields.org/learn/maps.

Digital Collection: War of 1812

WAR OF 1812Indiana University

Contents: This collection includes thousands of documents exploring the War of 1812 including materials from before the war, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, and after the war. For easy access, use the timeline, maps, or browse the collection.

Classroom Connections: Use this collection along with classroom resources such as the Thinkport Project at http://warof1812.thinkport.org and the Interactive Battlefield Map at http://1812battles.org. Ask youth to select key digital items that reflect the time period or provide insights into a particular place or event.

Featured Digital Objects:
Declaration of War - https://goo.gl/vfk34f
Battle of Niagara Painting - https://goo.gl/qTEUEC
Battle of New Orleans News - https://goo.gl/AmzRJv

To visit the collection, go to http://collections.libraries.indiana.edu/warof1812/

Website Review: The War of 1812 in the Chesapeake

THE WAR OF 1812 IN THE CHESAPEAKE is an amazing interactive battlefield map website.

Users can choose to enter one of four battles including the Battle of St. Leonard Creek, the Battle of Bladensburg, the Battle of North Point, or the Battle of Baltimore.

Each experience begins will a short video that presents background information. Then, users explore an interactive map that provides information about the “big picture” of war, clickable dates that feature key events, and map extras that give users access to battle map PDFs and other information. Clicking on a particular event or location presents videos, images, maps, and additional information.

The maps provide users the option to view a historic, modern, or overview map. Tools also allow users to zoom in and out of the map scene.

Librarians will find this website to be an excellent way to engage learners in American history.

To explore the resource, go to http://1812battles.org.

Website Review: War of 1812

THE WAR OF 1812 website by Thinkport provides endless resources for exploring this often overlooked time in American history.

Produced through a collaboration among the Maryland Public Television, Friends of Fort McHenry, and the National Park Service, the website is organized into four sections: overview, resources, interactives, and field trips.

The Overview introduces the context of the war and the key players.

The Resources section provides over 100 documents, images, lessons, videos, audios, and interactives related to the War of 1812. Users can filter their search by resource type, grade, or keywords.

The Interactives area includes a clickable map, slideshow, “Hold the Fort” game, “Cast Your Vote” games, and a link to online tools.

The Field Trips section links to key historical sites where students can learn more about battles and key events. Links are also provided to other resources related to the topic. Many of these materials were designed for the 200th anniversary a few years ago.

To visit the website, go to http://warof1812.thinkport.org.