Category: History

Castles for Kids
Investigate this interesting perspective of life in a medieval castle. It provides information on structure, residents, knights, hunting, and royal feasts.

Henry VIII and the Tudors
Just how many wives did he have, and who were they? What sort of a person was he? Designed for 7-10 year olds, this site gives interesting facts about Henry VIII and his wives.

Janet’s Viking Web Site
Learn more about Viking ships, homes, warriors, gods and people.

Journey Through The Middle Ages
There are three different ways to view this site. You can play a game, simply wander through the castle or if you really want the facts, you can see the information pages.

Life in the Middle Ages
Step back in time to the days of imposing castles, knights in armor defending the kingdom, and noblemen ruling over the serfs. This looks at life in the Middle Ages.

Medieval Madness
In this project for kids by kids students have searched for the best reference sites on varied topics relating to the Middle Ages. They have then put together open-ended questions to answer.

Medieval Village Life – An Interactive Lesson
This Interactive lesson teaches about feudalism and life in a medieval village. With each step there is an interactive quiz to check your understanding.

Middle Ages Exhibit
What was it like to live in the Middle Ages? Explore feudal life, the towns, churches, homes, clothing, health, arts and entertainment of this period. The exhibit is clear and easy to read, but there are very few illustrations.

Tales From Camelot
At this site, written by kids, there is a collection of stories about Camelot, written as if the characters are telling them. It gives an interesting look at some of the better-known knights from the stories of King Arthur and the Round Table.

The Tower of London
Tour the Tower of London with Reginald Raven, who lives there. This site is especially for kids and gives lots of interesting details about the Tower and what went on there.

The Vikings
Who were the Vikings, where did they go and why? Learn about their religion and their settlements. Although the information is primarily aimed at 7 and 8 year olds, links are included for older children.

Africa

African History
Africa is made up of many countries, each with their own past. At this site you will find links to historical information on several specific African countries, as well as a general overview on African History.

Colonial Africa
This is a very well presented introduction to the history of colonialism in Africa. It starts with a brief list of important facts you should know, goes on to details about early explorers and the colonies, ending with the indpendence of African Nations. It even touches on Liberia, the nation founded by freed American slaves, and the only African nation never to have been occupied by a colonial power.

Story of Africa
The BBC collected articles from African historians on the history of Africa, and put them together to make this huge site. It has links to different regions and eras of African History.

Australia and New Zealand

Australian Timeline
This very brief document gives the major dates in Australian history since it was first sighted by the Europeans in 1606.

Early Queensland History
Although Australia had British settlements as early as 1788, the first settlement in Queensland didn’t happen until 1824. This first settlement was a convict colony. Learn more about the exploration and settlement of Queensland.

Australian History
Here you will find a history of Australia prior to colonization, as well as post colonization. Discover why Britain chose to send her convicts there, and what became of them.

The Whitianga Museum and Captain Cook’s Arrival
Read about Captain Cook’s first expedition to New Zealand, and how the local inhabitants treated him. This page is a little difficult to read as it has excerpts from his diary, written in old English.

Canada

Canadian History Timeline
This well-illustrated timeline begins in the age of the dinosaurs and continues to the present day. It is clear and colorful, giving a very little information, but enough to whet your appetite for Canadian history.

Famous Canadians – Timeline
From 1700 this timeline lists the birth dates of important people in Canadian History. Each name has a link to a brief biography. This is a very useful starting place for finding out more about Canadian History.

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
This buffalo jump, designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, demonstrates a custom practiced by native inhabitants of North America for almost 6000 years. Learn about the history of the Blackfoot tribe, the buffalo jump and more at this informative and interesting site.

Early Days – Homesteaders
Early settlers to Western Canada undertook long and difficult journeys, in the hopes of owning land. Follow these early settlers from their journey, through their house building and onto school and community activities.

Canadian History
This is a list of sites with useful information on Canadian History for kids. There are also links to lesson plans for teachers of elementary level history.

India

History of India
The Indian government has produced this site with information on different eras of Indian History. The information stretches from the Indus Valley Civilization to the New State, covering 2,300 years of history.

India Under the British
From the 1600 Britain established trade in India, and quickly cam to power. The British East India Company ruled over India for over 200 years but was eventually replaced by the British Government. Learn about the initial trading company, the mutiny that led to its downfall, and the British rule that followed.

Indian Mutiny
Although this site is written with older students in mind, it presents a clear history of the Indian Mutiny of 1857. There is a brief background of the history and reasons leading up to the mutiny, as well as a description of the mutiny itself.

Mohandes Karamchand Gandhi
Mohandes Gandhi, otherwise know as Mahatma Gandhi, led the nonviolent protest against British Rule in India. Eventually he won independence for India. Read about his early life, time spent in South Africa, and eventual rise to power in India.

Meet the Daggetts
Meet the Daggetts, a colonial family from the 1700’s.
Find out about their life and the community they lived in.

Abraham Lincoln
This is a short biography of Abraham Lincoln.
It includes such details as what was in his pockets when he died, his sense of humor and his childhood.

Archaeology at Colonial Williamsburg – Kids Page
Here you can find out about artifacts in your own home,
what games kids played during the civil war, and play some games, too.

Civil War Timeline
This is a very simple timeline, showing the main events leading up to,
and included in the American Civil War.

Follow the Drinking Gourd
The words of the song, sung by slaves escaping to freedom,
are written down, with an explanation of what they mean.

History of the Lincoln Highway
This is a brief history of the highway, from it’s origin,
through it’s construction, to its renaming as a numbered highway.

Jump Back in Time
Take a trip back in time to any American Era, starting with the Colonial Wars.
There is a lot of information, here, written in a clear understandable way.

 

Johnny Appleseed
Who was Johnny Appleseed, what did he do and why? Find out here,
at this clear simple site, aimed at younger children.

Growing Seasons

Growing Seasons
This page gives a brief look at farm life during the early part of the twentieth century.
Links at the bottom, to each of the seasons, give you more details.

Living Under Enslavement

Living Under Enslavement
Read about what life was like for slaves on a Southern plantation in 1850.
Enter a slave’s house and learn more about their daily life,
and how they preserved their African traditions and resisted slavery.

Pioneer Families
A brief history of three pioneer families from Kent, Washington, is told here.
Although the information is very brief, it gives a glimpse into life as a pioneer,
and some of the difficulties these families faced.

The Salem Witchcraft Trials

The Salem Witchcraft Trials
In 1692, twenty people were executed in Salem,
for practicing witchcraft. Read about the trials and what led up to them.

Time Map – US Borders
Slide the cursor along the timeline at the top of the map, and watch how the United States came to be.
This map requires shockwave and is a bit slow to load. Be patient.

The Age of Exploration
Here you will find a description of what life was like on voyages of discovery. Near the bottom of the description there is a link to Marco Polo. Click this and you will find an index of explorers and associated people. This information is a little difficult to read in places, but everything you need is here.

Australian Explorers
When the colonists first settled in Australia, they settled around the coast. A group of intrepid explorers braved hardship and great difficulties to explore the interior and remaining coastline. Read about them, their adventures, hardships and achievements, here.

The Beginnings
Learn why the Europeans suddenly started colonizing the rest of the world. If you click the link at the bottom of the page, you can learn more about the Portuguese and Spanish voyages of discovery.

Captain James Cook
This is a biography of Captain James Cook, the British explorer. The first page details his early life, with more pages on his great voyages and death.

A Christopher Columbus Timeline
The timeline shown here gives brief but clear details for all the important dates in the life of Columbus. There are links to more detailed information on his voyages and death.

Early Explorers
The National Maritime Museum in England lists plenty of resources for you to browse through. There are features on some of the great explorers, timelines, models of ships, and much more to keep you busy.

Explorers of Africa
This site gives a basic timeline of explorers in Africa. There is information on their nationality, major achievements and the dates on which they achieved them. Some of the entries have further information.

Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan was the first person to sail all the way around the world. Find out more about this Portuguese explorer and his exploits in this short biography.

Find a Grave: Explorers and Adventurers
Ferdinand Magellan was the first person to sail all the way around the world. Find out more about this Portuguese explorer and his exploits in this short biography.

George Vancouver
Learn about George Vancouver, and his exploration of Canada. This page gives a very brief biography of the British explorer and his expedition to the Northwest coast of America.

Henry Hudson Explorer of the Hudson River
Read about Henry Hudson and his exploration of the Hudson River. There are links to details about his ship, Half Moon, and places that he visited.

Leif Erikson
Most people think that Christopher Columbus was the first European to set foot in America. In fact, Leif Erikson, a Viking, was the first. Why didn’t he stay? Read all about him and find the answers to your questions.