Free Teaching Packets

Attention Illinois Teachers!

Free teaching packets available on Illinois history

For many years the State Archives have provided teaching packets to Illinois schools to encourage the use of primary archival documents in Illinois classrooms. The teaching packets introduce students to state and local history in a meaningful way and promote the appreciation of and interest in history in general.

Teaching packets consist of a teacher's manual and a set of photographic document reproductions from State Archives document holdings. The teacher's manual outlines the objectives of each packet, discusses the nature of the documents, provides a brief historical background of the period, and includes a bibliography and chronological listing of the documents.

The following teaching packets are available free to Illinois educational institutions:

• Abraham Lincoln in Illinois (2008)--Provides a glimpse of events surrounding the life of Lincoln when he lived in Illinois from 1830-1861.
• Hard Times in Illinois, 1930-1940 (2002)--Explores Illinois during the Great Depression.
• The Illinois and Michigan Canal, 1827-1911 (1998)--Examines the making, operation and demise of the canal.
• Illinois at War, 1941-1945 (1994)--Examines the home front during World War II.
• From the Ashes, 1872-1900 (1990) --Covers Chicago's development after the Great Chicago Fire up to the turn of the century.
• Early Chicago, 1833-1871 (1986, 1999) --Focuses on the city's development from the time of its incorporation as a town through the Great Chicago Fire.

Please submit your request on school letterhead to:

Illinois State Archives, Publication Unit
M.C. Norton Building
Springfield, IL 62756

or call 217-782-2226

This information was taken from page 3 of the Fall 2009 issue of "For the Record" which is the newsletter of the Illinois State Archives & the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board.