Historical Figure & Event

On this day in 1800, Congress approved the purchase of books to start the Library of Congress.

Date
April 24
Calendar Activity Type
Historical Figure & Event

Event Description

The country's oldest cultural institution, the Library of Congress (LOC) is today also the largest library in the world. It houses almost 128 million items, including over 29 million books and other printed materials, 2.7 million recordings, 12 million photographs, 4.8 million maps, and 57 million manuscripts. The LOC's mission is to make its wealth of resources available to the Congress and the American people.

Classroom Activity

The Library of Congress (LOC) offers the perfect place to practice and refine research skills. Introduce students to the resources available at the Library of Congress website by conducting one of these research projects:

  • Examine the September 11 attacks at the September 11, 2001 Documentary Project, filled with relevant resources.
  • Explore Immigration in America with interviews, information on immigrants from all over the word, a timeline, and more.
  • Students can investigate their own state's history or you could assign each student a different state to explore.
  • This feature offers students many Amazing Americans to research. Select from presidents, reformers, explorers, musicians, authors, scientists, inventors, athletes, and more!
  • StoryCorps offers ordinary people the opportunity to record their stories, which are then housed at the Library of Congress.

Websites

Enter the Library of Congress website at their homepage. Here you'll find links to a wealth of resources for the classroom.

 

This section of the Library of Congress website is designed especially for teachers. Included are lesson plans, activities, professional development, and more.

 

This section of the Library of Congress website is designed just for young people. Featured topics include amazing Americans, the U.S. states, an historical timeline, pastimes and sports, and music.

 

Part of the American Memory Project of the LOC, this section provides information on what happened in history and culture every day of the year.

 

Related Resources