Different Approaches

There are many websites that are dedicated to historical studies. Each website comes at the subject in a different manner providing those surfing the internet with a number of options when they are doing their studies and research. The problem that some of these websites deal with is that, without having some section of new information on daily or weekly basis, people may not revisit the site often. One way of dealing with this is to angle the website to a specific audience.

The Valley of the Shadow: Two Communities in the American Civil War (http://valley.vcdh.virginia.edu/) looks at northern and southern community in the United States from 1859 to 1870. Once entering the website the visitor is allowed to choose from different sections in different time periods (http://valley.vcdh.virginia.edu/choosepart.html). Within most sections the visitor is also give the option to search for specific documents rather than browse. There is a great deal of primary source material to be found on this site. The documents range from newspaper articles to government and religious records to letters and diaries. The website seems to be angled towards an audience of researchers.

There are no sections that provide new information on a daily or weekly basis. This could cut down on the number of times a person might revisit the site, despite the wealth of information that is provided within the different sections. While it does lack this daily pull of some other websites, it is very streamlined and easy to follow. There is a great deal of information to be found using the “Valley Project.” It gives varied perspectives, broken up geographically, on a turbulent time period in the country’s history.

The History Channel (http://www.history.com/) takes an interesting approach to history on the internet. They address the issue of providing new information each day with a “Quick Poll” and a section called “History Now,” which deals with events that are happening every day, such as the President’s State of the Union address. This article discusses President Bush’s agenda during his last year as President and offers links to videos of past Presidents giving the State of the Union address (http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=mini_home&mini _id=57351). There is also a discussion board where people can converse over topics in history and the present day. Each of these features provides new information each day which will keep people coming back.

On the homepage, the website gives a schedule of programs that will be shown on the History Channel, as well as a list of the most watched videos and most popular forums. Through these forums the website works to form a community of its viewers, therefore ensuring that they are likely to come back. A visitor to the site can search for any historical event, as well as looking at today in history. This website provides a multi-media perspective on history, while also spotlighting the fact that history is unfolding around people every day.

Do History (http://dohistory.org/) looks at the diary of Martha Ballard and discusses how one would piece together history using such resources. At the very top of the home page is a link to a description of what the site is meant for (http://dohistory.org/about/site.html). The site is made for those who wish to pursue projects in history and would like to learn different methods of creating a narrative of the past using what materials have survived. The website provides a good deal of information on Martha Ballard, a midwife, including primary sources, excerpts from the book based on Ballard’s diary and clips from the movie based on the book.

There is a link on the homepage to a couple of interactive features to help the visitor gain a better understanding of how to work with the information presented to him (http://dohistory.org/DHindex.html). While this website does not provide new information each day for the viewer, it is a good resource for figuring out how to fill in the blanks of history. The final link on the homepage is to a section containing links to other websites, in addition to “how-to” essays on historical research (http://dohistory.org/on_your_own/index.html). This website, like The Valley of the Shadow, is primarily useful for researchers.

The primary purpose of the National Museum of American History website (http://americanhistory.si.edu/index.cfm) is to draw people to the museum. They use a number of graphics to give a quick showcasing to the objects that are on display in the museum. On the homepage there is a section on collections that has a photo of an object that changes every couple seconds. The objects range from locomotives to Kermit the Frog to an old top hat. Once clicking on that tab the visitor is brought to a page detailing the many collection subjects that can be found at the museum.

There is an area discussing the renovations that are currently going on at the museum, as well as a link to the exhibit of National Museum of American History objects that are on display at the Air & Space Museum. To the bottom left-hand corner of the homepage there are links to museum news and events that will be occurring in the near future. This information changes every few days which could provide a draw for people to return to the website even though the museum is currently closed.

Each of these websites comes at history from a different angle, from research to commercial. They all provide a good deal of information while approaching topics in a varied manner. The History Channel and the American Museum of American History span long time periods while The Valley of the Shadow looks at an eleven year period and Do History focuses on one person. The two websites which look at history in a broader sense seem to target the general public while the narrower view is ideal for researchers.