Recommended Website:
EyeWitness: History Through The Eyes of Those Who Lived It
This is a most remarkable website for the study of history as it presents eye-witness accounts of historical events that have occurred throughout the world. You can read journal entries from ancient times through today, see illustrations, paintings, drawings and photographs depicting world events, and listen to recordings of historical voices of the 20th century.
The historical eras these primary sources cover include:
- Ancient World — for example, an eye-witness account of the destruction of the Roman town of Pompeii by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D.
- Middle Ages/Renaissance — for example, an eye-witness account of the ravages of the Black Death plague of 1348 that killed 25-50% of the European population.
- 17th Century — for example, an eye-witness account of The Salem Witch Trials of 1692.
- 18th Century — for example, eye-witness account of the execution of Nathan Hale in 1776 who said, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
- 19th Century — for example, eye-witness account of the inhumane conditions aboard a slave ship in 1829.
- Civil War — for example, eye-witness account of the Surrender at Appomattox.
- Old West — for example, eye-witness account of the death of Billy the Kid in 1881.
- 20th Century — for example, eye-witness account of the discovery of King Tut’s Tomb in 1922.
- and other eras including World War I and World War II.
Also available at the site is a feature titled “It Happened This Month.” You can read eye-witness accounts of historical events that took place during this month in history.
Bookmark this one — you’ll want to return here often.
