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A Brief History of Book Banning

It’s Banned Book Week! This year’s theme is “Let Freedom Read!” In this blog post we are going to talk a little bit about the history of banning books, and give you a few suggestions on banned books that can be paired with specific History Unboxed® boxes. Let’s get started! Banned Book Week was started in 1982. At that time book banning had really ramped up and activists wanted to fight to make sure books were accessible to everyone. Each year, The Office of Intellectual Freedom at the American Library Association compiles a list of the most challenged books of…

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Hispanic Heritage Month Educational Resources

Hispanic Heritage Month Educational Resources Hispanic Heritage Month starts on September 15th, and runs through October 15th. This year’s theme is Latinos: Driving Prosperity, Power, and Progress in America. The celebration starts on September 15th because that was the day that many Central American countries gained their independence. Like many of our month-long celebrations, Hispanic Heritage Month began as a week-long celebration in 1968.  In 1988, President Ronald Reagan declared that Hispanic Heritage would now be celebration over the course of a month, starting on September 15th. To learn about Hispanic Heritage Month, check out Hispanic Heritage Month Unboxed.  In…

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Historical Research: Wikipedia

This week we are starting a new series on historical research. In this blog post we will focus on historical research using Wikipedia, and its strengths and weaknesses. This post is by Stephanie Hanson, History Unboxed’s® Creative Director. When I was majoring in history, I had to write a senior thesis. The course was called “1968” and my topic had to center around major events that took place in that year. I knew I wanted to write about the American Indian Movement, but had zero background knowledge other than their occupation of Alcatraz Island. My research required primary sources and…

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Why It’s Important to Teach Asian American & Pacific Island History All Year Long

As this year’s Asian & Pacific Island Heritage Month comes to a close, History Unboxed® is bringing you a guest blog post by Rachel Juliette on the importance of teaching Asian & Pacific Islander history, not just during the month of May, but the whole year through.   The U.S. has always had deep ties with Asia, but most schools don’t discuss this in depth. Professor Sohyun An of Kennesaw State University tells TIME that Asians were part of the United States before many white European immigrants came to the country. Unfortunately, most K-12 American history texts barely discuss this…

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A History of Memorial Day: Celebrating those Who Died in Battle

Did you know that Memorial Day wasn’t always called Memorial Day? If you ask your parents or grandparents they might remember the holiday  being called Decoration Day. It wasn’t until 1967 that the holiday became officially known as Memorial Day. It was established as a federal holiday on May 13th, 1938 and is celebrated on the last Monday in May. In this blog post we’ll talk about the history of Memorial Day and its origins in Decoration Day, and some ways that people celebrate the holiday that carry on the original spirit of honoring those who died in military service.…

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A Brief History of April Fools’ Day!

Would it surprise you to learn that April Fools’ Day, celebrated every year on April 1, has been celebrated for thousands of years in many countries and communities around the world? Today, April Fools’ Day is generally celebrated as a day of mischievous and (hopefully) harmless pranks put on by both individuals and mass media, but it hasn’t always been that way. Let’s explore the mostly true history of April Fools’ Day. Want more info on calendars? Check out our Calendars Unboxed downloadable lesson. Ready to leave the winter behind and dive into some Spring learning? Check out Spring Unboxed…

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Native American Heritage Month Teaching Resources

November is Native American Heritage Month.  In our American history boxes, we talk about the role of Native Americans in every box.  It’s only right. We need to talk about Native American history all year long, but next month is a perfect time of year to do a deep dive. Here are some resources for appropriate and respectful study.  Discussing appropriate terminology:  When discussing Native American cultures, it is always best to use the specific name of the group or nation you are talking about.  If you are discussing multiple groups, preferences vary.  There is no single answer to which…

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