Numerous, Various, Revealing, Ubiquitous, and Teachable Documents

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By Daniel Rulli and Lee Ann Potter
National Archives and Records Administration

Thousands, if not millions, of supporting and resulting documents exist for each of the 100 milestones included in Our Documents. Unlike the majority of Our Documents, which are textual records, related materials come in a variety of formats. They can include photographs, posters, maps, cartoons, motion pictures, sound recordings, and additional textual records. These materials often reveal the social and economic causes and effects of the milestone documents, which tend to be more political in nature. And they are everywhere—in the holdings of the National Archives, other archival facilities, libraries, historical societies, museums, and personal collections.

Featured here are three photographs, three posters, and three textual documents from the National Archives that relate to several of the 100 Our Documents. They are teachable documents that inspire creative methods for introducing students to the milestones and reinforcing their significance.

Photographic Documents

  1. photo“Yellowstone Falls” by Ansel Adams, 1933–1942.
    This photo is one of hundreds taken by Ansel Adams while he was employed by the Department of Interior in the late 1800s. It is a supporting photographic document for Our Documents #45 "Act to Establish Yellowstone Park," 1872.

  2. photo“Mclean House, Appomattox Court House, Va., where the capitulation was signed by Lee and Grant,” by Mathew Brady, ca. 1860–ca. 1865.
    This photo is one of as many as 12,000 produced by Mathew Brady and his associates during the Civil War period. It is a supporting photographic document for Our Documents #39 "Articles of Agreement Relating to the Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia," 1865.

  3. photoSuffragette banner, 1917–1918.
    This photo, documenting the suffragette movement, is from the series "American Unofficial Collection of World War I Photographs, 1917-1918" was taken by commercial photographers Harris and Ewing. It is a supporting photographic document for Our Documents #63 "19th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution: Women's Right to Vote," 1919.

Poster Documents

  1. photo“They Shall Not Have Died in Vain. Remember Pearl Harbor. Work, Fight, Sacrifice. Let’s get it over with!” ca. 1942–ca. 1943.
    This motivational poster is one of hundreds created by the War Production Board (WPB) during World War II, 1942-1943. It is a supporting poster document for Our Documents #73 "Joint Address to Congress Leading to a Declaration of War Against Japan," 1941.

  2. photo“Our Flags. Beat Germany. Support every flag that opposes Prussianism. Eat less of the food Fighters need. Deny yourself something. Waste Nothing,” ca. 1917–ca. 1919.
    This homefront mobilization poster is one of a series of hundreds created by the U. S. Food Administration from 1917-1920. It is a supporting poster document for Our Documents #61 "Joint Address to Congress Leading to a Declaration of War Against Germany," 1917.

  3. photo“Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law,” EEOC 25th Anniversary, 1989.
    This commemorative poster was created in 1989 in celebration of the 25th Aniversary of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. It is a supporting poster document for Our Documents #97 "Civil Rights Act", 1964.

Textual Documents

  1. photoPlaybill, Federal Theater Project: Denver Unit; “Hell Bent for Heaven”.
    This playbill from the Denver Unit of the Works Progress Administration's Federal Theater Project represents the hundreds of plays performed in various cities in the United States between 1935 and 1939. It is a supporting textual document for Our Documents #69 "President Franklin Roosevelt's Radio Address Unveiling the Second Half of the New Deal," 1936.

  2. photo“Proclamation: To the People of New Orleans,” December 20, 1803.
    This three-language broadside was written in December of 1803 to announce the United States' purchase of the Louisiana Territory. It is a supporting textual document for Our Documents #18 "Louisiana Purchase Treaty," 1803.

  3. photoMessage of President Andrew Jackson nominating Roger B. Taney and Phillip B. Barbour to be Justices of the Supreme Court, December 28, 1835.
    This hand written message from President Andrew Jackson from December 28, 1835 nominates Roger B. Taney and Phillip B. Barbour to be justices of the U. S. Supreme Court. It is a supporting textual document for Our Documents #29 "Dred Scott v. Sanford," 1857.

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