Homework Help: Social Studies
Student databases and World Wide Web sites
Get a head-start on your homework or special project with help from these links to all kinds of social studies information on the Web.
The Library also has some very special research tools just for kids. Check out Student Databases and click on CultureGrams Online for information on countries, cultures, and geography especially for students in 5th grade and above.
If you still can't find what you're looking for, visit the General Homework Help page for links to websites in all school subject areas, try Live Homework Help™ for online help from expert tutors, or contact a Youth Services librarian and we'll help you find what you need.
Web resource 
Available with Skokie Public Library card 
Available in Library only
The 50 United States
- The 50
States of the U.S.A.
- This search index of Web links will connect you to information about the fifty states.
- CultureGrams Online
- Country reports about daily life, culture, customs, courtesies, and lifestyles of more than 187 countries and the 50 United States. A photo gallery, famous people collection, and recipes from around the world are also available.
- ipl2 for Kids: Stately Knowledge
- “Just the facts” and links to encyclopedia articles, websites, and additional information about the 50 United States.
- Searchasaurus
- A general encyclopedia, magazine articles, pictures, and more. Click PICTURES, select Flags, and then enter the name of state to find its flag and facts. Also available: photos of people and places, maps, and historical photos.
- World Book Online Info Finder
- Type in the name of the state you are interested in to find maps, pictures, and information.
African-American History
- Encyclopedia Smithsonian: African American History & Culture
- A collection of links to Smithsonian resources about African American history and culture
- Remembering Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. from Skokie Public Library
- The Library has lots of books, videos, and sound recordings about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and many of them have been written and recorded especially for children. The World Wide Web is also a great place to find information about Dr. King's life and work. These links will connect you to information about books, films, and videos available at the Library, and websites that celebrate Dr. King.
American Jewish History
- Jewish Virtual Library: Jews in America
- An online directory of links to information about Jews in America. Topics include American Jews who served on World War II, Jewish population in the United States, Jews in Congress and the Supreme Court, and much more.
- National Museum of American Jewish History: Creating American Jews
- This website explores the evolution of Jewish identity in America with facts, photos, and timelines.
Ancient Civilization
- Mummies
of Ancient Egypt
- This introduction to mummies, hieroglyphs, and the Egyptian dateline includes a glossary of words common to the study of Egypt.
- Odyssey Online
- Take an online journey to explore the ancient Near East, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and 19th-20th century sub-Saharan Africa. The site also includes a teacher resource page.
Chicago and Local History
- Architecture of Chicago, Illinois
- This online index of famous Chicago buildings and the people who built them includes information about building structure, style, type, date built, photos, drawings, and architect biographies.
- The Great Chicago Fire and the Web of Memory
- An online history of the Chicago Fire in two parts. Part One tells the story of the fire and the city's recovery; Part Two shares memories of the fire. The site includes pictures, writings, and the legend of Mrs. O'Leary's Cow.
- The
Illinois History Resource Page
- Use this website to find links to all kinds of information about Illinois history including information on Illinois government, Illinois geography, and helpful information for children's reports.
- Local History
Resources from Skokie Public Library
- Find all kinds of information about Chicago, Skokie, and local history with these websites selected by Skokie Public Library reference librarians. Topics include Chicago-area history, Illinois history, Jews in Chicago, and more. Please note: Skokie Public Library staff has selected these resources for use by all visitors to the Library's website. Younger children may need adult supervision and assistance to find, understand, and evaluate content.
- Old Chicago: History & Architecture in Vintage Postcards
- This online tour of early 20th Century Chicago uses postcards to tell a story about Chicago's history and architecture. The tour includes information about and pictures of Chicago streets, buildings, bridges, train stations, hotels, and neighborhoods. The site also includes a search engine and some information about late-19th Century buildings and architects.
- Skokie History Project digitized archive from Skokie Public Library
- In cooperation with the Skokie Historical Society, Skokie Public Library has digitized a collection of photographs, maps, business cards, and invoices that document the history of Niles Center and Skokie from the early 1800s to the 1990s. To access the collection, click on the above link and select Skokie History Project in the Browsing Item(s) In menu at the top of the page. Please note: Skokie Public Library staff has selected these resources for use by all visitors to the Library's website. Younger children may need adult supervision and assistance to find, understand, and evaluate content.
Explorers
The Age of Exploration and Discovery: 1450-1700 a Skokie Public Library Homework Helper - This Homework Helper provides sources for papers and research projects. Included are reference books to use in the Library, books to check out, electronic resources, websites, historical fiction books, and a glossary.
- Dewey Browse: Explorers
- This list of links to websites about explorers is arranged by Dewey Decimal numbers.
- Discoverer's Web
- This no-frills collection of Web information about voyages of discovery and exploration is organized by time period, region, and alphabetically. The site also includes links to other websites about discovery and exploration.
- Explorers
- This index includes links to explorer websites and projects.
- Multnomah Homework Center: Alphabetical List of Explorers
- This A-to-Z list of links will connect you with websites about explorers.
- Multnomah Homework Center: Explorers
- Follow the links to all kinds of information about explorers.
General History
- America's Story from America's Library
- Learn about America's past, meet "amazing Americans," explore the states, go back in time, and find all kinds of interesting information on this website from the Library of Congress.
- American History in Video
- American History in Video provides an online collection of over 5,000 videos available for the study of American history. The collection features documentaries and series from The History Channel®, A&E Network®, and Biography Channel®. Several types of videos including documentaries, newsreels, and public affairs programs have been chosen to provide a well-rounded collection for historical study. Text transcripts of the videos are available and searchable. A tool is included that allows users to make video clips and and link to them from a multimedia presentation.
- Biography and History
Resources from Skokie Public Library
- The Library's Biography and History web page includes links to information about who's alive, who's dead, genealogy, decades and centuries, political figures, United States history, and local history (including many links to information about Chicago). Please note: Skokie Public Library staff has selected these resources for use by all visitors to the Library's website. Younger children may need adult supervision and assistance to find, understand, and evaluate content.
- Teacher
Oz's Kingdom of History: Oz's Table of Contents
- An index of Web links to sites having anything and everything to do with history: ancient history, United States history and government, wars and military information, the middle ages, the renaissance, biographies, fine arts, entertainment, and lots more.
- Teen Scene
Homework Help: History from Skokie Public Library
- Find all kinds of information about history subjects with these Web links on the Library's Teen Homework Help page. Topics include American history, decades, researching the 20th century, and more. Please note: Skokie Public Library staff has selected these resources for use by teen visitors to the Library's website. Younger children may need adult supervision and assistance to find, understand, and evaluate content.
Inventors and Inventions
- Lemelson-MIT Invention Dimension
- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology database of inventors and inventions includes an Inventor of the Week Archive, an Inventor's Handbook, games, trivia, and links to related resources.
- National Inventors Hall of Fame
- Search this database to find information about inventors, inventions, and Hall of Fame members.
- National Inventors
Month® from Skokie
Public Library
- Learn about invention, creativity, and gadget gurus everywhere with these links to library materials and websites about the inventors and inventions that changed our lives.
Middle Ages
- Annenberg/CPB: Middle Ages
- Find out what it was like to live in the Middle Ages. This website includes information about feudal life, religion, homes, clothing, health, arts and entertainment, and town life. The site also includes link to other Web resources about the Middle Ages.
- Castles of Britain
- This introduction to medieval life from inside the castle includes information about castles and their builders, how castles are built, their features, and the people who live inside the castles.
Native Americans
- Kid Info Reference Resources: Native Americans
- This huge, kid-friendly directory is filled with links to information about Native American groups.
- National American Indian Heritage Month from Skokie Public Library
- Follow the links to fiction books, folk tales, and information about the history and heritage of American Indians.
- Native American Tribes of North America a Skokie Public Library Homework Helper
- This Homework Helper provides students with sources for papers and research projects concerning Native American Tribes of North America: reference books to use in the Library, books to check out, electronic resources, websites, and museums to explore in the Chicago area.
Patron Saints
- Patron Saints Index
- Find all kinds of information about patron saints on this website: portraits, biographical information, areas of patronage, prayers, readings, and links to related websites.
Regions of the United States
- About the USA: Regions of the United States
- Use this collection of Web links and e-texts to find information about the geographic regions of the United States.
- International Information Programs: An Outline of American Geography
- This online version of Regional Landscapes of the United States and Canada by Stephen S. Birdsall and John Florin, professors at the University of North Carolina, includes chapters about regions of the United States, the environment, state capitals, major United States cities, maps, and a glossary.
- Outline Maps: United States
- A collection of outline maps for the United States and its regions.
- Regions of the United States: Regions Defined
- Geographic groupings, definitions, and maps for each region of the United States.
- Science in Your Backyard from the U.S. Geological Survey
- Click a state to find environmental facts, figures, and information about each of the 50 United States.
Thirteen Colonies
- KidInfo Reference Resources: New England Colonies
- This index of links to information about the New England colonies includes facts and information about the "13 Originals."
- Colonial America: 1587 to 1763 a Skokie Public Library Homework Helper
- An excellent sources for papers and research projects principally on Colonial America from 1587 to 1763. Included are reference books to use in the Library, books to checkout, electronic resources, websites, and historical fiction books. Many of these sources embrace the understanding that the Native Americans lived in the Americas for thousands of years and were instrumental in the survival of the colonies.
This Day in History (the day you were born)
- American Memory - Today in History: Archive
- Browse by month or date to learn about historic events in American history.
- dMarie Time
Capsule
- This database of "Time Capsules" includes headlines, famous birthdays, top songs, TV shows, top books, and top toys for any date in history from 1800 to 2002.
- Earth
Calendar
- An online daybook of holidays and celebrations around the world by date, religion, and region.
- The Old Farmer's Almanac: Weather History
- Find out what the weather was like on the day you were born or any day from 1973 to the present.
- On This Day Archive from the New York Times Learning Network
- Browse by date to find important historical events and notable birthdays.
- Researching the Twentieth Century from Skokie Public Library
- This list of books available at Skokie Public Library includes timelines, yearbooks, video recordings, and other resources for students working on “this day in history” and decades projects.
- Those Were the Days: Archives
- A summary of news events, famous birthdays, and popular music for each day of the year from the 1800s through the 1990s.
United States Government
- Ben’s Guide to U.S.
Government for Kids
- Check out these learning tools for students, parents, and teachers that explain how the United States government works. The site includes the official online version of legislative and regulatory information and links to related Web resources. Organized by grade level.
- Kids.gov
- Find all kinds of information about the United States government on this just-for-kids page from the Federal Citizen Information Center.
- Our
Government
- This page from the official White House website explains the different branches of our government. Topics include the President's Cabinet and its members, offices of the Executive Office of the President, balance of power, and more. For younger children and students, visit Life in the White House for video tour of the White House, activities, and more.
- Project VoteSmart: Government 101
- Follow the links at the top of the page to learn about American politics. Topics include how a bill becomes law, Congress, political parties, the President, the Constitution, campaign finance, elections, state government, and much more.
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- The United States Treasury "Learning Vault" is filled with information about the Treasury Department and its role in the Federal government. Topics include coins, currency, taxes, financial markets, accounting and budget, and more. For younger children and students, visit the Kids Zone for quick links to several just-for-kids United States government websites.
Women's History
- Women's History Month from Skokie Public Library
- Follow the links to library books, websites, and all kinds of information about the women who shaped our world.
World Studies
- CultureGrams Online
- Country reports about daily life, culture, customs, courtesies, and lifestyles of more than 187 countries and the 50 United States. A photo gallery, famous people collection, and recipes from around the world are also available.
- United Nations Cyberschoolbus: Country at a Glance
- Click on a country to find facts, daily news, and information about the country's economy, government, health, and technology. Then visit the Infonation page to compare information for up to five different countries.