Virtual tours offer a variety of opportunities and resources for you and your students to explore South Carolina history. The virtual tour of Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site utilizes a 1742 map and other primary documents to tell the story of a colonial village in South Carolina that no longer exists. The virtual tour of Lexington County Museum takes you to the John Fox farm and addresses two historical themes: southern antebellum farm life, with emphasis on food traditions, and colonial settlement in South Carolina's backcountry.
The tour for the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Museum provides a sampling of unique objects found in the state's second oldest museum. "South Carolinians During World War II" sheds light on the diverse experiences of South Carolinians fighting in the Pacific and those at home.

Virtual tours of Historic Brattonsville and the South Caroliniana Library also provide a window into our state's past.

Participating teachers of Summer Institutes for Teaching American History in South Carolina created lessons that integrate local primary sources that connect South Carolina stories with larger American history themes. Teachers developed lesson ideas during the summer and received post-institute support that included collaboration among teachers, cultural institutions, and TAHSC staff.

This Lesson Plans menu provides a timeline of teacher-created lessons. Lessons contain the following features: Historical Background Notes, Materials, Procedures, Teacher Reflections, Assessment, and Examples of Student Work.

In addition, teachers from each of the summer institutes have offered general Teacher Lesson Ideas.

Participating teachers and TAHSC staff identified these primary sources that will allow students to interpret historical events through the words and images left by real people inhabiting a living past.  These local primary sources personalize broad topics, providing powerful experiences in constructing historical understanding.  Working with primary sources develops critical analysis and creative thinking.  Of course, primary documents can also be used to teach English and language arts, math, and science.

This collection consists primarily of written or typed documents.  Other types of primary sources accessible through the cultural institutions, such as artifacts, objects, art, buildings, or geographic locations, can be incorporated into the teaching of history.  Such sources can be “read” in much the same way as words.  Most exciting, cultural institutions are willing to share their resources and their passion for history with teachers and students.

Click here to see the Treasure Trove Documents by Time Period.

Inspire your Students with South Carolina Primary Sources

Suggestions for Further Reading (from 2005 Summer Institutes: "U.S. History to 1865: Content, Methods, and Resources for Teachers").

Recommended Books for Elementary Teachers (compiled by Julie Waugh of Richland 2 Center for Inquiry and 2002 Midlands Master Teacher).