Enlighten the People Project

Making the Internet Work for You: American History from Reliable Sources

“Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.” - Thomas Jefferson to Dupont de Nemours, 1816

What is this?
This project is designed to promote self-guided access to historical information that is rich, relevant, reliable, and freely-available on the Internet. Interest in American history is at unprecedented levels as educators, citizens, and politicians make use of ideas and precedents from past generations. Frequently, however, online content lacks validity and authenticity, and this is unfortunate.

The goal of this project is to facilitate quick and easy access to authoritative material on diverse topics of value to many groups of users.

Link to Sources

Search Manual Tips & Tricks

Sample Guides

People

Politics

Human Rights

Places

Interests

Legacy

Other

Why is this important?
All too often, interpretation and use of historical sources do not meet basic standards of accuracy. The profusion of information on the public Internet often leads to misunderstanding and erroneous conclusions. Discernment of authoritative and unbiased material to conduct all types of teaching and learning is imperative.

Where are the resources and tools?
This directory of sources is dynamic with changes reflecting new and improved sources and tools. A sampling of topic-based “Enlighten the People Project” guides will also be provided and updated.

“The most effectual means of preventing the perversion of power into tyranny are to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of the people at large, and more especially to give them knowledge of those facts, which history exhibits, …..” - Thomas Jefferson, Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge, 1779