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1980 to the Present
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by Jeff Bloodworth
Gannon University
Erie, Pennsylvania
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The Oliver North File: His Diaries, E-Mail, and Memos, on the Kerry Report, Contras, and Drugs
The National Security Archive produced this site, which details Oliver North's participation with the Nicaraguan contras and their illicit drug dealings. This site ideally reveals how anti-communism run amok compromised American principles in Central America during the 1980s. The documents on the site include Oliver North's diary entries, National Security Council memoranda, Senate subcommittee reports, State Department contracts, and other government material.
This site features fairly sophisticated material and students could be quite confused without supervision and instruction. However, the documents detailing high-level corruption and outright support of using drug money to fun Nicaraguan contras are jaw dropping and sure to excite some students. For example, National Security Adviser John Poindexter said to North in regard to funneling millions of dollars to Manuel Noriega, "I have nothing against him other than his illegal activities." Moreover, since the "Iran-Contra Affair" is a fairly complicated series of events, this site neatly encapsulates the major crimes committed by North.
The site is not for most students due to its sophisticated material and assumed level of knowledge, however it is easy to navigate and contains key documents that are fairly succinct (one or two pages). This site does a fine job in detailing the corrupt practices that certain United States officials conducted in Central America in the name of fighting communism.
 The Oliver North File
Library of Congress: The September 11 Digital Archive
Most history amounts to a narrative of an event or biography of a person that is remote from most students direct experience. However, this digital archive on the September 11th terrorist attack chronicles an event that most high school students remember. The Web site features images, documents, stories, and audio that detail the September 11th terrorist attack. This site is user friendly and allows students to confront the history of a seminal event.
The Library of Congress in concert with the Smithsonian Institution and the American Red Cross Museum documented the personal histories of Red Cross employees and volunteers who participated in humanitarian activities in New York, Western Pennsylvania, and Northern Virginia. In addition to the stories of eye witnesses, students are encouraged to read the experiences of others and contribute their own stories, images, and digital creations to the Web site.
The site includes a portal to other Web sites and online resources, a link to art that was inspired by the terrorist attacks, and answers frequently asked questions in regard to the terrorist attacks. Perhaps the most beneficial aspect of this site is that students can use their knowledge of the September 11 attacks to debate how accurately the digital archive preserved the history of the event. In essence they can play the role of a professional historian by critiquing the accuracy and efficacy of the site as a work of history.
Library of Congress: The September 11 Digital Archive
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