Four Websites: Four Approaches to Digital History

The internet has a vast assortment of what could be labeled “history” websites, some intended for public use, others under strict control (sites such as JSTOR require hefty fees for users to gain access). Four such history websites, The Valley of the Shadow, The History Channel, Do History, and The National Museum of American History all represent an assortment of approaches to conducting digital history. An essay by Daniel J. Cohen and Roy Rosenzweig, “Digital History: A Guide to Gathering, Preserving, and Presenting the Past on the Web” provides useful insight into the range of categories or titles that apply to history websites.

The Valley of the Shadow site offers free access to a vast assortment of primary source documents concerning two particular communities (one north and one south) during the years leading up to the Civil War, the years of actual conflict, and the time of Reconstruction. Now sponsored through the Virginia Center for Digital History, this site began as a result of one man’s interest and subsequent book project based on these particular documents. It has now transformed into a remarkably thorough archive, with transcribed and somewhat interpreted primary sources. It revolves purely around these primary sources, and thus is probably only accessed by web browsers in search of very specific information. Unless someone has an overwhelming interest in reading letters, newspapers, or official records of the Civil War Era, the site has an academic purpose.

The Do History website’s title is a very fitting one. Cohen and Rosenzweig would most likely place this website in the “Teaching and Learning” category for history websites. In a very user-friendly and encouraging format, Do History is an excellent source for teaching people (and students) how to do history. Using a very specific text, in this case Martha Ballard’s diary, the site offers links and lessons about the practice of history itself. The hope of the site is “that many people will be inspired by Martha Ballard’s story to do original research on other ‘ordinary’ people from the past” (Do History, “About this Site”). Visitors to the site have the chance to browse through Martha Ballard’s diary, looking at her day to day entries. Do History offers an interactive approach to history, and rather than just giving information about a historical topic, it actually encourages visitors to go and conduct their own historical investigations.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History site takes yet another approach to presenting history on the web. This site, unlike the archive Valley of the Shadow, changes frequently. It encourages visitors to keep returning to the site to check for new information. For museums and historic sites, one of the most exciting aspects of the internet is its capacity to hold online exhibitions. Cohen and Rosenzweig explain, “online museum exhibits…transcend the barriers of time (most exhibits are temporary installations), distance (museum visitors must be area residents or tourists), and space (gallery space is a scarce resource) that have often frustrated museum curators” (Digital History). The National Museum of American History site has become of particular importance as of late due to the massive museum renovation currently underway. While many exhibits have been temporarily housed at the National Air and Space Museum, this museum now lives on the web until summer 2008 (when the physical museum reopens). To keep visitors returning to the site, it offers a listing of museum news and events, however its detailed online exhibits and collections pages are most likely the main destination of browsers.

The History Channel website takes a strikingly different approach to history in comparison with the previously noted websites. This history site works in conjunction with The History Channel, and means to complement the network. The History Channel is one such site that could easily become a part of a person’s day to day web-browsing. It is continually updated with new information, especially the daily television schedule and upcoming specials or documentaries. Unlike any of the other sites, The History Channel offers video for viewers. The site provides a daily poll, popular forums for people to discuss topics, newsletters, and entertaining ever-changing pieces of history like “What Happened on Your Birthday” and “This Day in History.” It probably attracts an audience of amateur historians and general history buffs. One of the most unique aspects of the site is the elaborate History Channel shop—television viewers can quickly hop on the internet and purchase their favorite show. The History Channel’s approach gives history a continually “new” feel. With the site so frequently updated and the vast online community that follows the page, it lacks the consistent, perhaps dry feeling that unfortunately plagues archival websites.

All of the four websites take vastly different approaches to history on the internet. Valley of the Shadow is one of many archival history websites, offering the public access to an assortment of primary sources. Do History is an excellent resource for teachers, and one that encourages its viewers to tackle history for themselves, teaching them how to use sites like Valley of the Shadow. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History takes yet another approach, by providing a number of online exhibits and access to collections. While the actual physical museum undergoes renovation, this site has to function in lieu of the museum. A site unlike the rest, The History Channel gives history on the web a new and ever-changing feel, setting it apart from the other sites examined in this entry. These are just a few sites that exemplify the various approaches to history found on the internet.