Evaluation Essay

History on the web takes a variety of forms. In the early 1990's there were only a handful of sites. Today there are hundreds of thousands. History sites on the web are used for archives, exhibits, films, and scholarship to name a few. The four website’s used for evaluation is this assignment are prime examples of the different representations of history and approaches used to show history on the web.

The first website evaluated was The Valley of the Shadow: Two Communities in the American Civil War. This site is essentially an archival site or as Michael O’Mally and Roy Rosenzweig explain in their article, Brave New World or Blind Alley? American History on the Web, the site is a “docuverse they are still using the web as a resource- a place to go to find specific information”. The overall approach for this site is archival but it is unique when compared to a typical library/archive site. Rather than an index, the archive is broken into different sections. The site has a clear focus on two locations and is split into three periods. The audience for this website would probably be Civil War enthusiast who seeks solid documentation presented in a more interactive, user-friendly way.

The second website evaluated is The History Channel. The presentation of history on this site completely contrasts with The Valley of the Shadow. The History Channel site is a combination of film and commercial approaches. Cohen and Rosenzweig in their book Digital History explain that film sites generally “offer timelines, images, primary sources, program transcripts, and teaching materials as well as ‘special features’ such as games, interviews done for the programs, online forums with historians, and QuickTime VR explorations of historic places” (p. 38). The History Channel site incorporates most of these things, since the site is designed to accompany the programming on the television channel. Major areas of focus include shows, schedules, video gallery, shop, games, and classroom.

The History Channel, in addition to the film approach, is extremely commercial. The site has a popular audience and as a result, it gears it sites towards that audience. It has numerous advertisements not only for its programming, but also for other partner channels like A&E. Outside companies are also advertised. For example, a popular area, “This Day in History”, is sponsored by Hyundai, a car company. Other commercial areas of the site include small advertisement for history channel merchandise and of course a link to The History Channel Store. Overall, this history site is more of a companion to popular TV shows, rather than an informative, scholarly, historical resource.

DoHistory.com, the third site for evaluation combines a variety of approaches for representing history on the web. The site is a presentation of Laurel Thatcher Ulrick’s case study on Martha Ballard, a woman living in 18th century Maine. Ulrick’s work later became a book and was also adapted into a movie entitled A Midwife’s Tale. The site is geared towards readers of Ulrick’s book, viewers of her film, and students of women’s and colonial American history. Like The Valley of the Shadow, this history site provides an archive for the documents used in Ulrick’s research. Additionally the site is used as a companion for the film, providing more information. Finally, it is a teaching tool with a particular section entitled “Teaching with the Website”. This site is a great example of how one site can approach history in a variety of ways to accommodate an audience with diverse needs and interests.

The final site is for the National Museum of American History, which is a museum and organization site. The National Museum of American History is mostly a museum site. Its main areas are focused on its collections, exhibitions, events and programs, and information about the museum. It is geared towards approaching history the way the museum itself approaches history. This is through online exhibits and information.

Since the National Museum of American History is part of the Smithsonian Institution, it also provides organizational information. The site provides information about the museum itself as well as other Smithsonian museums. The site can also be used as a teaching tool, since it has lots of educational aids and activities. Overall the site can be very helpful for those who wish to visit the museum in the future.

History on the web is made up of a variety of representations. Examining these four website’s is just a small example of how history can be so diversely presented. Each site is geared towards a unique audience and can be used for a variety of different tasks. Thus proving not all history sites are the same.