http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ A search of MERLOT materials Copyright 1997-2013 MERLOT. All rights reserved. Tue, 21 May 2013 21:50:21 PDT Tue, 21 May 2013 21:50:21 PDT http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/images/merlot.gif http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ 44 34 http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=87784 This website has been produced by the Smithsonian Institution to highlight a major new exhibit on Viking exploration of the North Atlantic prepared for the millenary commemoration of Lief Eriksson’s Vinland landing. But it provides a broad overview of the Vikings and their great expansion across northen Europe and the Atlantic during the 9th and 10th centuries with an eye toward revising the common perception of Vikings as barbarian despoilers. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=78329 The Walled Town of Carcassonne is in French but the site will soon have English and Italian versions. The Middle Ages in Myth and Reality is in English, French, Spanish, and German with links to Barcelona, Turin, and the Rhine with documentation distinguishing between the fact and fiction of the Middle Ages. The Carcassonne site details the history of southwestern France which was devastated at the time of the Crusades for alleged heresies against the Roman Catholic Church. There are good bibliographies and brief biographies on leading figures of the era. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=90367 Exploring "Thomas Jefferson, his slave and mistress Sally Hemings, their descendants, and the mysterious power of race," the site offers sections such as View the Jefferson-Hemings story, Is It True?, The Jefferson Enigma, The Slaves' Story, Mixed Race America, quiz, chronology, teacher's guide, tapes and transcripts, and more. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=77296 A sophisticated web site on the history and impact of the Mongols. Separate pages deal with such topics as the nature of nomadic life, key figures, the Mongol Conquests, and the impact of the Mongols on China and the world. An image gallery and set of historical maps as well as other class materials and readings add to the value of the site. That one of the leading experts on the Mongols, Morris Rosabe, was a consultant gives the site much creditability. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=77297 A well done general site on one of traditional China's major epochs, the Song dynasty era. This site covers the economic and social history of the period with special attention to the commercial developments of the time and the rise of the Mandarin elite. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=78334 The official web site for the Chateau of Versailles offers information about the history of Versailles in addition to tours and public events. The site has an interactive map which enables the user to tour the exterior and interior of Versailles and the Trianons. Biographies are offered of the major figures associated with Versailles. Major works of art at Versailles are singled out for more detailed explanations. There are panorama tours of the Hall of Mirroirs and the King's Bedchamber. Educational materials for teachers and students are offered but they are only in French. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=90757 This interactive site provides an introduction to Egyptian death rituals including how a mummy is made. Other features include resources, teaching material, and related web sites. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=90857 An ongoing digitization project, the site contains the full text of over three hundred treaties concerning Native American Indian tribes. A table of contents organized by year, an index organized by tribe, and a keyword search engine are also included. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=80053 This is a companion website to a PBS TV series of the same name. The website explores the political, social, military, and cultural impact of the war as well as similarities between that conflict and more recent events.  PBS uses a variety of types of material to supplement the textual description and analysis of the war including silent archival videos, animated maps, comments from historians, timelines, quotes and poems from contemporaries, links to related web sites, and photographs.  The site also provides bibliographies, a glossary, lesson plans, and a topical and name index to the web site. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=89650 Inspired by the author's visit to Normandy, this essay summarizes the strategic importance and challenges of Operation Overlord.