I used Google as my starting point, but quickly found that I need to search archives and library websites. Because my subject is relatively old, and not well known, google did not retrieve many images. The American University History Site turned out to be the best site for photos, though there were not a lot.  It seems to me that there is a shortage of these photos because most of them are written on, and usually when a source is digitized it is the copy that is in the best condition. Because the engineers were working in the chemical division, the work they did was probably classified or at least secretive, extensive photography of scientist developing chemicals was not possible. The fact that in 2001 chemical cylinders were dug up under American University property is tell tale signs that the work being done was not for the public eyes.

Another problem that I had with this assignment was linking the photographs back to the website they came from. This is a technical problem that I personally have to work out, because it will make it easier for the reader who is viewing my site. I also ran into some problems when using the pictures because a lot were not linked directly back to the site they came from. This was not a big speed hump, but it was annoying.There also wasn’t alot of information accompanied with the photo. I could not do lots of captions- that were extensive because I don’t know who the men are. I just know where they are and what they are doing.

World War One Soldiers Practicing Trench Warfare at American University, 1918. The camp was set up by the Army Corps of Engineers, Chemical Division. This division developed and tested chemical weapons.

Credit: American University History: Photograph and Print Collection

Soldiers Painting Camouflage Nets at Camp Leach at American University, 1918

Credit: American University History: Photograph and Print Collection

Camp Inspection at Camp American University, 1914-1918

Credit: American University History: Photograph and Print Collection

Personnel- Army Corps of Engineers- Camp American University, 1918

Credit: Don Low Construction

Combat Practice Infront of Mary Graydon Center- American University, 1918

Credit: American University History: Photograph and Print Division

The websitefor Eastern State Penitentiary has information about the prison’s history; from creation to eventual shutdown, famous inmates, restoration projects, and a timeline of famous events that shaped the prison’s history. While this site is helpful for a basic background on the prison, it is more of a commercial enterprise, attempting to get people to donate to the preservation effort. There is even a strong emphasis on art within the prison, which I did not quite understand until I started to evaluate the site. Using the Public History ResearchCenter’s guidelines, I evaluated this site for scope/content, authority/bias, timeliness/permanence, value added features, the technical aspects, aesthetics/visual clarity and appeal, and promotion of a community of interest.

One of the most important things I discovered about this site was its creators and their mission statement. This is not a “historical site”, but rather a “public history site”. The Eastern State Penitentiary Historical Site, Inc. is a subdivision, or beneficiary of the PA Council on the Arts and the Independence Foundation. Their mission statement says they want to “ make the Penitentiary accessible to the public; to explain and interpret its complex history; to place current issues of corrections and justice in an historical framework; and to provide a public forum where these issues are discussed”. Their goal is to do this through education, preservation, conservation, and public programming. This is apparent throughout the site, supplying links to all information presented, and easily readable/downloadable PDF forms or information. Though educating the public about the prison and its preservation is an important trend throughout the site, I was surprised by the lack of educational resources, for example a lesson plan for the classroom, or tools for educators.

Like I said before, I was shocked by the emphasis on art throughout the site, but upon learning that the funds for the site are appropriated by the PA Council on the Arts and the Independence Foundation, I realized their authority over what the prison is used for is and what the site deems important. The site offers online exhibits (as well as at the prison itself) of sculptures, videos, oral histories (audio), and dioramas, this art shows the prison’s unique culture and history. This site is constantly updated, commercial, exhibit, and preservation are all reasons that this site works smoothly and is up to date.

This site is most importantly easily navigable. On the top of the webpage is a content bar/site index that remains constant, even when you move throughout the sections of the website. Under each section on the site index is a drop down menu that shows the viewer before they click the link what they will see, for example under “exhibits” are the sub categories “prison history exhibits” and “artist installations”. The pages also do not appear cluttered because, like a blog, only a short intro to what type of exhibit or preservation technique is shown, followed by a “read more” link allowing the viewer to make the decision if they would like to continue or scroll down for different exhibits. There are no flash plug ins on the site, which I think is better because, as an easily distracted viewer, I found that I could focus my attention much more on the content, rather than streaming media. The site also provides a lot of links, some historical, but most about the surrounding area, an example would be a column devoted to
Philadelphia attractions.

Finally, we can get down to the nitty-gritty. The font that the site used is consistent across the board. They used bolded and larger face type to highlight headings and important features, but made sure to keep the text readable, dark texts on light backgrounds. Each section on the site index bar had its own color, varying the themes of the pages just enough to keep the viewer interested. The site also has a lot of photos throughout its pages, but also dedicates a section to photos of architecture, people, and objects- all which you can save or print. There are extra features like a movie and 3-d pictorial tours (powered by futureHISTORY), all which function well on a high speed internet connection.

Overall, I would give this site a B- as a historical site. While it is readable and easily navigable, it lacks historical density that I was hoping to find. It provides the basics; timeline, famous inmates, bibliography, genealogy, and a six page downloadable history, but there is very little meat to the research. Because the site is more commercial, it is fun to play around with, but I would not use it as the basis of a term paper.

            Do not get me wrong, I love the Internet, and use it constantly, but I always back up things I research with something that has been published by a credible source. I learned a lot by doing this assignment, but facts on certain websites did not match facts on other websites, and then it came down for me to decide what to use.  Some websites I opened, and then went back to Google, because they looked like an 8^thgrader designed them; which I shouldn’t really complain about, because I would not even know where to start in creating a web-page.

            What concerns me the most is that I used sites that I was uncomfortable with, and information that I’m not positive is correct. My post is now online, and I am in essence doing what I fear other people do, posting information that could or couldn’t be solidly based in historical fact.  Sometimes I wonder if what is on the web isn’t all just a bunch of reiterated information, that was never true, but so widely dispersed that people believe it to be true. That is why I think it is so important for historians to a- use work that is citable and credible, and b- make sure that they themselves are published by a reputable publisher or web organization, because otherwise people like me are skeptical to use their work.

If we look deeper into history we find that festival of love went even further back than the story of priest Valentine. In ancient Rome January and February was a time to honor the Queen Juno, who was the mother of all Gods and Goddesses. February 14 was a holiday to specifically honor her, and the following day was the beginning of the festival of Lupercalia. This festival was the random pairing of young Roman boys and girls, who remained partners for the rest of the festival, and sometimes resulted in marriage. This festival was a tradition that Romans kept for centuries, and in 496 AD Pope Gelasius I turned this festival into a Christian Feast day, days which honor saints.

Though we are not sure what legend is more truthful, or indicative of the real occasion for such a holiday, Valentines Day is a popular holiday in America, and throughout the world. The act of giving cards and small “tokens of affection” began in Britain in the 17th and 18th century. By the end of the 18th century printing was becoming a more standard means for correspondence, and printed/ready made cards too the place of handwritten notes. On of the earliest Valentines Day card is rumored to be one sent by the Duke of Orleans, to his wife, while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1415.

Valentines day cards, chocolate, and flowers have no become a staple of Valentines day. Victorians decorated cards with “lace, flowers, and sweet scents”, using “scrap” to decorate their cards.  Today, however, the Greeting Card Industry takes care of creating that perfect valentine for your special someone. Selling over one billion Valentines Cards a year, the Greeting Card Association, says it is the second largest card selling holiday.

Whether you want to believe that there is Christian and pagan grounding to St. Valentines day is your own choice, but it is obvious that the death of a Roman Catholic martyr is not romantic. The festival of Lupercalia is a more convincing legend, and carries all the ties of love and marriage that we today associate with Valentine’s Day.

            The Valley of the Shadow and Do History are sites that cater to small audiences, audiences who have a specific interest in a certain area. Though they might serve small audiences, they are completely different. The Valley site has a summary before entering the site, telling what is in the site- a history of the Civil War from two viewpoints, letting the viewer have the option to enter. Once in the site, it is broken down chronologically and then into subcategories. There are few graphics, but a plethora of primary sources. This site is helpful if you know exactly what type of information you want to find- i.e. timelines, images, service records, church records, etc. The Do History site is about a midwife named Martha Ballard. It outlines the process that certain historians make to develop someone’s history, if all they have is a diary. This site is very narrow in its focus, only if you are interested in this one person would the site help.

            The History Channel site and the National Museum of American History site are for large audiences. Both have a multitude of interest areas and use flashy graphics and interactive video and audio to keep the audiences’ attention. The History Channel site is more commercialized, including a store, advertisements, polls, and a t.v. schedule. Since it is mainly to get people to watch the shows, the site can be fun and flashy because it is trying to get an audience, who may not be versed in historical knowledge, to invest their time in the channel. The National Museum of American History on the other hand is catering to a large audience, but more focused on what the museum has to offer guests, and how they should plan a visit to D.C. The site is mainly advertising for the museum, showing its events, programs, resources, and other information- i.e. how it is closed until 2008 for renovations.

            Websites approach history, and represent it differently because of the audience they are trying to reach, or because of the scope of their research. From the examples used in this case study the small the approach the simpler the website. A website doesn’t need flashy graphics, if it is a database for primary documents. On the other hand, if your website is trying to attract a crowd of non-historians, the flashier, more fun, and more interactive the site, the more people are going to explore it.