The Department of Communities is marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by recognising the significant contribution that Northern Ireland has made to communities across the United States. The USA NI 250 programme of events and resources includes exhibitions, publications and theatre productions that highlight the enduring cultural bond between the two nations.
We are highlighting a number of resources which could be of use in the history classroom, however more will be published in the run up to November.
- PRONI has produced this illustrated archive-based guide to the history of migration to USA: Ulster American Treasures: The Migration StoryAdobe PDF. They will also be staging an exhibition entitled: Voices Across the Atlantic: The Ulster Legacy in America’ exhibition which will host a number of important documents from the Library of Congress.
- Pupils can visit the Ulster American Folk Park to walk in the footsteps of Irish migrants who set sail for America in the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum has a range of schools programmes and resources, including the Museum on the move and an Under the Hawthorn Tree exhibition.
- Ulster Scots Agency has produced this illustrated Patriots, Pioneers and Presidents pocket trail map which tells the story of a number of Ulster Scots who migrated America.
- Digital Film Archive, with support from NI Screen and Ulster Scots Broadcast Fund, has curated a collection of programmes that explore how the Ulster-Scots diaspora shaped America and have posted a documentary on Charles Thompson (PW: CThompson-12) on Vimeo
- Watch Declaration, a 2 x 60min BBC documentary series on the Ulster-Scots role in US. BBC Two – Declaration, Series 1
- On the BBC iPlayer, you can watch Lucy Worsley investigates the American Revolution which tells the American story from the perspective of Britain.