Smithsonian's History Explorer Resources Related To "Spur"

Gouverneur Warren's Expedition

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 18:22:17 GMT

Join Gouverneur Warren on his 1856 expedition into the American frontier and identify the specimens he sent back to the Smithsonian for study and classification in this interactive activity. Students will begin by reading a letter that Warren sent to the Smithsonian and will then match specimens to the locations that they were found on a map of Warren's expeditions. A wonderful example of object-based learning, this activity will help students learn more about the connections between science, history and the work of museums. This activity is included in the online exhibition entitled West Point in the Making of America.

Western Indian Wars

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 18:11:33 GMT

In the decades following the Civil War, the U.S. Army fought dozens of engagements with Indians in the West. This website explores Federal Indian policies and conflicts that arose as Americans flooded west into the Great Plains. Through the use of images and objects from the Museum's collections, students will learn about: Sitting Bull, George Custer and the Battle of Little Bighorn; the massacre at Wounded Knee; the resistance of Geronimo and the Chiricahua Apache; buffalo soldiers; and the realities of life on Indian Reservations. A non-flash version of the site is available: Western Indian Wars.

West Point in the Making of America Homepage

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:29:15 GMT

This website looks at the lives of selected West Point graduates who attended the Academy between 1802 and 1918. Students will also learn about the U.S. Army's major functions in 19th and early 20th century America: building the nation's infrastructure of roads, bridges, canals, and railroads; exploring its territories from the Mississippi to the Pacific; and fighting its wars-the role of the West Pointers in engineering, exploration, and war.