Investigate the market revolution in the 1800s through the stories of five Americans from the Merchant Era. Optimized for desktops and laptops.

Throughout the 1800s, homegrown American scientists and inventors were a source of pride for the fledgling republic, which was rapidly surpassing Great Britain and the rest of Europe as a hotbed of industrial activity. The period also coincided with the peak of the Romantic Period in art, music,

“The Transcontinental Railroad was completed 150 years ago, in 1869. In 1800s America, some saw the railroad as a symbol of modernity and national progress. For others, however, the Transcontinental Railroad undermined the sovereignty of Native nations and threatened to destroy Indigenous communit

Many Chinese men travelled to the United States and became gold miners following the discovery of gold in California in 1849. Woks such as this one were made in China, but brought to California in the 1800s and used by Chinese immigrants. As the mass influx of travelers arrived from a variety of

Giving in America is a permanent exhibit that looks at the historical role of philanthropy in shaping the United States. The exhibit showcases four major themes of American philanthropy centered on the questions of “Who Gives?” “Why Do We Give?” “What Do We Give?” and �

After a young lady learned to embroider a sampler, she might attend a female academy to make a silk embroidered picture. This was a more challenging technique that became popular in the early 1800s. Subjects included classical, biblical, and historical scenes, as well as mourning pictures.

Joseph Henry was one of America's preeminent 19th-century scientists, a pioneer in the investigation of electromagnetism and other fields of study, and the first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. This video shows how Henry's research found practical application in

This online exhibition uses objects to tell the stories of disabled Americans from the 1800s to the present. The exhibition covers many aspects of life, including home, schools, and institutions, as well as how changes in technology and medicine have impacted the disabled. In addition to the exhi

This searchable site from Thinkport/Maryland Public Television offers lesson plans and interactives on the War of 1812 from the National Park Service, Star-Spangled Banner Flag House, and related historic sites. 

In this interactive from Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, students are introduced to characters and issues from the War of 1812 and are invited to cast their vote on going to war.