Whether convenient, fast, organic, processed, gourmet, ethnic, or local—the foods available to Americans have never been more plentiful and diverse, or more ripe for discussion. Coupled with big changes in who does the cooking, where meals are consumed, and what we know (or think we know) about

Historical research starts with a question about the past. However, piecing together an accurate answer to these questions is not as straightforward as it may seem. Primary sources can—and often do—conflict with one another, as do secondary sources.  That said, sources can also

In this archived webcast related to Ken Burns’s film The Dust Bowl, thousands of high school students joined in a national dialogue regarding the Dust Bowl’s legacy on both the environment and the culture of the United States. Students discussed the importance of environmental awaren

During World War II, America began its largest experiment with guest Labor, The Mexican Farm Labor Program. Commonly called the bracero program, this little known chapter of American and Mexican history touched the lives of countless men, women, families, and communities. Learn about the bracero

Discuss the story of the Dust Bowl through images from photographer Arthur Rothstein, through song with Woody Guthrie's Dust Bowl ballads, and through text writings from President Roosevelt and farmer Caroline Henderson.  Then, challenge students to consider modern environmental issues with

In this set of classroom activities developed for the exhibition America on the Move, students will use visual, analytical, and interpretive skills to examine primary sources including historical maps to answer questions about farming, transportation, immigration, and racism in

This teacher's resource challenges students to think about the short-handled hoe and its connection to agriculture and the organizing of Latino farm workers after World War II. It includes a preliminary activity intended to introduce students to doing history with objects and 3 les

This object-based learning activity revolves around the short-handled hoe, the bracero program, Cesar Chavez and the organizing of Latino farm workers in the American southwest after World War II. Students will learn about the role of Mexican guest workers in American agricultural histo

This resource includes an introductory essay entitled Looking at Artifacts, Thinking about History, 6 sections that each focus on an object from the collections of the Museum, an archive of curator commentary, and an online tool with which students can create virtual exhibits. Also inclu

This website allows students to take a tour of Sturbridge village, a living history museum that replicates rural live in the nineteenth century. Students who use this site will gain an understanding of early rural American life by navigating an illustrated map, searching an online artif