In this tour, take a close look at a life mask made of Abraham Lincoln in 1865 and gain insight into his life during the Civil War. Pair this tour with a 3D tour of a life mask made in 1860 to consider the impact of the war on Lincoln. Life masks we

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. 

This online exhibition explore the role of the portable printing press in conveying information during the Civil War. The ability to communicate quickly in wartime can profoundly affect military actions and outcomes. The invention of portable tabletop printing presses at the time of the American

Students can explore each page of the bible, read translations, and view short videos about the bible’s history and conservation. This volume, created by Thomas Jefferson in 1820, is an 84-page assemblage of passages from the first four books of the New Testament, a project undertaken by J

This website features the diary of Civil War nurse, Amanda Akin. In April 1863, Akin left her home in Quaker Hill, NY, to serve as a nurse at Armory Square Hospital in Washington, D.C. During her 15 months at Armory Square, Akin wrote long letters to her sisters and recorded her daily activities

In the early nineteenth century, lighthouses in the United States were considered inferior to those in France and England. American mariners complained about the quality of the light emanating from local lighthouse towers, arguing that European lighthouses were more effective at shining bright be

Explore the history of America in the 1800s through short videos, mini-activities, and practice questions in this segment of Preparing for the Oath: U.S. History and Civics for Citizenship. The eight questions included in this segment cover topics such as the Civil War, slavery, the Louisiana Pur

Hear staff from the museum's paper conservation lab discuss the preservation and repair behind Thomas Jefferson's personal Bible and other paper objects at the museum in this episode of the History Explorer podcast series.  

In lesson from the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies, students examine a primary source that might seem both familiar and strange: a yearbook from Rutgers in 1860, complete with farewell messages from classmates. On close study, the messages from reveal much about the