“On a night in late April of 2015, I was travelling down I-95 with my museum colleagues Mike and Ryan. We were tired but still elated from the once-in-a-lifetime experience of touring ESPN studios in Bristol, Connecticut. The purpose of our visit was to collect an incredible object for the museum�

The American Party, also called the Know-Nothings, was a major national political force in the 1850s. It saw immigrants and Catholics as the greatest threat to self-government and to the nation. Arguing for rule by native-born Protestants, the Know-Nothings ran former President Millard Fillmore as t

This historical investigation is aligned with the C3 Framework and from C3teachers.org. This inquiry engages first graders in exploring the meaning and purpose and function of government through the c

This archived webcast features filmmaker Ken Burns discussing this documentary The Roosevelts: An Intimate History. The webcast included historian Clay Jenkinson, Smithsonian curator Harry Rubenstein, and Roosevelt biographer Geoffrey Ward. The conversation covered varied topic

In this brief video, curators Harry Rubenstein and Larry Bird share key objects from the political history collection representing inaugurations and presidential campaigns dating back to the early 1800s.  See how objects are stored and continuity and change in campaign and inaugural material

Studying the presidency offers students a new way to explore the democratic political process and to expand their understanding of how this process has shaped the nation's history and continues to influence their own lives. What does it mean to be the president of the United States of America? Wh

Studying the American presidency offers students an unparalleled opportunity to explore the democratic political process and to deepen their understanding of how this process fits into the whole of American history. While learning about subjects as diverse as campaigns, the media, and presidentia

This site features a timeline of presidents, each represented with a portrait, basic biographical facts, a quote, and a note about his tenure in office.

This site, produced by the National Portrait Gallery, was created to accompany the famous portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart. Each of the resources on the site supports learning about George Washington through transcripts of historical news articles, modern articles about Washington,

Explore the American presidency and elections in these four activities from Smithsonian Education’s Art to Zoo. Each of the four activities focuses on a different skill in social studies: examining maps, using timelines, studying collections, and using primary sources. The activiti