The Confederate battle flag, known as the “Stars and Bars,” was born of necessity at the Battle of Bull Run. Amid the smoke and general chaos of battle, it was hard to distinguish the Confederate "Stars and Bars" from the U.S. national flag, the "Stars and Stripes.” General Pierre T. Beaure

During the Civil War, the Bowie knife was popular with Confederate soldiers, whose arms generally were inferior. The blade, made of steel, was up to 14 inches long. In general, the bowie is usually classified as any large knife with a chipped point.

This is the type of jacket that would have been worn by a Confederate medical officer.

The kepi is similar to the forage cap. It was copied from the French officer's hat. The crown could be colored, usually for the branch of service of the wearer. The kepi was shorter than the forage cap, and was not very popular because it did not protect from the rain or sun.

This lesson plan outlines topics for short research projects and classroom performances related to the Mexican War. Have students select individuals connected to the Mexican War, perform research, and then interview each other to showcase the disparate views on the motivations behind the War and

Read or listen to a short news story about the food in a Japanese American internment camp, then create a meal using some of the same ingredients. Part of an OurStory module entitled Life in a WWII Japanese American Internment Camp, this activity includes links to instructions to make "W

Make your own constellation commemorating an American woman, like Maria Mitchell. Many cultures have used constellations to remember the stories of heroes, like the Greeks and some American Indians. Included in an OurStory module from Smithsonian's National Museum of American History entitled

Examine examples of persuasive writing from Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, then composepersuasive statements about an environmental cause. Part of an OurStory module entitled Discover and Protect Nature, this activity includes student handouts and background information. OurStory is de

Costume worn by Lin-Manuel Miranda portraying Alexander Hamilton in the original Broadway production of Hamilton: An American Musical. The costume consists of a white shirt with ruffles, green coat, green waistcoat with small gold metal decoration on proper right side, green breeches, a pair of blac

Cherished by generations of child artists, Crayola crayons were invented in 1903 by the Binney & Smith Company of Easton, Pennsylvania. Using paraffin wax and nontoxic pigments, the company produced a coloring stick that was safe, sturdy, and affordable. The name "Crayola," coined by the wife