Curator’s Office

1. Curator’s Office Sons and Daughters of Liberty Room Independence Room Welcome to the Museum of American History: The Beginning of a Nation Constitution Room Symbols of a New Nation Room

2. Meet the Curator Tamara McCollum teaches 5th grade at Stead Elementary School. She has been a teacher since 2007 and loves working with children. American history is one of her favorite subjects to teach and learn more about. She also enjoys using literature to teach American history. She has a dog named Gus and a cat named Chloe who end up being a part of her teaching in some way most days of the week. Back to Entrance

3. Welcome to the Independence Room Back to Entrance

4. Declaration of Independence Fed up with Britain’s taxation of the colonists without representation, they decided to break away from Britain’s rule and create their own government. On July 4, 1776 the Continental Congress voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence. This document describes the reason the colonies chose to break from Britain’s rule. The Declaration of Independence was distributed throughout the colonies. Why do you think the Declaration of Independence was important to the creation of the United States of America? http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Us_declaration_independence.jpg Back to Independence Room Back to Entrance

5. Independence Hall Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is where the 56 delegates of the Continental Congress gathered to approve and sign the Declaration of Independence. Independence Hall is considered the birthplace of the United States, as the Declaration of Independence was signed here and the Constitution was drafted and signed here as well. Why do you think Independence Hall is significant to American History? http://www.elcivics.com/declaration_independence Back to Independence Room Back to Entrance

6. The Declaration This mural by Barry Faulkner is a fictional representation of the presentation of the Declaration of Independence to John Hancock, the president of the Continental Congress. It was created in 1936 and is on display in the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. along with Faulkner’s Constitution mural. Do you think that this is an accurate representation of what happened in 1776? Why or why not? http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters_murals.html Back to Independence Room Back to Entrance

7. Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson is the author of the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration was revised before being presented to the Continental Congress, but much of his original writing remained in the document. He became the third President of the United States in 1801. Before serving as President, Jefferson was Vice President of the United States, U.S. Secretary of State, and the Governor of Virginia. He died 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. How might the United States be different today if Thomas Jefferson did not write the Declaration of Independence? http://www.elcivics.com/thomas-jefferson.html Back to Independence Room Back to Entrance

8. Signing of the Declaration of Independence This painting was created by artist John Trumbull in 1817. Trumbull sketched the people in his painting, and Independence Hall, and used his sketches to create this painting. Trumbull included the drafting committee of John Adams, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, as well as 42 of the 56 signers of the Declaration and 5 other supporters. This scene can also be found on the back of the $2 bill. Why might it be useful for an artist to use sketches before creating a painting? http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/trumbull.htm Back to Independence Room Back to Entrance

9. Welcome to the Constitution Room Back to Entrance

10. The Constitution This mural by Barry Faulkner is a fictional representation of James Madison giving the final draft of the Constitution to George Washington. It was created in 1936 and is on display in the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. along with Faulkner’s Declaration mural. Why do you think Faulkner chose to show the presentation of the Constitution to George Washington and not another Founding Father? http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters_murals.html Back to Constitution Room Back to Entrance

11. United States Constitution page 1 The United States Constitution became the law of the land after the Federal Convention met to revise the Articles of Confederation. It was decided that a new document would be drafted and the Constitution was that document. The Preamble to the Constitution reads: “We the people, of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters_downloads.html Back to Constitution Room Back to Entrance

12. United States Constitution page 2 The Preamble introduces the Constitution and describes the purpose that the Constitution was meant to have. The Constitution provides the framework for the United States government, including the three branches of government: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. It also defines the powers that belong to each branch of the government. http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters_downloads.html Back to Constitution Room Back to Entrance

13. United States Constitution page 3 The United States Constitution is the oldest and shortest document that outlines the law of any nation. It was ratified, or approved, on September 17, 1787, a date known as Constitution Day. The United States Constitution was originally hand-written by a man named Jacob Shallus and the original copy of the document is in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters_downloads.html Back to Constitution Room Back to Entrance

14. United States Constitution page 4 The United States Constitution has only been amended 27 times since its creation. The first 10 amendments are known as the Bill of Rights and they were added to the Constitution in 1791. Why is it important for a nation to have a supreme law? What might happen if a nation does not have a document, such as the Constitution, explaining the laws of the nation? http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters_downloads.html Back to Constitution Room Back to Entrance

15. Scene at the Signing of the U.S. Constitution This painting was created by Howard Chandler Christy in 1940. It represents a fictional scene of the signing of the Constitution. Only 39 of the 55 delegates who attended the Constitutional Convention are pictured. Christy left out the 3 delegates who did not sign the Constitution and the 13 delegates that left the Constitutional Convention. Why might Christy have left out the 16 delegates not included in this painting? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scene_at_the_Signing_of_the_Constitution_of_the_United_States Back to Constitution Room Back to Entrance

16. Welcome to the Symbols of a New Nation Room Back to Entrance

17. The Birth of Our Nation’s Flag Betsy Ross owned an upholstery shop and was approached by George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross. The story goes that Washington showed Betsy a design asked if she could create a flag from it, to which Betsy replied, “I do not know, but I will try.” Her creation became the first flag of the United States of America. This painting by Charles Weisgerber was created in 1892. It shows Betsy Ross presenting the first flag to the three men. Why do you think the United States of America sought a flag to represent the new nation? http://www.betsyrosshouse.org/hist_house/painting.html Back to Symbols of a New Nation Room Back to Entrance

18. The Great Seal of the United States of America The Great Seal of the United States of America was created in 1782. The drawing was a collaboration between William Barton and Charles Thomson and was approved by Congress. The ribbon held in the eagle’s mouth reads, “E Pluribus Unum,” which is a Latin phrase that means, “Many uniting into one,” or “Out of many, one.” How is the Latin phrase “E Pluribus Unum” a symbol of the United States? http://www.factmonster.com/us/history/symbols-united-states.html Back to Symbols of a New Nation Room Back to Entrance

19. The Liberty Bell The Liberty Bell was originally used to call the Pennsylvania Assembly to meetings. At the top of the bell is a biblical quote reading, “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” The bell cracked on its first use, and though they tried to create a new bell that would be functional, no one was satisfied with the alternatives. The Liberty Bell is believed to have been rung before the reading of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. Why do you think the Liberty Bell is still viewed as an important symbol of the United States of America? http://www.ushistory.org/tour/tour_bell.htm Back to Symbols of a New Nation Room Back to Entrance

20. Welcome to the Sons and Daughters of Liberty Room Back to Entrance

21. The Boston Tea Party After the French and Indian War, England was in a great amount of debt and the King decided to tax the colonists to make up for it. The colonists rebelled against the taxation and refused to buy many of England’s imports. England retracted some of the taxes, but the tax on tea remained. In Boston, they protested the tea tax by dressing up as Native Americans and throwing the boxes of tea overboard. Why do you think the colonists dressed up as Native Americans before throwing the tea overboard? http://niahd.wm.edu/?browse=entry&id=5519 Back to Sons and Daughters of Liberty Room Back to Entrance

22. Abigail Adams Women were not traditionally invited into the political sphere and though they opposed the laws and taxes put on the colonies by England, they did not have a clear way to express their distaste. Women in the thirteen colonies found a way to support the cause for liberty by creating their own products so that colonists no longer had to depend on England for their needs. Women even created their own tea, called “Liberty Tea,” to help colonists release their dependence on England’s supply. They called themselves the Daughters of Liberty, and Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, helped lead many of the boycotting efforts. Why do you think women were not traditionally a part of politics? What do you think caused a change in this view? http://colonial-america.suite101.com/article.cfm/women_of_liberty Back to Sons and Daughters of Liberty Room Back to Entrance

23. Patrick Henry Patrick Henry supported the American Revolution and promoted liberty for the colonies. He fought against England’s control over the colonies and his protests were extreme enough to be considered treason. [Treason is a violation against a government.] Patrick Henry also delivered a famous speech supporting America’s freedom that is remembered for this line: “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.” Why do you think Patrick Henry’s speech, and the line quoted above, is so memorable? What do you think it means? http://www.history.org/Almanack/people/bios/biohen.cfm Back to Sons and Daughters of Liberty Room Back to Entrance

24. Charles Townshend Charles Townshend is credited with creating and supporting many of the laws England created to tax the colonists. He said that he “approved of our taxing the Colonies so as to provide for their own safety and preservation.” Some of the items taxed were glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. Why do you think Townshend supported taxing the colonists? Do you agree with him or not? http://americanrevwar.homestead.com/files/town.htm Back to Sons and Daughters of Liberty Room Back to Entrance