58,176 items
On December 2, 1823, President James Monroe delivered his annual message to Congress. In one portion, now known as the Monroe Doctrine , he declared that the United States would not meddle in European affairs, and warned European...
A Jamestown Settler Describes Life in Virginia: On This Day, January 13, 1622
In 1622, colonist Sebastian Brandt wrote a letter to a merchant in London , seeking supplies and assistance. Brandt had arrived in Jamestown intending to scour the land for precious minerals such as gold, silver, and copper. But he...
A Christmas V-Mail from World War II
V-mail, or Victory Mail, was a WWII-era operation to expedite mail service for Americans serving overseas. V-mail was written on standardized stationery, photographed onto 16mm microfilm, transported to the US or other destination,...
Inside the Vault: British Troops Landing in Boston Harbor
Explore just one of the fascinating items from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History collection!
Thanksgiving as a National Holiday
Read an excerpt from Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1863 or learn more about the history of Thanksgiving as a national holiday .
Inside the Vault: The "Long S"
Take a closer look at the first draft of the US Constitution to see an example of the "long S" in print.
Back in 1734
Introduction Present the following scenario to your students. You can either read it to them or enlist students to act it out. The scenario is about two children who lived in 1734 and were the age of your students. "Anna Elizabeth and...
Affiliate School Program | Gettysburg College–Gilder Lehrman Institute History Scholarship
The Gilder Lehrman Institute and Gettysburg College are pleased to offer the Gettysburg College–Gilder Lehrman Institute History Scholarship. Each year, Gettysburg College will provide two scholarships at $5,000 per year for four...
Inside the Vault: Abraham Lincoln, Mary Owens, and the Accidental Engagement
Read the full transcript of the letter Lincoln wrote Mary Owens and view the Lincoln Speaks exhibition that explores the power of Lincoln's words.
The March on Washington: A Virtual Tour
Join Dr. Clayborne Carson, Director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University, for a virtual tour of the 1963 March on Washington.
Calvin Coolidge and Economic Growth
Amity Shlaes, chair of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation and author of Coolidge (2013), discusses Calvin Coolidge and his economic policies during a seminar for history teachers in Wichita, Kansas.
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Inside the Vault: JFK Assassination Ticker Tape
Read a transcript of the Dow Jones News Service ticker tape and read about the power of John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address in Great Inaugural Addresses: History Now 36 (Summer 2013) .
Frederick Douglass on Lincoln and Reconstruction
Dickinson College historian Matthew Pinsker describes changes in Frederick Douglass’s opinion of Abraham Lincoln between Lincoln’s assassination in 1865 and the unveiling of the Freedmen’s Monument in Lincoln Park, Washington, DC, in...
History Scholar Award for Undergraduates Accepting Applications through April 15
For the 2019 Gilder Lehrman History Scholar Award , up to fifteen outstanding college students will be recognized for excellence in American history or American studies as well as commitment to public service, leadership, and...
Traveling Exhibitions | Frequently Asked Questions
General Exhibition FAQ How can I pay? We can accept credit card, check, or purchase order. We cannot accept bank transfers at this time. Do you offer any discounts or grants? Unfortunately, we aren’t able to offer any discounts or...
The Post-Revolutionary Generation
Joyce Appleby, Professor Emerita, University of California, Los Angeles, explores how the men and women born after the American Revolution experienced and developed the theoretical ideas of liberty and independence put in place by...
Reason and Emotion in Revolutionary America
New York University historian Nicole Eustace discusses the "tempest of emotion" that swept through the Age of Reason, epitomized by the earliest call for a full break between the American colonies and Great Britain, Thomas Paine’s...
Programs & Events
The Institute promotes and celebrates accomplishments in American history education and scholarship at every level. Deepen your understanding and appreciation of American history by participating in a program or joining the Institute...
Arguing Cases in the Supreme Court
Jeffrey L. Fisher is Associate Professor of Law at Stanford University Law School and Co-Director of the Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. He analyzes the current Supreme Court including the personalities and philosophies involved,...
The Calhoun School Cyanotype Album: Document in a Minute
Gilder Lehrman curator Beth Huffer discusses a cyanotpe album from the Calhoun Industrial School around the turn of the century. The Calhoun School was a social experiment of the Hampton Institute in Virginia, in which local...
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
View a full-screen version of The Lewis and Clark Exhibition . Learn more about the Louisiana Purchase in Elliott West’s essay " America the Newcomer: Claiming the Louisiana Purchase " and a printed copy of the map Meriwether Lewis...
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