Why do we need a national
nonprofit membership society for American history?
“Save America’s Treasures” has been totally eliminated—the largest Federal program supporting preservation of such treasures as the original Star Spangled Banner and George Washington’s tent.
65% of Americans don’t know what happened at the Constitutional Convention, according to a recent survey by Newsweek.
The “Teaching American History” grants—the largest Federal program supporting history education—have been completely eliminated.
Visits to the Top 20 Civil War battlefields have dropped in half from 1970 to 2009 according to official National Park Service statistics.
40% of Americans can’t identify whom we fought in World War II, according to a recent survey by Newsweek.
A quarter of Americans believe Congress shares power over U.S. foreign policy with the United Nations, according to a recent Annenberg survey.
“There is little that is more important for an American citizen to know than the history and traditions of his country,” John F. Kennedy wrote in American Heritage.
The “We the People Program,” which touched some 30 million students and 90,000 teachers over 25 years, has been completely eliminated.
Two-thirds of Americans could not correctly name Yorktown as the last major military action of the American Revolution, according to a recent national Gallup survey.
The National Heritage Areas and Scenic Byways program, the only major Federal program encouraging visits to historic places, has been completely eliminated in Congressional committee.
Abner Stevens Music Shop and Store, Pittfield, Massachusetts
The drum cylinder is made from brown varnished bent wood shell with a six and one half inch overlap secured with brass headed tacks arranged in vertical rows as well as in a circle around the ivory breather hole and in teardrop patterns above and below breather. Hoops are 1 and 1/2" high, red, and secured with small pegs. Six leather rope tighteners survive and are not decorated. Four gut snares are attached to the bottom hoop. Read more »
Description (physical):
Wood, skin, rope, leather, ivory, brass, iron (tacks). Overall H: 14 3/4"; diameter: 18"; drum head diameter: 17"
Location:
1 Old Sturbridge Village Road, Sturbridge, Massachusetts, 01566
Members of the Harris family served in a Chazy, New York militia company during the Battle of Plattsburgh. This drum was manufactured in 1812 in Pittsfiels, Massachusetts, and had been cut down from its original height.
Location:
31 Washington Rd, Plattsburgh, New York, 12903
Identifier:
2011.456.0003
Institution:
Battle of Plattsburgh Interpretive Center and War of 1812 Museum