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.
This carved wooden pipe in the German Ulmer style comes from the Lydia Leister household. The Leister home was used by General George Gordon Meade as his headquarters at Gettysburg. The pipe features a hinged metal cover that allowed its use during any kind of weather.
Top: Clay. D 3, H 3.7; L (of bowl) 6.2; L (of pipe) 1.4; D (max. D of stem) 1.6 cm; Center: Ceramic. L 5.1, H ( bowl) 3.5, Dia ( bowl) 3.0, 1.9 cm; Bottom: Clay, metal. L 3.7, Dia (bowl) 2.5, (stem) 1.6, H 3.7 cm
This pipe was found in the forward starboard compartment of USS Cairo. Perhaps, during all of the excitement, it was dropped by one of Cairo's two boatswain mates, either 27 year-old Richard Lymont or 25 year-old Charles Smith.
Description (physical):
Material: Silver. L: 13.2 cm, W: 2.4 cm, Tube Di: at mouth end .95 cm, Ball Di: 1.9 cm
The pipe belonged to Jefferson Davis and was used by him during his confinement (1865-1867) at Fort Monroe.
Description (physical):
A Meerschaum pipe, consisting of four eagle claw talons around a pale yellow up-turned bowl. It is 8.5 inches long and weighs 8 oz. There is a silver colored metal band from the tip of the stem. There are bite marks around the tip of the stem.