If a textbook isn't your cup of tea when it comes to learning about U.S. history, perhaps art can serve as your window to greater understanding of some of the key events and movements that helped shape our country and brought us to where we are today. You'll find this approach in the Picturing America Web site. The National Endowment for the Humanities produced the site, which is aimed at students but appeals to a wide audience, in conjunction with the American Library Association. Picturing America says it "strives to create a bridge between the history of our art and the story of our nation" through paintings, sculpture, architecture, crafts and photos.
You'll find images of the art and links that explain each piece in its historical context, from Gilbert Stuart's Lansdowne portrait of George Washington to the Dust Bowl-era photos of Dorothea Lange. If you want to know more about the program in schools, there's an introductory video, and If you're a teacher or just extremely interested in connecting with the art, you can download a resource booklet.
Leave a comment