George Washington was born in 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia, to a relatively prosperous family. His father died when he was eleven and so he was not sent to school in England like his older half-brothers, but studied with tutors. He trained to be a surveyor and completed hundreds of surveys in western Virginia. As a young militia officer, he participated in the French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Years' War) and began to distinguish himself as a man of honor and bravery. In 1759, he married the wealthy widow Martha Dandridge Custis, who owned 17,000 acres of land and almost three hundred enslaved men, women, and children. They raised her children from her first marriage, but they never had children of their own. Relying on the work of enslaved laborers, George Washington became a successful planter at his Mount Vernon estate, where he implemented a system of crop rotation and diversified his crops so as not to rely on tobacco, which damaged the soil.
While serving as a member of the House of Burgesses in Virginia's General Assembly from 1758 to 1776, George Washington became a leader in the movement protesting unfair taxation by Great Britain on the colonies. His leadership skills, intelligence, and charisma served him well as one of Virginia's delegates to the First Continental Congress. During the Second Continental Congress he accepted the commission to command the Continental forces, and during the Revolutionary War he stood out as one of the most authoritative and significant figures in the pursuit of victory against the British. He accepted Lord Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown in 1781 and resigned from the position of commander when the war officially ended in 1783.
Washington's reputation as a leader paved the way for him to preside over the Constitutional Convention in 1787, and he later advocated ratification of the new Constitution. On April 30, 1789, Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States. His actions in helping create a functioning government for the new nation set several standards for the presidency, including his decision to serve only two terms. Washington retired to his home at Mount Vernon in 1797, and died there on December 14, 1799.
The General Assembly of Virginia wanted to honor Washington's Revolutionary War success with a statue, and on the recommendation of Thomas Jefferson, commissioned French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741–1828) as the artist. Houdon's marble statue depicts Washington as a solider in his Continental Army uniform, but also as a common citizen carrying a walking cane and standing in front of a farmer's plowshare. That statue was completed in 1792 and placed in the Capitol rotunda in 1796. Numerous replicas have been made and are on display across the United States.
Citation: George Washington (1732–1799), Marble Statue by Jean-Antoine Houdon, 1785–1792. State Artwork Collection, Library of Virginia.
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the statue of Washington and examine his dress, posture, facial expression, and the various objects also incorporated into the statue. From this statue, what can you conclude about Washington the man and Washington the legend?
Post Activities
Social Media Spin: Create a social media post in which you depict George Washington or an aspect of his life. Be sure to include an explanation of the depiction.
Current Connection: Statues have become a controversial topic. What are some reasons for and against the Washington statue being on display at the Virginia State Capitol?
Women served in many capacities during the American Revolution. Thousands of women traveled with their husbands when they served in the Continental Army. Known as "camp followers," they marched with the supply wagons, set up camps nearby, and cooked, did laundry, mended clothing, and assisted with medical treatment when necessary. Some women carried water to troops on the battlefield, both to drink and to cool the cannons.
According to legends popularized during the 19th century, a woman known as Molly Pitcher was bringing water to the troops during the Battle of Monmouth in June 1778. When her husband was killed in the battle she immediately took his place firing the artillery piece or cannon. In one story, a cannon ball from the opposing side landed between her legs, missing her body by mere inches. Undaunted, she reportedly continued firing the cannon for the rest of the battle. A number of 19th century artists illustrated the dramatic story in paintings and engravings, including this one by English engraver James Charles Armytage that was published in Battles of America by Sea and Land (1861), by Robert Tomes.
Over time, several women have become associated with the story, which was not recounted during the war. One is Mary Hays McCauly, whose husband enlisted in the Continental Army in 1776 and died in 1786, not in battle during the war. After his death Mary applied for a pension from the state of Pennsylvania as the widow of a soldier. In 1822, Mary received an annual pension of $40 for “services rendered,” although the services were not specified and the amount was a standard widow's pension. Another woman is Margaret Corbin, who accompanied her husband to war. He was killed during the battle of Fort Washington in November 1776, whereupon she took up his gun and was wounded under fire. In 1779 the Continental Congress awarded her a lifetime pension and a suit of clothes for her actions on the battlefield.
It is unknown if the story of Molly Pitcher refers to one woman or whether Molly Pitcher is a composite figure of various women who served in a variety of roles during the war. The name “Molly" was a nickname for Mary, a common name during the time, and “Pitcher” described the task of fetching water. Whether or not "Molly Pitcher" herself existed, the legend reflects the bravery of the many women who participated in America's Revolutionary War.
Citation: Portrait, Molly Pitcher, engraving by J.C. Armytage. Harry C. Mann Photograph Collection, Visual Studies Collection, Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
Related entry: Anna Maria Lane, Commendation and Pension
Preview Activity
Artistic Exploration: Look the drawing of Molly Pitcher at the cannon. Notice the posture and facial expressions of the soldiers around her. What can you conclude about her actions and role in the battle?
Post Activities
Artistic Exploration: Draw cartoons or images of Molly Pitcher taking on various roles that women might have during the Revolution.
Another Perspective: Write a diary entry for a day in the life of Molly Pitcher or a camp follower. What did you do? What challenges did you face?
Analyze: Look at the image and using your knowledge of the American Revolution, why were camp followers like Mary Hays important? How might have the actions of the women during the American Revolution be reflected in the many roles women play in the modern American military?
Illustrated periodicals like Harper's Weekly were popular with Americans in the middle of the 19th century. After southern states formed the Confederate States of America, residents there could not easily receive newspapers and magazines printed in the northern states. The Southern Illustrated News was founded in 1862 in Richmond and remained in print, with some interruptions, until 1865. Illustrated periodicals often included political cartoons, which were popular and provided a visual way to express opinions and concerns. They are often satirical, using humor, exaggeration, irony, and ridicule to persuade a reader to think about current events from a particular point of view.
This political cartoon lampoons Lincoln’s revolving door of United States Army generals who had faced—and been defeated by—Confederate forces in Virginia. After General Winfield Scott retired at the beginning of the Civil War, several generals had been placed at the head of the Army of the Potomac or in charge of armies attempting to secure the Shenandoah Valley. In the cartoon, the “toys” have been stripped of their army general uniforms and located on a shelf with other former generals. Lincoln is shown holding the latest general puppet, Joseph “Fighting Joe” Hooker, who commanded the Army of the Potomac from January to June 1863.
The generals depicted are:
Winfield Scott, who was Commanding General of the United States Army until resigning in November 1861.
Brigadier General Irvin McDowell, who commanded the Army of Northeastern Virginia when it was defeated at the First Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) in 1861.
Major General John C. Fremont, who commanded the Mountain Department and was unable to defeat Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign in 1862.
Major General Nathaniel Banks, who was also unable to defeat Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign in 1862.
Major General John Pope, who commanded the Army of Virginia at the time of its defeat at the Second Battle of Manassas (Bull Run) in 1862.
Major General George B. McClellan, who commanded the Army of the Potomac during the failed Peninsula Campaign to capture Richmond in 1862.
Major General Ambrose Burnside, who succeeded McClellan as commander of the Army of the Potomac but was relieved of command after his costly defeat at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862.
Major General Joseph Hooker, who took command of the Army of the Potomac in 1863, but was defeated at the Battle of Chancellorsville two months after this cartoon appeared and resigned his post.
Citation: “Master Abraham Lincoln Gets a New Toy,” Southern Illustrated News, 28 May 1863, Richmond, Va.: Ayres & Wade, 1862-1865. Special Collections, Library of Virginia.
Preview Activity
Take a Look: Look at the political cartoon, what do you notice about the image? What does it tell you about the subject of the image?
Post Activities
Analyze: Explain the imagery and title of the cartoon as a tool of criticism. How might this depiction have influenced readers of the paper?
Social Media Spin: Create a social media post in which you create a meme or political cartoon based on the same events for a modern audience.
Another perspective: Write a response to the political cartoon in which Lincoln’s struggle to retain generals is seen in a sympathetic light. Be sure to present your information in a way which would persuade others to support Lincoln.
Lynchburg native Desmond T. Doss (1919-2006) was the first conscientious objector to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. A conscientious objector is one who is opposed to serving in the armed forces and/or bearing arms on the grounds of moral or religious principles. By law, only U.S. service members who distinguish themselves “through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty” can receive the medal.
Corporal Doss, a Seventh Day Adventist, objected to killing and refused to carry a weapon. He served as an Army medical corpsman, 1st Battalion, 307th Infantry Medical Detachment, 77th Infantry Division. Doss is credited with saving the lives of at least 75 wounded soldiers. Part of his citation states, "Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty."Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the photograph. What do you think is happening in the photograph? What do you notice about the man who is the subject of the photograph?
Post Activities
Think About It: Corporal Doss was a conscientious objector and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions as and Army Medic. Why might someone become choose to be a conscientious objector? Why might the be allowed in a time of war?
Current Connections: Today and throughout the last decade, there have been military actions taken around the world. Although being a conscientious objector is still permitted in all branches of military service, the public may not be aware of this option or how often it is used. Why might this be the case? Explain.
Be the Journalist: Write an editorial of short news article as if you were the Editor- in Chief of a local Bedford newspaper on the one-year anniversary D-Day. How would you commemorate the sacrifice of your fellow citizens?
Analyze: View the records of Bedford residents, including John Wilkes on Out of the Box. What similarities do you see in their pre-war occupations, ages, and personal information?
Based in New York, N.Y., 1942-1946. Artists for Victory, Inc. was a non-profit organization of more than ten thousand artists was formed to assist in the war effort by using their artistic abilities to inform the public about the war effort and to gain support for the war effort. Their activities included a British-American goodwill exhibition, sponsoring portrait drawings, demonstrations of arts and crafts, and instruction in military hospitals. Often, the art created was used as a form of propaganda using purposefully designed goals and strategies to persuade the American public to back the military fighting in World War II.
In the fall of 1942, Artists for Victory, Council for Democracy, and the Museum of Modern Art sponsored the National War Poster Competition. Artists from 43 states submitted 2,224 designs. The posters portrayed 8 themes selected from the President's first war message to Congress on January 6, 1942, as well as 20 slogans. The eight war themes selected were: Production, War Bonds, The Nature of the Enemy, Loose Talk, Slave World or Free World?, The People are on the March, and Deliver Us From Evil.
Artists for Victory selected 50 images and had them reproduced as war posters which would be distributed around the country. Many of the posters juxtaposed the strength and goodness of the Allies' cause with the tyranny and destruction of the nations that fought against them, the Axis powers of Japan, Italy, and German.
Citation: No. 44 of the First Series of 50 War Poster Labels sponsored by Artists for Victory, Inc. Artist - Clarence West, 1943, Records of the World War II History Commission, Miscellaneous Records, Box 1b, Folder 100, Accession 27544, State Records Collection, Library of Virginia.
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the war poster. What message is the artist trying to convey? How does it related to the subject indicated in the text on the poster?
Post Activity
Analyze: The poster is a powerful piece of propaganda art. How do these artistic choices affect the impact of the image as a whole? Would you classify these as propaganda compared to other image campaigns of the time period? Why or why not?
Artistic Exploration: Select one of the themes from the poster collection and create your own entry as if you were part of the 1942 competition.
Up for Debate: Do you think propaganda messaging is something that a government should sponsor? Why or why not? Find other examples of WW II-era imagery to support your position.
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a major event of the Cold War that took place during John F. Kennedy’s presidency. In October 1962, a United States spy plane captured evidence of the Soviet Union (present day Russia) moving nuclear weapons into Cuba which lies 90 miles away from the coast of Florida. Upon hearing this news President Kennedy had to made plans within seven days, in secret, before word of this potential international issue was released to the public. President Kennedy met with his most trusted advisors, including his brother Attorney General Robert Kennedy, to create a plan of action.
President Kennedy announced to the world that they had discovered nuclear missiles were being transported to Cuba. The U.S plan of action was to impose a naval blockade to prevent further shipments to Cuba. While the blockade was successful in stopping additional nuclear weapons from entering Cuba, the missiles already in Cuba were in the beginning stages of becoming operational. President Kennedy seemed to be facing two options: attack or accept the presence of Soviet nuclear weapons in Cuba. Kennedy, however, choose to reject both options and proposed a policy that the U.S would not invade Cuba if the Soviet Union removed all nuclear weapons from Cuba. Soviet Union Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to this deal, partly due to a secret clause that the United States would also remove U.S missiles from Turkey within six months of the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba.
Many people feared the world was on the brink of nuclear war, and the now famous "duck and cover" drills became a reality for many Americans during this time period. There was also a booming market for bomb shelters that average citizens could install on their own property. Various government agencies put out reports on how to differentiate between chemical and nuclear attacks. Pamphlets, bulletins, and brochures were also developed about the standards of bomb shelters which would often show schematics and provide information of what nuclear fallout would mean for those who might be impacted by such an event.
Citation: Federal Civil Defense Administration. Civil Defense Technical Bulletin, May 1958, Prints and Photographs, Special Collections, Library of Virginia.
Preview Activity
Scan It: Scan the document and list words or phrases which indicate why it was written and what information it would provide.
Post Activities
Artistic Exploration: Design posters that may have hung in schools and workplaces addressing the issues in this bulletin.
Up for Debate: Do you think this format was the best way to get the message to citizens? How might you have done things differently?
World War I brought about great shifts in American society. As the war began, women were not allowed to vote or serve in military combat roles. As the nation was gripped by war, the entire population was mobilized to produce weapons and supplies for the troops. The outbreak of war sent many men off to fight overseas which opened opportunities for women to enter the workforce.
Women who were able to work outside of their homes contributed to the war efforts and gained a sense of independence. They also saw a pathway to having greater rights. Women filled traditional men’s roles in agriculture and manufacturing positions. Other women provided support for the war effort in the front lines as nurses, ambulance drivers, translators, and in a few cases on the battlefield. Black women also found opportunities to improve their lives as they were able to leave domestic positions for jobs in offices and factories. It was the first major shift in the workforce in which all women were able to move beyond the boundaries of the traditional roles of caretakers and homemakers.
Some women chose to remain at home, but they also found ways to support the war effort. Housewives were asked to pledge that they would follow instructions from the food administrator to can food for future use, grow gardens to provide their families with fresh vegetables, limit their eating of meat, wheat, and fats in an effort to reduce demand on food manufacturing plants which might need to be converted to make supplies needed for troops fighting overseas. Regardless of their roles during the war, women were expected to provide positive morale for their families and those fighting on the battlefield. Posters like the one here encouraged all Americans, but especially women to support the national war effort.
Citation: For Every Fighter a Woman Worker, World War I Poster, 1918, Prints & Photographs, Special Collections, Library of Virginia.
Preview Activity
Take a Look: Take a look at the poster, what do you notice about the image? What does the image tell you about what is happening at that point in time?
Post Activities
Take a Stand: You are woman who wants to take advantage of the opportunity to work outside of the home during WWl. What arguments would you make for why you should be afforded the right to work?
Social Media Spin: Create a social media post, tweet, or short video in which you depict the changing roles of women during WWI. Include a brief explanation of how it relates to the original image.
Artistic Exploration: Create your own campaign poster to support the war effort during World War I. Be ready to explain to your classmates what message you are conveying and your intended audience.
American society underwent changes during both WWI and WWII. The roles of women shifted from domestic roles as caretakers and home makers to working in male- dominated fields like agriculture and manufacturing in factories. Many factories shifted from producing domestic products to manufacturing needed equipment to support the needs of the military. As part of doing their part to support the war effort, thousands of Virginia women held potions in industry and other war- related jobs which would not have been open to them before the war. As men went off to fight and the job shortage caused by the Great Depression of the 1930’s coming to an end, women had new opportunities to fill positions that would have typically been held by men. After the war ended, returning servicemen wanted to return to their previous employment and, in many cases, the women were replaced by men. Women were expected to return to their domestic roles.
The photograph shows women working in a plant on January 8, 1944 in Newport News, VA. The women worked as part of a team manufacturing hydraulic bridge parts which were to be shipped overseas during WWII. It was not uncommon for women were to be referred to as “girls” in the time period and this is reflected in the title of the photograph.
Citation: U.S. Army Signal Corps. View of Girls Processing a Hydraulic Bridge Erecting Crane, Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, 1944, Print & Photographs, Special Collections, Library of Virginia
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the photograph. What are the women doing? How are they dressed? Why might they have been photographed in this way?
Post Activities
Up for Debate: Do you think the term "girls" was appropriate for this photographer to use? Why or why not? What might the public reaction be today to such a title?
Form an Opinion: Write a journal entry as if you were one of the women who found herself out of a job when men returned home from the battlefield.
Another Perspective: You are a serviceman who has returned home and found that your job has been given to a woman. Write a letter to the company asking for your job back. Use relevant information about the roles of men and women during war time to bolster your claim.
STEM Stat: The women shown in the photograph were processing a hydraulic bridge erecting crane. The purpose of this type of crane is to allow for a bridge to be pre- assembled and them moved into place using the hydraulic erecting crane. How might this technology been helpful to US and allied troops in Europe during WW 2? Think of the geographic locations of many of the battles, the presence of bodies of water, and the importance of bridges during the war.
Citation: U.S. Army Signal Corps. View of Girls Processing a Hydraulic Bridge Erecting Crane, Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, 1944, Print & Photographs, Special Collections, Library of Virginia
From September 1939 - December 1941, the United States was not officially at war with any of the Axis powers. While support was given to the Allies through programs such as Lend-Lease, there was a strong isolationist sentiment following World War I and the failure of the League of Nations.
Just before 8 a.m. on December 7, 1941, hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked Pearl Harbor, an American naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii. The fleet was devastated, losing almost 200 airplanes and nearly 20 vessels, including eight battleships. Over 2,000 American soldiers and sailors lost their lives, including over 1,000 men who lost their lives when the USS Arizona sank into the harbor.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed the nation soon after the attack and described it as "A date which will live in infamy." Congress swiftly approved his declaration of war against Japan. Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. Pearl Harbor became a rallying point for the war effort. Across the nation, posters were created to show support for the troops being sent to fight the second World War.
Citation: Saalburg, Allen Russell. Remember Dec. 7th! Office of War Information, Washington, D.C. , 1942, Prints & Photographs, Special Collections, Library of Virginia
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the image. What emotions does it evoke? What event would have led to the creation of such an image?
Post Activities
Analyze: The quote on this poster comes not from FDR's rousing speech, but from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Why do you think the creators of this poster would have selected this quote?
Art Exploration: Design another version of this poster. Write a description of your poster in which you explain your design decisions.
Social Media Spin: Create a social media post, using this image to report on the anniversary the event.