This book presents both nationally significant objects and ordinary items from everyday life to provide insight into 19th century American society, showing readers how the production, design, function, and use of these objects can inform our understanding of the period. Artifacts from 19th Century America examines a broad array of objects representing various aspects of 19th century American society. The objects have been chosen to illuminate daily life in a number of categories including cooking, entertainment, grooming, clothing and accessories, health, household items, religious life, work, and education. The book's 53 entries include a brief introduction to the background of the object, when and why it was made, and who used it, followed by a detailed description of the object itself. Finally, each entry provides a deep dive into the object's significance and how the object reveals clues about the social, political, economic, and intellectual life of the society in which it was produced and utilized. Students and general readers alike will not only learn about the time period but also learn to use the skills of material culture theory and method, including how to draw meaningful conclusions from each object about their historical context and significance.

This engaging book uses buildings and structures as a lens through which to explore various strands of U.S. social history, revealing the connections between architecture and the cultural, economic, and political events before and during these American landmarks' construction. During the 20th and 21st centuries, the United States became the dominant world power. The tumultuous progression of our nation to global leader can be seen in the social, cultural, and political history of the United States over the last century, and the country's evolution is also reflected in major buildings and landmark sites across the nation. Buildings and Landmarks of 20th- and 21st-Century America: American Society Revealed documents how the construction, design, and function of famous buildings and structures can inform our understanding of societies of the past. Its text and images enable readers to get a deeper understanding of the buildings themselves as well as what happened at each structure's location and how those events fit into our nation's history. Through the study of specific buildings or types of buildings that influenced the cultural, social, and political history of the nation, readers will explore monuments to presidents, learn about how the first tract home neighborhoods came into existence, and marvel at the role of buildings in helping us get to the moon, just to mention a few topics.

An invaluable resource for readers interested in architecture and design that demonstrates how the construction, form, and function of key structures in the 19th-century influenced American social, political, economic, and intellectual life. America has always been a nation of thinkers, believers, creators, and builders. Evidence of this is plentiful among the landmarks constructed in the 19th century. Buildings and Landmarks of 19th-Century America: American Society Revealed examines many examples that include homes, office buildings, recreational spaces, military sites, religious buildings, and other landmarks in a variety of geographical locations, discussing the background, architecture, and cultural significance of each. Each engaging, accessible entry not only provides readers detailed information about how the landmark relates to what was going on in American society at the time of its construction but also sparks the reader's interest to research the subject further. As examples, consider that a rural cemetery built in Massachusetts in the early 19th century was the prime influence on public park design and led to the construction of New York's Central Park and many other public parks since. The millionaire industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie built many of the first free public libraries in the country, which led to the development of municipal public library systems. The huge success of 19th-century world's fairs, like the 1876 Centennial Exhibition and the 1893 World's Columbian Exhibition, had lasting effects on society through the many new products that they introduced to the public. Throughout the book, landmarks are analyzed to elucidate their influence on many aspects of 19th-century society, including the treatment of the mentally ill, impact of religious revivals, growth of leisure and vacation time, and housing for the poor and the western homesteader, among many others. In the "How to Evaluate Buildings and Structures" section, readers are prompted to consider questions such as "What specific purposes did the building or structure have?" "When was it constructed, and what were the circumstances?" and "What was the need it addressed?" Students will learn about the period while also developing the skills of observation and assessment needed to analyze these landmarks and draw meaningful conclusions from them about their context and significance. The discussion of each landmark serves to help readers with these elements of critical thinking, assessment, and analysis.