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Hands-on History

Our "History Boxes" contain reproductions of artifacts, diaries, letters, documents, and photographs found in The Story of Virginia: An American Experience.

Display of bone tools Pocahontas and the Powhatan Nation
Students will learn about the culture of the Powhatan and the various roles played by women, men, and children in their society. The use of hands-on reproductions crafted by Mattaponi Indians help students gain a greater understanding of Virginias original inhabitants.
• Recommended group size: 30 students
• All ages
• 60 minutes
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General George Washington at Mount Vernon, On His Way South to Yorktown in 1781 by Stanley Arthurs Voices of the Revolution
Using replica artifacts, documents, and images, students will learn about the contributions made by men and women—white and black, rich and poor—during the fight for independence and gain insights into the lives of the patriots and loyalists who are often overlooked in textbooks.
• Recommended group size: 30 students
• 3rd grade and up
• 60 minutes
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Powder horn Virginia and the Westward Movement
This program examines the nineteenth-century movement of Virginians to the West and their contributions to settling the American frontier. Using reproductions of objects that might have been found on a settler's Conestoga wagon, students interpret the great migration from Virginia in the decades before the Civil War.
• Recommended group size: 30 students
• All ages
• 60 minutes
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A Civil War soldier's belongings The Civil War Soldier: A Common Man
Students will explore the everyday experience of a Civil War soldier, focusing on aspects of camp life such as clothing, food, and letters from home. From the perspective of those who fought in the terrible conflict, students will gain insight into the war and its consequences.
• Recommended group size: 30 students
• 4th grade and up
• 60 minutes
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Slave wrist shackles Slavery in Virginia: An African American Experience
This program examines the African American experience in Virginia from the early seventeenth century through emancipation. Focusing on African cultural traditions like music, family celebrations, and foodways, students will learn some of the many African and African American responses to slavery.
• Recommended group size: 30 students
• 4th grade and up
• 60 minutes
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Photographs Teaching with Photographs
Using turn-of-the-century photographs, this program is designed to allow students to examine changes in Virginia's society and politics. The students will explore context clues from these primary source photographs to develop an awareness of the changes that occurred across the commonwealth during the early 1900s.
• Recommended group size: 30 students
• All ages
• 60 minutes
Request this program | FAQ



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Virginia Historical Society428 North Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23220    |    Mail: P.O. Box 7311, Richmond, VA 23221-0311    |    Phone: 804.358.4901
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