The Museum offers three floors of exhibitions that explore the rich diversity of American history, from "First Ladies: Political Role and Public Image" to "America on the Move."
This is the website for the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. The site is impressively done with many virtual exhibits. Its appeal ranges from interactive games for kids and to advanced search engines for scholars.
The first seeds of this country were planted at Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in what is today the United States of America. The first English settlers arrived at Jamestown in 1607; the first German, in 1608. Therefore, Germans were present at the creation of this nation. The Germans who came to Jamestown in 1608 and subsequently in 1620 were the forerunners of the largest nationality to immigrate to the United States since its founding in 1776.
Sponsored by the German Corner Store, the German-American History and Heritage contains biographies, essays, books, a bibliography, links, and a list of German-American organizations related to the German-American experience. The site has not been updated recently, however, and some links are dead.
The American Red Cross, as one of the nation's premier humanitarian organizations, is dedicated to helping people in need throughout the United States and, in association with other Red Cross societies, throughout the world. It depends on generous contributions of time, blood, tissue, and money from the American public to its national headquarters and chapters and blood regions throughout the country in support of its lifesaving services and programs.
The Red Cross Virtual Museum is an excellent resource for both basic historical information about the Red Cross and research material. An interactive timeline and extensive historical FAQ provide valuable information about the Red Cross and many its campaigns and activities. A section devoted to Exhibits and Collections contains images of many artifacts from commissioned artwork to knitting patterns. This sections should see much growth as the Red Cross has closed its visitor center in Washington D.C. and is in the process of making its materials available to the Virtual Museum. Of particular interest to researchers would be the Roll Call section in which many former Red Cross employees and volunteers have entered primary accounts of their experiences, many of which involve wartime or disaster relief.
