The witchcraft trials in Salem, Massachusetts, during the 1690s have been a blot on the history of America, a country which has since come to pride itself on the concepts of free speech and justice as well as on its religious principles. Guilt by association, unconfirmed testimony, judges blinded by their biases, and individuals determined to use the system of justice when no evidence of a crime existed. These kinds of social or political problems did not go away with the completion of those trials. U.S. Senator Joseph R. McCarthy's relentless determination to find un-American citizens and communists in all areas of American life in the early 1950s prompted Arthur Miller to write The Crucible, a play about the Salem witch trials as an allegory to McCarthyism. The play no doubt prompted the House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1956 to subpoena Miller for questioning, but Miller refused to cooperate when asked to identify writers who had once been communists. Richard H. Rovere calls Miller, "the leading symbol of the militant, risk-taking conscience" of that time. Learning Goals - student will: Understand that in 17th Century New England, people were persecuted for allegedly practicing witchcraft. Examine the allegations and offer alternatives to witchcraft that might explain people's behaviors. Read and comprehend Arthur Miller's, "The Crucible" to make connections to and comment on 20th Century examples of people being persecuted for allegedly being Communists during the McCarthy Era of the 1950s.

Who were Lewis and Clark? Where did they go? Why did they go? Who sent them? Who did they meet along the way? What dangers did they face? Did anyone help them? This is a Collection of resources including images, videos, text, online exhibits, and a lesson plan that support Lewis and Clark's expedition across American in the early 1800s.

The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history as Bubonic Plague spread across Asia and Europe eventually killing between 75 and 200 million people.

Research the Spanish explorers pictured in this Collection. Put them in chronological order. Answer the following questions: 1. What regions did they explore? 2. What did they discover?

A collection of musical instruments that span a wide variety of origins, cultures, and materials. Can you guess where each instrument came from, what period in time it's from, who used it, and what family of instruments it belongs to?

What historical, social, and cultural factors influenced the Harlem Renaissance? Why did Harlem become the center of African-American arts during the 1920s and 1930s?

A collection of resources, some of which may be on my nightstand, that illustrate me.

How did the bald eagle become the symbol of America? What symbolism did Native Americans find in the bald eagle? This Collection of resources on the American bald eagle includes images, videos, sculptures, and stamps that depict the American bald eagle.

The Spanish-American War was a conflict between the United States and Spain that ended Spanish colonial rule in the Americas and resulted in U.S. acquisitions of territories in the Pacific and Latin America. The war originated with the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain in 1895. Demand for U.S. intervention increased after the unexplained sinking of the U.S.S. Maine on February 16, 1898 in Havana Harbour. The U.S. declared war on Spain in April, 1898 and attacked Spain's interests in the Pacific and Cuba. Realizing that she was outclassed by American military power, Spain surrendered from Cuba in July, 1898 - effectively ending the war. Later that year, in December, 1898, Spain signed the Treaty of Paris in which they renounced their claims to Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Guam and transferred sovereignty over the Philippines to the U.S. for $20 million. Source citation: "Spanish-American War." History.com. A&E Networks. 2016. Web. 6 Jan 2016

Was the gold rush of 1849 a boon for California? Why or why not? What were the short-term and long-term benefits and detriments of the gold rush? What are the similarities and differences between the California gold rush and the Marcellus Shale gas boon in Pennsylvania? What lessons can we learn from the California gold rush that translates to the current Marcellus Shale natural gas boon in Pennsylvania?

This collection contains images and videos of the seven natural wonders of the world, along with the men who conquered them through expedition and discovery.

The sandwich is arguably a mainstay of the American diet. This collection depicts a variety of sandwiches through drawings, photographs, sculpture, and advertisements. It is intended to be a fun exercise for students to experience by discussing the history and appeal of the sandwich using resources from the Smithsonian's collections.