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Posted by: Patrick Hastings
Many of the images and traditions currently associated with Santa Claus can be traced back to books, broadsides, and cards printed in the early 1800s.
Posted in: 19th Century, American History, Children's Literature, Dutch History, Education, Illustrated Book, Literature, Poetry, Seasonal
Posted by: Ashley Rose Young
During the pandemic, I dabbled in birding, and ever since, I’ve noticed more and more references to birds across cultural media—from literature to music. With the holiday season fully in swing, I’ve heard “The Twelve Days of Christmas” echoing through stores bedecked with evergreen garlands and festooned with sparkling ornaments. Until this year, though, I …
Posted in: 19th Century, American History, History of Science, Seasonal, Zoology
Posted by: Patrick Hastings
Thomas Jefferson used Euclidean Geometry and Newtonian Calculus to design a plow for maximum efficiency. Rather than seeking a patent, he published his innovative “mouldboard of least resistance” for all farmers to use freely.
Posted in: 18th Century, American History, Thomas Jefferson
Posted by: Patrick Hastings
On Thanksgiving Day in 1876, Princeton met Yale in Hoboken, NJ for the first football game played under the new rules agreed by the Intercollegiate Football Association. As innovations in the rules gradually shaped a distinctly American game, the tradition of playing and watching football on Thanksgiving spread across the United States.
Posted in: 19th Century, American History, Seasonal, Sports and Games
Posted by: Patrick Hastings
As a young man, Isaiah Thomas printed and published a Boston newspaper that stoked the fires of Revolution. After the war, Thomas enjoyed a consequential career in printing, illustrating, publishing, papermaking, bookselling, collecting, and historical writing.
Posted in: 18th Century, 19th Century, American History, Children's Literature, Education History, Famous Printers, Illustrated Book, Publishing, Uncategorized
Posted by: Patrick Hastings
As our nation prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the Library of Congress is producing a series of short films that present items from our collections related to American history and culture. Check out the latest films in the series!
Posted in: 18th Century, 19th Century, 20th Century, American History, Children's Literature, Education Outreach, History of the Book, Literature, Sports and Games, Thomas Jefferson, Women in Book History, Women's Stories
Posted by: Patrick Hastings
In his early 20s, George Washington played a central role in the opening acts of the French and Indian War. The fastidious young man kept careful journals for both of his expeditions across the Alleghanies; when these records were printed and published in 1754 and 1756, George Washington became (in)famous across the British and French Empires.
Posted in: 18th Century, American History
Posted by: Stephanie Stillo
Meet Dr. Ashley Rose Young, Curator of American History in the Rare Book and Special Collections Division. An experienced cultural heritage professional and public historian, Ashley recently joined the Library to steward and interpret one of the world’s most significant collections of rare books and printed ephemera related to American life.
Posted in: American History, News and Events
Posted by: Patrick Hastings
As we prepare to celebrate the United States' 250th birthday on July 4, 2026, the Rare Book and Special Collections Division is producing a series of short films that highlight items related to American history and culture with particular focus on the Founding era.
Posted in: 17th Century, 18th Century, 19th Century, 20th Century, African American Poetry, American History, Children's Literature, Classics, Education, Education History, Education Outreach, Literature, Women's Stories