Description: 

This learning lab introduces students to individuals who have shaped and participated in American democracy over time. Using a variety of resources, take in the stories and impact of Thomas Jefferson, Molly Pitcher, Thomas Paine, Richard Allen, William Apess, Wong Chin Foo, Alice Paul, Ella Baker, and Dolores Huerta.

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America is an exhibition from Museum on Main Street traveling to rural American from 2020-2025. Voices and Votes is based on the exhibition American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith at the National Museum of American History. This learning lab can be used in conjunction with the exhibition or as a stand alone resource on the history of democracy.

Visit Smithsonian History Explorer to learn more!  

#historicalthinking

Guiding Questions:

Who has influenced American democracy? Why did they participate in American democracy and what did they achieve? Have these people changed over time?

How have social movements changed American democracy throughout history?

How can individuals or groups take action to participate in American democracy?

What issues at a local, state, or national level affect your life? Can your participation in American democracy resolve those issues?

Who is participating in and influencing national, state, or local conversations about  American democracy today? Who would you add to this list?