First Ladies

A&E Classroom is pleased to present these educational resources featuring the lives and contributions of First Ladies throughout U.S. history.

This website is a companion to the traveling exhibition First Ladies: Political Role and Public Image, organized by the National Museum of American History, Behring Center (NMAH), and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES). It's designed to introduce educators and students to this wonderful exhibition and provide engaging ways for students to learn more about the First Ladies who have shaped American life. The exhibit will spend the spring at The New York Historical Society before traveling across the country through 2006.

Educators, historians, and curators at NMAH, SITES, and A&E have produced a teaching guide to the exhibition for grades five through twelve. It's a great way to incorporate women's history and politics into American history or social science classes. We have included primary sources, images of artifacts, and guided discussions on how the role of the first lady has changed over time. You will also find suggestions for written assignments, oral presentation projects, and research activities. The manual is linked to the National History Standards developed by the National Council for History Education. For a complementary copy of the guidebook, email your name and address to classroom@aetn.com.

Consult the traveling exhibition schedule to find out when First Ladies: Political Role and Public Image will be on display in a town near you!