Since farmers could not grow enough food forHave you ever asked your parents, “What’s for dinner?” I know I have. During World War II, making a healthy, delicious meal was difficult. A lot of the food grown by the United States was needed to feed soldiers fighting overseas. Not much was left for the people at home. So what did the people on the home front do? The answer was simple and something we can still do today. Grow your own food! Victory gardens, were an easy solution.
Sports, from football to basketball, are very popular across the state of Tennessee. The Volunteer State has been home to many athletes and coaches at both the professional and college level. Few, however, are as well-known or successful as the “Head Ball Coach,” Steve Spurrier.
Have you ever heard of Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks? For many of us, they are the first names that pop into our minds when we think of the fight for civil rights. What about the name Ida B. Wells?
by Joyska Nunez-MedinaGirl Scout troops are groups where girls can come together to learn and grow. The Girl Scouts of America started in 1912 in Savannah, Georgia. Juliette Gordon Low, the organization’s founder, visited Britain in 1911 and learned about the Boy Scouts and the Girl Guides. She thought that a similar organization in the United States could teach girls important skills and lessons.Girl Scouting was supposed to be open to all girls, but that was not the case everywhere.
Have you ever heard someone say, “When I was a kid things were different?” I know I have. One of my dad’s favorite things to do was telling me what it was like when he was my age. At the time, it was something I had to listen to. Now I know those stories were important. Life was different for him as a child. Historians use stories, or records, like his to learn about life in the past. You can too!
While it sounds scary, that was real life for the Cherokee. They had to walk between 13-20 miles per day and only got to eat once, maybe twice, a day. This journey took months to complete. When they finally reached the end, they were in a place they had never been before, with few supplies. They had to make a brand new home. The Cherokee lost their homes, their friends and family along this journey. The journey they called “The Trail of Tears.”
Can you find the 12 artifacts on display that are featured in the Museum's newest #TN225 Scavenger Hunt? 🔍 Follow the clues and look for the colorful stickers with numbers on them. The free guide will give you hints to help you navigate through the Museum and has fun questions to help you engage with the artifacts. Pick up your copy at the Visitors Desk in the Grand Lobby. This activity is best for children ages 4-7, but anyone can join the hunt!
Over the years Blues music grew in popularity. Other artists like Muddy Waters, Bessie Smith, and B.B. King became famous too. Today, Memphis is known as the Home of the Blues. For his efforts in making Blues famous, W.C. Handy is known as the “Father of the Blues.” It all started with a boy that had to exchange his guitar for a dictionary. Young W.C. Handy did not let that stop him. He kept playing and practicing. He worked hard. He believed in himself and became the “Father of the Blues.”
When Tennessee became a state on June 1, 1796, it was the end of a long process. The idea to create a state from the land west of the Appalachian Mountains wasn’t new. When the British were in control, the land was reserved for Native American peoples only. No one else was allowed to settler here. So what happened when the British lost the American Revolution? The state of North Carolina claimed all the land between the mountains and the Mississippi River. People began to move in almost right away. Many broke treaties and settled on Native American lands. This resulted in years of warfare.
If someone tells you that you’ve got mail, most people today think of e-mail. Packages are delivered mostly by FedEx, UPS, or Amazon. To talk to you, your friends may use the phone to call or text you instead of sending a letter. When your parents open the mailbox outside, it is probably full of junk mail and bills. It may seem like it would be easy to live without the Post Office today, but using it is still a great way to communicate.
by Jennifer WattsMany people dream of becoming an astronaut. I know I have. As of 2021, seven Tennesseans have made that dream come true. In the first “Tennesseans in Space” blog, we learned about Dr. Margaret Rhea Seddon and Barry “Butch” Wilmore. Today we are going to learn about the other five. In 1992, three of them were part of the same flight crew and went to space together!
In 1904, people were introduced to Fairy Floss at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. What is Fairy Floss? That was the original name for cotton candy. So how does all of this relate to Tennessee history? Let us dive into the sweet, sugary past of cotton candy.
On April 6, 1917, the United States of America officially entered World War I. The war itself started in 1914, shortly after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The United States managed to stay out of the war until 1917 despite terrible fighting around the world. This changed for a few reasons. Americans were being killed on ships sunk by German U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean. The most infamous example of this was the sinking of the RMS Lusitania in 1915. This angered many Americans and put pressure on the United States to enter the war. There was also the discovery of the Zimmerman Telegram that angered Americans even more. This telegram was sent from the German government to Mexico. It offered the Mexican government American land if they joined the war on Germany’s side. For these reasons and others, America joined the war in 1917. However, there was a problem. America didn’t have enough soldiers.
During World War II, United States soldiers were fighting on many fronts. While servicemen were away from home, women took on the new role of directly participating in the war. Women were key facilitators in aiding the United States and Allied forces to victory. Women did this through their service in newly created military branches such as: WASPS (Women Airforce Service Pilots), WAC (Women’s Army Corps), WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service branch of the Navy), Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) and the SPARS (Semper Paratus, Always Ready branch of the Coast Guard). Women in Tennessee were extremely important to the war effort. In Oak Ridge, Tennessee, women were essential in processing uranium at the Y-12, K-25, and X-10 plants which provided the nuclear material to produce the atomic bomb for the Manhattan Project.
In the late 1700s, there were many colonial towns and cities all throughout the eastern part of the United States. After American independence, and as more and more people arrived in America, settlers began to push westward. They did this to find new land and begin new settlements, even though people were already living there. Tennessee is an example of this westward expansion and was granted statehood in 1796. All the official states though were east of the Mississippi River. A lot of the land to the west of the river was owned by France. That is until the Louisiana Purchase.
Let’s explore the season with Earth. Our special guest Meg Morgan of Root Nashville will be reading "My Friend Earth." See how Earth helps the plants and animals around the world, through all the seasons. 🌎 In honor of Earth Day, we are going to make a windsock to hang outside!
Today, you probably know that there are 50 states in America. Tennessee is just one of those states. It was the 16th to join the Union. However, did you know that there is a lost state, too? It was called the State of Franklin. So how did we lose it? It didn’t sink into the ocean! It didn’t disappear in a cloud of smoke!
Did you know that only 29 years after we gained our independence from England, they decided to pick another fight with us? Beginning in 1812, we entered what some historians call our “Second War for Independence” with Great Britain. After it officially ended in 1815, it left us with a new feeling of national pride and freedom from England. It also began traditions, created legends and national symbols that are still recognized today. Keep reading to find out what they are!
This year we are celebrating Tennessee’s 225th birthday! Another name for this special anniversary is bicenquasquitennial. That’s a big word! Over the years, Tennesseans have honored the birth of our state by hosting events and by creating parks and monuments.
This year the United States is 246 years old. As a nation, there are symbols to honor its birth. The most recognizable is the flag. Over the years, the flag has changed several times and has been known by different names. Today, the flag is sometimes known as “Old Glory”, but where did that nickname come from? Many people don’t know it has a Tennessee connection. The flag’s nickname goes back to the 1800s to a man living in Nashville, Tennessee. His name was William Driver.
