Freedom’s Framework

Stitching together the story of the United States.

Moment by moment and generation by generation, Americans have struggled, persevered, and worked to define the promise of freedom. In celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary, Freedom’s Framework explores how the ideals of the Declaration of Independence were tested as the nation expanded into the Old Northwest and confronted the challenges of liberty, equality, and nationhood.

• Discover how the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 created a blueprint for governing the Old Northwest.
• Encounter stories of Native leaders, frontier settlers, abolitionists, and national figures like Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.
• Explore pivotal moments in the country’s search for freedom, including westward expansion, the Underground Railroad, and the Civil War.

Exhibit Resource List

View a list of documents, books, and objects that shaped Freedom’s Framework, with links to online sources where applicable.

Items from The Remnant Trust Collection on Display

View a list of items currently on display in Freedom’s Framework. Learn more about The Remnant Trust and explore their collection at www.remnanttrust.org.

Using the IHS Library

If you would like to access items from the IHS collections or The Remnant Trust, please make an appointment with the William H. Smith Memorial Library reference staff. Our online catalog and digital collections are also available online.

PRESENTED BY:

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM:

Ayres Foundation