Drawing by John Rubens Smith presents the United States as a young nation finding its place in the world. America is shown as a child, guided forward while Britannia points toward a temple symbolizing liberty and constitutional government. Figures representing agriculture and commerce stand nearby, underscoring the economic base of the new republic.
The Constitution of the United States "the signing"
Late-19th-century interpretation of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787, when delegates gathered in Philadelphia to shape the framework of the new nation. Figures associated with the Constitutional Convention, including George Washington, who presided over the meeting, and Benjamin Franklin, are shown alongside symbolic images representing liberty, law, and the American people.
Abraham Lincoln's Last Reception
One of the last public moments of Abraham Lincoln at the White House in 1865, shortly before his assassination. Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln are shown greeting Union generals, cabinet members, and guests during a formal reception near the end of the Civil War. The room is crowded but orderly, reflecting the traditions and social rituals of the time, even as the nation was exhausted by four years of fighting. Seen today, the image feels like a pause before history turned, showing Lincoln in a rare moment of calm as the war ended and the country stood on the edge of loss and change.
Evacuation of New York by the British
New York City passed fully into American hands at the end of the Revolutionary War. On November 25, 1783, British forces evacuated the city, their ships pulling away from the harbor as the Union Jack was taken down and the American flag raised in its place. The act was both practical and symbolic, marking the end of eight years of war and occupation. For New Yorkers, Evacuation Day became a lasting reminder that independence was finally secured, not just declared.
Proud of Her Boys
Created in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. Columbia, a common symbol of the nation, stands between a sailor and a soldier, representing the Navy and Army acting together as the country expanded its reach beyond the continent. Their firm handshake and straightforward posture emphasize unity and duty rather than heroics. Prints like this were widely circulated to reinforce public support for the war and to frame American military service as a shared national responsibility.
The Flag that has Waved One Hundred Years
1876 image shows Americans marking the nation’s 100th birthday with a Fourth of July flag raising near the U.S. Capitol. Coming just a decade after the Civil War, reflecting a country still healing but determined to emphasize unity and shared history. The presence of families and children points to how patriotism was taught and passed down, not just celebrated. At a time when the United States was expanding and modernizing, the flag stood as a reminder of the Revolutionary era and the ideals the country claimed to carry forward.