18th-19th CENTURY GALLERY
Explore some of the earliest milestones in U.S. military history in the events and conflicts of the 18th and 19th centuries that would shape our nation — from the Age of Liberty to the Spanish-American War — and lay the bedrock of U.S. military heritage.
Connect with history through defining events and artifacts. This gallery covers events like the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the War of 1812, the fall of Mexico City and Roosevelt’s Rough Riders.
Discover Civil War battlefield tactics and how the fierce fighting and many casualties at the battle of Bull Run sobered both armies into the realization that the war was going to be much longer than either had expected.
Engage with interactive and multimedia displays to learn and better understand critical historical context, from how westward expansion led to inevitable conflict with American Indian tribes to how Union and Confederate military strategy shaped the Battle of Fredericksburg in 1862.