An American institution: the Smithsonian, 1846-1878

In 1846, Congress created the Smithsonian Institution. Congressmen expected the Institution to advance the cause of American science as did Joseph Henry, the organization's first secretary. The Institution fulfilled that role in a manner consistent with its congressional mandate. Henry, however, believed that total compliance with Congress decreased the Institution's ability to shape American science. Congress, Henry thought, had split the Institution into too many departments, diluting its ability to encourage pure scientific research. This thesis traces the Smithsonian's development by examining congressional and early institutional records. It focuses on Congress, the first to leaders of the Smithsonian, Joseph Henry and Spencer F. Baird, and the community of American naturalists. As these groups interacted, they influenced the course of scientific endeavor carried forth by the Institution. This study concludes that the Smithsonian Institution afforded significant assistance to scientists, and it faithfully reflected the scientific and cultural environment of nineteenth-century America.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

History

Department dc:contributor.department

History

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1987

Author dc:creator

• Buxton, Nancy L.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Lux, David S.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Livesay, Harold C.
• Dunlap, Thomas R.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/101169

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/101169