A History of the United States in 100 Objects

The material objects surrounding individuals—from folded boarding passes to old textbooks—collectively form a personal biography, a concept that extends to the national identity of the United States as it approaches its 250th anniversary. Beyond traditional museum artifacts like the Declaration of Independence, a deeper American history exists within everyday items hiding in plain sight. A bootleg band t-shirt traces the evolution of punk rock, a "blueback speller" represents a tool for intellectual liberation used by enslaved people, and a standard one-inch screw reveals the foundations of a hidden industrial empire. By examining 100 specific objects through the insights of historians and journalists, this narrative uncovers a sprawling, contradictory history of the nation. These items, ranging from train safes to the "Billy Possum" presidential icon, illustrate how mechanical skeletons and personal possessions define the American experience.