Piecing
together the history of an artifact--the Star-Spangled Banner,
for example--is like solving a mystery. Historians use clues
from primary sources such as photographs, letters, and newspaper
articles from the same time period as when an object was made
and used.
To the right are some questions historians have asked about
the Star-Spangled Banner. Choose a question and, using the primary
sources provided, try to explain some of the mysteries surrounding
this famous flag.
After you decide what you think, take a look at what Smithsonian
historians discovered after examining the same primary sources.
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