Features
Room 226 offers many topics of interest to investigate.
So, leisurely meander through our offerings and enjoy yourself!
So, leisurely meander through our offerings and enjoy yourself!
Abraham Lincoln - The Changing Face of HistorySeventeen restored photographs tell the story of the young lawyer in Springfield, Illinois who became the sixteenth President of the United States, many with full screen pop-ups, in Abraham Lincoln: The Changing Face of History. The portraits and his own words reveal who Lincoln truly was, both as a man and as a national leader during our country's most turbulent period.
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Animation By ExampleTechniques for creating the illusion of movement are shown in Animation By Example. Simple toys like the flip book, the thaumatrope, the zoetrope and the praxinoscope date back to the nineteenth century. Motion pictures of live action, chalkboard illustrations to handpainted cels began in the silent film era. Today, computer generated images are commonly used to great effect.
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Electing A PresidentEvery four years, a person is selected to serve as the President of the United States. Candidates are announced, state primaries and caucuses are held, nominees are chosen in national conventions, a popular election is conducted, ballots are cast in the Electoral College and tallied by the US Congress, an inauguration ceremony performed - all for Electing A President.
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Generations of ComputersComputers have not existed forever! The technology we enjoy today (for reading web pages such as this one) has developed over many centuries, from the abacus to the microchip. Generations of Computers: A Family History relates this colorful story in words and pictures, complete with an extended gallery of historic photographs of people and inventions.
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Exploring Washington DCOur nation's capital is home to the three branches of the federal government which are housed in the US Capitol, the White House and the Supreme Court. This beautiful city is also home to many presidential monuments, memorials to those who served in the military, and cultural organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution. You can see them all and learn alot, too, by Exploring Washington, DC.
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KaleidoscopeA Kaleidoscope is an optical instrument in which bits of colored glass and angled mirrors create continuously changing symmetric patterns. Employing a computer, colorful abstract images can be painted and animation software used to sequentially transition between these designs. Shapes gently morph and colors easily blend in the kaleidoscopic show that results.
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King Kong, Movie Star
In 1933, the movie going audience was introduced to a giant ape from Skull Island who battled dinosaurs, crushed local natives and finally had one unforgettable adventure in New York City. The film was "King Kong." Seventy-two years after, the movie was remade employing the latest digital visual effects rather than the stop motion animation of the original. King Kong, Movie Star, compares these two classic films and the technologies used to bring its terrifying star to life.
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Navajo SandpaintingsTo restore health and harmony, the Navajo people create delicate, colorful images from finely crushed stone. These beautiful, sacred works are Navajo Sandpaintings. They can be appreciated for their artistry while providing greater insight into the culture of one of our native peoples. A gallery of authentic sandpaintings is also included.
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Safari in ZimbabweOn the south African subcontinent is the scenic nation of Zimbabwe. Here a traveler will find a breath-taking landscape populated by uniquely magnificent wildlife that includes the lion, zebra, elephant, crocodile, wild dog, impala, kudu, wildebeest and ostrich. The photo essay entitled Safari in Zimbabwe illustrates one visitor's journey across this majestic country.
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San Francisco EarthquakeAt 5:12 AM on April 18, 1906, the San Andreas fault in California shook violently. This was the San Francisco Earthquake! The quake was followed by a series of aftershocks and a fire, caused by broken gas mains, that burned out of control for days. With thousands dead, injuried or homeless, the city's destruction was nearly total. Here the story is retold in historic photographs.
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'Tis The Star-Spangled BannerWhat song has as lyrics a poem describing a wartime battle outside our nation's capitol and the melody of a British drinking tune? 'Tis The Star-Spangled Banner. Here's the dramatic story - the song's writing, immediate popularity and selection as our national anthem 117 years later - presented in a musical and interactive history accompanied by both a sing-along and gallery.
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A Total Eclipse of the Sun
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The New Rochelle High School Fire of 1968
New Rochelle High School in New Rochelle, New York was virtually destroyed by an arson fire on May 17, 1968. The school district was subsequently faced with the task of relocating the school's three thousand students and successfully completing the academic year, while local authorities sought the arsonist. With an array of historic photographs, this article details the devastating fire and the school's eventual recovery. |