Kansas Museum of History curators look at two guidons (swallowtail flags) used by Kansas cavalry units during the Civil War.

Kansas Museum of History curators look at a black umbrella—used to shelter Abraham Lincoln from the weather during his inaugural tour in 1861—in the museum's collection.

From the Lincoln Online Conference website:

"Through a selection of images of nationally important Lincoln artifacts, participants . . . explore the life and times of this extraordinary figure. Each object will convey an aspect of Lincoln's character and experiences. The presentation is based on a new exhibition of the same name showcasing more than 60 historical treasures associated with Lincoln's life from an iron wedge he used to split wood in the early 1830s in New Salem, Ill., to his iconic top hat he wore the night he was shot at Ford's Theatre (both of which will be discussed during this session). The webcast—led by Harry Rubenstein, chair of the Division of Politics and Reform at the National Museum of American History—will tell a new and very intimate story of the life and legacy of this remarkable individual."

Free registration is required to access the webcast.

Donald L. Miller and Louis P. Masur follow the growth of American capitalism and industry from 1776 to 1861. They look at Samuel Slater's introduction of factories to the U.S.; the textile factory community of Lowell; transportation development and the creation of the Erie Canal; and the growth of Chicago, including quality of life and pollution issues it faced and its integration into the country's rail system.

Donald L. Miller, with Virginia Scharff, Douglas Brinkley, Stephen Ambrose, and Pauline Maier, follows American history from 1803 to 1861. Focusing on Westward Expansion, the presentation begins with the Louisiana Purchase and continues on to examine transportation available in this time and the development of a slave-based economy in the South.

In this Cool Things podcast, curators at the Kansas Museum of History follow the story of a revolver owned by Albert Hazlett, one of John Brown's men during the raid at Harpers Ferry.

This podcast from the Kansas Museum of History looks at James Dryden, ceramics manufacturer in the 1950s, who cornered the market on souvenir pottery until the highway bypassed his location and Dryden moved his operation out-of-state.

To navigate the Kansas River in the 1820s, you needed the right equipment—a keelboat. Curators and experts at the Kansas Museum of History look at the history behind a steering oar which helped a fur trader's keelboat stay the course on the mighty Kaw.

Eighth-grade American history educator Eric Langhorst demonstrates how he uses Google Maps in class to show students historic sites.

Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919), the daughter of former slaves, started life as a farm laborer and laundress but finished it as a pioneer of the modern African American hair care and cosmetics industry. A'Lelia Bundles, Walker's great-great-granddaughter, offers highlights of Walker's early life and her career as an innovator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.

To listen to this lecture, scroll to the February 13th, 2009, program; and select "Listen now." Part two can be accessed by doing the same with the February 24th, 2009, program.