Article: America in 1846, the year the Smithsonian was founded.

In 1846 James Polk (illustrated at left) was president, westward expansion was considered America's manifest destiny, the United States declared war on Mexico, the abolition of slavery was already being hotly debated, and the potato famine in Ireland caused immigration to surge. Also in 1846, Congress pondered how best to use the bequest of more than five hundred thousand dollars that the Englishman John Smithson had made to the nation in 1829 to build "an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." The bequest was so unusual that it was roundly criticized by many, including William C. Preston, a senator from South Carolina, who stated that if ...

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