An American institution: the Smithsonian, 1846-1878

Abstract

In 1846, Congress created the Smithsonian Institution. Congressmen expected the Institution to advance the cause of American science as did Joseph Henry, the organization's first secretary. The Institution fulfilled that role in a manner consistent with its congressional mandate. Henry, however, believed that total compliance with Congress decreased the Institution's ability to shape American science. Congress, Henry thought, had split the Institution into too many departments, diluting its ability to encourage pure scientific research.

This thesis traces the Smithsonian's development by examining congressional and early institutional records. It focuses on Congress, the first to leaders of the Smithsonian, Joseph Henry and Spencer F. Baird, and the community of American naturalists. As these groups interacted, they influenced the course of scientific endeavor carried forth by the Institution. This study concludes that the Smithsonian Institution afforded significant assistance to scientists, and it faithfully reflected the scientific and cultural environment of nineteenth-century America.