Politics at Home

Today, campaign messages appear on television, social media, and yard signs. But even 200 years ago, they found their way into people's homes.

This sewing box features crossed American flags embroidered around the words "Adams and Liberty." Lifting the lid reveals a printed portrait of John Quincy Adams, indicating that it was likely made for the 1828 presidential campaign. The slogan itself had an earlier history, originating with the patriotic song Adams and Liberty, written in support of his father, President John Adams, in 1798.

More than a campaign souvenir, this sewing box reminds us that politics extended far beyond the polling place. Although women could not yet vote, presidential campaigns entered the home through everyday objects like this one, where families discussed candidates, debated issues, and expressed their political loyalties.

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, this small keepsake reminds us that democracy has always been shaped not only in government buildings and at the ballot box, but also around family tables and in the daily lives of ordinary Americans.