Constellation Similarity Assertions

The American Antiquarian Society was founded in Worcester, Mass., in 1812, largely through the efforts of Isaiah Thomas (1749-1831). The Society's original stated purpose was to "encourage the collection and preservation of the Antiquities of our country, and of curious and valuable productions in Art and Nature [that] have a tendency to enlarge the sphere of human knowledge." AAS from its inception attempted to be national in its collecting and its membership, which is by election.

The American Antiquarian Society's principal activity has been the creation and maintenance of a library. During the nineteenth century, the collections included archaeological, ethnographic, and historical objects as well as printed and manuscript material. However, at the close of the nineteenth century the decision was made to concentrate on printed and manuscript materials usable for the study of American history and culture in the period through 1876. Subsequently, almost all of the museum objects were transferred to other institutions, notably the Peabody Museum at Harvard University and the Smithsonian Institution.

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