What can objects tell us about compromise and the impact of the disputed presidential election of 1876? On February 26, 1877, a compromise was made to settle the disputed presidential election within the walls of the Wormley Hotel in Washington D.C. If Republicans would end the post-Civil War military occupation of the South, then the Democrats would allow Republican candidate Rutherford B. Hayes to become president. The compromise signaled the beginning of a post-war reconciliation of white Americans from the North and South.

History is a study into the past, and how it informs the future, our communities and world, and ultimately ourselves. Learning History Through Objects (LHTO) is a series designed by the National Museum of African American History and Culture to empower students, primarily through the historical thinking skills of analysis and interpretation, to allow them to explore, question, and create history.

One of the important skills to be a historian is the ability to analyze and interpret a primary source to gain a better understanding of history. A primary source is any document, artifact, media, or image that was created by the historical person you are studying or during that time period.

The Learning History Through Object Series is based off the exhibit structure and objects within the permanent and temporary exhibitions at the National Museum of African American History and Culture and other Smithsonian units. The analysis questions are taken from the National Archives and Records Administration Document Analysis Worksheets, unless stated otherwise.