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Education

NMAD's resources for learning and teaching diplomacy.
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Resources to help educators teach diplomacy.

The National Museum of American Diplomacy’s education programs equip students to tackle the 21st-century challenges facing our country and the world. They reveal the complexity of international issues and the role that the U.S. State Department and diplomacy play in protecting the security and prosperity of Americans at home and abroad.

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Historic Diplomacy Simulations

NMAD is happy to announce the addition of three new diplomacy simulations through the Historical Diplomacy Simulation Program. 

Our diplomacy simulations help participants engage in the art and practice of diplomacy. Instead of hypothetical scenarios, these diplomacy simulations are based on true, historical events. Through history, students are able to learn about the role that U.S. diplomats and the State Department play in international conflicts. The Historical Diplomacy Simulation Program is a project with the Una Chapman Cox Foundation as part of the initiative on American Diplomacy and Foreign Service, and developed along with partners National History Day and George Mason University’s Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media. The three new historic simulations are:

Barbary Pirates Hostage Crisis: Negotiating Tribute and Trade
Spanish-American Conflict of 1898: Treaties and Self-Determination
Suez Canal Crisis: National Sovereignty versus International Access to Waterways

historical diplomacy simulation barbary pirates hostage crisis
Spanish-American Conflict War 1898
suez canal crisis diplomacy simulation
Explore NMAD's Historic Diplomacy Simulations

What is diplomacy?

What is the mission of the U.S. Department of State?

What is the mission of the U.S. Department of State? 
The mission of the Department of State is to represent America’s foreign policy abroad, and to advance the interests and security of the American people.

Learn more

What are the pillars of American diplomacy?

What are the pillars of American diplomacy?
The United States works closely with other governments, international organizations and local institutions to promote security, prosperity, democracy, and economic development.

Learn more

Who is the Secretary of State?

Who is the Secretary of State?
The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser.

Learn more

How does the State Department engage with other countries?

How does the U.S. Department of State engage with other countries?
While the traditional role of diplomacy remains the daily interaction of Embassy officers with officials and agencies of the host government, public diplomacy has become more and more vital in an age of instant communication.

Learn more

Who are diplomats? What do they do?

Who are  U.S. diplomats and what do they do?
U.S. diplomats use personal relationships with officials and citizens of the hosting country to advocate for U.S. interests, to work together on common causes, and to explain U.S. society and values. Diplomats’ roles and responsibilities are immensely varied.

Learn more about who diplomats are and their different roles and responsibilities.

Where do U.S. diplomats work?

Where do U.S. diplomats work?
An embassy is the headquarters for U.S. Government representatives serving in a foreign country.

Learn more about what is an embassy and browse our map explorer to discover more about each U.S. embassy.

Practice Diplomacy

Would you like to step into the role of a diplomat, and negotiate with international partners to solve a global problem? Explore NMAD’s free diplomacy simulation materials.

Explore Diplomacy Simulations
Diplomacy Center, Simulation, Students

Diplomatic Simulation Expert Videos

What are these diplomacy topics about? Watch our expert videos designed for students. These videos are to be used alongside our diplomacy simulations. Explore our simulations.

Wildlife Trafficking

Wildlife Trafficking

Learn about the impact of illegal trafficking on endangered species and the global economy.

Oceans and Fisheries

Oceans and Fisheries

Discover the importance of fish as a food source and sustainable fishing practices.

Freshwater

Freshwater

Learn how freshwater is a vital resource that is often a point of conflict between nations.

Counterfeit Trade

Counterfeit Trade

Find out how counterfeit trade destabilizes economies and supports criminal organizations.

Peacebuilding

Peacebuilding

Learn about the challenges associated with the peacebuilding process in Darfur.

Migration

Migration

Learn about how U.S. diplomats and other global leaders work to protect refugees and migrants to prevent future migration crises.

Diplomatic Dictionary

Terms commonly used in diplomacy and international affairs.

Explore Diplomatic Dictionary

Stories about Diplomacy

Explore stories about people and artifacts in our collection.

Ambassador Arnold Chacon
From Mentee to Mentor: Ambassador Arnold Chacon and Leadership in the Foreign Service
 From Mentee to Mentor: Ambassador Arnold Chacon and Leadership in the Foreign Service 1024 576

Ambassador Arnold Chacon has served as a diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service for 40 years. His dedication to his career as a public servant began early through his years…

Ambassador Carmen Cantor
Island Diplomacy, from Mayagüez to Micronesia: The Journey of Esperanza of Ambassador Carmen Gloria Cantor
 Island Diplomacy, from Mayagüez to Micronesia: The Journey of Esperanza of Ambassador Carmen Gloria Cantor 1024 732

The word esperanza in Spanish means “hope” or “expectation.” This word, both in its promise and sense of duty, captures the career of Carmen G. Cantor, the United States Ambassador…

Ambassador Mari-Luci Jaramillo
Ambassador Mari-Luci Jaramillo: The First Hispanic American Woman Ambassador
 Ambassador Mari-Luci Jaramillo: The First Hispanic American Woman Ambassador 1024 663

Mari-Luci Jaramillo was a renowned educator who served as Ambassador to Honduras under Carter’s administration from 1977-1980.  Jaramillo started her career as a teacher but quickly grew her leadership skills…

Ambassador Lino Gutiérrez peru
Diplomacy through Many Storms: Ambassador Lino Gutiérrez
 Diplomacy through Many Storms: Ambassador Lino Gutiérrez 1024 777

When Lino Gutiérrez joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1977, he found himself to be the only Latino in his class. At that time, Hispanic Americans comprised only four percent…

Sheikh Ali Jaber Al Sabah, Mayor of Jahra City and son of the Amir of Kuwait, lays flowers at the U.S. Emba
Preserving the Memories and Mementos of September 11, 2001
 Preserving the Memories and Mementos of September 11, 2001 1024 683

Above: Sheikh Ali Jaber Al Sabah, Mayor of Jahra City and son of the Amir of Kuwait, lays flowers at the U.S. Embassy in Bayan, Kuwait. (AP Photo/Gustavo Ferrari) Originally…

Kellogg-Briand Pact Signing
The Kellogg-Briand Pact: The Aspiration for Global Peace and Security
 The Kellogg-Briand Pact: The Aspiration for Global Peace and Security 1024 793

August 27, 2021 marks 93 years since the signing of the Kellogg-Briand Pact. The United States and France drafted the treaty, officially known as the General Treaty for Renunciation of…

U.S. and Chinese exhibition teams pose for a photo at the exhibition. Photo courtesy of Connie Sweeris.
Ping Pong Diplomacy: Artifacts from the Historic 1971 U.S. Table Tennis Trip to China
 Ping Pong Diplomacy: Artifacts from the Historic 1971 U.S. Table Tennis Trip to China 1024 527

In April 1971, nine players from the U.S. Table Tennis team took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit the country in decades. Following…

Kamala_Lakhdir_signed_the_guest_book_of_Minister_of_Home_Affairs_Malaysia
The Dedication and Leadership of Ambassador Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir
 The Dedication and Leadership of Ambassador Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir 1024 748

How does a diplomat become a great leader? Who and what has inspired them? The National Museum of American Diplomacy helps answer these questions through an exploration of some of…

Boa lee header 43
Boa Lee: Diplomacy Can Overcome Tragedy
 Boa Lee: Diplomacy Can Overcome Tragedy 1024 768

In 2012, I had just arrived at my first overseas assignment in Sierra Leone when I was asked to deal with a protest outside the U.S. embassy. Relatives of people…

Donald Yamamoto Flags
A Dedication to Service: Ambassador Donald Yamamoto
 A Dedication to Service: Ambassador Donald Yamamoto 893 595

Americans who choose to enter the United States Foreign Service do not take the decision lightly.  These professional diplomats spend most of their careers abroad, serving two-to-three years at a…

Sammy Lee Asian American Cultural Diplomat
Dr. Sammy Lee (1920-2016): Olympic Champion and Goodwill Ambassador
 Dr. Sammy Lee (1920-2016): Olympic Champion and Goodwill Ambassador 1024 768

Born in California in 1920 to Korean immigrant parents, Dr. Sammy Lee represented and served the United States in many ways. By the 1950s, Lee was an Olympic gold medalist,…

v1 small Damaged Great Seal
Artifact Highlight: Damaged Great Seals from U.S. Diplomatic Missions
 Artifact Highlight: Damaged Great Seals from U.S. Diplomatic Missions 1024 576

These Great Seals were damaged during attacks on U.S. diplomatic missions. They are physical reminders of the dangers that Diplomatic Security Service special agents and personnel face in protecting our…

A member of the CIA helps evacuees up a ladder onto an Air America helicopter on the roof of 22 Gia Long Street
The Fall of Saigon (1975): The Bravery of American Diplomats and Refugees
 The Fall of Saigon (1975): The Bravery of American Diplomats and Refugees 378 261

On April 30, 1975, the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese Army, effectively ending the Vietnam War. In the days before, U.S. forces evacuated thousands of…

Aurelia Brazeal Kissinger 1974
The Composure and Leadership of Ambassador Aurelia Brazeal
 The Composure and Leadership of Ambassador Aurelia Brazeal 1024 667

Serving 41 years in the United States Foreign Service, Ambassador Aurelia Erskine Brazeal was the first African American woman to be appointed ambassador by three presidential administrations. She was also…

Joseph Nye Credentials
Credentials of the First Chief Special Agent of the State Department, Joseph M. Nye
 Credentials of the First Chief Special Agent of the State Department, Joseph M. Nye 811 1024

Each month, the National Museum of American Diplomacy highlights special artifacts from the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. This month, we are showcasing an old and special artifact…

Moscow Joseph Davies Marjorie Merriweather Post
The Diplomatic Legacy of Marjorie Merriweather Post
 The Diplomatic Legacy of Marjorie Merriweather Post 1024 827

In honor of Women’s History Month, the National Museum of American Diplomacy celebrates the diplomatic legacy of Marjorie Merriweather Post, philanthropist, businesswoman, and collector.

1909 Consular Class Photo Artifact Highlight
Artifact Collection Highlights: Early 2021 Acquisitions
 Artifact Collection Highlights: Early 2021 Acquisitions 1024 792

Our artifact donors’ generosity has resulted in an active start to our collecting in 2021. Highlights from these recent acquisitions include a photograph of new consular officers from 1909 (the…

Ambassador Edward J. Perkins portrait
8 Lessons in Diplomacy from Ambassador Edward J. Perkins (1928-2020)
 8 Lessons in Diplomacy from Ambassador Edward J. Perkins (1928-2020) 781 960

Ambassador Edward J. Perkins knew segregation well. He was born into a segregated and racist society in 1928 on a small farm in the American south. His life took him…

Collage DAH Secretaries Senators and the Presidency
From Secretaries to Senators: The Historic Road to the Presidency
 From Secretaries to Senators: The Historic Road to the Presidency 1024 576

In the early years of the Republic, the Secretary of State cabinet position appeared to be a stepping stone to the presidency. This pattern began with Thomas Jefferson, who became…

Bassett Haiti Minister Diplomat
Ebenezer D. Bassett: America’s First African American Chief of Mission
 Ebenezer D. Bassett: America’s First African American Chief of Mission 1024 576

In 1869, Ebenezer D. Bassett was appointed as the Minister of the Republic of Haiti, making him the first African American Chief of Mission. Throughout his career, Bassett defended the…

Ralph Bunche United Nations
A Hero of U.S. Diplomacy: Dr. Ralph J. Bunche (1904-1971)
 A Hero of U.S. Diplomacy: Dr. Ralph J. Bunche (1904-1971) 1024 760

Dr. Ralph J. Bunche was a pioneering African American diplomat who shaped some of the most remarkable moments in the twentieth century.  Dr. Ralph Bunche as a civil rights activist…

IMG 4487 scaled
From Holocaust Survivor to Ambassador: The Story of Robert G. Neumann
 From Holocaust Survivor to Ambassador: The Story of Robert G. Neumann 1024 768

January 27th is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other lives lost. Today we pause to honor…

Welcome Group with Yellow Ribbons
“Tie a Yellow Ribbon:” The Origin of the National Response to the Iran Hostage Crisis
 “Tie a Yellow Ribbon:” The Origin of the National Response to the Iran Hostage Crisis 1024 827

In November 1979, 52 Americans in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran were taken hostage by Iranian students. Everyone, from the most junior staff members to the person in charge of…

2020 Artifact Highlights National Museum of American Diplomacy
Our Favorite Artifact Acquisitions of 2020
 Our Favorite Artifact Acquisitions of 2020 1024 493

For the National Museum of American Diplomacy, building our artifact collection has always involved a focus on both the past and the present. Collecting has focused on not only documenting…

Diplomatic Courier Items
Artifact Collection Highlights: Ambassador Dudley’s Passport and Items From a Diplomatic Courier
 Artifact Collection Highlights: Ambassador Dudley’s Passport and Items From a Diplomatic Courier 1024 768

The National Museum of American Diplomacy has collected some significant items in recent weeks. These include a diplomatic passport issued to Ambassador Edward R. Dudley, the first African American to…

Meeting with Algerian diplomats - Christmas 1980-crop
John Limbert: Bringing Meaning to a “Bunch of Old Clothes”
 John Limbert: Bringing Meaning to a “Bunch of Old Clothes” 1024 710

Think of an historic event you personally witnessed or experienced first hand. Do you remember what you wore? NMAD  has several articles of clothing in its collection belonging to diplomats…

Certificate to Hans Tuch from Richard Nixon
In Memoriam of Hans Tuch
 In Memoriam of Hans Tuch 998 857

NMAD mourns the passing of American diplomat Hans Tuch. In 1959, as the U.S. Embassy Moscow Public Affairs Officer Hans “Tom” Tuch accompanied U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet…

Katie Speckart discussing artifacts
Farewell to Associate Curator Katie Speckart
 Farewell to Associate Curator Katie Speckart 1024 683

Katie Speckart joined the museum in 2004. At that time, the collection consisted of 1,500 artifacts without an exhibition space of its own. Over the ensuing years, Katie played a…

Sign from Black Lives Matter protest
Recent Artifact Acquisition: Jamaican Black Lives Matter Protest Sign
 Recent Artifact Acquisition: Jamaican Black Lives Matter Protest Sign 1024 693

NMAD curatorial staff worked with U.S. Embassy Kingston, Jamaica to collect a sign from a recent Black Lives Matter protest in Kingston which took place outside the embassy building. As…

Top front of passport
Passport Travels: Meyer Franklin Kline, globetrotting guidebook editor
 Passport Travels: Meyer Franklin Kline, globetrotting guidebook editor 1024 480

Have a case of wanderlust? As you take a look at this passport from the museum’s collection, join Meyer Franklin Kline and his wife Mildred Kline as they travelled the…

glifaa founders attend the 1992 Pride Parade in Washington, D.C. Left to right- Jan Krc, Bryan Dalton, David Larson, and David Buss.
glifaa: LGBT+ Pride in Foreign Affairs AGencies
 glifaa: LGBT+ Pride in Foreign Affairs AGencies 1024 768

glifaa–then known as Gays and Lebians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (then GLIFAA) was born in the living room of David Buss and David Larson on March 8, 1992 over brunch.…

U.S. Ambassador Prudence Bushnell, center, is helped by unidentified men, as she is evacuated from the area of the U.S. Embassy following an explosion in downtown Nairobi, Friday, Aug. 7, 1998. Terrorist bombs exploded minutes apart outside the U.S. embassies in both Kenya and Tanzania Friday, killing more than 67 people, injuring 1,100 and turning buildings into mountains of shattered concrete. At least eight Americans were among the dead in Kenya and seven more were missing, U.S. Embassy spokesman Chris Scharf said. Bushnell, was cut on the lip and helped from Cooperative Bank House, near the embassy, where she had just given a news conference, embassy spokesman Bill Barr said.
Ambassador Bushnell: A Profile in Resilience
 Ambassador Bushnell: A Profile in Resilience 1024 728

Woman’s suit worn by U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Prudence Bushnell, 1998. Gift of U.S. Ambassador Prudence Bushnell I was determined that we were going to get through this as a…

Portrait of Dudley
The Legacy of Edward R. Dudley: Civil Rights Activist and the First African American Ambassador
 The Legacy of Edward R. Dudley: Civil Rights Activist and the First African American Ambassador 686 386

In 1949, Ambassador Edward R. Dudley was the first African American to hold the rank of ambassador. His legacy also includes a long history of civil rights activism and a…

Spurred by a desire to see the world, Myriam Johnston joined the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) in 1955.
Passport Travels: Myriam Johnston, U.S. Information Agency Officer
 Passport Travels: Myriam Johnston, U.S. Information Agency Officer 686 1024

Passport Travels: Myriam Johnston, U.S. Information Agency Officer Spurred by a desire to see the world, Myriam Johnston joined the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) in 1955. President Eisenhower had established…

Photo of Lucys Briggs Passport
Passport Travels: Lucy Barnard Briggs, diplomatic spouse
 Passport Travels: Lucy Barnard Briggs, diplomatic spouse 1024 785

The pages in the passport that include appended photos of Ellis and Lucy’s son (left) and daughter (right). Lucy Barnard Briggs used this passport in our collection for more than…

Ping Pong Diplomacy Nixon
Ping Pong Diplomacy
 Ping Pong Diplomacy 1024 614

Richard Solomon, a China scholar and diplomat, during a period of “Ping-Pong diplomacy.” Here he is pictured with Zhuang Zedong in 1972. (Solomon Family Photo) Inscribed Ping Pong PaddleGift of…

Philip C. Habib is shown speaking as chief negotiator for the United States at the Peace Talks between the U.S. and North Vietnam in Paris, France, 1970.
Philip Habib: America’s Diplomat
 Philip Habib: America’s Diplomat 1024 853

Philip Habib: America’s Diplomat Born to parents who immigrated to the United States from Lebanon, Philip C. Habib grew up in New York and joined the Foreign Service in 1949.…

African American History Diplomacy Frederick Douglass
African American History Month
 African American History Month 1024 538

Honoring African American Trailblazers in Diplomacy These African American pioneers shaped American history. Read on to discover more about trailblazing ambassadors, influential activists, and a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Ambassador…

Patti Morton Meritorius Honor Award
Patti Morton: The First Female Diplomatic Security Special Agent
 Patti Morton: The First Female Diplomatic Security Special Agent 1024 785

May 30, 1935 – October 16, 2019 (age 84) As the first female Diplomatic Security special agent, Patricia Anne (Patti) Morton was very aware of the legacy she would leave…

Freed hostage Bruce Laingen makes ?V? signs as he steps from the first of four planes carrying the freed hostages from West Point, N.Y., to their official welcome in Washington on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 1981 at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Laingen was the charge d?affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Iran.
Veterans in Diplomatic Service: L. Bruce Laingen, 1922-2019
 Veterans in Diplomatic Service: L. Bruce Laingen, 1922-2019 1024 676

We salute our nation’s veterans! An estimated 7,100 military veterans serve our nation in diplomatic capacities at the Department of State. Throughout our nation’s history, the branches of the military…

Flags of the US - American Polish exhibit
Poles and Americans: A Centennial of Friendship
 Poles and Americans: A Centennial of Friendship 1024 678

America played an important role in Poland’s regaining its independence following World War I. On January 8, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson, inspired by the Polish statesman and virtuoso Ignacy Jan…

Original image of old newspaper
Chronicle of Freedom
 Chronicle of Freedom 871 1024

This original August 3, 1789 issue of The Independent Gazetteer or the Chronicle of Freedom provides notice of and complete text of the July 27, 1789 act establishing the Department…

Passport, Diplomacy Center, Rufus King
Piracy and Passports: How American merchants protected themselves from capture and enslavement
 Piracy and Passports: How American merchants protected themselves from capture and enslavement 633 181

May 13 marks the 218th anniversary of President Thomas Jefferson ordering U.S. naval vessels to stop Barbary interference with American trade in the Mediterranean. Jefferson’s decision to use force against…

Crowd of soldiers walk by citizens in a black and white photo with Austrian Alps in background
Medal of Freedom
 Medal of Freedom 1024 811

The Consulate General had its windows and doors blown in or out several times, and all of us had narrow escapes, but no one was actually hit, a miracle in…

in a case, items from the NATO treaty and accession instruments
Commemorating 70 years of the North Atlantic Treaty
 Commemorating 70 years of the North Atlantic Treaty 1024 574

In 1949, the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations created the North Atlantic Treaty, to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.  April 3, 2019 marked 70 years…

Photograph of Wolfgang J. Lehmann (far left) in Austria in the early 1950s, sitting with former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt (far right) and fellow embassy staff member B.J. McGuigan (center) for a press conference.
Evacuation under pressure
 Evacuation under pressure 1024 688

Wolfgang J. Lehmann served as a Foreign Service Officer from 1951 to 1983, experiencing significant events in diplomatic history during the cold war era. The Diplomacy Center recently collected several…

Old photograph of Washington DC bridge and crowd
The Embassy Presence in Washington D.C.
 The Embassy Presence in Washington D.C. 976 710

by Priscilla R. Linn Finding embassies on a map of Washington, D.C. is a relatively straightforward task. They lie in northwest quadrant of one of the smallest capitals in the…

Patti Morton stands smiling next to Diplomacy Center Mary Kane
Director’s Note: A Conversation with “Pistol Packin’ Patti”
 Director’s Note: A Conversation with “Pistol Packin’ Patti” 1024 658

Patti Morton (1935 – 2019), pictured right, is presented with a Meritorious Step Increase award by Chief of Mission Hank Cohen in Kinshasa, 1968. Morton received this award for the…

Document of Martin Van Buren's Secretary of State Commission
Signed by President Jackson, and Hamilton’s son
 Signed by President Jackson, and Hamilton’s son 1024 765

Martin Van Buren served as the 10th U.S. Secretary of State and the 8th President of the United States. He entered politics in 1813 and served as a New York…

U.S. Special Passport Issued to Sheldon Whitehouse (Sr) 1914
A very “special” passport
 A very “special” passport 836 1024

Sheldon Whitehouse, a career Foreign Service Officer, served as U.S. Minister to Guatemala (1929-1933) and to Colombia (1933-1934). Prior to these posts, he used this Special Passport to travel to…

Online Exhibits about Diplomacy

Use these online exhibits to teach diplomacy concepts and events in your classroom.

berlin wall german reunification

The Berlin Wall

An interactive timeline telling the story of the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall.

Enter Berlin Wall Interactive Timeline
AP 95110101181 1

Dayton Accords

Telling the story of the Dayton Peace Accords that ended the Bosnia-Herzegovina war.

Enter Dayton Accords Exhibit
Anderson at Bulgarian market

Her Diplomacy

Read the stories of women diplomats that made a difference in diplomacy.

Enter Her Diplomacy Exhibit
diplomacy is our mission

Diplomacy Is Our Mission

Discover the work of our nation’s diplomats.

Enter Diplomacy Is Our Mission Exhibit

Diplomacy Classroom

Watch our series of virtual events on topics in diplomacy.

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Discuss Diplomacy

Curated discussion questions for teachers to use to teach diplomacy in the classroom.

Teacher Discussion Questions