Since it was founded in 1981 by the late Herbert Gutman and Stephen Brier, the American Social History Project (ASHP) has sought to revitalize interest in history by challenging the traditional ways that people learn about the past. ASHP produces a wide range of accessible and innovative materials that convey a rich sense of the historical process while encouraging critical thinking and analysis. Focusing on "ordinary" Americans - working men and women whose actions and beliefs shaped the nation's development - ASHP's print, visual, and multimedia materials provide teachers with creative and flexible educational tools that help students and working adults understand the importance of studying the past. ASHP staff also organize a series of professional development seminars and programs designed to help high school and college teachers across the country incorporate new history scholarship, new technologies, and active learning methods into their classrooms.