Eras of American History
Pre-Columbian Era
America Before Columbus
Video (1:32:00); National Geographic explores the Americas and Europe before Columbus' arrival, dismissing the myth that the Americas were a pristine wilderness; also examines the motives for Columbus's voyage and the effects of the Columbian Exchange.
Columbus and the Era of Exploration
What We Eat
A thirteen-part PBS series that examines how Christopher Columbus and the Spanish Conquistadores changed what people ate and how that fundamental shift changed just about everything on our planet; topics include: chocolate, sugar, chili peppers, livestock, tomato, potato, corn, cheese, coffee, African foods, Mediterranean foods, wine, and an overview of the passions ignited by Columbus
Why Didn't Spain Claim Virginia?
From Colonial Williamsburg, students read two articles answering the question of why the Spanish did not settle in the Virginia area during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, leaving the area available for English settlers to establish Jamestown in 1607. After hypothesizing their own theories, they compare the theories from the articles, and analyze a quote about exploration.
What Do Batman and de Soto Have in Common?
From Teaching Beyond the Textbook, a lesson in historiography that has students trace the evolving interpretation of Hernando de Soto
Colonial Period
Comparison of English, French, and Spanish Colonies
Chart compares the colonies of these three empires in several categories
British, Spanish, and Dutch Shipping Routes: 1750-1800
Visual analysis of each country's trade priorities
Salem Witchcraft Trials
Numerous resources related to the Salem Witchcraft Trials (1692), from the University of Missouri-Kansas City's "Famous American Trials"
Road to Revolution: 1754 to 1775
The Coming of the American Revolution
Massachusetts Historical Society site investigates the lives and events of 1764 to 1776, as recorded in newspapers, official documents and personal correspondence
Pontiac's Rebellion
Video (11:00); Chronicles Pontiac's Rebellion (1763) primarily from the perspective of the Native Americans
Colonel Isaac Barre's "Sons of Liberty" speech (in response to Stamp Act)
Barre, a British officer and member of Parliament, nicely summarize the colonists' feelings about the Stamp Act and other British policies in this short response to Charles Townshend's defense of the Stamp Act
Resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress
Compare these resolutions with later resolutions of the united colonies (including the Declaration of Independence) to trace the evolution of colonial anti-British sentiment
Boston Massacre
Video (3:30); From HBO's John Adams, scene depicts the Boston Massacre (1770); show first 3:30
Teaching the Causes of the American Revolution as a Parent-Child Fight
From Teaching Beyond the Textbook, lesson ideas for teaching the Revolution metaphorically
Revolutionary War Era
Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration
Video/song (3:22); A parody of the One Republic song, with Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin telling King George that they are declaring independence
What's Wrong with HBO's John Adams
An article that highlights some of the historical inaccuracies in HBO's mini-series, John Adams
John Dickinson Opposes Declaring Independence
Video (3:10); From HBO's John Adams miniseries, John Dickinson (Pa.) speaks in opposition to the motion to declare independence, highlighting the tremendous risks involved.
Liberty: The American Revolution
Video (approx. 55:00 each); A 6-part series on the American Revolution from 1763 to 1788
All Things Liberty
Online Journal of the American Revolution, features essays and editorials about the American Revolutionary era
American Revolution: The Conflict Ignites
Video (49:00)
Federalist Era
Articles of Confederation and Constitutional Convention
Video (4:00); summarizes the history of the Articles and Constitution, highlighting key provisions, strengths and weaknesses of both
"Copper Kettle" (Whiskey Rebellion)
Song (2:43); Joan Baez song about whiskey makes reference to "not paying the whiskey tax since 1792"
Hamilton's Financial Plan
Video (8:00); from History Channel's "Founding Brothers" (start at 6:00)
Using Political Cartoons to Understand Washington's Presidency
From Mount Vernon, students examine modern cartoons depicting events in Washington's presidency
Citizen Genet Affair
Video (2:40); From HBO's John Adams miniseries, Citizen Edmond Genet is shown rallying an American crowd then meeting with President Washington and his cabinet.
XYZ Affair
Video (2:30); A humorous cartoon synopsis of the XYZ Affair
Early National Period
War of 1812: The Movie
Video (2:45); From CollegeHumor.com, this video mocks the fact that few people know why America fought the War of 1812
Teaching the War of 1812 (from a Canadian Point of View)
From Teaching Beyond the Textbook, a lesson on the War of 1812 from different perspectives
Battle of New Orleans
Song (2:30); Country-western song about Andrew Jackson's victory at New Orleans in 1815; performed by Johnny Horton in 1959
Age of Jackson
"Tippecanoe and Tyler Too"
Video (1:20); 1840 Whig campaign song in support of William Henry Harrison (Tippecanoe) for president and John Tyler (Tyler, too) for vice president; makes reference to opponent Martin Van Buren as a "used-up man"
Manifest Destiny
"Westward the Course of Empire" Painting
From the Smithsonian Museum of American Art; students analyze both the first and final drafts of Emmanuel Leutze's famous painting
US-Mexican War
From PBS, resources on the prelude to war, the war itself, and its aftermath
Perspectives on the Mexican War
From Smithsonian, lesson has students examine conflicting perspectives on the Mexican War
Animated Atlas: Growth of a Nation
Website simulation (10:00); animated and narrated simulation that charts American territorial expansion
Antebellum Era
Slavery and the Making of America
Video (55:00); Episode 3: "Seeds of Destruction" focuses on Antebellum slavery and its impact on politics leading to the Civil War
Fugitive Slave Act
Eric Foner comments on the significance of the Fugitive Slave Act
Animated Cotton Gin
Site demonstrates how a cotton gin works
How the Cotton Gin Changed America
Video (4:00)
The Abolitionists
Video (2:34:00); PBS American Experience examines the growth of the abolitionist movement by chronicling its key members, including Angelina Grimke, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, John Brown, and others.
John Brown's Body
Video (7:00); Historian Chandra Manning analyzes the song, "John Brown's Body" and its impact on the Civil War
John Brown's Raid
Video (5:00); chronicles the raid on Harper's Ferry and video (2:00) examines Brown's legacy in the North
Civil War
Abraham Lincoln, the 1860 Election, and the Future of the American Union and Slavery
Lesson Plan (EDSITEment); asks students to compare Lincoln's views on slavery with his contemporaries' views; also asks students to compare the party platforms in the 1860 election
Lincoln's Great Awakening: From Moderate to Abolitionist
Article examines Lincoln's evolving views on slavery
Battle of Antietam
Video (each segment is approximately 8:00 to 9:00); from the History Channel series, "Ten Days that Unexpectedly Changed America: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5
Significance of Antietam
Video (2:40); historian James McPherson discusses the significance of Antietam, especially how it prevented foreign intervention and recognition of the Confederacy
"Lincoln and Liberty"
Song (2:13); 1860 Republican campaign song in support of Abraham Lincoln, sung by Ronnie Gilbert
Gettysburg Address (as it "really" sounded)
Audio/video (2:00); An actor reads the Gettysburg Address as he thinks it would have sounded when originally delivered by Lincoln in 1863
NYC Draft Riots
Video (9:50); Student-made video tells the story of the NYC Draft Riots, with special emphasis on the role race and ethnicity played in the violence
Railroad's Critical Role in the Civil War
Article summarizes the significance of the railroad to the Civil War
Recipe: Hardtack
Site tells the story of, and provides recipes for, Union "hardtack" and Confederate "johnnie cakes," two staples of the Civil War soldier's rations
Why Did the North Win the Civil War?
Students examine 34 images from Harper's Weekly to answer this question
Why the South Lost the Civil War
Ten Civil War historians provide some contrasting–and probably controversial–views on how and why the Confederate cause ultimately ended in defeat; could be used in student debate
A House Divided: America in the Age of Lincoln
From Gilder Lehrman's Digital History; explores the institutution of slavery, the fierce sectionalism of free and slave economies in the rapidly expanding country, and the destructive power of the Civil War
Civil War Soldiers' Thoughts on Slavery
Video (7:00): Author Chandra Manning on the evolution of Union and Confederate soldiers' thoughts about slavery, during the Civil War
Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address
EDSITEment lesson plan
Reconstruction
The Civil War and Reconstruction Era
Videos (27 at about 45:00 each); Yale historian lectures on the Civil War and Reconstruction eras, 1840s to 1877
The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
Simulation game; from Harper's Weekly website
Johnson vs. the Radicals
Video (6:00); examines the Reconstruction plans of Andrew Johnson and the "Radical Republicans"
The End of Reconstruction
Video (6:00); examines why Reconstruction ended
Reconstruction: The Second Civil War
From PBS American Experience; includes primary sources, Q&A with historians, teacher's guide, and other resources
Reconstruction
Video (14:40); an excerpt from PBS that includes the major issues and events of the Reconstruction era
America's Reconstruction: People and Politics after the Civil War
From Gilder Lehrman's Digital History
Grant's Troubled Presidency
Video (3:37); From History Channel's The Presidents series, video focuses on the Grant administration scandals and Indian wars
Ulysses S. Grant: Warrior President
Video (1:50:30); PBS American Experience
A House Divided: Reconstruction
Students examine three pieces of art (Chappel's Lee Surrendering to Grant at Appomattox, Roger's Taking the Oath and Drawing Rations, Homer's A Visit from the Old Mistress) from the Smithsonian Museum of American Art
Slavery by Another Name
Video (1:30:00); PBS documentary challenges one of Americans’ most cherished assumptions: the belief that slavery in this country ended with the Emancipation Proclamation; recounts the convict-labor system that followed the end of the Civil War in the South
"A Visit from the Old Mistress" Painting
Winslow Homer's painting examines the postwar relationship between former mistress and slaves
The West and Native Americans
How the Homestead Act Transformed America
Essay from Smithsonian.com
"Indian Reservation" ("Cherokee People")
Song (3:00); by Paul Revere & the Raiders, focuses on the plight of Native Americans in general
Carlisle Indian School
Video (10:00); from TNT's "Into the West," a clip that shows how schools like Carlisle tried to force assimilation on young Native American children, including dress, haircuts, and new names
In the White Man's Image
Video (56:30); from PBS American Experience, examines assimilation policy, particularly the creation of Indian schools like the one at Carlisle
Industrial Revolution and Gilded Age
Jacob Coxey's Grave
Find-a-Grave's link for Jacob S. Coxey of Massillon, leader of "Coxey's Army" (1894)
"Sixteen Tons"
History and meaning of Tennessee Ernie Ford's 1950's classic about coal-mining; "Sixteen Tons" (song) (2:40)
Haymarket Riot
Video (5:00 each segment); Haymarket Martyrs: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3
Teaching Urbanization
AP Special Focus; includes essays and strategies for teaching: Urbanization during the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, Advertising in the Gilded Age, 19c Urban Politics, Lochner v. New York, and the Progressive Movement
Tenement Museum
Site focuses on immigration to NYC and the life of immigrants in tenement apartments; includes education resources
Populism and Progressivism
Theodore Roosevelt: Icon of the American Century
From the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, images of Theodore Roosevelt throughout his life
Iron-Jawed Angels
Video (10:00 each segment); HBO Film about Alice Paul and the women's suffrage movement between 1912 and 1920; Part 1
Bad Romance: Women's Suffrage
Video/song (5:08); A parody of Lady Gaga's song, with Alice Paul and other suffragists demanding the right to vote
Temperence and Prohibition
Video segments from Ken Burns' PBS documentary Prohibition
Imperialism and World War I
The Case for Commodore (Matthew) Perry in the Classroom
Essay argues for including Perry's mission to Japan in history courses
Spanish-American War
Video (8:00); A quick overview of the Spanish-American War
Shell Shock (World War I)
Video (15:00 each segment); From Peter Jennings series, The Century: America's Time; Part 1 (examines the war before US involvement), Part 2 (examines the new weapons of the war and the Russian Revolution), Part 3 (focuses on US involvement in the war)
Roaring Twenties
Prosperity and Thrift: The Coolidge Era and the Consumer Economy
Assembles a wide array of Library of Congress source materials from the 1920s that document the widespread prosperity of the Coolidge years, the nation's transition to a mass consumer economy, and the role of government in this transition
Boom to Bust (1920s)
Video (46:15); From Peter Jennings series, The Century: America's Time; topics include Prohibition and organized crime; cities and skyscrapers; the stock market; the Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance; immigrants; rural life; new technologies, electricity, the automobile; consumerism and credit; the radio; flappers and women; fundamentalism and the Scopet trial; the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan; celebrities, sports, and Charles Lindbergh
Ku Klux Klan
Video (22:00); From Ku Klux Klan: A Secret History; chronicles the rebirth of the KKK in 1915 and its rise and fall in the early 1920s; this segment begins at 18:15 and ends at 40:15
Letters from the Great Migration
Students learn about African Americans' motivations for moving North as they read seven letters written to the Chicago Defender
Flappers
Video (3:00)
Great Depression and 1930s
Bonus Army
Video (2:40); short overview of the Bonus Army incident, including archival footage
FDR's First Inaugural Address
Video (7:00)
The Civilian Conservation Corps
Video (1:00:00); PBS American Experience
Dust Bowl (Black Blizzard)
Videos (approx. 3:00 each); History Channel video segments show the devastation and power of wind storms in the Dust Bowl: Black Blizzard; America: The Story of Us
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Video/song (3:11); Bing Crosby's version of the famous 1931 Depression-era song
Periodic Table of the New Deal
Key figures and programs of the New Deal are organized in an interactive "periodic table"
Great Depression Ended by End of World War II
Article; from Forbes, argues the Great Depression ended as result of the tax and spending reductions at the end of World War II, not the start of World War II as is commonly believed
World War II
Infamy: December 1941
This National World War II Museum site includes exhibits detailing the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor, Guam, Wake Island, and the Philippines (including the Bataan Death March); includes teacher resources, oral histories, artifacts, and images
Tora! Tora! Tora! The Real Story of Pearl Harbor
Video (1:32:00); Explores the events leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941
Pearl Harbor: 24 Hours After
Video (1:22:00); History Channel program examines Franklin Roosevelt's immediate response to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Milgram Experiment
Video (7:00); BBC report on the classic Milgram experiment on obedience, that may offer some insight on how the Nazis and Japanese could commit such horrible atrocities in World War II
Milgram Experiment Recreated
Video (11:00); A British show, "The Heist," recreated the infamous Milgram experiment; video provides a brief summary of the entire experiment
National World War II Museum
Includes classroom resources, projects, virtual field trips, and student contests
The Zoot Suit Riots
Video (51:35); PBS American Experience
Zoot Suit Riot
Song (4:06); Cherry Poppin' Daddies 1998 hit makes many references to the 1943 Zoot Suit Riots in California
Japanese Internment Camps
Video (11:00); takes viewers behind the scenes into a collection of items located at the Butler Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, that help paint the portrait of life inside one of these camps
Japanese Internment during World War II
Video (14:30); focuses on the order to intern Japanese Americans, the Korematsu case, and the aftermath
Investigating Japanese Internment
From Teaching Beyond the Textbook, mini-DBQ lesson allows students to analyze different perspectives on Japanese internment; blog post about the lesson
Decision to Drop the Bomb
Videos: Iwo Jima: WWII in HD (2:40); Okinawa: WWII in HD (2:40); Mass suicides on Saipan (5:00); Truman's ultimatum before Hiroshima (5:00); Bomb drop on Hiroshima, including impact (4:40); Atomic bombing of Nagasaki, including Japanese decision to surrender (4:50)
Hiroshima
Video (6:00); attempts to describe, moment by moment, the atomic blast and its effects on the city and its people
Bomb Survivor Meets Bomber
Video (30:10); This Is Your Life (1955), features a segment with a man who survived the Hiroshima bombing and a pilot who dropped the bomb; uncomfortable encounter begins at 15:50
Rosie the Riveter: Real Women Workers in World War II
Video (14:00); from the Library of Congress, examines the history behind the iconic images and discusses the women who worked in America's wartime defense industries; Song (2:20) by The Four Vagabonds
Early Cold War
Truman Doctrine
Video (2:30); Truman addresses Congress calling for support for Greece and Turkey, including key excerpts of the Truman Doctrine speech
Army-McCarthy Hearings
Students watch and analyze a short film clip of the Army-McCarthy hearings to consider its historical context and to understand how McCarthyism was an ideological and political climate that extended beyond simply McCarthy's actions; from TeachingHistory.org
Army-McCarthy Hearings
Video (7:17); Exchange between Senator McCarthy and Army counsel Mr. Welch, ending with Welch's famous "have you no decency" line; Welch's response to McCarthy begins at 3:45; peak of exchange and the "have you no decency line" begins at 5:55
"Candy Bomber" (Berlin Airlift)
Video (4:00); ABC News honored Gail Halvorsen, the "Candy Bomber" of the Berlin Airlift, as their "person of the week;" this video (5:30) is an interview with Halvorsen and an author of a book about the Berlin Airlift, from the CBS Early Show
Marshall Plan and Berlin Airlift
Video (10:15); From The Century:America's Time, a portion of this video (from 1:30 to 11:45) highlights America's efforts to aid postwar Europe
Berlin Wall
Video (43:00); History Channel's Modern Marvels
Why We Fight
Video (1:38:40); Documentary film that explores the "military-industrial complex" in modern America
Eisenhower's "Military-Industrial Complex" Speech
Video (1:30); From a BBC special, this video excerpts the key lines of Eisenhower's Farewell Address, in which he warns against the influence of the "military-industrial complex"
Sputnik's Legacy
Video (5:40); New York Times video explains the significance and impact of Sputnik on America
Do It Yourself Bomb Shelter
Video (1:00); Cold War advertisement for a build-it-yourself bomb shelter
Anti-Communism in America: 1945-1954
Lesson plan from EDSITEment examines the extent to which the Red Scare was a communist witch hunt or a rational reaction to the Red Menace.
The World on the Brink: John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis
Primary resources on the Cuban Missile Crisis, organized as a timeline covering the "thirteen days" in October 1962
"We Didn't Start the Fire"
Song (4:10); Billy Joel chronicles many of the events of the Cold War era, features lyrics and timeline
Postwar America: Domestic
1950s Domestic Life
Video (10:00); 1950 film discusses the "ideal" suburban family dynamic, including gender roles, domestic responsibilities, and proper behavior of children
Rock 'n' Roll Hits of the 1950s
List of the top 50 rock 'n' roll hits of the early 1950s, with links to each song on Youtube
Gender Roles
Video (0:50); From "Leave It to Beaver," Ward Cleaver explains to Wally why women cook in the kitchen and men cook on the grille
A Brief History of the Middle Class
Time article explores the history and meaning of the term "middle class"
"Daisy" campaign ad
Video (1:07); Controversial 1964 Lyndon Johnson campaign ad that implies the election of opponent, Barry Goldwater, would lead to nuclear war; article and video examine the legacy of the ad on its 50th anniversary
Kennedy Assassination
Video (0:48); Very graphic; from the original 8mm Zapruder film
Ike's Interstates at 50
National Archives article examines Eisenhower's Role in Creating the Interstate Highway System
Building Suburbia: Highways and Housing in Postwar America
EDSITEment lesson plan
Air-Conditioning and Postwar Migrations
Video (4:00); from History's "How the States Got Their Shapes," examines how air-conditioning shifted the population to the South and West and the effect that has had on politics
"Just the Way It Is" (song)
Video (4:40); Bruce Hornsby and the Range; song criticizes racism and poverty in America, making reference to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ("They passed a law in '64 to give those who ain't got a little more")
Nixon-Kennedy Debates
Video (3:00)
Kennedy Campaign Song
Video (2:00); 1960 campaign song in support of John F. Kennedy; makes reference to controversy over Kennedy's Catholicism
Building Suburbia: Highways and Housing in Postwar America
Lesson plan (EDSITEment); Students examine sources related to domestic life in postwar American suburbia
Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" speech
Video (3:10); LBJ's speech at the University of Michigan (from 2:20 to 5:30)
The Sixties
Resources related to the CNN series
Civil Rights Movements
Civil Rights Timeline
Doll Test
Video (9:15); replicating a test that was used in Brown v. Board to demonstrate the effects of segregation, black children react to white and black dolls, finding the white doll "nicer" and "prettier" (could use just first 1:15); a summary from C-SPAN (3:00)
"Burn On" (Cuyahoga River)
Song (2:40); Randy Newman's 1972 song about the burning of the Cuyahoga River
"Death of Emmett Till"
Song (4:20), by Bob Dylan
Murder in Mississippi
Video (10 parts, each approx. 10:00); Powerful film about Freedom Summer and the murder of three civil rights workers by the Ku Klux Klan; literacy test scene (begins at 5:40)
RFK Announces MLK Assassination
Video (4:45); Robert Kennedy, a candidate for President in 1968, announces to a largely black crowd in Indianapolis the news of MLK's assassination; Indianapolis was one of the few cities in America that did not erupt in riots on that night in April 1968
Martin Luther King (non-violence) and Malcolm X (black power) "Debate"
Video (8:45); Combines video clips of MLK and Malcolm X articulating and defending their positions and critiquing each other's positions.
Vietnam and Later Cold War
Lyndon Johnson on Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Video (2:35); LBJ addresses nation on Gulf of Tonkin incident and his intended response (0-2:35)
Hey, Hey LBJ
Video (3:00); focuses on the power of television on public opinion, especially the antiwar movement, during the Vietnam War
LBJ Drops Out of the Race
Video (6:00); Lyndon Johnson announces to the public that he is not seeking another term as President (famous line found at 4:53)
1968 Democratic National Convention
Video: The Whole World Is Watching, unnarrated with focus on the police violence (3:50); Democratic Nightmare in Chicago, focuses on internal tension within convention hall (1:15)
RFK Assassination
Video (1:50); excerpts from RFK interview in which he discusses his antiwar view, as well as footage of his assassination at California hotel
The Trials of Henry Kissinger
Video (1:19:40)
My Lai
Video (1:30:00); PBS American Experience
The Day After
Video (2:02:00); 1983 TV movie about a nuclear war between the United States and Soviet Union, which was watched by more than 100 million people and influenced Ronald Reagan to work for nuclear disarmament
What's That Sound? Teaching the 1960s through Popular Music
From Gilder Lehrman, analysis of 12 songs that were pertinent to the Civil Rights and Vietnam War eras
"Ohio"
Song (3:00); Crosby, Stills, Nash, and You
Conservative Era to 2000
Clinton
Video (3:35:00); PBS American Experience The Presidents; details the life and presidency of Bill Clinton
How Capitalism Has Reduced Global Poverty
Video (5:00)
9/11 and After
Pre-Columbian Era
America Before Columbus
Video (1:32:00); National Geographic explores the Americas and Europe before Columbus' arrival, dismissing the myth that the Americas were a pristine wilderness; also examines the motives for Columbus's voyage and the effects of the Columbian Exchange.
Columbus and the Era of Exploration
What We Eat
A thirteen-part PBS series that examines how Christopher Columbus and the Spanish Conquistadores changed what people ate and how that fundamental shift changed just about everything on our planet; topics include: chocolate, sugar, chili peppers, livestock, tomato, potato, corn, cheese, coffee, African foods, Mediterranean foods, wine, and an overview of the passions ignited by Columbus
Why Didn't Spain Claim Virginia?
From Colonial Williamsburg, students read two articles answering the question of why the Spanish did not settle in the Virginia area during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, leaving the area available for English settlers to establish Jamestown in 1607. After hypothesizing their own theories, they compare the theories from the articles, and analyze a quote about exploration.
What Do Batman and de Soto Have in Common?
From Teaching Beyond the Textbook, a lesson in historiography that has students trace the evolving interpretation of Hernando de Soto
Colonial Period
Comparison of English, French, and Spanish Colonies
Chart compares the colonies of these three empires in several categories
British, Spanish, and Dutch Shipping Routes: 1750-1800
Visual analysis of each country's trade priorities
Salem Witchcraft Trials
Numerous resources related to the Salem Witchcraft Trials (1692), from the University of Missouri-Kansas City's "Famous American Trials"
Road to Revolution: 1754 to 1775
The Coming of the American Revolution
Massachusetts Historical Society site investigates the lives and events of 1764 to 1776, as recorded in newspapers, official documents and personal correspondence
Pontiac's Rebellion
Video (11:00); Chronicles Pontiac's Rebellion (1763) primarily from the perspective of the Native Americans
Colonel Isaac Barre's "Sons of Liberty" speech (in response to Stamp Act)
Barre, a British officer and member of Parliament, nicely summarize the colonists' feelings about the Stamp Act and other British policies in this short response to Charles Townshend's defense of the Stamp Act
Resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress
Compare these resolutions with later resolutions of the united colonies (including the Declaration of Independence) to trace the evolution of colonial anti-British sentiment
Boston Massacre
Video (3:30); From HBO's John Adams, scene depicts the Boston Massacre (1770); show first 3:30
Teaching the Causes of the American Revolution as a Parent-Child Fight
From Teaching Beyond the Textbook, lesson ideas for teaching the Revolution metaphorically
Revolutionary War Era
Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration
Video/song (3:22); A parody of the One Republic song, with Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin telling King George that they are declaring independence
What's Wrong with HBO's John Adams
An article that highlights some of the historical inaccuracies in HBO's mini-series, John Adams
John Dickinson Opposes Declaring Independence
Video (3:10); From HBO's John Adams miniseries, John Dickinson (Pa.) speaks in opposition to the motion to declare independence, highlighting the tremendous risks involved.
Liberty: The American Revolution
Video (approx. 55:00 each); A 6-part series on the American Revolution from 1763 to 1788
All Things Liberty
Online Journal of the American Revolution, features essays and editorials about the American Revolutionary era
American Revolution: The Conflict Ignites
Video (49:00)
Federalist Era
Articles of Confederation and Constitutional Convention
Video (4:00); summarizes the history of the Articles and Constitution, highlighting key provisions, strengths and weaknesses of both
"Copper Kettle" (Whiskey Rebellion)
Song (2:43); Joan Baez song about whiskey makes reference to "not paying the whiskey tax since 1792"
Hamilton's Financial Plan
Video (8:00); from History Channel's "Founding Brothers" (start at 6:00)
Using Political Cartoons to Understand Washington's Presidency
From Mount Vernon, students examine modern cartoons depicting events in Washington's presidency
Citizen Genet Affair
Video (2:40); From HBO's John Adams miniseries, Citizen Edmond Genet is shown rallying an American crowd then meeting with President Washington and his cabinet.
XYZ Affair
Video (2:30); A humorous cartoon synopsis of the XYZ Affair
Early National Period
War of 1812: The Movie
Video (2:45); From CollegeHumor.com, this video mocks the fact that few people know why America fought the War of 1812
Teaching the War of 1812 (from a Canadian Point of View)
From Teaching Beyond the Textbook, a lesson on the War of 1812 from different perspectives
Battle of New Orleans
Song (2:30); Country-western song about Andrew Jackson's victory at New Orleans in 1815; performed by Johnny Horton in 1959
Age of Jackson
"Tippecanoe and Tyler Too"
Video (1:20); 1840 Whig campaign song in support of William Henry Harrison (Tippecanoe) for president and John Tyler (Tyler, too) for vice president; makes reference to opponent Martin Van Buren as a "used-up man"
Manifest Destiny
"Westward the Course of Empire" Painting
From the Smithsonian Museum of American Art; students analyze both the first and final drafts of Emmanuel Leutze's famous painting
US-Mexican War
From PBS, resources on the prelude to war, the war itself, and its aftermath
Perspectives on the Mexican War
From Smithsonian, lesson has students examine conflicting perspectives on the Mexican War
Animated Atlas: Growth of a Nation
Website simulation (10:00); animated and narrated simulation that charts American territorial expansion
Antebellum Era
Slavery and the Making of America
Video (55:00); Episode 3: "Seeds of Destruction" focuses on Antebellum slavery and its impact on politics leading to the Civil War
Fugitive Slave Act
Eric Foner comments on the significance of the Fugitive Slave Act
Animated Cotton Gin
Site demonstrates how a cotton gin works
How the Cotton Gin Changed America
Video (4:00)
The Abolitionists
Video (2:34:00); PBS American Experience examines the growth of the abolitionist movement by chronicling its key members, including Angelina Grimke, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, John Brown, and others.
John Brown's Body
Video (7:00); Historian Chandra Manning analyzes the song, "John Brown's Body" and its impact on the Civil War
John Brown's Raid
Video (5:00); chronicles the raid on Harper's Ferry and video (2:00) examines Brown's legacy in the North
Civil War
Abraham Lincoln, the 1860 Election, and the Future of the American Union and Slavery
Lesson Plan (EDSITEment); asks students to compare Lincoln's views on slavery with his contemporaries' views; also asks students to compare the party platforms in the 1860 election
Lincoln's Great Awakening: From Moderate to Abolitionist
Article examines Lincoln's evolving views on slavery
Battle of Antietam
Video (each segment is approximately 8:00 to 9:00); from the History Channel series, "Ten Days that Unexpectedly Changed America: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5
Significance of Antietam
Video (2:40); historian James McPherson discusses the significance of Antietam, especially how it prevented foreign intervention and recognition of the Confederacy
"Lincoln and Liberty"
Song (2:13); 1860 Republican campaign song in support of Abraham Lincoln, sung by Ronnie Gilbert
Gettysburg Address (as it "really" sounded)
Audio/video (2:00); An actor reads the Gettysburg Address as he thinks it would have sounded when originally delivered by Lincoln in 1863
NYC Draft Riots
Video (9:50); Student-made video tells the story of the NYC Draft Riots, with special emphasis on the role race and ethnicity played in the violence
Railroad's Critical Role in the Civil War
Article summarizes the significance of the railroad to the Civil War
Recipe: Hardtack
Site tells the story of, and provides recipes for, Union "hardtack" and Confederate "johnnie cakes," two staples of the Civil War soldier's rations
Why Did the North Win the Civil War?
Students examine 34 images from Harper's Weekly to answer this question
Why the South Lost the Civil War
Ten Civil War historians provide some contrasting–and probably controversial–views on how and why the Confederate cause ultimately ended in defeat; could be used in student debate
A House Divided: America in the Age of Lincoln
From Gilder Lehrman's Digital History; explores the institutution of slavery, the fierce sectionalism of free and slave economies in the rapidly expanding country, and the destructive power of the Civil War
Civil War Soldiers' Thoughts on Slavery
Video (7:00): Author Chandra Manning on the evolution of Union and Confederate soldiers' thoughts about slavery, during the Civil War
Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address
EDSITEment lesson plan
Reconstruction
The Civil War and Reconstruction Era
Videos (27 at about 45:00 each); Yale historian lectures on the Civil War and Reconstruction eras, 1840s to 1877
The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
Simulation game; from Harper's Weekly website
Johnson vs. the Radicals
Video (6:00); examines the Reconstruction plans of Andrew Johnson and the "Radical Republicans"
The End of Reconstruction
Video (6:00); examines why Reconstruction ended
Reconstruction: The Second Civil War
From PBS American Experience; includes primary sources, Q&A with historians, teacher's guide, and other resources
Reconstruction
Video (14:40); an excerpt from PBS that includes the major issues and events of the Reconstruction era
America's Reconstruction: People and Politics after the Civil War
From Gilder Lehrman's Digital History
Grant's Troubled Presidency
Video (3:37); From History Channel's The Presidents series, video focuses on the Grant administration scandals and Indian wars
Ulysses S. Grant: Warrior President
Video (1:50:30); PBS American Experience
A House Divided: Reconstruction
Students examine three pieces of art (Chappel's Lee Surrendering to Grant at Appomattox, Roger's Taking the Oath and Drawing Rations, Homer's A Visit from the Old Mistress) from the Smithsonian Museum of American Art
Slavery by Another Name
Video (1:30:00); PBS documentary challenges one of Americans’ most cherished assumptions: the belief that slavery in this country ended with the Emancipation Proclamation; recounts the convict-labor system that followed the end of the Civil War in the South
"A Visit from the Old Mistress" Painting
Winslow Homer's painting examines the postwar relationship between former mistress and slaves
The West and Native Americans
How the Homestead Act Transformed America
Essay from Smithsonian.com
"Indian Reservation" ("Cherokee People")
Song (3:00); by Paul Revere & the Raiders, focuses on the plight of Native Americans in general
Carlisle Indian School
Video (10:00); from TNT's "Into the West," a clip that shows how schools like Carlisle tried to force assimilation on young Native American children, including dress, haircuts, and new names
In the White Man's Image
Video (56:30); from PBS American Experience, examines assimilation policy, particularly the creation of Indian schools like the one at Carlisle
Industrial Revolution and Gilded Age
Jacob Coxey's Grave
Find-a-Grave's link for Jacob S. Coxey of Massillon, leader of "Coxey's Army" (1894)
"Sixteen Tons"
History and meaning of Tennessee Ernie Ford's 1950's classic about coal-mining; "Sixteen Tons" (song) (2:40)
Haymarket Riot
Video (5:00 each segment); Haymarket Martyrs: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3
Teaching Urbanization
AP Special Focus; includes essays and strategies for teaching: Urbanization during the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, Advertising in the Gilded Age, 19c Urban Politics, Lochner v. New York, and the Progressive Movement
Tenement Museum
Site focuses on immigration to NYC and the life of immigrants in tenement apartments; includes education resources
Populism and Progressivism
Theodore Roosevelt: Icon of the American Century
From the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, images of Theodore Roosevelt throughout his life
Iron-Jawed Angels
Video (10:00 each segment); HBO Film about Alice Paul and the women's suffrage movement between 1912 and 1920; Part 1
Bad Romance: Women's Suffrage
Video/song (5:08); A parody of Lady Gaga's song, with Alice Paul and other suffragists demanding the right to vote
Temperence and Prohibition
Video segments from Ken Burns' PBS documentary Prohibition
Imperialism and World War I
The Case for Commodore (Matthew) Perry in the Classroom
Essay argues for including Perry's mission to Japan in history courses
Spanish-American War
Video (8:00); A quick overview of the Spanish-American War
Shell Shock (World War I)
Video (15:00 each segment); From Peter Jennings series, The Century: America's Time; Part 1 (examines the war before US involvement), Part 2 (examines the new weapons of the war and the Russian Revolution), Part 3 (focuses on US involvement in the war)
Roaring Twenties
Prosperity and Thrift: The Coolidge Era and the Consumer Economy
Assembles a wide array of Library of Congress source materials from the 1920s that document the widespread prosperity of the Coolidge years, the nation's transition to a mass consumer economy, and the role of government in this transition
Boom to Bust (1920s)
Video (46:15); From Peter Jennings series, The Century: America's Time; topics include Prohibition and organized crime; cities and skyscrapers; the stock market; the Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance; immigrants; rural life; new technologies, electricity, the automobile; consumerism and credit; the radio; flappers and women; fundamentalism and the Scopet trial; the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan; celebrities, sports, and Charles Lindbergh
Ku Klux Klan
Video (22:00); From Ku Klux Klan: A Secret History; chronicles the rebirth of the KKK in 1915 and its rise and fall in the early 1920s; this segment begins at 18:15 and ends at 40:15
Letters from the Great Migration
Students learn about African Americans' motivations for moving North as they read seven letters written to the Chicago Defender
Flappers
Video (3:00)
Great Depression and 1930s
Bonus Army
Video (2:40); short overview of the Bonus Army incident, including archival footage
FDR's First Inaugural Address
Video (7:00)
The Civilian Conservation Corps
Video (1:00:00); PBS American Experience
Dust Bowl (Black Blizzard)
Videos (approx. 3:00 each); History Channel video segments show the devastation and power of wind storms in the Dust Bowl: Black Blizzard; America: The Story of Us
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Video/song (3:11); Bing Crosby's version of the famous 1931 Depression-era song
Periodic Table of the New Deal
Key figures and programs of the New Deal are organized in an interactive "periodic table"
Great Depression Ended by End of World War II
Article; from Forbes, argues the Great Depression ended as result of the tax and spending reductions at the end of World War II, not the start of World War II as is commonly believed
World War II
Infamy: December 1941
This National World War II Museum site includes exhibits detailing the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor, Guam, Wake Island, and the Philippines (including the Bataan Death March); includes teacher resources, oral histories, artifacts, and images
Tora! Tora! Tora! The Real Story of Pearl Harbor
Video (1:32:00); Explores the events leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941
Pearl Harbor: 24 Hours After
Video (1:22:00); History Channel program examines Franklin Roosevelt's immediate response to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Milgram Experiment
Video (7:00); BBC report on the classic Milgram experiment on obedience, that may offer some insight on how the Nazis and Japanese could commit such horrible atrocities in World War II
Milgram Experiment Recreated
Video (11:00); A British show, "The Heist," recreated the infamous Milgram experiment; video provides a brief summary of the entire experiment
National World War II Museum
Includes classroom resources, projects, virtual field trips, and student contests
The Zoot Suit Riots
Video (51:35); PBS American Experience
Zoot Suit Riot
Song (4:06); Cherry Poppin' Daddies 1998 hit makes many references to the 1943 Zoot Suit Riots in California
Japanese Internment Camps
Video (11:00); takes viewers behind the scenes into a collection of items located at the Butler Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, that help paint the portrait of life inside one of these camps
Japanese Internment during World War II
Video (14:30); focuses on the order to intern Japanese Americans, the Korematsu case, and the aftermath
Investigating Japanese Internment
From Teaching Beyond the Textbook, mini-DBQ lesson allows students to analyze different perspectives on Japanese internment; blog post about the lesson
Decision to Drop the Bomb
Videos: Iwo Jima: WWII in HD (2:40); Okinawa: WWII in HD (2:40); Mass suicides on Saipan (5:00); Truman's ultimatum before Hiroshima (5:00); Bomb drop on Hiroshima, including impact (4:40); Atomic bombing of Nagasaki, including Japanese decision to surrender (4:50)
Hiroshima
Video (6:00); attempts to describe, moment by moment, the atomic blast and its effects on the city and its people
Bomb Survivor Meets Bomber
Video (30:10); This Is Your Life (1955), features a segment with a man who survived the Hiroshima bombing and a pilot who dropped the bomb; uncomfortable encounter begins at 15:50
Rosie the Riveter: Real Women Workers in World War II
Video (14:00); from the Library of Congress, examines the history behind the iconic images and discusses the women who worked in America's wartime defense industries; Song (2:20) by The Four Vagabonds
Early Cold War
Truman Doctrine
Video (2:30); Truman addresses Congress calling for support for Greece and Turkey, including key excerpts of the Truman Doctrine speech
Army-McCarthy Hearings
Students watch and analyze a short film clip of the Army-McCarthy hearings to consider its historical context and to understand how McCarthyism was an ideological and political climate that extended beyond simply McCarthy's actions; from TeachingHistory.org
Army-McCarthy Hearings
Video (7:17); Exchange between Senator McCarthy and Army counsel Mr. Welch, ending with Welch's famous "have you no decency" line; Welch's response to McCarthy begins at 3:45; peak of exchange and the "have you no decency line" begins at 5:55
"Candy Bomber" (Berlin Airlift)
Video (4:00); ABC News honored Gail Halvorsen, the "Candy Bomber" of the Berlin Airlift, as their "person of the week;" this video (5:30) is an interview with Halvorsen and an author of a book about the Berlin Airlift, from the CBS Early Show
Marshall Plan and Berlin Airlift
Video (10:15); From The Century:America's Time, a portion of this video (from 1:30 to 11:45) highlights America's efforts to aid postwar Europe
Berlin Wall
Video (43:00); History Channel's Modern Marvels
Why We Fight
Video (1:38:40); Documentary film that explores the "military-industrial complex" in modern America
Eisenhower's "Military-Industrial Complex" Speech
Video (1:30); From a BBC special, this video excerpts the key lines of Eisenhower's Farewell Address, in which he warns against the influence of the "military-industrial complex"
Sputnik's Legacy
Video (5:40); New York Times video explains the significance and impact of Sputnik on America
Do It Yourself Bomb Shelter
Video (1:00); Cold War advertisement for a build-it-yourself bomb shelter
Anti-Communism in America: 1945-1954
Lesson plan from EDSITEment examines the extent to which the Red Scare was a communist witch hunt or a rational reaction to the Red Menace.
The World on the Brink: John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis
Primary resources on the Cuban Missile Crisis, organized as a timeline covering the "thirteen days" in October 1962
"We Didn't Start the Fire"
Song (4:10); Billy Joel chronicles many of the events of the Cold War era, features lyrics and timeline
Postwar America: Domestic
1950s Domestic Life
Video (10:00); 1950 film discusses the "ideal" suburban family dynamic, including gender roles, domestic responsibilities, and proper behavior of children
Rock 'n' Roll Hits of the 1950s
List of the top 50 rock 'n' roll hits of the early 1950s, with links to each song on Youtube
Gender Roles
Video (0:50); From "Leave It to Beaver," Ward Cleaver explains to Wally why women cook in the kitchen and men cook on the grille
A Brief History of the Middle Class
Time article explores the history and meaning of the term "middle class"
"Daisy" campaign ad
Video (1:07); Controversial 1964 Lyndon Johnson campaign ad that implies the election of opponent, Barry Goldwater, would lead to nuclear war; article and video examine the legacy of the ad on its 50th anniversary
Kennedy Assassination
Video (0:48); Very graphic; from the original 8mm Zapruder film
Ike's Interstates at 50
National Archives article examines Eisenhower's Role in Creating the Interstate Highway System
Building Suburbia: Highways and Housing in Postwar America
EDSITEment lesson plan
Air-Conditioning and Postwar Migrations
Video (4:00); from History's "How the States Got Their Shapes," examines how air-conditioning shifted the population to the South and West and the effect that has had on politics
"Just the Way It Is" (song)
Video (4:40); Bruce Hornsby and the Range; song criticizes racism and poverty in America, making reference to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ("They passed a law in '64 to give those who ain't got a little more")
Nixon-Kennedy Debates
Video (3:00)
Kennedy Campaign Song
Video (2:00); 1960 campaign song in support of John F. Kennedy; makes reference to controversy over Kennedy's Catholicism
Building Suburbia: Highways and Housing in Postwar America
Lesson plan (EDSITEment); Students examine sources related to domestic life in postwar American suburbia
Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society" speech
Video (3:10); LBJ's speech at the University of Michigan (from 2:20 to 5:30)
The Sixties
Resources related to the CNN series
Civil Rights Movements
Civil Rights Timeline
Doll Test
Video (9:15); replicating a test that was used in Brown v. Board to demonstrate the effects of segregation, black children react to white and black dolls, finding the white doll "nicer" and "prettier" (could use just first 1:15); a summary from C-SPAN (3:00)
"Burn On" (Cuyahoga River)
Song (2:40); Randy Newman's 1972 song about the burning of the Cuyahoga River
"Death of Emmett Till"
Song (4:20), by Bob Dylan
Murder in Mississippi
Video (10 parts, each approx. 10:00); Powerful film about Freedom Summer and the murder of three civil rights workers by the Ku Klux Klan; literacy test scene (begins at 5:40)
RFK Announces MLK Assassination
Video (4:45); Robert Kennedy, a candidate for President in 1968, announces to a largely black crowd in Indianapolis the news of MLK's assassination; Indianapolis was one of the few cities in America that did not erupt in riots on that night in April 1968
Martin Luther King (non-violence) and Malcolm X (black power) "Debate"
Video (8:45); Combines video clips of MLK and Malcolm X articulating and defending their positions and critiquing each other's positions.
Vietnam and Later Cold War
Lyndon Johnson on Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Video (2:35); LBJ addresses nation on Gulf of Tonkin incident and his intended response (0-2:35)
Hey, Hey LBJ
Video (3:00); focuses on the power of television on public opinion, especially the antiwar movement, during the Vietnam War
LBJ Drops Out of the Race
Video (6:00); Lyndon Johnson announces to the public that he is not seeking another term as President (famous line found at 4:53)
1968 Democratic National Convention
Video: The Whole World Is Watching, unnarrated with focus on the police violence (3:50); Democratic Nightmare in Chicago, focuses on internal tension within convention hall (1:15)
RFK Assassination
Video (1:50); excerpts from RFK interview in which he discusses his antiwar view, as well as footage of his assassination at California hotel
The Trials of Henry Kissinger
Video (1:19:40)
My Lai
Video (1:30:00); PBS American Experience
The Day After
Video (2:02:00); 1983 TV movie about a nuclear war between the United States and Soviet Union, which was watched by more than 100 million people and influenced Ronald Reagan to work for nuclear disarmament
What's That Sound? Teaching the 1960s through Popular Music
From Gilder Lehrman, analysis of 12 songs that were pertinent to the Civil Rights and Vietnam War eras
"Ohio"
Song (3:00); Crosby, Stills, Nash, and You
Conservative Era to 2000
Clinton
Video (3:35:00); PBS American Experience The Presidents; details the life and presidency of Bill Clinton
How Capitalism Has Reduced Global Poverty
Video (5:00)
9/11 and After