48
Lectures
30
minutes/lecture
1.
Prelude to War
This introductory lecture explains the sectional controversies and clashes that set the stage for secession and war.
1.
Prelude to War
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25.
Grant at Chattanooga
With all eyes on Chattanooga, both armies experienced command problems. Grant, named overall Union commander in the West in mid-October, took charge personally. Bragg meanwhile conducted an increasingly ineffective siege.
25.
Grant at Chattanooga
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2.
The Election of 1860
The presidential canvass of 1860 was the most important in U.S. history. It resulted in Abraham Lincoln's election as the first Republican to occupy the White House and brought sectional tensions to a head.
2.
The Election of 1860
|
26.
The Diplomatic Front
Both Lincoln and Davis cast anxious eyes toward Europe, thinking of the decisive French aid to the colonies during the American Revolution. Why, despite several flare-ups with England and France, did the Lincoln administration finally prevail in the diplomatic arena?
26.
The Diplomatic Front
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3.
The Lower South Secedes
Beginning with South Carolina in December 1860, all of the Lower South states seceded by the first week of February 1861. They sent delegates to a convention in Montgomery, Alabama, that established the Confederate States of America.
3.
The Lower South Secedes
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27.
African Americans in Wartime, I
During the conflict, thousands of slaves made their way to Union lines. Approximately 500,000, roughly one-seventh of all enslaved black people in the CSA, passed from Confederate to Union control. Their plight was often hard and uncertain. Nearly 180,000 black men, most of them former slaves, wore Union blue. The "U.S. Colored Troops" faced obstacles and injustices, yet their solid service made a strong case for full citizenship.
27.
African Americans in Wartime, I
|
4.
The Crisis at Fort Sumter
From February through April 1861, the United States and the Confederacy eyed each other warily and vied for the support of eight slave states that remained in the Union. As various compromise proposals fell short, United States-held Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor came to be a flash point.
4.
The Crisis at Fort Sumter
|
28.
African Americans in Wartime, II
In the North, blacks were at the center of a debate over war aims. The 13th Amendment and various other new laws marked progress toward fairer treatment. Slave labor vastly aided Southern mobilization and the CSA's economy. There were no major slave revolts, but black and white Southerners found their social and economic relations changing amid the dislocations of war.
28.
African Americans in Wartime, II
|
5.
The Opposing Sides, I
Was the South fated to lose, as many people think? If the Confederate States of America could have won, when did it come closest to doing so? As fighting began, each side had important advantages. We will take a close look at these.
5.
The Opposing Sides, I
|
29.
Wartime Reconstruction
Even as war raged, Lincoln and Congress debated what would happen after it was won. In December 1863, Lincoln offered a simple, lenient reconstruction plan. Radical Republicans in Congress objected and offered their own blueprint. The debate was continuing even as an assassin cut short Lincoln's part in it.
29.
Wartime Reconstruction
|
6.
The Opposing Sides, II
Did the Confederacy have better generals? Which side had the edge in strategic and political leadership? What were the attitudes of England and France toward the conflict? Which side marshaled its resources and exploited its advantages more effectively?
6.
The Opposing Sides, II
|
30.
The Naval War
The U.S. Navy played a major, often overlooked, role in defeating the CSA. Starting the war with just 42 ships, the Navy would have nearly 700 by 1865. Northern naval strategy focused on supporting ground operations along Southern rivers and coasts, and above all, on the blockade. With nothing like the North's industrial base, how did the Confederate Navy perform?
30.
The Naval War
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7.
The Common Soldier
Why did young men join the colors of the North or the South? What made them bear the war's awful dangers and hardships? What was it like to be a soldier in the ranks?
7.
The Common Soldier
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31.
The River War and Confederate Commerce Raiders
The war in the West gave a key role to the U.S. Navy, which built special craft for river duty. Meanwhile, Southern commerce raiders like the C.S.S. Alabama became legendary. How much did they aid the CSA's war effort?
31.
The River War and Confederate Commerce Raiders
|
8.
First Manassas or Bull Run
Following the Upper South's secession and the move of the Confederate capital to Richmond, Virginia, both sides geared up for war. Learn the details of General Winfield Scott's brilliant "Anaconda Plan" and the factors that led to the Battle of First Manassas or Bull Run (July 21, 1861), the first big clash of the war.
8.
First Manassas or Bull Run
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32.
Women at War, I
How did Northern women experience the war? Wartime urgencies provided increased opportunities for middle-class women to enter the public sphere as nurses, clerks, or agents of benevolent organizations. The experiences of poor white women and black women—whether as farmwives, widows, or factory workers—are less well understood.
32.
Women at War, I
|
9.
Contending for the Border States
The loyalty of slaveholding states Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and Delaware was an object of intense competition in the summer and autumn of 1861. What, in the end, kept those states in the Union?
9.
Contending for the Border States
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33.
Women at War, II
The war changed women's lives in ways dramatic and subtle, lasting and temporary. Although anxiety, grief, and hardship were felt on both sides, women in the CSA suffered most directly from the war. To black women, the war brought emancipation and the opportunity to solidify marriage and family ties. The front drew more women than might seem likely.
33.
Women at War, II
|
10.
Early Union Triumphs in the West
Most people looked to Virginia to be the critical military arena, but many leaders on both sides believed the war would be decided in the vast area between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River.
10.
Early Union Triumphs in the West
|
34.
Stalemate in 1864
Named general-in-chief in March 1864, Grant hoped to apply enough pressure across the board to crush the Confederacy. The most important actions would be led by Sherman in Georgia and Grant himself in Virginia.
34.
Stalemate in 1864
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11.
Shiloh and Corinth
Early 1862 saw breathtaking Union successes in the West. Ulysses S. Grant took Forts Henry and Donelson and moved south up the Tennessee River, while Don Carlos Buell marched from Nashville. Aiming to crush Grant before Buell arrived, A. S. Johnston struck the unwary Federals near Shiloh Church on April 6, 1862.
11.
Shiloh and Corinth
|
35.
Sherman versus Johnston in Georgia
Moving south from Chattanooga, Sherman intended to use his large armies to outmaneuver Johnston, who fell back while looking for a chance to counterpunch. By early July, the sparring armies had settled into a siege.
35.
Sherman versus Johnston in Georgia
|
12.
The Peninsula Campaign
Nine months of relative quiet following First Manassas ended when George B. McClellan started a slow Union drive up the Virginia Peninsula toward Richmond in April. By the end of May 1862, Union forces menaced Richmond from two directions and Confederate prospects looked bleak.
12.
The Peninsula Campaign
|
36.
The Wilderness to Spotsylvania
In many ways the war's pre-eminent confrontation, the Overland Campaign brought together each side's greatest captain in a novel and relentless combat. The prominence of Grant and Lee ensured that their contest would deeply affect civilian morale. The armies would battle fiercely and almost continuously from early May to mid-June.
36.
The Wilderness to Spotsylvania
|
13.
The Seven Days' Battles
As Stonewall Jackson marched and fought in the Shenandoah Valley, Joseph E. Johnston attacked McClellan at Seven Pines or Fair Oaks (May 31, 1862). When Johnston was wounded, Robert E. Lee took command. In the Seven Days' Battles (June 25–July 1), he seized the initiative and pressed the Federals south to the James. Lee had saved Richmond and offset Union success in the West.
13.
The Seven Days' Battles
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37.
Cold Harbor to Petersburg
After Spotsylvania (May 8–21), Lee entrenched at Cold Harbor, Virginia. On June 3, Grant launched a futile and costly frontal assault. On June 12, he began one of the most impressive movements of the war, nearly taking Petersburg on June 15. By June 19, however, the opportunity had passed. Grant began a siege.
37.
Cold Harbor to Petersburg
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14.
The Kentucky Campaign of 1862
The Confederacy faced a difficult strategic situation in July 1862. Jefferson Davis and his generals responded by sending armies into Kentucky and Maryland in the most impressive Confederate strategic offensive of the war. Operations in Kentucky between August and October 1862 culminated in a confused battle at Perryville (October 8).
14.
The Kentucky Campaign of 1862
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38.
The Confederate Home Front, I
The war caused the CSA enormous strains, hardships, and dislocations. Eschewing formal party politics, the CSA's founders hoped to return to a Revolutionary-era ideal. But bitter divisions arose, and the political scene often seemed chaotic and a drag on the war effort. Although most Confederates remained committed to beating the Yankees, economic woes made many doubt their ability to continue the war.
38.
The Confederate Home Front, I
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15.
Antietam
After besting John Pope at Second Manassas in late August, Lee marched north into Maryland. Lincoln reluctantly returned command to McClellan, whose pursuit of Lee culminated at Antietam on September 17, the bloodiest day in American history. What happened on that battlefield? What did it mean?
15.
Antietam
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39.
The Confederate Home Front, II
In addition to slaves who fled to Union lines, many Southern whites became refugees as they fled from Union armies. Among those who did not become refugees, increasing hardship and a demanding central government caused distress and anger as the war progressed. Did the resulting internal dissension kill the Confederacy?
39.
The Confederate Home Front, II
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16.
The Background to Emancipation
Despite slavery's role in causing the conflict, for at least the first year it remained in the background. As long as restoring the Union remained the sole war aim, there was remarkable unity among Northerners. But what type of Union were they fighting for?
16.
The Background to Emancipation
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40.
The Northern Home Front, I
Although the war did not bring severe dislocations to the North, it did produce a political sea change. The Republicans became the majority party, but bad war news and the unpopularity of some of their policies led to crises.
40.
The Northern Home Front, I
|
17.
Emancipation Completed
Lincoln came to see emancipation as necessary to victory. But he understood that he lacked the authority to end slavery in loyal areas, and his famous proclamation deliberately casts emancipation as a war measure. What did most Northerners think of it?
17.
Emancipation Completed
|
41.
The Northern Home Front, II
Unlike the Confederacy, the North was able to produce both guns and butter in abundance. With no Southern presence in Congress, the Republicans started the nation down an economic path it would follow for several decades.
41.
The Northern Home Front, II
|
18.
Filling the Ranks
How many men served during the war? How were they recruited? How good were the United States and the CSA at putting their military-age men under arms?
18.
Filling the Ranks
|
42.
Prisoners of War
Few aspects of the conflict were as emotionally charged, with both sides hurling charges of negligence and atrocities. More than 400,000 men were captured. Early in the war most were quickly paroled or exchanged. Later, this system broke down, and prisoners suffered.
42.
Prisoners of War
|
19.
Sinews of War—Finance and Supply
War spending went on at an unprecedented scale. Both sides sold bonds, levied taxes, and printed paper money. Despite its weak economy, the Con-federacy never lost a battle because its armies ran out of ordnance.
19.
Sinews of War—Finance and Supply
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43.
Mobile Bay and Atlanta
In the summer of 1864, Lincoln needed victories. The first break came in August, at Mobile Bay, Alabama, when Admiral David G. Farragut closed the CSA's last major port on the Gulf. Far more important news soon followed from Atlanta: Sherman had at last taken the city (September 1–2).
43.
Mobile Bay and Atlanta
|
20.
The War in the West, Winter 1862–63
While McClellan sat north of the Potomac, Buell slowly followed Bragg's retreat into Tennessee. Lincoln, eager for good war news, named Ambrose E. Burnside to take over the Army of the Potomac and William S. Rosecrans to tackle Bragg. In December, Rosecrans moved, and Grant began his long campaign against Vicksburg.
20.
The War in the West, Winter 1862–63
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44.
Petersburg, the Crater, and the Valley
While events unfolded at Atlanta, Grant and Lee confronted each other along an elaborately entrenched front from Richmond to Petersburg. In mid-June, Lee detached a corps under Jubal Early to operate in the Shenandoah Valley and Maryland. Between September 19 and October 19, Philip H. Sheridan won three victories over Early and laid waste to much of the lower Valley.
44.
Petersburg, the Crater, and the Valley
|
21.
The War in Virginia, Winter and Spring 1862–63
In Virginia, the Union army suffered two setbacks along the Rappahannock. Lee threw back Burnside's costly frontal assaults at Fredericksburg on December 13. The talented, ambitious Joseph Hooker soon took command. He planned a brilliant offensive that began well at the end of April 1863, but Lee and Jackson had other plans.
21.
The War in Virginia, Winter and Spring 1862–63
|
45.
The Final Campaigns
After Atlanta fell, Hood tried to draw Sherman northward. Sherman followed briefly before deciding to cut loose from his supply lines on his famous March to the Sea, implementing the "strategy of exhaustion" in the Confederate interior.
45.
The Final Campaigns
|
22.
Gettysburg
Gettysburg is often described as the turning point of the war. It took place against a background of uncertainty and unrest in the North and was the result of a major strategic debate in the South. Why did Lee go north? Was his strategic thinking sound? What swung the three-day battle's outcome? How did people on either side view Gettysburg?
22.
Gettysburg
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46.
Petersburg to Appomattox
By March 1865, the Federals had restricted Lee's supply lines and forced him to extend his lines. Lee failed to break the siege and headed west. Grant blocked the way at Appomattox, where Lee surrendered his 28,000 starving men on April 9. CSA forces elsewhere quickly surrendered.
46.
Petersburg to Appomattox
|
23.
Vicksburg, Port Hudson, and Tullahoma
In mid-April, Grant boldly ordered the Navy to run past Vicksburg's guns, ferried his troops across the south of the city, marched inland to seize Jackson, Mississippi, and then besieged Vicksburg. With skillful marching, Rosecrans pinned Bragg in Chattanooga.
23.
Vicksburg, Port Hudson, and Tullahoma
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47.
Closing Scenes and Reckonings
Lincoln's assassination has given rise to much speculation. What does the best evidence suggest? Lincoln was among the last casualties in a war whose staggering human and material toll can never be known. Taking everything into account, why did the South lose and the North win?
47.
Closing Scenes and Reckonings
|
24.
A Season of Uncertainty, Summer and Fall 1863
Although the Union seemed poised for knockout blows both east and west, Meade would not force a full-blown battle, and Grant found himself without a major goal after Vicksburg. Rosecrans ably maneuvered Bragg out of Chattanooga and into north Georgia in early September. Reinforced, Bragg struck back at Chickamauga (September 19–20), the CSA's only major tactical victory in the West.
24.
A Season of Uncertainty, Summer and Fall 1863
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48.
Remembering the War
How did participants remember and interpret the conflict in the decades after Appomattox? How do modern Americans view the people and events of 1861–65? What are the types of understanding at which one can arrive?
48.
Remembering the War
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48
Lectures
30
minutes/lecture
1.
1617 The Great Epidemic
Discover why the North American continent was never the same after the Great Epidemic of 1617, which wiped out an estimated 90% of Native Americans and allowed British colonization to proceed virtually unchallenged. Then, take a step back and look at the defining characteristics of a historical "turning point."
1.
1617 The Great Epidemic
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25.
1873 Bloody Sunday—Ending Reconstruction
Make sense of the complexities of Reconstruction with this lecture on the period's bloodiest incident, the Colfax Massacre of 1873. Why is this particular period the turning point of the "counter-revolutionary" period of Reconstruction? And how did it pave the way for the rise of the Jim Crow South?
25.
1873 Bloody Sunday—Ending Reconstruction
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2.
1619 Land of the Free? Slavery Begins
One of history's most troubling questions: How and why did a democratic America become a slaveholding society? Explore this paradox from its origins in 1619—with the arrival of slaves at Jamestown—to the influence of Bacon's Rebellion in 1676 to the expansion of slavery throughout the South in the 1800s.
2.
1619 Land of the Free? Slavery Begins
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26.
1876 How the West Was Won and Lost—Custer
Follow the story of 1876's Battle of Little Big Horn, one of the most devastating defeats ever suffered by the U. S. military. Despite a Sioux and Cheyenne warrior victory, this turning point marked the beginning of the end of Native American military resistance—and to much of the traditional Native American way of life.
26.
1876 How the West Was Won and Lost—Custer
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3.
1636 Freedom of Worship—Roger Williams
Here, Professor O'Donnell discusses Roger Williams's efforts to establish freedom of religion, a somewhat forgotten story from early colonial America. Focus on religious life in the early Massachusetts settlements (especially in the colony of Rhode Island), Williams's life and controversial ideas, his long-term influence on religious freedom in America, and more.
3.
1636 Freedom of Worship—Roger Williams
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27.
1886 The First Red Scare—Haymarket
This lecture deals with the 1886 Haymarket bombing of a Chicago workers' rally. Look at the state of Gilded Age America in the 1880s, examine how the American labor movement emerged, experience the events of this tragic attack, and survey the event's larger impact on the rapidly industrializing nation and its politics.
27.
1886 The First Red Scare—Haymarket
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4.
1654 Yearning to Breathe Free—Immigration
One of the most symbolic expressions of the idea that all are welcome in America took place in 1654, when the Dutch West India Company allowed Jews from Brazil to settle in New Amsterdam. Learn why this seemingly unlikely turning point is a gateway to understanding immigration as a central theme in American history.
4.
1654 Yearning to Breathe Free—Immigration
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28.
1898 The End of Isolation—War with Spain
American isolationist foreign policy ended in 1898 with the Spanish-American War. Discover how this turning point—spurred by lurid journalism and intense political pressure—transformed a nation long committed to isolationism into a grand imperial power determined to take a more aggressive role in world affairs.
28.
1898 The End of Isolation—War with Spain
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5.
1676 Near Disaster—King Philip's War
In terms of per capita civilian losses, King Philip's War (1675–1676) was the deadliest war in American history. See how this unfamiliar war was critical in shattering the relationship between colonists and Native Americans and in uniting the British colonies in a shared American identity.
5.
1676 Near Disaster—King Philip's War
|
29.
1900 The Promised Land—The Great Migration
The movement of around 7 million African Americans into northern cities. A flourishing of African American culture that brought about the Harlem Renaissance. The rise of activist organizations fighting harder than ever for civil rights. These are some of the effects of the "Great Migration" of the early 1900s, which you learn more about here.
29.
1900 The Promised Land—The Great Migration
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6.
1735 Freedom of the Press—The Zenger Trial
How did the idea of a free press become a central principle of American democracy? The answer lies in the 1735 arrest and trial of New York printer John Peter Zenger, which, you learn, radically changed the political culture of the colonies and went on to shape the language of the Bill of Rights.
6.
1735 Freedom of the Press—The Zenger Trial
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30.
1901 That Damned Cowboy! Theodore Roosevelt
The presidency of Theodore Roosevelt—the youngest man to assume the presidency—left a powerful mark on the office and, more important, brought the ideals of the emerging Progressive movement to the national stage. Among the ones you explore here: trust busting, labor rights, and conservation.
30.
1901 That Damned Cowboy! Theodore Roosevelt
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7.
1773 Liberty! The Boston Tea Party
Leap forward in time to the 1770s, in the first of three lectures on turning points in the American Revolution. In the first of these lectures, Professor O'Donnell makes the powerful case that the Boston Tea Party of 1773 was the real spark that ignited the American Revolution.
7.
1773 Liberty! The Boston Tea Party
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31.
1903 The Second Transportation Revolution
Automobiles and airplanes—two innovations that ushered in a new era in American transportation. Place these revolutionary vehicles in the context of the year 1903, when the Ford Motor Company made automobiles affordable and accessible, and when the Wright brothers performed their successful flights at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
31.
1903 The Second Transportation Revolution
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8.
1776 We're Outta Here—Declaring Independence
The creation of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 is one of the most important turning points in American history. Focus on why the colonies decided to separate from Great Britain, how the Declaration evolved from a work of little significance into a central American document, and much more.
8.
1776 We're Outta Here—Declaring Independence
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32.
1909 The Scourge of the South—Hookworm
Even diseases can instigate historical turning points. Discover how the hookworm parasite—which caused a debilitating disease that affected millions of Americans—was destroyed through the efforts of the Rockefeller Sanitary Commission and other public health initiatives—efforts that helped transform and improve life in the American South.
32.
1909 The Scourge of the South—Hookworm
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9.
1777 Game Changer—The Battle of Saratoga
Relive the 1777 Battle of Saratoga, a game-changing conflict between the American colonists and the British that became a turning point in the American Revolution for two reasons: It helped persuade France to join the colonial cause, and it convinced the colonists themselves that they could defeat the British Empire.
9.
1777 Game Changer—The Battle of Saratoga
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33.
1917 Votes for Women! The 19th Amendment
In 1917, after decades of struggle, a group of radical women decided to do the unthinkable: picket the White House to demand the right to vote. Three years and many protests later, American women finally won the right to vote. Get a fresh perspective on the origins of the suffrage movement and the profound impact it had on American politics.
33.
1917 Votes for Women! The 19th Amendment
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10.
1786 Toward a Constitution—Shays's Rebellion
Who was Daniel Shays? What political and economic dilemmas led to this famous farmer's rebellion of 1786? Most important: How did this event pave the way for a reconsideration of the Articles of Confederation and the creation of the U. S. Constitution? Find out here.
10.
1786 Toward a Constitution—Shays's Rebellion
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34.
1919 Strikes and Bombs—The Year of Upheaval
Why was 1919 such a chaotic year in American history? Find out the answer by investigating three key events that led to the "Red Scare": a series of massive labor strikes, growing fears about the international spread of Russian Communism, and a surge of anarchist bombings and race riots.
34.
1919 Strikes and Bombs—The Year of Upheaval
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11.
1789 Samuel Slater—The Industrial Revolution
Few people remember Samuel Slater as an important figure in U. S. history, but his introduction of cotton mill technology in 1789 unleashed the Industrial Revolution. Explore how this turning point came about and some of the many ways it reshaped virtually every aspect of American society.
11.
1789 Samuel Slater—The Industrial Revolution
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35.
1933 Bold Experimentation—The New Deal
During his first 100 days, President Franklin D. Roosevelt set out on a massive, whirlwind project of legislative activity and policymaking—the New Deal—to save the nation from the worst ravages of the Great Depression. Learn why this period was such a breakthrough moment in the role of government in the American economy.
35.
1933 Bold Experimentation—The New Deal
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12.
1800 Peaceful Transfer—The Election of 1800
One of the dirtiest presidential elections in U. S. history was the election of 1800, which involved a struggle between Republicans and Federalists and a tie vote between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. Investigate how this dramatic crisis led to the first peaceful transfer of power between rival political parties in modern history.
12.
1800 Peaceful Transfer—The Election of 1800
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36.
1939 Einstein's Letter—The Manhattan Project
The origins of the atomic bomb go back to 1939, when scientists and military leaders undertook an operation to create the world's first successful atomic weapon before the Nazis could. Investigate how the Manhattan Project began, and follow its legacy through the bombing of two Japanese cities that ended World War II.
36.
1939 Einstein's Letter—The Manhattan Project
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13.
1803 Supreme Authority—Marbury v. Madison
Marbury v. Madison, which established the principle of judicial review, is a landmark case in constitutional history. Explore the political dispute that led to this case, the Supreme Court's role in the early republic, how Chief Justice John Marshall crafted his famous decision, and how this principle has influenced the nation.
13.
1803 Supreme Authority—Marbury v. Madison
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37.
1942 Surprise—The Battle of Midway
What is the most critical battle in World War II? The Battle of the Bulge? D-Day? Here, Professor O'Donnell makes the case for the Battle of Midway as the critical battle—specifically because it ended major Japanese offensive operations in the Pacific and allowed America to focus on defeating Nazi Germany.
37.
1942 Surprise—The Battle of Midway
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14.
1807 On the Move—Transportation Revolution
Robert Fulton's steamboat trip up the Hudson River in 1807 announced a revolution in American transportation. In this lecture, learn how three key innovations in transportation—steamboats, canals, and railroads—helped Americans overcome obstacles impeding the nation's economic development and led to changes in politics, society, and more.
14.
1807 On the Move—Transportation Revolution
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38.
1945 The Land of Lawns—Suburbanization
This lecture covers an overlooked turning point in American history, post–World War II suburbanization. Look at the origins of the "suburban ideal," examine early versions of suburbanization, learn about the five federal policy initiatives that led to the extraordinary housing boom, meet the "Henry Ford of middle-class housing," and more.
38.
1945 The Land of Lawns—Suburbanization
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15.
1816 One Man, One Vote—Expanding Suffrage
Take a closer look at how early 19th-century Americans expanded the definition of democracy by dropping most restrictions on voting for white men. How did this important turning point lead to significant changes such as the rise of mass politics, the use of ballots, the potential for political corruption, and more?
15.
1816 One Man, One Vote—Expanding Suffrage
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39.
1948 The Berlin Airlift and the Cold War
The year 1948 signaled the dawn of the cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union. Discover how this epic geopolitical conflict spurred a dramatic militarization of the United States, promoted a culture of fear over Communist spies and nuclear war, and reaffirmed the nation's commitment to internationalism.
39.
1948 The Berlin Airlift and the Cold War
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16.
1821 Reborn—The Second Great Awakening
This lecture focuses on the Second Great Awakening, the powerful evangelical revival movement started in 1821 by the preacher Charles Grandison Finney. Two of the important impacts of this turning point you consider are the democratization of religion and the rise of social reform movements (specifically, the temperance movement).
16.
1821 Reborn—The Second Great Awakening
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40.
1950 Tuning In—The Birth of Television
Television was first thought to be just a fad—but by the 1950s it had exploded into a pervasive cultural force with the power to help politicians win elections, support national sports franchises, bring the violence of war into people's living rooms, and create shared national experiences. Find out how here.
40.
1950 Tuning In—The Birth of Television
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17.
1831 The Righteous Crusade—Abolition
Both William Lloyd Garrison's entry into abolitionism and Nat Turner's violent slave rebellion made 1831 a pivotal year in the growing national conflict over the issue of slavery. Learn how the abolitionist crusade made slavery the central question in American politics from the 1830s until the Civil War.
17.
1831 The Righteous Crusade—Abolition
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41.
1960 The Power to Choose—The Pill
Grasp the historical significance of the birth control pill in American society by considering the central role played by women in its development and subsequent FDA approval in 1960. Also, follow the heated public debate that emerged over the ethics and morality of "the Pill."
41.
1960 The Power to Choose—The Pill
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18.
1844 What's New? The Communication Revolution
An often overlooked turning point in American history is the communication revolution. Here, discover how widespread literacy and an expansive post office network aided advances in communication; explore three key technological breakthroughs at the heart of the revolution; examine its effects on politics, economics, and society; and more.
18.
1844 What's New? The Communication Revolution
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42.
1963 Showdown in Birmingham—Civil Rights
Turn now to 1963, a critical year in the civil rights movement. First, look at the status of African Americans in the early 1950s and the early stages of this human rights struggle. Then, examine the protests and violence that rocked Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963 and led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
42.
1963 Showdown in Birmingham—Civil Rights
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19.
1845 The Ultimate American Game—Baseball
Go back to the year 1845 and the birth of the quintessential American sport: baseball. What are baseball's origins? How did it evolve from a gentlemen's sport into a professional enterprise? What about baseball makes it the nation's ultimate game? And how has it both reflected and shaped American culture?
19.
1845 The Ultimate American Game—Baseball
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43.
1968 Losing Vietnam—The Tet Offensive
Why did America get involved in the affairs of Vietnam and eventually commit to massive military escalation in the mid-1960s? Why, after a huge buildup, did the United States suddenly pull out? Uncover the answers to these provocative questions by looking at the 1968 Tet Offensive—the turning point of this controversial war.
43.
1968 Losing Vietnam—The Tet Offensive
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20.
1846 Land and Gold—The Mexican War
What were the underlying roots of the Mexican-American War? Why was there so much controversy surrounding newly acquired territories? How did the discovery of gold in 1848 force Congress to confront once again the contentious issue of slavery? Learn the answers to these and other questions in this lecture.
20.
1846 Land and Gold—The Mexican War
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44.
1969 Disaster—The Birth of Environmentalism
Investigate how a disastrous oil spill in Santa Barbara and a dramatic fire on Ohio's Cuyahoga River in 1969 led to the modern environmental movement in America. The subsequent wave of legislation would lead to two major accomplishments: a cleaner environment and improved public efforts to combat pollution nationwide.
44.
1969 Disaster—The Birth of Environmentalism
|
21.
1862 Go West, Young Man! The Homestead Act
Professor O'Donnell dispels myths about one of the federal government's most extraordinary programs: the Homestead Act of 1862. This landmark event sparked the largest wave of migration in U. S. history and played a major role in the birth of the American West as a central aspect of America's identity.
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1862 Go West, Young Man! The Homestead Act
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45.
1974 An Age of Crisis—Watergate
The Watergate scandal of 1974 is one of the most notorious examples of political corruption in modern American politics. Experience the flurry of paranoia, political intrigue, and investigative reporting from this momentous event, and witness it forever shake the confidence of the American people in their political leaders.
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1974 An Age of Crisis—Watergate
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22.
1862 Terrible Reality—The Battle of Antietam
Go into the heat of one of the Civil War's most important battles: the Battle of Antietam in 1862. Investigate how this Union victory underscored the need for capable military leadership, allowed Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, diminished chances of foreign support for the Confederacy, and announced the arrival of modern war.
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1862 Terrible Reality—The Battle of Antietam
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46.
1975 The Digital Age—The Personal Computer
The world's first personal computers undoubtedly revolutionized America's social, political, and cultural landscape. As you explore the three stages of this turning point in U. S. history—the hobbyist phase, the mass production phase, and the user-friendly phase—you see just how essential these machines are in 21st-century life.
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1975 The Digital Age—The Personal Computer
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23.
1868 Equal Protection—The 14th Amendment
Many legal scholars and historians have argued that the 14th Amendment, which promises equal protection under the laws, is the most important addition to the Constitution after the Bill of Rights. Here, Professor O'Donnell retells the fascinating story of how this amendment was ratified in 1868—and its turbulent history in the 20th and 21st centuries.
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1868 Equal Protection—The 14th Amendment
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47.
1989 Collapse—The End of the Cold War
Go back to November 9, 1989, when the whole world watched as the Berlin Wall fell, bringing the cold war—and later the Soviet Union itself—to an end. While this epic moment changed the landscape of Europe, it also had several ripple effects on American life and politics as well.
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1989 Collapse—The End of the Cold War
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24.
1872 Open Spaces—The National Parks
In the 1870s, amid the wave of American industrialization, a movement emerged to preserve for all time large sections of wilderness as national parks—the first time this had been done in history. Investigate the political struggle to protect the nation's natural wonders in places such as Yosemite Valley and Yellowstone.
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1872 Open Spaces—The National Parks
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48.
2001 The Age of Terror—The 9/11 Attacks
In this final lecture, investigate the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the dawn of the "age of terror." While the implications of this recent turning point may not be clear for years to come, Professor O'Donnell helps you put this traumatic event in a larger national—and even international—context.
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2001 The Age of Terror—The 9/11 Attacks
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