C-SPAN
On This Day: McCarthyism and the Red Scare
Senator Joseph's McCarthy's claims that communists had infiltrated and threatened the American way of life set off a red scare in the 1950s—and those claims have influenced today's concepts of loyalty to country. Using video clips from...
C-SPAN
The First Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
While most Americans can identify civil rights hero Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., they often are not aware of how controversial he was in his time. Using video resources that include documentation of the first federal holiday to honor him...
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On This Day: Life and Contributions of Alexander Hamilton
Historians have been fascinated by Alexander Hamilton long before he was the subject of a Broadway hit. Using video resources, scholars explore how his early upbringing as an orphan and social outcast may have influenced his role in the...
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On This Day: California Gold Rush
Upon hearing of the gold discovery at Sutter's Mill in California in the 1840s, a flood of migrants went West in search of wealth and fame. Others, such as Chinese workers, came from farther away. Using video clips from historians and...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Thomas Paine's Common Sense
Many Americans can identify Thomas Paine and his seminal work, Common Sense. Yet, only six people showed up at his funeral. Using video resources, class members study both the document and the outcomes of his inflammatory words. Clips...
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On This Day: Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
What is free speech? And does it apply to corporations looking to support federal campaigns? As decided in the controversial Citizens United ruling, the Supreme Court determined that corporations have the same rights as people and can...
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On This Day: Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty has been a symbol of freedom since the people of France gifted it to the US. Today, as immigration debates grip the nation, learners consider the iconic image. Using a vintage newsreel about the statue, a scholar's...
C-SPAN
On This Day: U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act
In the weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress passed the U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T Act. This law—meant to protect the public—was controversial, as some felt it undermined civil liberties. Using video from President George W. Bush,...
C-SPAN
On This Day: The US Invasion of Grenada
The 1983 invasion of Grenada was one of the first major military actions after the Vietnam War. The invasion took place during the tensions of the Cold War, making the stakes higher than what might be expected. Using President Ronald...
C-SPAN
On This Day: The United Nations Charter
Established after the devastation of World War II, the United Nations was meant to uphold peace among nations—though the idea isn't without its critics. Using newsreel footage from its establishment and videos of politicians from Eleanor...
C-SPAN
On This Day: The British Surrender at Yorktown
Why was the Battle of Yorktown not as decisive in the American Revolution as many people believe? Young scholars consider the question while viewing video clips from historians who discuss the various factors that went into the American...
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On This Day: Cuban Missile Crisis
Just how close was the world to nuclear war in October 1962? Using White House audio tapes recording John F. Kennedy and his advisors, aerial footage, and newsreels, learners decide for themselves. Historians also weigh in on the Cuban...
C-SPAN
On This Day: The Establishment of the Department of Education
When looking at educational policy, many politicians forget to consult experts—scholars! Video clips demonstrate the debate over educational policy. After watching the views of education secretaries and politicians, pupils decide how to...
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On This Day: Battle of the Bulge
The Normandy invasion was the beginning of the end for World War II. Using the series of video clips, pupils explore the role the Battle of the Bulge played in bringing World War II to an end. The interesting resource includes...
C-SPAN
On This Day: North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
While a Republican president envisioned NAFTA—and a Democratic administration enacted it—it does not enjoy universal support. A video resource collection, including clips from presidential speeches by George H.W. Bush to Donald J. Trump,...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Bush v. Gore is Decided by the Supreme Court
Most Americans expect to wake up the morning after a presidential election knowing who won. That didn't happen during the 2000 election between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore. The Supreme Court had to weigh in on a messy...
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On This Day: Prohibition
Before Prohibition, America was literally awash in alcohol, according to one historian of the topic. When the Eighteenth Amendment was enacted, loopholes allowed Americans workarounds, such as the ability to make up to 250 gallons of...
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On This Day: Cuban Revolution
What was life like after the Cuban Revolution under the government of Fidel Castro? Historians consider the question by examining the firsthand accounts of people living there and old newsreels of the Batista regime ouster. A video from...
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On This Day: Ellis Island Opens
Immigration is a hot topic in the news, but it has been a part of the American story for centuries. Learners explore Ellis Island and its connection to the American immigration story with a video tour of Ellis Island, Congressional...
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On This Day: The Chicago Iroquois Theatre Fire of 1903
When sparks ignited a fire at the Iroquois Theatre in Chicago in 1903, it was one of the greatest public safety tragedies of the twentieth century. Even though the theater did not take basic safety precautions, no one was held...
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On This Day: Apollo 8
Apollo 8—the mission to orbit the moon—changed the trajectory of human history and space travel. A series of videos, including historians, the mission commander, and footage of the mission, allows pupils to watch the mission as it...
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On This Day: Sandy Hook Shooting
What causes someone to commit mass acts of violence? After their daughter was killed in the Sandy Hook shooting, the parents of Avielle Richman created a foundation to study the dark corners of neurology to answer that question....
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On This Day: Capture of Saddam Hussein
The capture of Saddam Hussein brought to an end a war in the country—but ended only the first chapter in American involvement in the nation. Using clips from his capture, as well as eye witness recollections, pupils explore what happened...
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On This Day: Boston Tea Party
Just how did loyal British citizens decide they would vandalize a shipment of tea coming into Boston Harbor in 1773? Using video clips that show the re-enactment of a debate about the Boston Tea Party and experts analyzing its historical...