C-SPAN
On This Day: Apollo 1 Disaster
Three video clips show real-life news coverage from the Apollo 1 disaster. Young historians learn what events led to the disaster. Clips cover the initial disaster, the astronauts discussing the mission before the launch, and a ceremony...
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: 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...
C-SPAN
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...
C-SPAN
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...
C-SPAN
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...
C-SPAN
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...
C-SPAN
On This Day: The Ratification of The Bill of Rights
The cherished rights included in the first ten amendments to the Constitution almost didn't happen! Pupils tour via video a National Archives exhibit on the Bill of Rights, as well as listen to how a modern judge applies them. Once...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address was a short speech—only about two minutes in length—but its reach has been long. Video segments from a panel of scholars, an historian talking about the printing of the speech, a re-enactment of the speech, and a...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Mayflower Compact
Learners consider how the Mayflower Compact created a sense of order for the new residents of North America. Video clips include a scholar and a re-enactor playing Plymouth Gov. William Bradford, and others include Native American...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Barack Obama Becomes the First African American to Win a Presidential Election
The election of Barack Obama in 2008 was a watershed moment in African American and American history. Using clips from the acceptance and concession speeches, as well as the words of outgoing president, George H. W. Bush, budding...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Attack on Pearl Harbor
Curious historians relive the "day which will live in infamy" using video clips from C-SPAN on the Pearl Harbor attack. The curated collection includes veteran testimonies and vintage newsreels. Additional footage includes scholars'...
C-SPAN
On This Day: The Monroe Doctrine
The Monroe Doctrine is one of the longest-lasting presidential policies, and it still impacts foreign policy today. Using three clips from historians and archivists, scholars explore the world of James Monroe and his watershed statement....
C-SPAN
On This Day: Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks is considered a symbol of the American Civil Rights movement—but what about her story? A series of video clips examines her role in the movement, as well as her legacy. Scholars listen to historian Jeanne Theoharis discuss her...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Sand Creek Massacre
The Sand Creek Massacre refers to the killing of hundreds of native peoples at the hands of federal troops. Today, the site is marked as a sacred spot by the National Parks Service. Young people consider the impact of the atrocity and...
C-SPAN
On This Day: The Assassination of Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk, a key figure in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, was gunned down for his activism. Video clips, highlighting a museum exhibit and interviewing a former aide, profile Milk's career in San Francisco city politics and the movement....
C-SPAN
On This Day: Charles Darwin's "On The Origin of Species" is Published
Charles Darwin's work, On The Origin of Species, fundamentally changed the study of science. Using clips from an author talk, young historians connect the scientific ideas behind evolution to American history. Afterward, they consider:...
C-SPAN
On This Day: President John F. Kennedy - Life, Death, Legacy
John F. Kennedy and the American Camelot dazzled the United States. His legacy is more complicated, however, and it includes the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. Pupils view history as it unfolded with news reels on the Bay of Pigs, Cuban...
C-SPAN
On This Day: The Soviet Counteroffensive during the Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad cost anywhere from one to two million lives over the course of months. Using a propaganda clip from the Office of War Information and video segments from experts on the battle, individuals consider why the deadly...
C-SPAN
On This Day: FDR Lays Cornerstone of First Presidential Library
Franklin D. Roosevelt is best known for his role in the Great Depression and World War II. However, he also was one of the first politicians to think about how future generations would remember the history of his time. Using video clips...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Continental Congress Adopts the Articles of Confederation
While today, people laud the accomplishments of the United States Constitution, pupils sometimes forget that the Articles of Confederation came first. The documents—while flawed—raised questions of government duties and obligations as...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall divided a city.. Using clips of discussions between historians, segments from contemporary films, interviews with political operatives, and speeches, learners consider what it was like to look over a wall and behind the...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Veterans/Armistice Day
While Veterans Day started as a way to remember World War I, it now honors veterans from all conflicts. Scholars consider the meaning of the day while viewing clips of ceremonies, presidential speeches, and military historians talking...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Battle of Tippecanoe
What do the War of 1812 and the accidental presidency of John Tyler have in common? Historians ponder the question as they learn about the Battle of Tippecanoe, how it led to the declaration of war with Great Britain in the War of 1812,...