Benjamin Franklin
A video about the life of Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Franklin was one of the most prominent of the Founders and early political figures and statesmen of the United States.
The Battle of Bunker Hill
A history of the militia fought battle at Bunker Hill, Part of the British siege of Boston during the American Revolutionary War
American Victory at Yorktown
A two pronged attack by French & American forces defeats General Cornwallis in Virginia. Two years later, the Treaty of Paris will officially end the war. This is an overview of that battle and the events that lead up to it. A good overview, but a map of Yorktown would be of benefit.
The American Revolution 1775 - 1783
The American Revolution 1775 - 1783. This video is map-based with narration.
The American Revolution 1775 part 1
Video shows how the American Revolution started and why it started.(Slides with narration)
The American Revolution 1775 part 2
The American Revolution 1775 part 2
The French Allies
Video with text. "As early as 1776, the Comte de Vergennes, France’s foreign minister, convinced King Louis XVI to send munitions to America. They secretly sent military supplies not out of sympathy for the Revolution, but for reprisal against Britain for France’s defeat in the French and Indian War. Most of the Continental soldiers’ arms in the first year came from France through a fake supply company, in order to keep their support confidential. The Spanish government also added a donati
Continental Army 1777- Documentary
A short documentary about the the New York Campaign of 1777. This was the turning point of the American Revolutionary War. Learn what life was really like in the Continental Army during this important campaign through stories told by those who are part of the re-enactment. (Video utilizes film of re-enactments and text.)
American Revolution: The World Turned Upside Down
(Episode 5 of the series Liberty, by PBS) When the war in the North was fought to a stalemate, Sir Henry
Clinton thought his troops could defeat the rebellion in the American
South. Perhaps, with people still loyal to the British Crown, the long
and costly war could finally end in Britain's favor.
After the fall of South Carolina, Clinton's strategy seemed to be
working very well. He sent Lord Cornwallis to complete the job. But
Peace of Paris (1783)
Video accompanied with text. "After Yorktown, the citizens of Britain tired of the war in the American colonies. They were also greatly in debt and had suffered immense losses in India, the West Indies, Asia, and Africa. In February 1782, the House of Commons voted against continuing the war, and in March 1782 Lord North resigned, ending the rule of King George III. The new ministry included old friends of the Americans and was headed by Lord Rockingham who was prepared to negotiate a peace sett
First Invasion War of 1812 Part 1
First Invasion War of 1812 History Channel Documentary. Video goes into the early stages of the War of 1812. (10:00)
The War in 1812
While Republicans, for the most part, still backed Jefferson's foreign policies, new elections were transforming the party. Older politicians who molded the Republican Party policy and put Jefferson and Madison in power were replaced by daring young go-getters, such as Henry Clay of Kentucky, who were intent on defending America's honor. These new leaders, called "War Hawks" by their Federalist opponents, were the primary force behind Madison's decision to call for war with Britain. The War Hawk
Jefferson's Embargo
This video about the causes of the war of 1812 is accompanied by text. "Thomas Jefferson envisioned a peaceful, agrarian society that used diplomacy, rather than military might, to execute America’s foreign policy. Jefferson believed that a large standing army was an invitation to dictatorship, and he drastically reduced the size of both the American Army and Navy. However, events in the Mediterranean quickly challenged Jefferson’s decision and forced him to re-evaluate his philosophy about
North American Alliances
By the mid-eighteenth century, the face of North America was changing. The British soldiers, officials, and colonists were moving west from the Atlantic coast and starting to cross into the Ohio River Valley. The Spanish occupied a vast region extending from the Gulf of California, across the desert, and along the Gulf Coast to Florida. The French settled primarily in New France, the area that would later become Canada.
The changes in North America were dramatic for the Native Americans.
Louisiana Purchase Doubles U.S.
A short video that goes into some detail as to how the Lousiana Purchase was made and what land it covered....and why it was the steal of the century, not the buy of the century.
Westward Expansion
By the mid-nineteenth century, the American economy that had been based on local commerce and small-scale farming was maturing into a dynamic, wide-reaching capitalist marketplace. As the industrial revolution in the northeast altered the economy and intensified the process of urbanization, an agricultural empire began to emerge in the west, and westward expansion began. In this video you will learn about westward expansion and it's trials and tribulations. (Video is of high q
Westward Movement and Economy
This video is accompanied by text. "By the mid-nineteenth century, the American economy that had been based on local commerce and small-scale farming was maturing into a dynamic, wide-reaching capitalist marketplace. As the industrial revolution in the northeast altered the economy and intensified the process of urbanization, an agricultural empire began to emerge in the west.
By 1860, more than one-half of the American population was located west of the Appalachian Mountains. Conditions
Westward Expansion (Roundtable Discussion)
Featuring prominent historians, this roundtable discussion examines American Pioneers and Westward Expansion. Manifest Destiny and the Anglo-American settlers' feeling of superiority are discussed.
Migration Westward after Reconstruction
This video is accompanied by text. "Prior to the Civil War, most English settlers and their descendants chose to live along the Atlantic Coast. However, the Pacific Coast was also being settled, which would lead to the development of the Great Plains as the two coasts spread toward the middle of America.
Atlantic settlers referred to the Great Plains and the Pacific Coast as the “Great West.” A less-optimistic name for this region was the “Great American Desert,” so-named because o
The End of the Frontier
This video is accompanied by text. "In 1890, the Census Bureau announced the end of the frontier, meaning there was no longer a discernible frontier line in the west, nor any large tracts of land yet unbroken by settlement. This news had a terrific psychological impact on many Americans. For the first time in history, America was without a frontier. The frontier was a part of American national identity. The ideal of an ever-pioneering spirit with eternally new wildernesses to conquer was the Ame
