Gilded Age: The Tweed Ring and Machine Politics
This video is accompanied by text. "The late nineteenth and very early twentieth centuries in America are often referred to as the “Gilded Age.” The origin of this name is usually attributed to Mark Twain who co-authored a novel entitled The Gilded Age. The term is metaphoric on several levels. It can be taken to reference an obsession with appearances. Unlike “golden,” which has positive associations of beauty and value, the word “gilded” carries connotations of cheap commercializat
Legislation: The Government Steps in
This video is accompanied by text. "The rapid expansion of industry and the concentration of ownership by fewer and fewer people changed the way many Americans felt about the role of government in economic affairs. With the growing number of trusts in America, reformers in the late nineteenth century began to voice their concerns about the expanding gulf between the rich and the poor. Although the new class of millionaires brought economic and material progress, they also created deepening class
The Working Class in the Gilded Age
This video is accompanies by text. "The new industrial age and the resulting growth of the U.S. economy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries affected nearly everyone in America. Industrial combination and concentration became the norm, with huge trusts appearing in almost every industry. The workplace was changing as machines became common and the demand for unskilled workers brought new groups into the workforce, including immigrants, women, and children. By 1920, nearly 20 perc
Roosevelt’s Square Deal
This video is accompanied by text. "At the dawn of the twentieth century, America was at a crossroads. Presented with abundant opportunity, but also hindered by significant internal and external problems, the country was seeking leaders who could provide a new direction. The political climate was ripe for reform, and the stage was set for the era of the Progressive Presidents, beginning with Republican Theodore Roosevelt.
Teddy Roosevelt was widely popular due to his status as a hero of t
Wilson’s New Freedom
This video is accompanied by text. "Upon taking office, Woodrow Wilson became only the second Democratic president since 1861. Wilson was a trim figure with clean-cut features and pince-nez glasses clipped to the bridge of his nose, giving him an academic look. Partly due to his academic background and limited political experience, Wilson was very much an idealist. He was intelligent and calculating, but the public perception was that he was emotionally cold and distant. Wilson arrived in the Wh
The Mexican Revolution of 1911
This video is accompanied by text. "The Latin American country most important to the well-being of the U.S. was its neighbor to the south, Mexico. Mexico is a nation rich in resources, but its ineffective and corrupt governments had exploited the Mexican people for years. A series of brutal dictators had controlled the country for decades, and many of them mismanaged Mexico’s resources, making themselves rich while the majority of Mexicans were desperately poor. Tension had been high for years
Investigating Wisconsin History-Making a Living: Industry
Making a Living: Industry - Series host Angie visits a lumberjack show in Hayward and wonders how that type of work evolved from a job to a tourist attraction. This prompts her to investigate the ways in which Wisconsin jobs have changed throughout history and how those changes have affected workers. As Angie explores changes in the lumbering industry, from early logging to industrial manufacturing to forest-dependent tourism, she also learns how these specific changes were reflected in Wisconsi
Animal Farm by George Orwell, Part 8 of 8
Animated cartoon. Although all grades could learn from this animated video, it is perhaps best understood by high school students who may be studying the political reasons for the authorship of the novel. 'Animal Farm is a dystopian novel by George Orwell. Published in England on 17 August 1945, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II' (George Orwell, Wikipedia, 2009). (7:22, with credits)
Animal Farm by George Orwell, Part 7 of 8
Animated cartoon. Although all grades could learn from this animated video, it is perhaps best understood by high school students who may be studying the political reasons for the authorship of the novel. 'Animal Farm is a dystopian novel by George Orwell. Published in England on 17 August 1945, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II' (George Orwell, Wikipedia, 2009). (10:09)
Animal Farm by George Orwell, Part 5 of 8
Animated cartoon. Although all grades could learn from this animated video, it is perhaps best understood by high school students who may be studying the political reasons for the authorship of the novel. 'Animal Farm is a dystopian novel by George Orwell. Published in England on 17 August 1945, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II' (George Orwell, Wikipedia, 2009). (7:21)
Animal Farm by George Orwell, Part 3 of 8
Animated cartoon. Although all grades could learn from this animated video, it is perhaps best understood by high school students who may be studying the political reasons for the authorship of the novel. 'Animal Farm is a dystopian novel by George Orwell. Published in England on 17 August 1945, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II' (George Orwell, Wikipedia, 2009). (10:04)
George Orwell - Animal Farm, Part 2 of 8
Animated cartoon, Part 2 of 8. Although all grades could learn from this animated video, it is perhaps best understood by high school students who may be studying the political reasons for the authorship of the novel. 'Animal Farm is a dystopian novel by George Orwell. Published in England on 17 August 1945, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II' (George Orwell, Wikipedia, 2009). (8:29)
Animal Farm by George Orwell, Part 4 of 8
Animated cartoon. Although all grades could learn from this animated video, it is perhaps best understood by high school students who may be studying the political reasons for the authorship of the novel. 'Animal Farm is a dystopian novel by George Orwell. Published in England on 17 August 1945, the book reflects events leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II' (George Orwell, Wikipedia, 2009). (9:40)
U.S.-Soviet Relations
This video is accompanied by text. "Throughout much of World War II, the U.S. and the USSR were reluctant allies. Germany posed a significant threat to both countries and necessity dictated that they cooperate militarily. Germany had launched a brutal invasion into the Soviet Union that eventually caused the deaths of 20 million Soviets. The USSR begged the western Allies to attack the German army on its western front. The U.S. and England were under-resourced and unwilling to launch a costly at
Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan
This video is accompanied by text. "As the perceived threat from the Soviet Union continued to grow, the West became desperate to stop the spread of communism. After WWII, the communist community grew quickly in many parts of war-ravaged Europe. England was desperately trying to stop the spread of European communism in key countries, one of which was Greece. A fear shared by the U.S. and Britain was that if Greece became communist, so would Turkey, and the Soviets would control the eastern Medit
Empires: Years of Trial - Episode 2 of 4
Caligula grips Rome in fear; Judea's religious and political establishment finds Jesus a threat.
The Roman Empire in the First Century - Episode 3: Winds of Change
Claudius rules; Britain battles Roman legions; in Judea, Paul tells of Jesus; Rome verges on disaster under Nero's reign. Absolute power brings absolute ruin. Law under Nero was brutal. (55:06)
The Hunt for Subversives - Red Scare
This video is accompanied by text. "The Korean War and advances in nuclear weaponry by Soviet scientists promoted the rapid spread of anti-Communist sentiment throughout America. Public fears that Communist spies were infiltrating the U.S. government and undermining foreign policy led to the introduction of strict security measures. However, many Americans believed that their traditional freedoms—primarily free speech and the right of political dissent—would erode in the climate of the Cold
Cold War: After Stalin (1953-1956) Part 1 of 5
Cold War is a twenty-four episode television documentary series about the Cold War (1945--1989). Jeremy Isaacs produced the 1998 program in a style similar to his previous series, The World at War (1973). Businessman Ted Turner created the series as a joint production between the Turner Broadcasting System and the BBC, originally broadcast on CNN in the U.S. and the BBC Two in the U.K. Kenneth Branagh. It featured interviews with leading political figures and people who witnessed and lived throu
Cold War: After Stalin (1953-1956) Part 2 of 5
Cold War is a twenty-four episode television documentary series about the Cold War (1945--1989). Jeremy Isaacs produced the 1998 program in a style similar to his previous series, The World at War (1973). Businessman Ted Turner created the series as a joint production between the Turner Broadcasting System and the BBC, originally broadcast on CNN in the U.S. and the BBC Two in the U.K. Kenneth Branagh. It featured interviews with leading political figures and people who witnessed and lived throu
