Crash Course
The Black Legend, Native Americans, and Spaniards
Delve into the complex social and political structures of Native Americans prior to the arrival of European colonists. This video provides an overview of pre-Columbian America, with particular regard to the the colonization efforts of...
Crash Course
Civil Rights and the 1950s
Take a closer look at "one of the most important periods of American social history: the 1950s," as well as the type of society that the civil rights movement would endeavor to change. This engaging video begins by detailing the era of...
Crash Course
The Cold War
How did the United States and the USSR seek ideological and strategic influence throughout the world during the Cold War? This video details the Soviet's creation of pro-communist governments in surrounding nations following World War II...
Crash Course
Progressive Presidents
Discover the motivations and policies of progressive presidents Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, and Woodrow Wilson in the United States at the turn of the twentieth century. The video discusses how the presidents handled the domestic...
Khan Academy
Introduction to the FAFSA
As many of our young learners prepare for their college education, introduce them to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a rubric for determining an estimated family contribution for a college education. The...
Khan Academy
SOPA and PIPA
Your learners will be very interested to learn about the Stop Online Piracy Act and how copyright infringement was challenged by a bill introduced into the United States Congress in 2012. The video provides an overview of the the bill's...
Khan Academy
Illinois Pension Obligations
Impress upon your young citizens and economists the issues at stake with underfunded pension plans, which are projected to cut into very important areas of investment, such as education, in order to fund the appropriate liabilities. This...
Khan Academy
Pension Obligations
Discover the major implications of pensions on the current financial condition of many states in the United States. This video walks through a detailed comparison of a defined benefit plan versus a contribution plan,...
Khan Academy
PPACA or "Obamacare"
Using illustrations and sample figures, this video very clearly explains the arguments for and against components of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, such as the controversial issue of an individual mandate and how pre-existing...
Khan Academy
The Fiscal Cliff
What is the fiscal cliff, what does it imply, and why are some people fearful of it? This video uses President Obama's proposed budget proposal of 2013 and that of republicans to provide a context for understanding the fiscal cliff. The...
Khan Academy
More Fiscal Cliff Analysis
Continuing from a previous video explaining the various budgetary proposals of 2013 in the United States, this video illustrates a more in-depth analysis of the fiscal cliff. It reviews complex concepts such as the pros and cons of...
Khan Academy
Primaries and Caucuses
What is the difference between a primary and a caucus? Why does the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary get so much attention? Watch as this presenter explains this detailed and varied process of electing candidates that will head to a...
Khan Academy
Social Security Intro
Here is an excellent breakdown of what Social Security is in the United States, including its purpose, benefactors, sources of income, and areas of investment. The video compares a traditional retirement account with Social Security, and...
Khan Academy
Government's Financial Condition
What goes into accounting the United States budget deficits and its net operating costs? How do shifts in the economy affect government spending? How is increasing interest projected to affect our federal debt in the future? This video...
Khan Academy
FICA Tax
What is the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) tax's connection to Social Security and Medicare, and what are the differences in how are individuals in the United States are taxed relative to their income? This video provides...
Crash Course
Obamanation
Invite your learners to review the major objectives and policies enacted thus far into the presidency of Barack Obama in the United States. John Green begins by providing an overview of the recession of 2008 and the subprime mortgage...
Crash Course
The Clinton Years, or the 1990s
If you're short on time toward the end of the school year but would like to give your class a thorough overview of the United States in the 1990s, check out this detailed and entertaining review. The video reviews everything from...
Crash Course
George HW Bush and the End of the Cold War
John Green provides a fantastic summary of the presidency of George HW Bush, reviewing the president's background experience in the United Nations and the CIA, the presidential election of 1988, foreign policy implications after the end...
Crash Course
The Reagan Revolution
Viewers learn about Ronald Reagan's conservative platform, abilities as a communicator, and implementation of trickle-down economics. The video places a heavy emphasis on major economic shifts of the period and the lasting effects of...
Crash Course
The Rise of Conservatism
Check out this fascinating, in-depth look at the rise of conservatism in the United States during the 1960s. The narrator discusses increased support for unregulated capitalism and individual autonomy, reaction to what appeared to be a...
Crash Course
The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism
Check out this entertaining, speedy, and highly informative overview of the founding stages of the United States government. The video includes a detailed discussion of the limitations of the Articles of Confederation, the eventual...
Crash Course
The Civil War, Part 2
Did Lincoln free the slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation? What were motivations behind issuing the document? How does the Civil War and the way we remember it still shape the world today? Delve into these questions with a video...
Crash Course
Where US Politics Came From
After the passage of the United States Constitution, the founding fathers faced a difficult question: What kind of country should we be? How democratic should we be, and much free speech should we have? Discover the different visions...
Crash Course
The Market Revolution
Discover what John Green describes as "one of the least studied but most interesting periods in American history: the Market Revolution." The video details the nation's shift from the Jeffersonian ideal of Americans producing for...