National Constitution Center
Supreme Court Spotlight: Dred Scott v. Sandford
Life was precarious for free and enslaved African Americans, as demonstrated by the tragic Dred Scott decision. The Supreme Court case not only denied an enslaved man's petition for freedom, but also claimed that African Americans—free...
National Constitution Center
14th Amendment with Jeffrey Rosen
What makes the Fourteenth Amendment relevant to today's America? Jeffrey Rosen, president of the National Constitution Center, attempts to answer the question by walking through the clauses of the Reconstruction-era amendment. Due...
National Constitution Center
Classroom Discussion Starter: Freedom from Excessive Punishment
You are the governor of your state. A man has been sentenced to die for first degree murder, but you've been asked to commute the sentence. What do you do? Scholars consider the difficult question using a conversation starter video that...
National Constitution Center
14th Amendment with Tomiko Brown-Nagin
What do marriage equality, protection from racial discrimination, and protection from gender-based discrimination have in common? According to Harvard professor Tomiko Brown-Nagin, the Fourteenth Amendment protects all Americans in these...
TED-Ed
The Psychology of Listicles
Are listicles a satisfying intellectual treat? Or do they ruin the capacity of the mind? While learners may enjoy lists that run the gamut from politics to cute animals, experts unpack the psychology of what makes these tidbits of...
The Great War
Josip Broz Tito in World War 1
While Josip Broz Tito was the father of Yugoslavia, his service in some of the most gory moments of World War I shaped his world view. Tito's time in the army—fighting for Austria-Hungary—made him a critic of the monarchy and...
British Council
London 1: Piece by Piece
How has London changed since the time of Shakespeare? Using a video and series of activities, part of the Shakespeare English Exercises series, English language learners discover a bit about the town that inspired Shakespeare's...
Macat
An Introduction to Lave and Wenger's Situated Learning
Learning begins with observation. A video summary of Lave and Wegner's Situated Learning discusses the importance of observation and apprenticeship in learning as part of a larger playlist on the world's greatest ideas. The video...
Macat
An Introduction to Herrnstein and Murray’s The Bell Curve
What role does intelligence play in a person's life? A playlist about the world's greatest ideas contains a video summary of "The Bell Curve" by Herrnstein and Murray, which summarizes the view that intelligence plays a large role in...
Macat
An Introduction to Alexander Hamilton's The Federalist Papers
Although three men wrote The Federalist Papers, over half of the 85 documents were written by one man—Alexander Hamilton. Part of a larger playlist on the world's greatest ideas, a video summary of Alexander Hamilton's The...
Macat
An Introduction to Albert Hourani's A History of the Arab Peoples
The Middle East is known for its unique culture and often divisive cultural boundaries. A video summary, part of the an intriguing playlist about the world's greatest ideas, discusses how Arab civilization and culture has developed over...
Macat
An Introduction to Von Neumann and Morgenstern’s Theory of Games
How are economic behavior and games of strategy connected? A video summary of Theory of Games by Von Neumann and Morgenstern discusses the concept of game theory. The installment of a larger playlist covering the world's greatest ideas...
Macat
An Introduction to Elizabeth Anscombe’s Modern Moral Philosophy
Does moral obligation only make sense in the presence of divine authority? A video summary of "Modern Moral Philosophy" by Elizabeth Anscombe, part of a larger playlist about the world's greatest ideas, provides an overview of a newer...
Macat
An Introduction to Tversky and Kahneman’s Judgment under Uncertainty
Many factors determine a person's ability to make good decisions. A video summary of Judgment under Uncertainty by Tversky and Kahneman discusses the idea that mental shortcuts can lead errors in judgment. The portion of a...
Macat
An Introduction to John Kotter's Leading Change
Why are some businesses able to weather change while others fail? A video summary of Leading Change by John Kotter explains the importance of constantly reorganizing a business from the ground up. Part of a larger playlist on the...
Macat
An Introduction to Gottfredson and Hirschi's A General Theory of Crime
Parents who fail to discipline their children may be raising criminals. A video summary of A General Theory of Crime by Gottfredson and Hirschi, part of a larger playlist on the world's greatest ideas, presents the notion that...
Macat
An Introduction to Milton Friedman's The Role of Monetary Policy
What effect does increasing the money supply have on the economy? A video summary of The Role of Monetary Policy by Milton Friedman, part of a larger playlist on the world's greatest ideas, discusses the problems that might arise...
Macat
An Introduction to Robert Dahl's Democracy and Its Critics
In the words of Abraham Lincoln, "Government of the people, for the people, and by the people shall not perish from the Earth." A video summary of Robert Dahl's Democracy and Its Critics, part of a larger playlist on the world's greatest...
Macat
An Introduction to Robert Dahl's Who Governs
In the world of politics, access to resources often determines who holds the power. A video summary of Who Governs? by Robert Dahl shares Dahl's theories about political power and influence based on his study of a local community....
Macat
An Introduction to Ernst Kantorowicz's The Kings Two Bodies
Long live the king! A video summary of The King's Two Bodies by Ernst Kantorowicz discusses political theology during the medieval period and how body politics could survive the body natural. The video uses illustrations and clear...
Macat
An Introduction to Ernst Gellner’s Nations and Nationalism
Does a nation define a culture or members of a single political unit? A video summary of Ernst Gellner's Nations and Nationalism, part of a larger playlist about the world's greatest ideas, shares Gellner's definitions of nations and...
Macat
An Introduction to Arjun Appadurai's Modernity at Large
How does St. Patrick's Day connect to cultural globalization? A video summary of Arjun Appadurai's Modernity at Large, part of the a larger playlist, discusses how new cultures have been created around the globe. Through graphics...
Crash Course
Selma
The 2014 film Selma is the focus of a film criticism video. The narrator examines how director Ava DuVernay brought to the screen the story of the voting rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama and how she uses...
Federal Reserve Bank
The Fed Explains Inflation
What makes an item change price over time? Inflation is the obvious answer, but it's not always the correct explanation. High schoolers watch a short, illustrative video about inflation and other causes of price change, as well as the...