Wonderscape
Cesar Chavez and the Fight for Safe Working Conditions
This video highlights Cesar Chavez's efforts to secure safer working conditions for farm laborers in California during the 1960s, focusing on the dangers of pesticide exposure. Learn about the historic strike and collaboration between...
Wonderscape
The War of the Worlds Panic and the Truth About Van Gogh's Ear
Discover how Orson Welles' 1938 "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast caused widespread panic, convincing many Americans of an alien invasion. Learn the real story behind Vincent van Gogh’s famous ear incident, exploring the myths and...
Wonderscape
Debunking Myths: Columbus, Leif Erikson, and the First Thanksgiving
Explore the true stories behind Christopher Columbus, Leif Erikson, and the first Thanksgiving. Learn why Columbus didn’t actually discover America, how Leif Erikson reached North America 500 years earlier, and the realities of the...
Wonderscape
The Case for Reparations: Addressing Historical Injustices for Black Americans
Explore the long-standing debate on reparations for the descendants of enslaved Black people in the United States. Learn about historical examples, such as payments to Japanese Americans and Holocaust survivors, and modern efforts like...
Wonderscape
Challenges of the American Dream for Black Men in the U.S.
Examine the disparities faced by Black men in America in pursuit of the American Dream. Learn about the impact of public policies, particularly within the criminal justice system, and how these have contributed to inequalities. Explore...
Wonderscape
The Ongoing Debate Around Gerrymandering and Redistricting
This video discusses how some states are addressing gerrymandering by using non-political entities for redistricting. It covers the 2019 Supreme Court case Rucho v. Common Cause, which ruled partisan gerrymandering claims outside the...
Wonderscape
Obstacles to Black Voting Rights in U.S. History
This video explores the history of voter suppression tactics used against Black voters in the United States, from the Three-Fifths Compromise to Jim Crow laws, poll taxes, and literacy tests. Learn about the barriers Black voters faced...
Wonderscape
The Struggle for Black Land Ownership in America
Learn about the early history of Black land ownership in America, starting with Anthony Johnson, the first recorded Black landowner. Explore the impact of Special Field Order 15, the reversal of promises of "40 acres and a mule," and the...
Wonderscape
Paul Revere’s Ride: Separating Fact from Fiction
This video explores the real story behind Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride, debunking myths popularized by Longfellow’s poem. Viewers learn that Revere wasn’t alone, didn’t shout “The British are coming,” and didn’t reach Concord....
Wonderscape
The Louisiana Purchase and the Corps of Discovery
Learn about the monumental Louisiana Purchase made by President Thomas Jefferson in 1803, which doubled the size of the United States. Discover how this land acquisition led to the historic expedition of Lewis and Clark and their Corps...
Wonderscape
The Founding Fathers and the Creation of the US Constitution
This video explains how the founding fathers met in 1787 to create the US Constitution, establishing the government's three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. It introduces the concepts of separation of powers and checks and...
Wonderscape
Kamala Harris: Breaking Barriers in Law and Politics
This video highlights Kamala Harris's groundbreaking career, from becoming California's first Black and Asian American District Attorney to her tenure as the state’s Attorney General. Kamala's fight for justice, refusal to back down from...
Wonderscape
The Causes of the War of 1812: Trade Disputes and Impressment
This video explores the key causes of the War of 1812, including British impressment of American sailors and conflicts over trade between the United States, Britain, and France. Learn about the Embargo Act, the Non-Intercourse Act, and...
Wonderscape
The Events of Bloody Sunday in Selma
This video recounts the events of Bloody Sunday on March 7, 1965, when 600 peaceful marchers led by John Lewis attempted to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. State troopers violently confronted the group, using tear gas...
Wonderscape
The Establishment of the Judicial Branch
Discover how the judicial branch of the United States was created following the Revolutionary War. Learn how the Constitution established the Supreme Court and how Congress shaped the structure of the judicial system, including the...
Wonderscape
The Formation of the Legislative Branch
Learn how the founding fathers established the United States government after the Revolutionary War, creating three separate branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. Discover how Congress, made up of the House of Representatives...
Wonderscape
Kamala Harris: From Presidential Candidate to Historic Vice President
This video chronicles Kamala Harris's journey from her 2020 presidential campaign to becoming the first woman, Black American, and Asian American Vice President of the United States. Despite setbacks, Harris has continued to fight for...
Curated Video
Wins and Struggles of a Female Soldier in the American Revolution
Deborah Sampson, one of the earliest women to enlist in the Continental Army, disguised herself as a man to serve during the American Revolution. Despite being discovered once and facing rejection from her church, she re-enlisted and...
Curated Video
A Life Devoted to Love and Inventions
Corradino D'Ascanio married Paola Paolini, a musician from a wealthy family, in 1917. Their relationship was marked by deep love and creative communication, like his invention of a telephone system to speak with her secretly. Despite...
Brainwaves Video Anthology
Greg Robinson - By Order of the President: FDR and the Internment of Japanese Americans
Greg Robinson, a professor of history at the Université du Québec à Montréal, discusses his book "By Order of the President: FDR and the Internment of Japanese Americans." Robinson's interest in the topic began while researching at the...
Curated Video
How Did Little Caesar's Become a Big Big Pizza Chain?
Weird History Food has got a Hot-n-Ready pizza video on Little Caesar's waiting for you. The company was started in the late 60s by Mike Illitch who took Little Ceasar's from a small mom-and-pop pizza parlor to a global phenomenon. Grab...
Curated Video
Why Isn't The Best Burger Stand a Nationwide Chain?
Weird History is ordering a Double Double telling you the History of In-n-Out Burger. The famous burger chain was founded by Harry and Esther Snyder. Harry first visited a local market to buy fresh ingredients for his 10-square-foot-wide...
Curated Video
How Benihana's Founder Rocky Aoki Lived Life On the Edge
Weird History Food will flip a shrimp tail in your pocket as we discover the History of Benihana. The Benihana restaurant chain was founded by Hiroaki "Rocky" Aoki, part entrepreneur, and part daredevil. We'll follow this iconic hibachi...
Weird History
Why Don't Americans Use the Metric System?
If you grew up in the United States, you probably learned the United States Customary System (USCS) for weights and measures. USCS terms like inches, feet, pounds, and miles are derived from the British Imperial System, steeped in a long...