Makematic
Geography of the 13 Colonies
The European colonization of North America was largely influenced by geography. In the New England, Middle and Southern Colonies, the land and conditions varied. So how did settlers take advantage of their environments to establish the...
Makematic
Slavery in the Colonies
Liberty is a founding principle of the United States, but many of the people who helped build the North American colonies were not free. The resilience of enslaved people and their contributions to what would become the United States...
Makematic
The Slave Trade
The Triangular Trade was a complex system of human trafficking spanning three continents. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, it saw millions of Africans transported to the Americas.
Makematic
English Explorers
Explorers like John Cabot, Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Drake played pivotal roles in England's exploration of North America, laying the foundations for settlements that would ultimately dispossess countless Indigenous Peoples.
Makematic
The Southern Colonies
What was life like in the Southern Colonies? Explore this region’s unique history, from the founding of Jamestown to their complex social, political and economic legacy.
Makematic
Jamestown
In 1607, settlers founded Jamestown, the first English colony in North America. Its emphasis on democracy influenced the founding principles of the United States.
Makematic
Colonial Williamsburg
A restored and reconstructed 18th century city, Colonial Williamsburg recreates many of the sights, sounds, and smells of colonial life. But what was its significance in revolutionary Virginia?
Makematic
The Raid on Harpers Ferry
Abolitionist John Brown viewed the fight against slavery as a holy endeavor that could only be won through violence. His raid on Harpers Ferry was an attempt to spark a mass uprising of enslaved people across the South.
Makematic
The Assassination of President Lincoln
The assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth was part of a conspiracy to overthrow the U.S. government. Lincoln’s death united the nation in grief and set the stage for a tumultuous Reconstruction era.
Makematic
Enslaved African Americans in the Revolution
At the time of the American Revolution, enslaved Africans made up a fifth of the population of the Thirteen Colonies. Though they were initially barred from taking part in the war, eventually thousands did. But what part did they play...
Makematic
Bacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion, a violent conflict between Virginia's poor working class and wealthy elite, had far-reaching consequences in North America.
Makematic
James Madison's Legacy
James Madison is known as the “Father of the Constitution” – but he was so much more than that. As author of the Virginia Plan and the Bill of Rights, his political genius proved vital in the founding of our nation.
Makematic
Nat Turner’s Rebellion
Nat Turner’s Rebellion was the deadliest slave uprising in U.S. history. By shattering the illusory peace of the Southern states, it led to restrictive new laws that codified slavery across the U.S.
Curated Video
The Jamestown Massacre 1622 | English - Powhatan Wars
The video covers events since the founding of Jamestown in 1607 in the English Colony of Virginia and Powhatan Confederacy territory until the Jamestown massacre of 1622. It shows the ralationship between the Native Americans of the...
Curated Video
Why The United States Has Two Carolinas: North Carolina And South Carolina
North Carolina and South Carolina. Two states that began their life as a single province and colony of England. So how did we end up with two states that share a single connected piece of land? Well, as with the Dakotas, it boils down...
Curated Video
Why The United States Has Two Virginias: Virginia and West Virginia
Virginia and West Virginia: two states with basically the same name, existing right next to each other, but with completely independent state governments, laws and, today, even political leanings. But at one point, these two states were...
Weird History
Bizarre Geography Facts From Around the World
We learn about geography in school. We have a basic understanding, or at least we should, of where places are, how they got there, and why they are that way. We piece together an image of the world in our heads based on maps and globes,...
Curated Video
Robert E. Lee For Kids
Learn about Robert E. Lee, the skilled Confederate general of the American Civil War.
Bedtime History
George Washington's Childhood - For Kids
Learn about George Washington's childhood in Virginia leading up to his service in the French and Indian War.
Bedtime History
George Washington and The French and Indian War - For Kids
Learn about George Washington's service in the French and Indian War.
Curated Video
George Washington and Mount Vernon For Kids | Bedtime History
Learn about George Washington's years at his plantation and estate in Virginia called Mount Vernon.
Wonderscape
Katherine Johnson: NASA's Hidden Figure and Math Genius
Discover the story of Katherine Johnson, a pioneering mathematician who broke racial and gender barriers at NASA. Learn how her calculations made space missions possible, including John Glenn's historic orbit and the early space shuttle...
Wonderscape
Racial and Prison Gerrymandering: Impact on Minority Voters
This video explains how racial and prison gerrymandering affect minority communities' political representation. Learn about cases like North Carolina's 2011 map and Virginia's redistricting case, as well as the concept of prison-based...
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...