TED Talks
Alexis Ohanian: How to make a splash in social media
In a funny, rapid-fire 4 minutes, Alexis Ohanian of Reddit tells the real-life fable of one humpback whale's rise to web stardom. The lesson of Mister Splashy Pants is a shoo-in classic for meme-makers and marketers in the Facebook age.
Crash Course
Congressional Decisions: Crash Course Government and Politics
This week Craig breaks out the crystal ball to try and figure out why our congresspeople do the things that they do. We’ll talk about the three motivating factors of congressional decisions - constituency, interest groups, and political...
SciShow
What Honeybees Can Teach Us About Democracy
Hank fills us in on the democratic ways of the honeybee and makes a request for more interpretive dance in our own political systems.
TED Talks
TED: The surprising spread of Idol TV | Cynthia Schneider
Cynthia Schneider looks at two international "American Idol"-style shows -- one in Afghanistan, and one in the United Arab Emirates -- and shows the surprising effect that these reality-TV competitions are creating in their societies.
Curated Video
Voting Systems and the Condorcet Paradox
What is the best voting system? Voting seems relatively straightforward, yet four of the most widely used voting systems can produce four completely different winners.
TED Talks
An election system that puts voters (not politicians) first | Amber McReynolds
From hours-long lines and limited polling locations to confusing and discriminatory registration policies, why is it so hard to vote in the US? Voting rights expert Amber McReynolds offers a proven alternative: a new process, already...
TED Talks
Tiana Epps-Johnson: What's needed to bring the US voting system into the 21st century
The American election system is complicated, to say the least -- but voting is one of the most tangible ways that each of us can shape our communities. How can we make the system more modern, inclusive and secure? Civic engagement...
Crash Course
Election Basics: Crash Course Government and Politics
This week Craig is going to give you a broad overview of elections in the United States. So as you may have noticed, there are kind of a lot of people in the U.S, and holding individual issues up to a public vote doesn't seem...
TED Talks
TED: An election redesign to restore trust in US democracy | Tiana Epps-Johnson
Election infrastructure in the United States is crumbling, says technologist Tiana Epps-Johnson, and, even worse, election officials are increasingly being attacked simply for doing their jobs. How can the country rebuild trust in its...
Crash Course
Introduction: Crash Course U.S. Government and Politics
In which Craig Benzine introduces a brand new Crash Course about U.S. Government and Politics! This course will provide you with an overview of how the government of the United States is supposed to function, and we'll get into how it...
TED Talks
TED: US politics isn't broken. It's fixed | Katherine M. Gehl
The "broken" US political system is actually working exactly as designed, says business leader and activist Katherine Gehl. Examining the system through a nonpartisan lens, she makes the case for voting innovations, already implemented...
Curated Video
Election Basics: Crash Course Government and Politics
This week Craig is going to give you a broad overview of elections in the United States. So as you may have noticed, there are kind of a lot of people in the U.S, and holding individual issues up to a public vote doesn't seem...
Crash Course
How Voters Decide: Crash Course Government and Politics
So today, Craig is going to try to get inside the heads of voters by discussing how voters make decisions. Now obviously, like all decision making, voter decisions are influenced by a multitude of factors, but the three we are going to...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The rise of modern populism | Takis S. Pappas
In many democratic countries, charismatic leaders vilify political opponents, disparage institutions, and claim to be for the people. Some critics label this approach as authoritarian or fascist, while others argue that these leaders are...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: How one journalist risked her life to hold murderers accountable - Christina Greer
Ida B. Wells was an investigative journalist, civil rights leader, and anti-lynching advocate who fought for equality and justice. -- In the late 1800’s, lynchings were happening all over the American South, often without any...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The fight for the right to vote in the United States - Nicki Beaman Griffin
In the United States today, if you are over eighteen, a citizen, and the resident of a state, you can vote (with some exceptions). So, how have voting rights changed since the first election in 1789? Nicki Beaman Griffin outlines the...
Curated Video
The Miss Digital World Beauty Pageant: Creating Perfect Women in a Digital Age
The Miss Digital World Beauty Pageant is a groundbreaking competition that celebrates the beauty and creativity of digitally created women. With over 3,600 entries from artists worldwide, the winner, Kadiko, designed by Flavio Para from...
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Britannica Insights: U.S. Elections
Learn more about suffrage, the expansion of the electorate, and the importance of voting in elections in this interview with Iona College political science professor Dr. Jeanne Sheehan Zaino.
Wonderscape
Filibusters: Stalling Tactics in the Senate
This video explains the concept of filibusters in the United States Senate. It covers how senators use filibustering to delay or block bills, the historical background of the tactic, and the role of cloture in ending debates. Learn about...
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 Role and History of the Electoral College
Learn how the Electoral College works, where electors cast their votes based on the popular vote of their state. Discover how the 1787 Constitutional Convention created the system as a compromise, allowing both large and small states to...
Wonderscape
The Importance of Voting in U.S. Elections
This video explores the significance of voting in the United States and highlights the long struggle for voting rights for women, Black Americans, and Native Americans. It explains the different types of elections at the federal, state,...
Wonderscape
The Official Selma to Montgomery March of 1965
This video covers the historic third march from Selma to Montgomery on March 21, 1965, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. With protection from the National Guard, over 3,000 marchers set out on a 54-mile journey that grew to 25,000 people...
Wonderscape
The Twenty-Fourth Amendment: Ending Poll Taxes in Voting
This video explores the Twenty-Fourth Amendment, ratified in 1964, which abolished poll taxes as a requirement for voting in federal elections. Learn how this amendment was a key victory of the Civil Rights movement, aimed at removing...