Brainwaves Video Anthology
H.W. Brands - America First: Roosevelt vs Lindbergh in the Shadow of War
H.W. Brands shares that the teacher who had the most influence on his career was his ninth-grade history teacher, Joe DeJardin. Though he didn’t realize it at the time, DeJardin's radical experiment deeply shaped his path. He split the...
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Queen Charlotte: England's First Black Queen? With Facial Re-Creations
In this video, we explore the life and appearance of Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, and address the longstanding debate over whether she was biracial. From her early life in a small German duchy to her arrival in England as...
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The Thirteen Colonies: 1607 - 1763
Over 200 years, British settlers successfully founded the Thirteen Colonies, driven by desires for religious freedom, self-governance, and economic opportunities.
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Constitutional Convention
From the Albany Congress to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, this timeline explores the critical events that shaped the creation of the United States Constitution.
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The Monroe Doctrine
In 1823, President James Monroe redefined U.S. foreign policy with a three-paragraph addition to his State of the Union address. The Monroe Doctrine ultimately led to a new era of U.S. imperialism.
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The Seven Years' War: the First Global War
In 1756, Great Britain and France went to war for control of land, resources and global influence. The Seven Years’ War was the first truly global conflict, marked by major events across five continents.
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Europe and North America: 1620-1763
The period from 1620 to 1763 was a pivotal era that defined the relationship between Europe and North America. In this timeline video, learn how events in Europe influenced the colonization of North America and eventually solidified...
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The French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was a bloody struggle between Britain and France for control over North America. It created the conditions for the American Revolution.
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Common Sense
Published in 1776, Thomas Paine's 47-page pamphlet, "Common Sense", sold hundreds of thousands of copies across the colonies. By employing relatable language and Biblical references, it rallied many to the cause of American independence.
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The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act of 1765 imposed the first direct British tax on American colonists, igniting widespread protest and setting the stage for rebellion.
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The Coercive Acts
Learn how Britain's Coercive Acts, aimed at punishing Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party, encouraged rebellion in the Thirteen Colonies.
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The Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts of 1767-68 imposed heavy taxes on American colonists, sparking widespread protests and setting the stage for the American Revolution.
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The Navigation Acts
The Navigation Acts were a series of trade laws passed by the British Parliament in the 1600s. Learn about how they fuelled discontent in the Thirteen Colonies, setting the stage for the American Revolution.
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The Economic Impact of the American Revolution
The American Revolution cost lives, livelihoods and millions of dollars in cold, hard cash. So how did the fledgling United States generate funds, and what impact did the war have on the U.S. economy?
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The Berlin Airlift
The Berlin Airlift of 1948-49 overcame the Soviet blockade of Allied-controlled West Berlin and demonstrated that democratic nations could combat the spread of Communism by working together.
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Burning of Washington
In 1814, during the War of 1812, British forces attacked Washington D.C., burning the White House and the Capitol, an act that galvanized American resilience.
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Women in the Revolutionary War
Women in the Revolutionary War did more than manage the homefront – they spied, wrote influential works, and fought for future rights.
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Causes of the War of 1812
The War of 1812 pitted the fledgling United States against Great Britain in a second war of independence. But what factors influenced Congress’ contentious decision to declare war in the first place?
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Europe and the American Revolution
The American Revolution wasn’t just a fight between American colonists and Great Britain. France, Spain, and the Netherlands backed the rebels through financial and military assistance.
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The XYZ Affair
The controversial XYZ Affair escalated tensions between the U.S. and France in the 1700s, leading to naval confrontations at sea and a crisis of democracy in the United States.
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Boston Massacre
Tensions between colonists and Great Britain exploded with the Boston Massacre of 1770. The deaths of five men, alongside John Adams’ landmark defense of the British soldiers, helped sow the seeds of rebellion across the colonies.
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The Seven Years' War: Britain and France Fight for Power
Fought between 1756 and 1763, the Seven Years' War was the first truly global conflict. In this video, learn about how the war reshaped power dynamics between Great Britain and France.
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The Sons and Daughters of Liberty
In 1765, two secretive groups formed in Boston, Massachusetts to resist rising British taxes. The Sons and Daughters of Liberty forced the repeal of the Stamp Act and lit the spark of colonial independence.
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Independence Day
The Fourth of July marks the transformation of the 13 colonies into a free and independent United States.