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U.S. Settlement: Growth and Conflict
The mid-1800s saw diverse groups moving into the American interior. While this fueled U.S. growth, it also displaced Indigenous peoples, whose struggles continue today.
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The Gadsden Purchase
In 1853, the United States paid Mexico $10 million for less than 30,000 square miles of land, facilitating the completion of a Southern transcontinental railroad and decades of economic growth.
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Directions
How do we get from A to B? Cardinal and intermediate directions are a tool in geography that help us navigate the world around us.
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The First Great Migration
The Great Migration saw over a million African Americans relocate from the South to urban areas in the North, sparking significant cultural and social change.
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The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was an unprecedented flourishing of African-American culture and creativity in 1920s New York. It fostered a newfound sense of Black pride and identity, which extended far beyond the confines of Harlem.
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The Mexican-American War
The Mexican-American War saw the U.S. and Mexico fight over Texas between 1846 and 1848, leading to significant territorial changes and setting the stage for future conflicts.
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13th Amendment
The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States in 1865. But it was just the beginning of a long fight for equality and civil rights.
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Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 allowed territories to decide on slavery through popular sovereignty, escalating tensions that led to the Civil War.
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Slavery in the United States: 1619-1820
Between 1619 and 1820, slavery shaped America, driving economic growth while deepening divisions between North and South, highlighting a stark contradiction in the nation’s ideals.
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Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott's fight for freedom led to a Supreme Court decision that denied citizenship to Black Americans, fuelling tensions that contributed to the Civil War.
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Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was designed to maintain a delicate balance of power in Congress between slave states and free states. But how did it come about, what did it mean and how did it contribute to the US Civil War?
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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.
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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.
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The Impact of the Civil War
On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter, South Carolina, marking the explosive start of the Civil War. The conflict led to short-lived progress and long-term struggles for true racial equality.
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Juneteenth
Every year on June 19th, the United States celebrates the end of slavery. In this video, learn about the history and meaning of Juneteenth.
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The Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 gave the federal government new powers to capture and return escaped enslaved people, but its failures intensified divisions between Northern and Southern states.
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African Americans and Indigenous Peoples in the U.S. Civil War
The American Civil War wasn’t just a fight between North and South, it also involved Indigenous Peoples and African Americans, whose motivations for joining the fight had contrasting results.
Brainwaves Video Anthology
Roberta Senechal de la Roche - In Lincoln’s Shadow: The 1908 Race Riot in Springfield, Illinois
Roberta Senechal de la Roche, a retired historian and sociologist from Washington and Lee University, specialized in studying collective violence. Her first major publication, originally titled The Sociogenesis of a Race Riot, was later...
PBS
Where Are You REALLY From? Black Migrations and Immigration, Explained
Human migration is a tale as old as time, but how has that impacted Black culture here in the U.S.? Hallease and Evelyn explore how the movement of Black folks has created icons from James Baldwin to Nipsey Hussle.
PBS
Is 'Old Town Road' by Lil Nas X real country music? (feat. Blanco Brown)
It’s often been said that music is a universal language. So why was “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X initially removed from the country Billboard charts? Hallease and Evelyn use this hit record to talk about the business of music and how it...
PBS
Black Republicans: They Exist(ed)
Did Republicans lead the charge in electing Black politicians? We don’t need to know who you’re voting for but we are interested in how the end of the Civil War meant the start of Black people in US Government and the resilience required...
The Business Professor
Addressing Others in Organization - Business Etiquette
Addressing Others in Organization - Business Etiquette
Curated Video
Why So Few Americans Live Along The Mississippi River, Especially In The South
The Mighty Mississippi is truly one of the mighty rivers of the world. And like other mighty rivers, it has become an integral part of the land, people, and country it exists within. However, unlike other major rivers in the world such...
Curated Video
Why The Vast Majority Of All Chileans Live Near Its Capital
Chile is the world's longest and narrowest country. And squished in between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountain range is 19.5 million people. But despite being a large (if skinny) country, the vast majority of Chileans live within...