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Turning Points - The Beginning of the End

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The battles at Vicksburg and Gettysburg turned the war in favor of the North and marked the beginning of the end for the South. This video analyzes these battles and the strategic and psychological effects of the Union victories. When watching the video, consider what happened at the battle of Vicksburg? Why was this victory so important to the Union? What happened at the battle of Gettysburg? Why did General Lee engage the Union forces there? Why did Lee fail? What was the significance of the Union victory there?

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

"...Like a Fire-Bell in the Night"

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At the end of the War of 1812, most Americans seemed to feel good about the state of the nation and ready to move forward with nationalistic policies. The promise of the West allowed the United States to postpone a day of reckoning about the expansion of slavery, but this sectional issue set off a "fire-bell in the night," warning of danger ahead. The issue of slavery disturbed the "era of good feelings" and threatened the future of the expanding United States.

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

Tecumseh

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The Indian leader Tecumseh posed a threat to the white man's advance into Indian lands. Tecumseh's leadership, his alliance with the British in the War of 1812, and the consequences of that war for American Indians are analyzed in this video. When watching the video, consider who was Tecumseh? Why did the United States consider him to be a threat? What actions had William Henry Harrison and the United States taken against him and other Indians prior to the outbreak of the War of 1812?

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

We Proceeded On

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Shortly after securing the Louisiana Territory, Thomas Jefferson proceeded with his plan to send Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on an expedition to explore the West. The Lewis and Clark expedition provided the nation with a glimpse of the wonder and promise of the vast new territory. This video describes Thomas Jefferson's pursuit of an "Empire of Liberty" in the West, from the Louisiana Purchase through the Lewis and Clark Expedition, including the reasons for the journey's success and its consequences.

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

The First Generation

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The generation that inherited the American Revolution came of age during the first half of the nineteenth century. When watching the video, consider what were the possibilities, opportunities, and challenges that influenced this generation's role in shaping American history?

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

Manifest Destiny?

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The year 1848 provides a useful time to pause and reflect on how and why the United States had taken shape during the first half of the nineteenth century. Just as the geographic boundaries of the United States had changed, the boundaries of American freedom and identity were also being redrawn.

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

The U.S.—Mexican War

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This video analyzes the U.S.-Mexican War that began in 1846 after provocations on the Texas border by examining both sides of the debate about who started the war and why, the reasons for the United States victory, and the consequences of the war. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, ended the U.S.-Mexican War, but it would do far more than just end the war. The immediate and long-term consequences of both the Treaty and the War are discussed.

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

Disputed Territories - We Must Have Texas

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This video examines the tensions between the Mexican government and Anglo settlers in Texas, the subsequent battle for Texas's independence, and the eight-year debate over whether the resulting Republic should be annexed by the United States. When watching the video, consider why and how did the Mexican government recruit Anglo-Americans to Texas? Why did Texans revolt against Mexico? How were they able to win independence?

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

Disputed Territories - Oregon Fever

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As the western movement of American settlers increased in the 1840s, the northwest territory of Oregon came into dispute. Oregon Fever examines the root causes and ultimate resolution of that dispute. When watching the video, consider why did Americans want to go to Oregon? How did they get there? What hardships did they endure in migrating? What did the settlers find when they got there? How did men and women cope with the conditions?

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

A Missionary Impulse

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The concept that America was destined by Providence to expand its territory across the continent is known as "Manifest Destiny," a concept that provided an "ideological shield" for American westward expansion in the 1840s. As you watch the video, consider what were the consequences of this idea? How are concepts conveyed by the term linked backward and forward in American history?

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

"...A Restorer of Truth and Goodness"

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Like those coming before and after, the social reformers of the mid-nineteenth century faced real limits when trying to implement their visions of a perfect America. However, they did illustrate what was needed to bring about social change, and they inspired later generations to continue the pursuit of an American dream. The cultural, religious, and social reform movements of the early and mid-nineteenth century shaped America. When you watch the video, consider what were the effects of these movements and what do they teach us about social change?

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

A Better Way of Life - Ar'n't I a Woman?

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The abolition movement gave new spirit, energy, and resolve to those who believed women should be equal to men. Ar'n't I a Woman? analyzes the beginning of an independent women's rights movement and the reforms advocated by these activists. When watching the video, consider how and why did the women's rights movement evolve from other reform movements? Who were the prominent women's rights advocates?

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

A Better Way of Life - An Affront in the Eyes of God

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The call for immediate emancipation of slaves was a radical idea that spread rapidly in the North from the 1830s through the 1850s. An Affront in the Eyes of God analyzes how and why this happened and why it was important. When watching the video, consider how and why did the antislavery movement become more radical in the 1830s and 1840s? What roles did William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass play in the movement? What did their working relationship illustrate?

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

A Better Way of Life - I am the Revelation

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This video discusses how and why women became important in reform movements during the early and mid-nineteenth century. When watching the video, consider how is the religious enthusiasm present in the early and mid-nineteenth century connected to social reform movements of the era? Why do women emerge as reformers? How do Catherine Beecher and Dorothea Dix represent this? What explains the emergence of the temperance movement?

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

Paradise on Earth

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In the early nineteenth century, the search for religious perfectionism swept the country. Amidst the religious ferment, many new religions were formed. Paradise on Earth examines the origins, practices, and eventual demise of the Shaker religious commune and also the Mormons and their attempts to practice their beliefs. When watching the video, consider what is meant by the Second Great Awakening? How did it start and why did it spread?

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

A Free Labor Economy

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In the midst of all these changes, a free-labor economy emerged in the North and West. Based on hard work and the belief in landed independence, this society forged a link between economic and political freedom. While certainly not encompassing everybody, more and more people came to believe that they deserved the opportunity to try to shape their own destiny.

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

Expansion of Opportunities - Moving Westward

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The search for independence led many white Americans to move further and further west in the mid-nineteenth century. This video examines the agricultural boom on the old northwestern frontier and towns such as Jacksonville, Illinois, that grew rapidly during this era. When watching the video, consider how and why did the federal government promote agriculture?

Material Type: Module

Author: William Black

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