Watch a video on, and read about, the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches.
Author Archives: admin
Bird ID Skills: How to Learn Bird Songs and Calls
When a bird sings, it’s telling you what it is and where it is. Learn bird calls and open a new window on your birding.
Bitter Sweets
Bill Cheng writes about what it is like to be an A.B.C.: an American-Born Chinese. Read about his struggles to belong and feelings of being an outsider.
9 Legends of American Folklore
Folktales show us a lot about who we once were and still are. Check out these descriptions of nine classic characters from American folklore: Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Sally Ann Thunder, Johnny Appleseed, Mike Fink, Pecos Bill, Geronimo, and Old Stormalong. Why were they so famous? Why are they still famous today?
How Can Adrenaline Help You Lift a 3,500-Pound Car?
Have you ever heard of an adrenaline rush? This article by Josh Clark describes how a rush of adrenaline, brought on by a fearful situation, can give someone “superhuman” strength.
Theodore Roosevelt and the Environment
President Theodore Roosevelt was brash, daring, and adventurous. He was also deeply committed to the cause of preserving America’s forests and wilderness. Explore the links in this American Experience website to learn more about what nature did for “TR” and what he did for nature.
Gaming Can Make a Better World
“Video games are a waste of time!” How many times have you heard that? One game designer thinks the contrary—that games and the skills they develop in gamers could be the key to solving some of the biggest challenges facing the real world.
The age of loneliness is killing us
In this essay, writer George Monbiot explores the current state of humanity—and finds that it centers not on our devotion to technology, but instead on our loss of bonds with others.
The Story of Smallpox and Other Deadly Eurasian Germs
The European conquest of the Americas in the 1500s was brief and decisive. The established civilizations on this side of the Atlantic Ocean lacked the weaponry of the invaders. More significantly, they lacked immunity to the deadly germs that accompanied the Europeans.
First Amendment Center
Freedom of speech includes both rights and responsibilities. Find out how the First Amendment applies to students at this non-profit site.
The Biggest Physical Risk of Exploration Today Is Carpal Tunnel
The writer of this article asserts that the risk level of exploration has greatly declined in the 21st century. Exploration is no longer physically demanding. The article presents the idea that perhaps we should redirect our focus of what to explore and how. Consider the new forms exploration might take.
The Science of Optical Illusions
Have you ever seen an optical illusion? Read this article to explore some amazing optical illusions, and find out what they can reveal about how our brains work.
The Case for Staying in Your Comfort Zone
Writer Samantha Cole weighs the pros and cons of staying in your comfort zone, the premise of Meghan Daums’s book, The Unspeakable: And Other Subjects of Discussion.
LIBERTY! The American Revolution
The struggle for liberty is at the heart of the United States’ founding. Learn more about what led to the American Revolution and how it was won by exploring this interactive site.
Mary Wollstonecraft Biography
Feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792, advocated for the education of women.
What Does Free Speech Mean?
Public figures often tout their constitutional freedom of speech to defend their statements. As with any right, though, the freedom of speech includes certain guidelines and limits. The United States Courts spell out what the law says about this essential American right.
How Plants Cope with the Desert Climate
How do desert plants survive their harsh climate? This article by Mark A. Dimmitt, Director of Natural History at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, explains the strategies plants use to keep the desert blooming.
Why Isn’t the U.S. on the Metric System?
Nearly every nation on earth—except for the United States—primarily uses the metric system for all weights and measures. With its clear base-10 relationships among measurements, the metric system is easy to use. So why does the United States still mainly use the far more complicated customary measures? How Stuff Works explores the American resistance to change.
What Is Infrared?
Your eyes are able to perceive many wavelengths of light as colors. But not all light is visible to the human eye. Here’s a closer look at some of what you can’t see—infrared light.
Out of Eden Walk
Paul Salopek is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who is retracing our ancestors’ migration out of Africa on foot. This epic journey began in Ethiopia in 2013 and will end this year at the tip of South America. Explore the walk and some of the latest stories from the journey.