While the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad connected the East coast and the West coast, it also led to the further decrease of the Native American population, as well as that of buffalo herds.
Tag Archives: History
Indian Country Diaries: The Urban Relocation Program
In the 1950s, Native Americans were encouraged to move from reservations into urban areas. Learn more about how and why this relocation program happened and what the results were.
The Underground Railroad: Escape from Slavery
The Underground Railroad was a secret network of safe houses and people who helped slaves to freedom. Using this online interactivity, step back to 1860 and experience life as a young slave as he flees a Kentucky plantation for a long and dangerous journey to Canada.
The Sapling Project
For Anne Frank, a chestnut tree growing outside her window symbolized the freedom she hoped she would one day experience again. Cuttings taken from the tree before it collapsed in 2010 have been planted throughout the world, including America.
Error of Century? Balboa Park With No Statue of Balboa
Historian Helen Otfield argues that a statue of Vasco Núñez de Balboa should be erected in San Diego’s Balboa Park, and she provides some history of the Spanish explorer.
Book Nook: The Wright Brothers, by David McCullough
Historian and best-selling author David McCullough discusses his new book, The Wright Brothers, with Book Nook podcast host Vick Mickunas.
Conversing With the World: The Poet in Society
Read about the role of protest and political poetry throughout American history.
Tinker v. Des Moines (393 U.S. 503, 1969)
Read this brief history of the Tinker v. Des Moines ICSD case, in which the Supreme Court ruled that students have the right to protected free speech under the First Amendment.
Remembering the fight for women’s rights: Suffragists at Seneca Falls laid groundwork for others in the struggle for equality
The first convention for women’s rights in the United States took place in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. Writer Michael Sainato remembers the people who met there and highlights the influence they had on those that followed.
Phillis Wheatley
American Colonial poet Phillis Wheatley was brought from Africa to the United States as a child. Though a slave, she was taught to read and write and became a renowned poet for a time.
The Gettysburg Address
Abraham Lincoln’s brief, powerful speech still resonates today. Find out more about the circumstances in which he delivered it.
RACE: Are We So Different?
Despite apparent differences among people whose ancestors came from different part of the world, all humans can be traced back to a shared beginning. This interactive site explores our assumptions about the idea of race.
Secret of Photo 51
James Watson and Francis Crick were awarded the Nobel Prize for their discovery of the structure of DNA. One key to this discovery was a photograph taken using a revolutionary technique by the English scientist Rosalind Franklin. Explore this site to learn how Franklin made this stunning photograph and why she didn’t receive the credit she was due during her lifetime.
What Does It Mean to Cross the Rubicon?
Whether or not to cross the Rubicon was a decision that Roman governor Julius Caesar had to make. Watch the video to find out why his decision was momentous.
The First Writings
Voices from the past are still heard today in ancient writing. Learn why archaeologists changed their minds about the origins of writing after discovering tiny tablets in an Egyptian tomb.
Children on the Battlefield
How did younger boys get around the legal age limitations to join the army in the Civil War? What roles did the boys carry out when enlisted? How did they fit into camp life amongst the older soldiers, and what impact did the battleground have on these young lives?
Nelson Mandela on the Diary of Anne Frank
In this video footage broadcast in 1995, Nelson Mandela talks about how he identified with Anne Frank’s situation through reading her diary while imprisoned on Robben Island.
The Gold Rush of 1849
In the middle of the 19th century, the California Gold Rush transformed the country.
Jamestown Unearthed: Historic Jamestowne Opens Hands-On Archaeology to Guests
A new exhibit on Jamestown Island allows visitors to sift through archeological artifacts themselves and to view 3D printer technology that archeologists use to replicate the artifacts.
Just A Few Important Words About The Declaration Of Independence
Stephen Lucas, a professor of humanities, analyzes the language of the Declaration of Independence.