Learn about factors that have shaped modern American consumerism from professor of American History, Lizabeth Cohen.
Tag Archives: History
Continental Congress ratifies the Treaty of Paris, ending the American Revolution
January 14th is National Ratification Day, but what does that mean? Learn the meaning behind this significant moment in American history.
In the footsteps of the women who escaped a Nazi death march
Learn about how nine remarkable women resisted Nazi occupation and escaped capture.
The 16-Year-Old Chinese Immigrant Who Helped Lead a 1912 US Suffrage March
Read about the extraordinary life of Ping-Hua Lee, who not only fought for women’s suffrage, but also the rights of fellow Chinese American immigrants.
Black History Month
Read about its origins and peruse the related readings and images.
6 Black Heroes of the Civil War
In honor of Black History Month, read about these six historical figures.
The Backstory: Civil rights lessons. Why we need to learn about 1961 to better understand 2021.
In the last 60 years, how much progress has been made in the Civil Rights movement? This article explains how events in 1961 are connected to the struggle for equality that continues in America today.
New book celebrates the lost work of Shakespeare’s female editors
Read about the women who edited and retold Shakespeare throughout the centuries as well as their impact on Shakespearean scholars today.
A baby was taken from her mother’s arms in the Holocaust. The family just reunited.
Read about how, against almost impossible odds, the family of Holocaust survivor Dora Rapaport was finally reunited.
The battle of Yorktown: Historic victory or tragic memory?
The Battle of Yorktown was a victory for American forces, but not everyone was celebrating.
New Year’s Eve, Day holds special meaning for Black Americans
Read about the history of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day traditions for Black Americans.
America’s Gilded Age led by ‘forgettable presidents’ in post-Civil War era
While the Gilded Age is remembered by many, the time period’s presidents are often overlooked. Read about them here.
What We Learned from 5 Million Books
Face it: we’re so overloaded with information that none of us can digest much of it. However, in this TED talk, Jean-Baptiste Michel and Erez Lieberman Aiden present ideas about what we can do—with the five million books and 500 billion words available online today. What do they reveal about who we were, are, and are becoming? Watch the video; then navigate to the site recommended by the speakers. Discover for yourself what five million books have to say!
Jim Crow Stories: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
In 1896, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of “separate but equal” laws, which weren’t struck down until almost 60 years later in Brown v. Board of Education.
Fighting…Maybe for Freedom, but probably not
During the Revolutionary War, black soldiers fought for both the Continental army and the British army. Those who fought for the British were often promised freedom, but that promise was mostly unfulfilled.
Civil Rights Movement
The Emancipation Proclamation did not end racial oppression. Read the Introduction and Background on this web site to learn how African Americans continued to fight for equal rights.
Who Decided to Put 60 Seconds in a Minute?
Watch this video to learn how an ancient civilization still influences how we view something as fundamental as time.
What turned the Wright brothers into pioneers of flight? Their library.
Gavin Weightman, author of Eureka: How Invention Happens, explains that like some other notable inventors, the Wright Brothers built a large library and taught themselves much of what they knew.
Anne Frank: Her Life, Her Diary, Her Legacy
View and read this photo gallery for a timeline of Anne Frank’s life and the historic events that shaped it.
Why did Gandhi march 240 miles for salt?
Salt may seem like a small thing to spark a revolution, but it’s crucial to human health. Learn more about why the Indian people rose up against English rule over the regulation of salt.