Paul Herbert of the First Division Museum discusses why it is important to teach military history and explores the history of the U.S. Army's First Infantry Division as an example of military history. This lecture was conducted for "Teaching Military History, Why and How: A History Institute for Teachers," held on September 29–30, 2007. The event was sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education and the Cantigny First Division Foundation, and held at the Cantigny First Division Museum in Wheaton, IL.

Audio and video options are available.

Martin van Creveld of Hebrew University examines the intimate relationship between warfare and technological development—including the essential change in the nature of war that the development of nuclear weapons brought about (a new warfare in which victory did not ensure survival) and the U.S.'s emphasis on technological superiority in warfare (regardless of the effectiveness of this approach). This lecture was conducted for "Teaching Military History, Why and How: A History Institute for Teachers," held on September 29–30, 2007. The event was sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education and the Cantigny First Division Foundation, and held at the Cantigny First Division Museum in Wheaton, IL.

Audio and video options are available.

Jacques deLisle of the University of Pennsylvania explores legal interactions between the West and China from the 19th century onwards. This lecture was conducted for "China's Encounter with the West: A History Institute for Teachers," held on March 1-2, 2008. The event was sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Wachman Center and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Asia Program, and held at UTC.

Audio and video options are available.

Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library Director Betty Sue Flowers discusses the library's collection of Johnson's recorded phone conversations and plays one such conversation, in which Johnson called Harry Truman to ask him to attend a state funeral in Greece.

To view this video, scroll to "Betty Sue Flowers," and select "Play."

Ford Presidential Library Director Elaine Didier describes an artifact in the collection of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library: the staircase by which U.S. citizens and individuals loyal to the U.S. climbed to helicopters to escape Saigon during the last days of the city's fall to anti-U.S. forces. She also describes the process by which the library acquired the staircase.

To listen to this lecture, scroll to "Elaine Didier."

John F. Kennedy Library Director Tom Putnam discusses JFK's draft of a speech delivered at the dedication of the Robert Frost Library. Putnam points out alterations Kennedy made from Arthur M. Schlesinger's original draft and plays a brief excerpt from the speech.

To view this clip, scroll to "Tom Putnam," and select "Play."

Smithsonian National Museum of American History curators share secrets of how they develop the individual stories presented in exhibitions such as "America on the Move." They then help students who are creating their own family stories by analyzing objects, documents, and other resources. This presentation continues from the presentation "America on the Move, Part One: Migrations, Immigrations, and How We Got Here."

To view this electronic field trip, select "America on the Move, Part Two: Creating Stories" under the heading "Electronic Field Trips."

Cultural resources manager of the Anacostia Museum Portia James displays and discusses a tourist's map from post-World War I or -World War II which specified hotels, restaurants, and other businesses where African Americans could receive service free of discrimination and segregation.

To view this clip, select "Scholars," followed by "Portia James." Next, select one of the two Windows Media options.

For much of the 20th century, African Americans in the South were barred from the voting booth, sent to the back of the bus, and walled off from many of the rights they deserved as American citizens. Until well into the 1960s, segregation was legal. The system was called Jim Crow. In this radio documentary, Americans—black and white—remember life in the Jim Crow times. The documentary is divided into three downloadable sections.

To listen to this documentary, select "Part One," "Part Two," or "Part Three" under "Listen."

Historians Monica Smith and Will Eastman outline the invention and development of the electric guitar in the 20th century.