Historian Mark P. Leone introduces viewers to the Annapolis home of Charles Carroll, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and to the coming-together of the lives of the Founding Fathers and their African and African American slaves that the house represents. Leone focuses on the hoodoo artifacts uncovered at the house.

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Historian Carroll Gibbs looks at the relationship of Georgetown University to the Georgetown African-American community, from the school's 1789 founding to the present day. He focuses particularly on the arrival of Patrick Healy, the first head of a U.S. university to be acknowledged as of African descent, in 1873.

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Smithsonian curators Candace Green and Emil Her Many Horses outline the nature of Lakota winter counts, pictorial documents which identified each year by an important event, and discuss what may be learned from these today.

Professor Clarence Walker discusses the origins of the institution of slavery in North America and what would become the United States. He looks back in history at different forms of slavery beyond North America and at how they differ and are similar to the North American and U.S. institution.

Professor Robin Einhorn seeks to define the concept of federalism in U.S. government, detailing what precisely a federal government entails. She looks at how the term has been used and changed over U.S. history.

Professor Robin Einhorn examines the text and context of the Declaration of Independence, including the contradictions within the text and the structure of the text.

Professor David Henkin reviews the life and beliefs of Andrew Jackson, contemporary Jacksonians' views of democracy, and modern-day views of his character and presidency.

Professor Clarence Walker looks at the possible relationship between Thomas Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemmings and how it can be interpreted and used to suggest an alternative racial origin of the United States—that is, an origin that was multiracial instead of mono-racial.

Professor Jack Rakove looks at the creation of the Bill of Rights by the Founding Fathers, focusing particularly on James Madison's work and beliefs related to the Bill of Rights. He uses writings by Madison as a framework.

Professor Caroline Cox looks at the U.S. Constitution, its perception today, and the cultural and social context within which it was written. She argues that the Constitution represents a language and vocabulary within which society of the day was immersed.