Julie Fenster, author of The Spirit of Invention, discusses the American faith in invention and inventors and the everyday drive to overcome inconveniences and more serious problems through experimentation and improvisation.

To listen to this podcast, scroll to "Podcast: Julie Fenster writes about the spirit of invention."

Donald L. Miller, along with a range of other historians and presenters, overviews contemporary U.S. history, from 1972 to 2000, briefly touching on the Cold War and its end, economic ups and downs, and the rise of AIDS and of personal computers. The presentation ends with a discussion on interpreting events as they happen, and on the difficulties of remembering history and engaging with the present in a media age.

Donald L. Miller, with Douglas Brinkley and Virginia Scharff, look at the war against Japan in the last years of World War II, including the fighting on Okinawa, the fire-bombing of Japan's main islands, and the development of the atomic bomb and the decision to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The presentation then examines life after the war—Bill Levitt and mass-produced housing and the growth of suburbs; Eisenhower and the beginning of the Cold War; the emergence of teenage culture; Elvis Presley's popularity; and the swelling of the civil rights movement.

Donald L. Miller and Douglas Brinkley look at the United States from 1929 to 1937—the time of the Great Depression. The presentation discusses FDR's presidency and his New Deal; the work of journalists such as photographer Dorothea Lange; the establishment of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA), and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC); Eleanor Roosevelt; criticism of FDR; the re-invigoration of the labor movement; and the Social Security Act.

Donald L. Miller looks at the growth of the city as an American entity from 1882 to 1894. In this presentation, Miller looks particularly at Chicago as a representative of the "new city." Topics include the World's Columbian Exposition, the development of the department store and the skyscraper, the city's transportation system, movement from cities out to suburbs, and reform efforts (including the establishment of Hull House) to address the new problems presented by slums and sweatshops.

Laura Cohen Apelbaum and Wendy Turman of the Jewish Historical Society look at the life of Jewish Americans in Washington, DC during the Civil War.

From the Lincoln Online Conference website:

"Through a selection of images of nationally important Lincoln artifacts, participants . . . explore the life and times of this extraordinary figure. Each object will convey an aspect of Lincoln's character and experiences. The presentation is based on a new exhibition of the same name showcasing more than 60 historical treasures associated with Lincoln's life from an iron wedge he used to split wood in the early 1830s in New Salem, Ill., to his iconic top hat he wore the night he was shot at Ford's Theatre (both of which will be discussed during this session). The webcast—led by Harry Rubenstein, chair of the Division of Politics and Reform at the National Museum of American History—will tell a new and very intimate story of the life and legacy of this remarkable individual."

Free registration is required to access the webcast.

Donald L. Miller, with Pauline Maier and Louis P. Masur, looks at the institution of slavery in the United States, from 1819 to 1854. The presentation examines economic differences between the North and the South; slave culture; slave resistance, including Turner's Insurrection; and the depiction of slavery and slaves in art and media.

Donald L. Miller and Louis P. Masur follow the growth of American capitalism and industry from 1776 to 1861. They look at Samuel Slater's introduction of factories to the U.S.; the textile factory community of Lowell; transportation development and the creation of the Erie Canal; and the growth of Chicago, including quality of life and pollution issues it faced and its integration into the country's rail system.

In 37 short video clips, ranging in length from 43 seconds to over three minutes, scholars James Campbell, Keith Stokes, Joanne Pope Melish, Gordon Wood, and Michael Vorenberg look at the triangle trade that brought Africans to the U.S. as slaves and at perceptions of slavery in colonial New England, particularly examining the views of abolitionists. Intended to accompany the Choices Program's curriculum A Forgotten History: The Slave Trade and Slavery in New England, these clips may still be used independently.

Registration is required, but free.