According to Constitutional Connections, Dr. Marie E. Montoya of New York University focuses "on the collision of legal regimes regarding property rights that followed the U.S.-Mexican War. She guides viewers through interrogation of primary documents, looking at two versions of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Taking as its starting point the fictionalized account projected by the American Girl doll Josefina Montoya, she discusses both the benefits and challenges of many children's first engagement with that history: one which takes place in an idyllic age, uncomplicated by questions of contingency and enamored with the myth of progress."

To view this lecture, select "The Real Story of Josefina Montoya American Girl" under "Presentation Video."

This mini documentary, produced by NBC, describes the crucial role women played during the American Revolution as they took on the responsibilities of running farms, leading boycotts, and aiding the Continental Army.

To view the documentary, follow the link below and scroll down past "Thomas Paine and 'Common Sense.'"

Jane Schultz of Indiana University discusses the contributions of women at the front in the Civil War, particularly those who participated as relief workers. This lecture was delivered as part of "America in the Civil War Era: A History Institute for Teachers," held May 17-18 at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI, sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Wachman Center and by the Clausen Center for World Business, Carthage College and Adult Education, Carthage College.

Audio and video options are available.

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, examines several years of Abraham Lincoln's life, including his election to the U.S. Congress in 1846; his opposition to the Mexican-American War, articulated in his "Spot" Resolutions; and his support of abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia and opposition to allowing slavery to spread into the territories. The lecture also examines Lincoln's views on religion and discusses religious and cultural tensions and trends during these years, including the Second Great Awakening, the Mormon War, and anti-immigrant and -Catholic sentiments. This lecture continues from the lecture "Lincoln's Biography, Part Three: Springfield, the Law, and the Whig Party, 1837-1843."

To view this documentary, scroll to "Multimedia Slideshow," and select "Congress and the Mexican War, 1844-1849."

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, traces the development of religious institutions and trends in antebellum Illinois, beginning with the early days of Western exploration of North America and continuing to the mid-1800s. It focuses particularly on the importation of New England Protestant social reform ideals and the migration of Mormons to Illinois—a migration which led to the rise of the city of Nauvoo and, eventually, to the Mormon War.

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, traces the economic development of Illinois from the beginning of the 19th century to the mid-1800s. It focuses particularly on the development of infrastructure, from steamboat lines to canals to railroads.

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, traces the history and status of African Americans in Illinois, beginning with the early years of North American exploration and continuing on to the Civil War.

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, examines the role of women in 19th-century Illinois. It looks at the development of the idea of separate gender spheres of influence—work for men and the home for women; the application and adaptation of this idea in the frontier; the developing power of women in pushing for social reform; the status of Native American and African-American women; and the gender perceptions of Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd.

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, traces the settlement of Illinois from the early years of European exploration of North America to the 1860s. It focuses particularly on the relationship between settler groups and Native Americans, on the construction of infrastructure that linked Illinois to the rest of the emerging U.S., and on the changing culture of the state's occupants.

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, traces the history of Native American tribes in Illinois, from the early days of Western North American exploration into the mid-1800s.