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.

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, examines several years of Abraham Lincoln's life, including the end of his term in Congress, his extended return to the practice of law in Illinois, the death of one son and birth of two others, and his continued program of self-education. The lecture also describes the political condition of the U.S. during these years, including tensions over extension of slavery into the territories. This lecture continues from the lecture "Lincoln's Biography, Part Four: Congress and the Mexican War, 1844-1849."

To view this documentary, scroll to "Multimedia Slideshows," and select "Return to the Law, 1850-1853."

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, details several years in Abraham Lincoln's life, including his acquisition of a law license, his support of moving Illinois's capital, his continued political campaigning, and his marriage to Mary Todd. This lecture continues from the lecture "Lincoln's Biography, Part Two: Indian Fighting and Politics in New Salem, 1831-1836."

To view this documentary, select "Springfield, the Law, and the Whig Party, 1837-1843" under "Multimedia Slideshows."

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, outlines Abraham Lincoln's early years, including his childhood in Indiana, move to Illinois, participation in the Black Hawk War, election to the state legislature, work as a lawyer, political campaigning, marriage to Mary Todd, and reaction to the Mormon War.

This lecture, created by the Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project, traces the development of law and legal institutions in Illinois, beginning with early colonization and ending with the mid-1800s. It focuses particularly on the laws dealing with land and property ownership.

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.

John Mack Faragher of Yale University discusses the institutions of the law and the maintenance of public peace in the antebellum frontier, particularly in Illinois. He focuses particularly on the role of local Justices of the Peace.

To view this clip, select "Law and Society in Frontier Illinois" under "Law and Society Video."

Charles McCurdy of the University of Virginia examines the distribution of bank paper by banks in the antebellum U.S. frontier lands and the legal problems that arose when banks issued more notes than they were able to pay.

To view this clip, select "Banks in Antebellum Illinois" under "Economic Development and Labor Video."

Charles McCurdy of the University of Virginia discusses the use of promissory-note and bill-of-exchange systems in antebellum U.S. frontier lands and the legal complexities of ensuring that such bills would be paid as promised.

Charles McCurdy of the University of Virginia gives an example of the complexities of land law in the antebellum U.S., using the case Brunson v. Kedzie to demonstrate the interplay and contradiction of state and federal laws.