According to Constitutional Connections, "Athan Theoharis, Professor Emeritus of History at Marquette University, draws from his expertise in FBI history to paint the story of federal surveillance policy during the Cold War. He guides listeners through a reading of case study documents that reveal central threads of the story but also speak to the challenges of studying history. Speaking of the Patriot Act, Theoharis discusses ways in which the Cold War story has contemporary resonance."

To listen to this lecture, select the first link under either "Presentation Audio" or "Presentation Video."

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."

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 Thomas Paine's anonymous pamphlet, "Common Sense"—published shortly after the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775—that helped persuade Americans to push for full independence from Britain.

Stephen Gale of the Foreign Policy Research Institute Center on Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism, and Homeland Security discusses what he believes students need to know to be able to understand and react to the homeland security issues the U.S. faces today and will face in the future. He explores the complexity of terrorism and understanding terrorism; and suggests approaching homeland security issues in war game terms, setting up scenarios and considering their ramifications.

Video and audio options are available.

Pulitizer Prize-winning author Rick Atkinson discusses his experiences while writing his trilogy on World War II—including the books An Army at Dawn and The Day of Battle—focusing on writing history texts as narratives, not as simple sequences of events.

Alan J. Kuperman of the University of Texas looks at global instances of genocide following the Holocaust—specifically the Hutu/Tutsi conflict in Rwanda and the conflict in Sudan, including in the Darfur region. He argues that genocide does not usually follow the relatively black-and-white model of the Holocaust and that educators must encourage students to examine and acknowledge the complexity of any conflict when engaging in activism. To appreciate and comprehend the benefits of freedom, students need to know what it's like to live without freedom—or worse, in conditions of harsh repression, even genocide. To help teachers teach students about life without freedom, FPRI's Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education, in cooperation with the National Constitution Center and the National Liberty Museum, assembled some of the world's leading analysts—and witnesses—of countries without freedom. The conference helped teachers define totalitarianism while examining the history of the idea of freedom.

To listen to this lecture, scroll to "Genocide: The Cases of Rwanda and Sudan" under "Speakers and Topics." Audio and video options are available.

Maury Klein of the University of Rhode Island discusses the importance of technological development in U.S. history. He examines the topic from a broad view, establishing context for his later discussion of Frederick Douglass. 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.

Daniel Walker Howe, Professor of History Emeritus, UCLA, and Rhodes Professor of American History Emeritus, Oxford University, discusses the period 1815-1848—focusing on innovation in communication and its consequences. 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.

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."