Professor John Smolenski describes the French and Indian War (or Seven-Year War), looking at its significance in North American history and its neglect in popular memory and understanding.

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 Alex Saragoza discusses the Mexican-American War following the annexation of Texas, focusing on historical interpretations and coverage of the war. He looks at issues that are both covered to excess and rarely covered.

Professor Kevin Adams reviews the life of Abraham Lincoln, considering the contradictions of his decisions and views on race and in politics. Adams looks at how these contradictions reflected and fit into the context of Lincoln's times.

Editor John B. Judis discusses the foreign policy of George W. Bush and his War on Terrorism in relation to previous foreign policy trends in the U.S., from the early U.S. of the Founding Fathers onwards.

Professor Caroline Cox reviews the life of George Washington, examining the difficulties of sorting factual historical information from created mythology.

Professor Allan Winkler follows the passage of the 1960s, looking at the social change and unrest in the period and the political and global environment that formed a background to this domestic change. His presentation includes slides and multimedia clips.

To find the lecture, scroll down to the heading "American History Institute," and select a connection type under "Allan Winkler."

Michael Ray narrates a basic introduction to the Battle of the Alamo and popular memory of the battle. The presentation looks briefly at how films and fiction have reimagined the story of the Alamo and distorted historical facts.

Professor James M. McPherson analyzes the many different causes of the Civil War, including slavery, leadership decisions, and cultural differences. He focuses on the question "Why did secession lead to war?" as a framework for discussion. This lecture continues from the lecture "The Causes of the Civil War, Part One."

Professor James M. McPherson analyzes the many different causes of the Civil War, including slavery, leadership decisions, and cultural differences. He focuses on the question "Why did the South secede?" as a framework for discussion.