Christy Keeler of Clark County School District, NV, discusses the creation and use of digital stories in history classrooms. She presents an example of digital storytelling, "At Lincoln's Hand"; and looks at how students can use primary sources and research combined with emotive narration, music, and sound effects to craft effective digital stories.
Don Vitale of Archiving Early America narrates an overview of Benjamin Franklin's early life and his scientific, social, and inventive accomplishments prior to the Revolutionary War.
Captioned and uncaptioned versions of the film are available.
This 20-minute video shows Penn State University's experimental iron smelting and how a small two-foot chimney can replicate a medieval/colonial iron furnace.
The video can be viewed as one file or as six separate smaller sections.
According to Penn State, "In 1974, in preparation for the American Bicentennial, the American Iron and Steel Institute made a half-hour film in cooperation with Walt Disney to promote an understanding of industrial society. The film told the story of American steel making from its primitive beginnings to recent practices and future needs. Scenes of colonial iron manufacture, modern steel plants, and steel products are interspersed with scenes of Donald Duck doing what he does best: being a good worker, getting run over by wheelbarrows, and getting frustrated. This scene, about 10 minutes into the film, explains how iron is mined and smelted in the Middle Ages—and it ends with Donald's literal transformation into a colonial ironmaster."
Michael Willrich of Brandeis University investigates the birth of the modern welfare state, exploring a time when so many ideas we now regard as "common sense" found their origins. Willrich pays special attention to two court cases: Lochner v. New York (1905) and Muller v. Oregon (1908).
Audio and video options are available.
Eric Arnesen, Professor of History and African American Studies at the University of Chicago addresses the interplay between the African-American experience between Reconstruction and the Great Migration, the U.S. Constitution, and shifting democratic ideals.
Video and audio options are available.
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 second link under either "Presentation Audio" or "Presentation Video."
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."
Ainslie T. Embree of Columbia University discusses the history and complexity of U.S.-India relations and of India's efforts to define itself as a nation and a world power.
Audio and video options are available. The "Listen to streaming MP3 audio" link is not currently working. However, the option "Download MP3 audio file" appears to be, in actuality, streaming audio.
Don Oberdorfer of Jon Hopkins University outlines the history of U.S. foreign relations with Korea, from World War II and its division into North and South Korea, through the Korean War, up to the present day and the President George W. Bush's inclusion of North Korea in his "Axis of Evil." Oberdorfer looks particularly at North Korean nuclear production and U.S. and global reactions (and possible future reactions) to this development.
Audio and video options are available.