Don Vitale of Archiving Early America narrates an overview of Benjamin Franklin's accomplishments as a diplomat, politician, and thinker during and after the Revolutionary War.
Captioned and uncaptioned options are available.
Jack Rakove of Stanford University discusses the influences that shaped early American political thought, including the move to rebellion and the formation of the U.S. government at the American Revolution's end.
To listen to this lecture, select "250 Years of Political Theory: Machiavelli, Locke, and Montesquieu" under "Listen to Dr. Rakove's lectures."
Harvey Sicherman, president of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, discusses Benjamin Franklin's work as a diplomat in France, securing French support of the colonists in the American Revolution.
Audio and visual options are available.
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.'"
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.
Kyle Zelner of the University of Southern Mississippi discusses the military history of British North America prior to the Revolutionary War, arguing for the significance of this history to both military and general U.S. history overall. Zelner also covers the Revolutionary War itself. This lecture was part of "What Students Need To Know About America's Wars, Part I: 1622-1919: A History Institute for Teachers," held July 26-27, 2008, at the First Division Museum in Wheaton, IL, sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Wachman Center and by the Cantigny First Division Foundation.
Video and audio options are available.
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 Jack Rakove looks at the creation of the Bill of Rights by the Founding Fathers, focusing particularly on James Madison's work and beliefs related to the Bill of Rights. He uses writings by Madison as a framework.
Professor Caroline Cox looks at the U.S. Constitution, its perception today, and the cultural and social context within which it was written. She argues that the Constitution represents a language and vocabulary within which society of the day was immersed.
Professor Caroline Cox reviews the life of George Washington, examining the difficulties of sorting factual historical information from created mythology.