America Explained
The Secrets of the Zimmermann Telegram
The Zimmermann Telegram, a secret message from Germany to Mexico during the First World War, ended the United States’ neutrality and sealed the fate of the Central Powers.
John Adams: The President Who Defended the Redcoats
He was a fierce patriot and Founding Father – so why did John Adams defend British soldiers accused of murder following the Boston Massacre of 1770?
The 442nd: The Most Decorated Regiment of the Second World War
Despite the racism they faced, the bravery and heroism of the Japanese American 442nd Regiment Combat Team made them one of the most decorated units in United States history.
Museum of Artifacts That Made America
The Cannon: How The Cannon Revolutionised The Way Battles Were Fought
Long range, high calibre weapons – the cannon helped propel the Union to victory. But how did the technological advances that took place during the Civil War change the game?
Civil War Medical Kits
They empowered US Army medics to save countless lives – but how did the humble medical kit evolve with the American Civil War?
The Invention of the Camera
The invention of the camera changed how many Americans saw the Civil War – and exposed millions to the horrors of conflict for the very first time.
Hidden Figures
Harvey Milk: America’s First Openly Gay Elected Official
Harvey Milk, America’s first openly gay elected official, was assassinated in 1978. His pioneering campaign for LGBTQ+ rights paved the way for more members of the community to serve in government.
Marian Anderson: The Opera Singer Who Challenged Segregation
When Black singer Marian Anderson was barred from performing in Washington by the Daughters of the Revolution – her Lincoln Memorial performance made her an icon of the Civil Rights Movement.
Thomas Garrett and the Underground Railroad
By day he worked as an iron merchant – but by night, Thomas Garrett helped thousands escape slavery as a station master on the Underground Railroad.
Women and the American Story
María Ruiz de Burton: Chicano Activist Writer
Latina author María Ruiz de Burton raised the plight of Mexicans in America with two satirical and revealing books at a time when female authors were few and far between.
Changunak Antisarlook: The Reindeer Queen
She was known as the Reindeer Queen – and one of the richest women in Alaska. So how did Changunak Antisarlook use her remarkable wealth to benefit the Inupiat community?
At a time when Apache men and women followed specific gender roles, Lozen defied convention – to become one of the finest warriors in the tribe’s history.
David Pharaoh Asserts Indigenous Rights
Montaukett leader David Pharaoh fought for indigenous land rights – and established a lasting legacy as the founder of America’s first Montaukett school.
Wong Kim Ark’s Fight for Birthright Citizenship
By taking on the US government and winning, Wong Kim Ark ensured that the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution granted citizenship to every American by birth, regardless of their race or ethnicity.
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper’s Pursuit of Absolute Equality
The story of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper: writer, abolitionist and early pioneer of the concept of intersectionality,
Art That Changed America
The Federal Art Project and The New Deal
Thanks to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s ambitious New Deal plan, American artists were able to keep working during the Great Depression. The work they produced remains a key part of the American landscape.
Indigenous North American Tattoos
To Indigenous North Americans, tattoos aren’t just decorative, they’re also sacred, rich in artistry and meaning, and of huge social, cultural and religious significance.
How Art Saved Yellowstone National Park
The first dedicated National Park anywhere in the world, Yellowstone attracts millions of visitors every year. It was saved for posterity by the work of two pioneering artists.
Wild Wild West
John Wesley Powell: Wild West Explorer
Despite losing an arm in the US Civil War, John Wesley Powell was one of the great explorers of the American West, and made history as the man who mapped the Grand Canyon.
Remember the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo has become the stuff of legend – when 200 brave Texan fighters took a stand against a Mexican force of thousands. But there’s more to the story than meets the eye.
Spanish Flu and the Pandemic Lockdown of 1918
The Spanish Flu was one of the deadliest pandemics the world has ever seen – so how was one sleepy Colorado town able to escape unscathed?
Power to the People
The Explosive Story of Dynamite Hill
When Black residents moved into one neighborhood in Birmingham, Alabama, White supremacists unleashed a wave of terror against the community.
The Birmingham Childrens’ Crusade
In 1963, school children from Birmingham, Alabama skipped class to demonstrate for racial equality. Met with police violence, they helped to bring about significant change.
The Fire that Sparked a Workplace Revolution
The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Tragedy took the lives of 146 workers – and exposed a shocking lack of workplace health and safety laws in New York State.
Slavery in the Presidents’ Neighborhood
Elizabeth Keckly: From Slavery to the White House
She was enslaved at birth – but became the first lady’s favorite dressmaker and the author of a sensational memoir that shocked the nation. So who was Elizabeth Keckly?
The Enslaved Household of Thomas Jefferson
This is the story of Ursula, Edith and Frances – three teenagers who Thomas Jefferson brought to the White House to train as his enslaved personal chefs.
Things You Didn’t Know
Teddy Roosevelt: One of the Toughest Presidents
When you think of American tough guys, who springs to mind? Probably not the President. But two-term Commander-in-Chief Teddy Roosevelt was hard as nails.
Angel Island: America’s Untold Immigration Story
When you think of America’s immigration story, you think of Ellis Island New York… right? Think again, because over 2,500 miles away is Angel Island, where immigrants coming into the West Coast were processed for entry to the US, but it was an experience that was anything but welcoming.
The Ships Beneath the Streets of San Francisco
San Francisco is famous for many things – but what you probably don’t know is that much of the city is made from ships that sank or were repurposed during the Gold Rush.
Academy of American Democracy
Voting in Ancient Athens
The United States is a representative democracy where people vote for politicians to govern on their behalf – but voting in the direct democracy of ancient Athens was a very different process.
Race in Ancient Greece
We often think of ancient Greek society as White, but it was a lot more diverse than we give it credit for.
Elections in the United States
How do elections actually work in the United States?
Speeches That Changed America
George W Bush: Speech After September 11
President George W. Bush delivers a much anticipated speech to a Joint Session of Congress, outlining America’s reaction to the unprecedented atrocity.
Patrick Henry – Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death
Patrick Henry delivers a speech on the rights of the colonies before the Second Virginia Assembly. His words ‘give me liberty or give me death’ would become the war cry of the revolution.
Shirley Chisholm – Equal Rights for Women Speech
Shirley Chisholm, the first African American Woman elected to Congress, addresses the US House of Representatives to argue in support of a controversial women’s rights bill; the Equal Rights Amendment.