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America Explained

Election of 1824: When the House Chose

In the Presidential Election of 1824, five men from one party were up for the job. It was left to the House of Representatives to figure out a winner – and the aftermath led to the modern two-party system.

Caretakers and Confidants: Presidential Valets

Presidential valets have been a mainstay at the White House since its earliest days. They not only perform vital tasks for the President, but act as confidantes and companions in the most trying of circumstances.

The Election of 1800: Presidential Tie

The 1800 Presidential Election, which ended in a tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, presented Congress with a dilemma – how to stop a tie from happening again.

Museum of Artifacts That Made America

The Great American Songbook

The Great American Songbook, a collection of jazz standards and show tunes created by talented songwriters in early 20th century New York, provided solace and joy during difficult times in U.S. history.

Nixon’s Tape Recorder

Installed in selected rooms at the White House on the President’s orders, this is the story of how a state-of-the-art recording system ultimately led to Richard Nixon’s downfall.

The History of the Rainbow Flag

The rainbow flag is one of the most recognisable symbols in the world, synonymous with tolerance and LGBTQ+ rights. But how was it created?

Hidden Figures

Yarrow Mamout: From Slavery to Financier

African Muslim Yarrow Mamout rose from a life of slavery to become a popular businessman in Washington, D.C. Artist Charles Willson Peale painted his portrait and discovered his incredible story.

Women and the American Story

Patsy Mink: Groundbreaking Congresswoman

What do you think of when you picture Title IX? Inequality has plagued America’s youth for generations. Patsy Mink, a then young Japanese-American, vowed to change the system forever.

Pauli Murray: Breaking Barriers of Race and Gender

As a queer Black lawyer, poet and civil rights activist, Pauli Murray understood how our different identities can overlap to create multiple levels of discrimination. Her groundbreaking work in championing equality for all helped change America for the better.

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.

Art That Changed America

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.

Power to the People

The Blowouts

In 1968, thousands of Latino students walked out of school in Los Angeles to protest against racial inequality in the classroom. Their collective action, known as the Blowouts, was a defining moment of the Chicano Movement.

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.

Slavery in the Presidents’ Neighborhood

Things You Didn’t Know

Charles Curtis: Native American Vice President

In 1929, Charles Curtis – a member of the Kaw Nation – made history by becoming the first Vice President of color in the U.S. Yet he left behind a complicated legacy that some claim had a lasting negative impact on Native Americans.

WWII POW Camps on U.S. Soil

Between 1942 and 1946, the U.S. government constructed around 700 POW camps on U.S. soil, housing around 400,000 captured enemy soldiers. But what were the conditions like there?

The Know Nothings

In the mid 19th century a new political party, the Know Nothings, set the stage for xenophobia and nationalism to take root in American politics.

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.

Speeches That Changed America

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.