An End to Exclusion: The Hart-Celler Act of 1965
Professor of American studies and history Matthew Frye Jacobson talks about the factors that led to the Hart-Celler Act of 1965. Professor Jacobson explains that this legislation is the basis of current immigration law in the United States, and mark...
Articles of Confederation, The
Historian Peter Onuf explains that the Articles of Confederation represented the only way of creating an effective alliance among the American provinces. However, Professor Onuf adds that the Articles of Confederation were limited in their usefulnes...
American Revolution,The : A Global Event
Historian Peter Onuf says it's not as important to focus on the individual battles of American Revolution, The , as it is to understand the continent-wide enthusiasm they inspired for the war. Even more important, Professor Onuf explains, is that, "...
American Revolution,The : Radical or Conservative?
Historian Peter Onuf explains that historians "argue endlessly about whether (American Revolution, The ) is a real revolution because, as with other modern movements, American Revolution, The is, in many ways, conservative. It aims to preserve liber...
America on the Eve of World War I
Professor of history Gary Gerstle explains that the United States was very divided over whether to enter World War I. "There was a strong socialist movement and anarchist movement in American society," Professor Gerstle says. "They were opposed to t...
African-Americans Move To The City
American history professor Alice Kessler-Harris talks about the lack of equal opportunity on the job front for African-Americans who began moving to cities in the 1920's. "I think it's sometimes painful to acknowledge just how discriminatory the wor...
Washington, Jefferson and the French Revolution
Historian and author Bernard Bailyn talks about the challenge facing the United States (and Thomas Jefferson, in particular) when the French Revolution turned especially violent and brutal. Professor Bailyn explains that Jefferson had been close to ...
War of 1812, The
Historian Peter Onuf talks about the War of 1812, which he says the United States "...had to fight without the benefit of a national bank (and) without the institutions that were absolutely necessary to mobilize resources." Professor Onuf notes that...
Washington Forms the Executive Branch (Part Two)
Historian and author Bernard Bailyn continues his discussion of the challenges facing President Washington as he sought to preside over the federal government during his administration. One of Washington's most difficult challenges was maintaining a...
Washington Forms the Executive Branch (Part One)
Historian and author Bernard Bailyn explains that George Washington realized that some kind of Cabinet structure would be necessary, even though there's nothing about a Cabinet written into the Constitution. President Washington named Thomas Jeffers...