10 Great What-Ifs of American History

Explore pivotal moments that could have changed America’s destiny through 10 captivating alternate history scenarios.

Course Overview (No. 30620)

This 10-lecture series examines critical turning points where different outcomes might have dramatically altered America’s development, from colonial times to the Cold War.

Video Lectures

1. What If Lee Won at Gettysburg? (27 min)
   How Confederate victory might have changed Civil War’s outcome.
2. What If Lewis and Clark Vanished? (26 min)
   Western expansion without America’s most famous explorers.
3. What If the Allies Lost WWII? (27 min)
   America’s isolationist path without FDR’s leadership.
4. What If Soviets Reached the Moon First? (25 min)
   Cold War dynamics with Soviet space dominance.
5. What If the Constitution Failed? (24 min)
   America’s government without its foundational document.
6. What If Columbus Never Sailed? (25 min)
   Alternate European contact scenarios with the Americas.
7. What If Lincoln Didn’t Emancipate? (25 min)
   Slavery’s potential continuation without the Proclamation.
8. What If Salem Had No Witch Trials? (22 min)
   Legal and cultural impacts of avoiding mass hysteria.
9. What If Nat Turner Succeeded? (26 min)
   Consequences of a successful slave rebellion.
10. What If JFK Survived? (27 min)
    Alternate paths for civil rights, Vietnam and Cold War.