A History of the United States, 2nd Edition

Overview

Comprehend the entire history of The United States of America in this all-encompassing and absolutely engrossing course taught by three brilliant professors. This comprehensive series of 84 lectures features award-winning historians sharing insights into America’s past, covering narratives from European settlement to the modern era.

Course Details

This course explores the transformation of the United States from 13 disparate colonies into a global superpower. It highlights pivotal themes including:

• The American passion for freedom — religious, political, and economic.
• The pursuit of education as a means of self-invention.
• The belief in the value of popular government.
• The willingness to adapt to new environments.
• The notion of the United States as a “city on the hill.”

Through these overarching themes, students will connect historical events, viewing American history as a mosaic of interconnected narratives.

Video Lessons

1. Living Bravely (32 min)

• Columbus’s discovery catalyzed European ideas of society and their new lives in the Americas.

1. Spain, France, and the Netherlands (32 min)

• Examination of European powers’ ambitions and their impacts on Native populations.

1. Gentlemen in the Wilderness (31 min)

• The English settlers established colonies focusing on extraction and settlement.

1. Radicals in the Wilderness (32 min)

• Northern settlements were motivated by religious ideals, leading to aristocracy.

1. Traders in the Wilderness (30 min)

• Settlement by the Swedes and Dutch and their commercial successes.

1. An Economy of Slaves (31 min)

• The role of enslaved Africans in creating a profitable economy.

1. Printers, Painters, and Preachers (30 min)

• Development of unique American cultural forms during the Enlightenment.

1. The Great Awakening (29 min)

• A revival of religion that shaped social and moral direction in colonial society.

1. The Great War for Empire (32 min)

• The French and Indian War and its aftermath for Britain and its colonies.

1. The Rejection of Empire (31 min)

• American protests against British policies leading up to independence.

1. The American Revolution – Politics and People (30 min)

• The shift towards independence fueled by agitation and British responses.

1. The American Revolution – Howe’s War (29 min)

• Military challenges faced by the Continental Army early in the revolution.

1. The American Revolution – Washington’s War (32 min)

• Key victories and alliances that shaped the outcome of the Revolutionary War.

1. Creating the Constitution (33 min)

• Formation of the U.S. Constitution in response to the failures of the Articles.

1. Hamilton’s Republic (30 min)

• Alexander Hamilton’s vision for a financially strong republic.

1. Republicans and Federalists (29 min)

• The emergence of political parties and their differing visions for America.

1. Adams and Liberty (30 min)

• John Adams’s presidency, foreign challenges, and political turmoil.

1. The Jeffersonian Reaction (30 min)

• Jefferson’s struggles against Hamilton’s financial policies and judicial activism.

1. Territory and Treason (28 min)

• The Louisiana Purchase and its implications for American expansion.

1. The Agrarian Republic (29 min)

• Jefferson’s commitment to an agricultural society and its consequences.

1. The Disastrous War of 1812 (30 min)

• The challenging outcomes of the War of 1812, including New England’s discontent.

1. The “American System” (30 min)

• Efforts to rebuild the American economy post-War of 1812 through infrastructure.

1. A Nation Announcing Itself (33 min)

• Population growth and cultural shifts in early 19th-century America.

1. National Republican Follies (32 min)

• The economic Panic of 1819 and the challenges it posed.

1. The Second Great Awakening (31 min)

• The rise of religious fervor in response to cultural changes.

1. Dark Satanic Mills (29 min)

• Industrialization and its social consequences in America.

1. The Military Chieftain (31 min)

• The shift in political dynamics as the Democratic-Republicans split.

1. The Politics of Distrust (30 min)

• The souring relationship between Adams and voter sentiment leading to Jackson’s rise.

1. The Monster Bank (29 min)

• The contentious role of the Second Bank of the U.S. in economic stability.

1. Whigs and Democrats (31 min)

• The ideological differences between the Whig Party and the Democrats.

1. American Romanticism (31 min)

• The cultural movement emerging alongside political and social reforms.

1. The Age of Reform (30 min)

• Various reform movements aimed at improving American society.

1. Southern Society and the Defense of Slavery (31 min)

• The evolution of the southern defense of slavery in response to abolitionist sentiment.

1. Whose Manifest Destiny? (30 min)

• Conflicts arising from territorial expansion into Native American lands and beyond.

1. The Mexican War (29 min)

• How American expansionist policies led to war with Mexico.

1. The Great Compromise (31 min)

• Legislative battles over the admission of slavery into new territories.

1. Sectional Tensions Escalate (30 min)

• Increasing regional divisions over slavery and political power.

1. Drifting Toward Disaster (31 min)

• The buildup to the Civil War, including notable events like the Dred Scott decision.

1. The Coming of War (31 min)

• Lincoln’s election and the secession of southern states.

1. The First Year of Fighting (30 min)

• Early battles and military strategies of the Civil War.

1. Shifting Tides of Battle (31 min)

• Key military campaigns that determined the course of the Civil War.

1. Diplomatic Clashes and Sustaining the War (30 min)

• The importance of home front support and diplomatic strategies during the war.

1. Behind the Lines – Politics and Economies (30 min)

• The impact of the war on the economies of the North and South.

1. African Americans in Wartime (31 min)

• The critical role of African Americans in both the Union and Confederate armies.

1. The Union Drive to Victory (30 min)

• The final year of the Civil War and the path to Union victory.

1. Presidential Reconstruction (30 min)

• Early debates and policies for reintegrating the Southern states.

1. Congress Takes Command (31 min)

• Congressional control over Reconstruction and its ramifications.

1. Reconstruction Ends (31 min)

• Assessing the successes and failures of Reconstruction efforts.

1. Industrialization (30 min)

• The rise of major American industries and their influences.

1. Transcontinental Railroads (30 min)

• The completion of the railroad system and its transformative effects.

1. The Last Indian Wars (30 min)

• The U.S. Army’s campaigns against Native American tribes.

1. Farming the Great Plains (30 min)

• The impact of the Homestead Act on westward expansion and agriculture.

1. African Americans after Reconstruction (31 min)

• The societal challenges faced by African Americans post-Reconstruction.

1. Men and Women (31 min)

• Gender roles and early women’s rights activism in America.

1. Religion in Victorian America (31 min)

• The evolution and impact of religious movements on American society.

1. The Populists (31 min)

• The emergence and challenges of the Populist Party during economic crises.

1. The New Immigration (30 min)

• The influx of new immigrants and their struggles for success.

1. City Life (31 min)

• Rapid urbanization, challenges, and responses in American cities.

1. Labor and Capital (31 min)

• The rise of labor movements and strikes in the face of corporate power.

1. Theodore Roosevelt and Progressivism (31 min)

• Roosevelt’s impact on reform movements and addressing social issues.

1. Mass Production (31 min)

• Innovations in manufacturing and their societal effects.

1. World War I – The Road to Intervention (30 min)

• America’s initial stance in the early years of World War I.

1. World War I – Versailles and Wilson’s Gambit (32 min)

• The aftermath of World War I and its geopolitical implications.

1. The 1920s (32 min)

• Social and cultural shifts during the 1920s, including challenges of Prohibition.

1. The Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression (31 min)

• The causes and consequences of the economic collapse of 1929.

1. The New Deal (31 min)

• FDR’s transformative policies aimed at economic recovery.

1. World War II – The Road to Pearl Harbor (30 min)

• America’s gradual involvement in World War II leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

1. World War II – The European Theater (32 min)

• Major battles and the Allied strategies in Europe during the war.

1. World War II – The Pacific Theater (31 min)

• Key engagements in the Pacific and the decision to use atomic weapons.

1. The Cold War (30 min)

• The emergence of the Cold War and its defining characteristics.

1. The Korean War and McCarthyism (31 min)

• The impact of anti-Communist sentiment in American politics and society.

1. The Affluent Society (31 min)

• Economic prosperity and social changes during the post-war era.

1. The Civil Rights Movement (32 min)

• Landmark events and figures that shaped the civil rights struggle.

1. The New Frontier and the Great Society (31 min)

• Kennedy’s vision and Johnson’s continuation of civil rights and social welfare initiatives.

1. The Rise of Mass Media (31 min)

• The evolution of media and its political influence.

1. The Vietnam War (32 min)

• The complexities and public sentiment around the Vietnam War.

1. The Women’s Movement (32 min)

• The development and impact of the women’s liberation movement.

1. Nixon and Watergate (30 min)

• The political scandal that led to Nixon’s resignation.

1. Environmentalism (30 min)

• The rise of environmental awareness and activism.

1. Religion in Twentieth-Century America (32 min)

• The diverse religious landscape and its impact on social issues.

1. Carter and the Reagan Revolution (31 min)

• The challenges faced by President Carter and the conservative shift under Reagan.

1. The New World Order (31 min)

• The geopolitical landscape following the Cold War.

1. Clinton’s America and the Millennium (32 min)

• The economic and political challenges during Clinton’s presidency.

1. Reflections (31 min)

• A summary of recurring themes and lessons from America’s history.