After the SpanishAmerican War the American occupation of Cuba and the adoption of the Platt Amendment, which was forced upon the Cuban government when it formed its constitution, showed the signs of imperialism on the part of the United...

The question of the expansion of slavery into the territories of the United States was an old question that was addressed again in the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Read about the Tallmadge Amendment and the opinions supporting and...

In this video segment from The Supreme Court, learn about the 1883 Supreme Court decision that marked the end of federal protections for individuals in states and the beginning of Jim Crow segregation.

What is the Bill of Rights? Why were they created? Find out the purpose of these ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution and how they work to protect the citizens in the U.S.

An explantion of how the Supreme Court decision in Brown v Board of Education of Topeka turned the concept of separate but equal on its head. See how they determined that the 14th Amendment was being violated when schools did not fund...

The Eighteenth Amendment showed how difficult it is to legislate morality. Read about the advantages of Prohibition, especially in terms of public health. The disadvantages far outweighed the advantages. See how lawlessness increased...

Read about the frustration the Radical Republicans in Congress had with the Reconstruction plans of Andrew Johnson. Find out what legislation they were able to pass over Johnson's veto, and how they attempted to protect emancipated...

Read about the need for a Bill of Rights to be added to the Constitution. Find out what each of the first ten amendments means.

A clear explanation of the Antarctic Treaty, a unique international agreement between scientists. Outlines the gist of the fourteen articles in the original agreement, signed in 1959 by twelve nations. Many more have signed on since. The...

[Free Registration/Login Required] A lengthy essay about American focus on foreign affairs after the Civil War, expanding particularly in the late 19th century. Read about U.S. exploits in the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Pacific...

This site is from a unit called 'African-Americans in the Land of Equality.' It looks at the 1954 decision by the Supreme Court in the Brown v. Board of Education case that ended school segregation.

Before his assassination, Abraham Lincoln was already making plans for Reconstruction in the South. Read about his plan and the plan of the Radical Republicans. See the reasoning behind each plan.

See how the Roosevelt Corollary expanded on the Monroe Doctrine and allowed for intervention in Latin American affairs.