A canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans had been the dream of several countires for years. Read about how the United States supported Panama's breakaway from Colombia in order to gain access to the isthmus of Panama, the final...

This great lesson plan from EDSITEment uses primary sources, an interactive timeline, and guiding questions to examine the debate in the United States over the merits of isolationism vs. internationalism after the passage of the...

This two-part feature on African American history offers an in-depth look at the events of the 1960's civil rights movement. Discusses voting rights, laws, military segregation, freedom rides, sit-ins and the NAACP. Includes historic...

Senator Joseph McCarthy did not create the national obsession with communist subversion. It had arisen in the late 1930s, years before McCarthy had come to public notice. Angry that they had been barred from the corridors of power for 20...

The Monroe Doctrine has been used in the past 180 years to let the United States' stance on European involvement in the Western Hemisphere be known. On this interesting site you can view an interactive copy of the original pages of the...

Contains all the text and images of the original document. Also includes a summary of the history behind the signing of this treaty.

Read a brief overview of the history behind this executive order that integrated the segregated military and then read a copy of the complete original text.

A site for reading all about the National Industrial Recovery Act and view the complete transcript of the original text.

Read this informative essay to learn about early 1900's child welfare and what social reformers, including Julia Lathrop, did on behalf of children.

[Free Registration/Login Required] An essay tracing the anti-Communist hysteria beginning in earnest at the end of World War II that resulted in Truman's federal Loyalty Security program and ending with McCarthyism in the 1950s.

PBS provides in-depth news coverage of Obama's presidential transition including analysis, interviews, background reports, a list of key positions (named as they are filled), and related links. Continuously updated.

Examines how William Howard Taft replaced Roosevelt's 'Big Stick' policy with his own concept of 'dollar diplomacy' where he leveraged America's economic power against its imperialistic interests around the world.

Features inaugural artifacts and highlights of nine presidential inaugurations starting with George Washington who established many of the ceremonial traditions that are still followed today.

Lesson on how the character of American politics changed between the 1820s and 1850s as a result of growing popular participation. Complete set of resources including primary source material, teacher notes, vocabulary, and strategies for...

This detailed and informative site explains how the Pullman Strike, which began as a peaceful protest about rent in the company town of Pullman, spread across the country and brought railroad traffic to a halt.

This lesson takes a look at the history of the presidential cabinet, how the cabinet is built through the confirmation process, and why this elite group of people matters to you.

When we imagine President Lincoln struggling to preserve the nation, we conjure up many images in our minds. There was the excitement of political rallies, the soldiers' fear of the battlefield, and the grandeur of the Executive Mansion....

Scion of a prominent Virginia family, Blair was born at Williamsburg in 1732. He was the son of John Blair, a colonial official and nephew of James Blair, founder and first president of the College of William and Mary. Signer Blair...

A look at the Whig Party's formation in the 1830s as opposition to the Democratic Party. Read about their legislative plans, and the men they nominated for president over the years.

This Wide Angle video segment illustrates Islamic and secular elements of life in Turkey, and introduces Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first president of Turkey, and his reforms. Focuses on fashion, specifically Islamic dress in response to...

This essay from The Oxford Companion to American Military History goes into the causes of the Vietnam War and shows how the United States became embroiled incrementally from the 1950s up to 1965. An interesting section explains how the...

Take a look at a few of the Presidents' wives donating their time for speaking engagements.

This site provides a wide range of unique and interesting articles and online books which focus on various aspects of Texas' history. Content ranges from the first people of Texas to the presidency of Anson Jones to a look at one of the...

A history of Liberia's first presidents.