American Experience | Official Site

Film

Emma Goldman

A notorious lecturer, fearless writer, and merciless publisher, Goldman was one of the most controversial women in America.

New York: A Documentary Film | Article

Historic New York

New York has been host to historic events that have had an unforgettable impact on the rest of America. The following are a few of the most notable.

Film

When CBS premiered "The $64,000 Question" in 1955, the show was more than a hit; it was a national phenomenon. More quiz shows followed. What the audience was to learn, much later, was that many of these shows were fixed. Slowly, painfully, the deceit unravelled. A look at the formative years of television and the scandal's impact on the TV business and a naive America.

Walt Whitman | Article

Walt Whitman: Teacher's Guide

Walt Whitman offers insights into social studies topics including the Civil War and the impact of war on soldiers and their families.

Film

The Poison Squad

The Poison Squad tells the story of government chemist Dr. Harvey Wiley who, determined to banish these dangerous substances from dinner tables, took on the powerful food manufacturers and their allies.

Reconstruction: The Second Civil War | Article

Rebuilding the South After the War

Historians review the problems of re-building a region destroyed by four years of bitter war.

Film

McCarthy

McCarthy chronicles the rise and fall of Joseph McCarthy, the Wisconsin senator whose zealous anti-communist crusade would test the limits of American decency and democracy.

Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided | Image Gallery

The Camera Goes to War

Just 22 years after the birth of photography, enterprising photographers rushed to Civil War battlefields and produced America's first documentary images of war

Film

John Brown's Holy War

Martyr, madman, murderer, hero: John Brown remains one of history's most controversial and misunderstood figures. In the 1850s, he and his ragtag guerrilla group embarked on a righteous crusade against slavery that was based on religious faith — yet carried out with shocking violence. His execution set off a chain of events that led to the Civil War.

Film

FDR

Engendering both admiration and scorn, FDR exerted unflinching leadership during the most tumultuous period in U.S. history since the Civil War and was the most vital figure in the nation during his 13 years in the White House.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid | Timeline

Timeline

Follow the timeline, starting with the founding of America's first private detective outfit for hire in 1850s to the eventual death of Butch and Sundance in 1908.

Alone on the Ice | Article

Bernt Balchen

A native of Tveit, Norway, Balchen first gained experience in Arctic flying when he served with Roald Amundsen.

Film

The Kennedys

A saga of ambition, wealth, family loyalty and personal tragedy. From Joseph Kennedy's rise on Wall Street, through John, Robert and Edward's successes and scandals, the family has left a storied political legacy.