Showing results by publisher "The Great Courses" in Americas

In Forgotten America: Rediscovering Events that Changed the Nation, turn your attention to the unfamiliar in United States history with historian and author Dr. Rachel Michelle Gunter.

Owing to the legacy of slavery, African Americans have faced significant obstacles to obtaining the fundamental rights of freedom and citizenship. The consistent struggle among African Americans to gain their human rights live at the heart of the American experiment in democracy. In the 24 compelling lectures of African American History: From the African Coast to the Civil War, take a penetrating look at the experience of African Americans in the colonial and antebellum eras

The office of the president of the United States of America is one that can shape not just a nation but the entire world. But what limits are there if any on presidential power? These 12 eyeopening, timely lectures examine the ins and outs of presidential investigations using past events as a lens through which to make sense of current (and future) ones. With his political and legal insights, Professor Rosenzweig walks you through the entire path of investigating potential misuse of presidential power, from the establishment of legislative committees to the impeachment process.

What defines an American? Is it the love of liberty, the pursuit of justice, the urge to invent, the desire for wealth, the drive to explore, the quest for spiritual values? The paradox of American identity is that although the United States is a melting pot of many different traditions, motives, and ideals, there are nevertheless distinctive qualities that define the American character.

Go on an in-depth, 24-lecture exploration of important (and often overlooked) questions about the tumultuous political history of the Americas. Professor Eakin explains the cultural, economic, and political pressures each of these new American nations faced in achieving independence. In addition, he examines exactly why each revolution progressed, and succeeded or failed, as it did.

You would think that when the United States of America was formed, our citizenry could finally enjoy a plethora of hard-won liberties. But that was not the case. While the new Americans no longer suffered from taxation without representation, many of the liberties we enjoy today were not part of their lives. In Liberty on Trial in America: Cases that Defined Freedom, you will learn how liberty increased in our country when individuals sued for those freedoms, when cases were brought specifically to test the limits of the Constitution with its Amendments....

Professor Seeger reveals the origins of the American music industry; the impact of instruments like the piano and the banjo; and the myriad ways music has shaped American wars, dances, elections, and public demonstrations. You’ll learn the secret histories of songs, including “The President’s March”, “Amazing Grace”, and “We Shall Overcome”, You’ll also hear informative interviews and eclectic performances from scholar-musicians, and sample original recordings that reflect the incredible richness of the American musical experience.

An insightful 12-lecture course that explores the principles that guided the founding of the United States, the conditions that led to the break with Great Britain, and the creation of such founding documents as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.You'll deepen your understanding of fundamental ideas that inspired American independence and that continue to have a profound influence on American thought. You'll also receive insight into what historians call "the long conversation" in American society.

Many Americans remember a family road trip to visit one of our 63 national parks. Why did Americans start preserving these sites of natural and historic interest? How were these parks selected, and what steps did conservationists, activists, philanthropists, politicians, and others take to protect millions of acres against the booming developments of an expanding nation? An award-winning writer, researcher, and American Studies scholar, Dr. Megan Kate Nelson tackles these questions as she takes you on a marvelous journey through some of the most beautiful places on Earth.

The promise of America is that the country is based on an idea, one where everyone is created equal and equally free to chart their own course. From 13 newly independent states ratifying a national constitution to the heated debates in the halls of Congress today, American politics is about negotiation over what our country is—and where we are going.

Histories of the United States often overlook the women who shaped the nation. Museums, textbooks, historical sites, and even documentaries omit essential parts of the whole because they leave out her story. Join Allison K. Lange, historian and professor, as she guides you through the fascinating lives of 12 early Americans, all of them women.

Make American history come alive with these 30 excellent lectures that cover the first half of America's fascinating history from the settlement of the continent by Native Americans through to the California Gold Rush of 1849. Crafted with unusual creativity and innovation, each lecture is "taught" by a particular character. Professor Thompson "becomes" a Viking explorer, Christopher Columbus, revolutionary war foot soldiers, a French trapper, and a host of other characters who provide a first-person perspective on early American history.

During the Great Migration, Black Americans led a mass exodus out of the South. But not all that glittered in the imagination was gold in the real world across the Mason-Dixon line. They contended with dim economic prospects and sparred with white labor unions. They also struggled to assimilate into established Black communities. Nevertheless, these 6 million Black migrants left an indelible mark on life in the United States. How the Great Migration Changed America explores the causes and consequences of the Great Northward Migration in 12 eye-opening lectures.