Learn about the Presidents of the U.S.A. Great way to learn American history using classical, gospel, light opera, rock, pop and rap! Twelve catchy songs written in the musical style of each historical period. Comprehensive, encyclopedic summary of the history of the American Presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush.

When you think of America's immigration story, you think of Ellis Island New York... right? Think again, because over 2,500 miles away is Angel Island, where immigrants coming into the West Coast were processed for entry to the US, but it was an experience that was anything but welcoming.

The American industrial revolution of the late 19th century helped to create the modern America that exists today. Industries such as railroads, steel-making, and oil fueled an economic expansion, while the rapid population growth of many cities, from rural areas and overseas, literally changed the face of the nation. Inventions such as electricity provided modern conveniences, while innovations in agriculture and mining opened up the west. Problems...

At the dawn of the nineteenth century, the size of the United States doubles with the Louisiana Purchase. The Appalachians are no longer the barrier to American migration west; the Mississippi River becomes the country's central artery; and Jefferson's vision of an Empire of Liberty begins to take shape. American historian Stephen Ambrose joins Professors Maier and Miller in examining the consequences of the Louisiana Purchase, for the North, the...

Running through the 2004 presidential campaign, this program examines the new world order shaped by the demise of the Soviet Union and the rise of global terrorism. The video spotlights the Iran hostage crisis of Jimmy Carter's presidency, the Iran-Contra scandal and the Strategic Defense Initiative of the Ronald Reagan administration, George H. W. Bush's Gulf War, the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal, and the 9/11 attacks, during George W. Bush's...

Tired of doing chores and longing for adventure during the Great Depression, Kit meets a hobo and decides to hop a freight train.

"To help her family make ends meet, Kit takes a job helping an elderly lady at a rundown mansion called Rivermead Manor. When she discovers a hidden room in the old house, she is sure its secrets will make a great newspaper article. But then Jessamine, Kit's long-lost friend, appears and seems to be in trouble, yet she won't confide in Kit. Determined to help, Kit follows clues, but will both of these mysteries lead to a story that's bigger than she...

"Ruthie Smithens, a girl who loves fairy tales and happy endings, doesn't mind being 'goffy Ruthie' if it makes her best friend, Kit Kittredge, smile and forget about the hardships of the Depression. But when Ruthie finds out that the Kittredges are going to be evicted from their house, she makes up her mind to help..."--Cover back.

Dixieland, swing, bebop, modal, free, avant-garde, these were some of the terms critics used during the 1960s to categorize the diverse manifestations of jazz music. As for the artists themselves, many were desperate for work and headed for Europe, including bebop saxophone master Dexter Gordon. At home, jazz sought relevance. During the Civil Rights struggle it became a voice of protest, while avant-garde explorer John Coltrane reached for a higher...

The Great Depression of the 1930s created unprecedented levels of unemployment in the United States. At its worst, one quarter of the population was unemployed and income levels had dropped by 50 percent. The New Deal, a brainchild of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, attempted to address the problems with federal relief programs. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) created new jobs for working class and professional workers alike. Manual workers...