The Homestead Act. The New Deal. 9/11. These are just three of the many turning points in the relatively short history of the United States - landmark movements that irrevocably altered the direction of the nation and signaled the dramatic start of a new historical reality. These 48 lectures are your chance to relive the most groundbreaking moments in the story of the United States.
Taking a chronological approach, Professor Edward O'Donnell of the College of the Holy Cross gives you new ways to understand American history and to appreciate it as a grand narrative pinpointed with key moments that changed things forever.
Among the great turning points you'll investigate in depth are the trial of John Peter Zenger (1735), which popularized the ideas that freedom of the press is essential to liberty; the battle of Antietam (1862), which eliminated the possibility of England and France intervening on behalf of the Confederacy; and the Watergate scandal (1974), which signaled a heightened level of public distrust toward elected officials. Along the way, Professor O'Donnell often dispels some intriguing myths and half-truths about American history and provides an honest, unabashed look at the subject matter. These lectures are packed with unfamiliar anecdotes, stories, and side notes that just may change your views on the grand narrative of American history.