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Curious Minds: American History

9 episodes 94%4KCC

Expert perspectives reveal the people and turning points that shaped America.

See U.S. history through expert insight as this series takes a closer look at influential figures and pivotal moments. From Revolutionary-era artifacts and Mount Vernon to Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, the Civil War, and mass immigration, each episode adds depth and context that rewards curiosity. Sign up to watch history become richer, more human, and more connected.

Episode guide

9 episodes
1
1Washington The Bachelor
Eleanor Breen, Deputy Director for Archaeology at Mt. Vernon, talks about the significance of analyzing trash at Mount Vernon dig sites.
1 min
2
2Washington's Whisky
Eleanor Breen, Deputy Director for Archeology at Mt. Vernon, describes how slave labor operated Washington's distillery.
2 min
3
3The Ladies Of Mount Vernon
Eleanor Breen, Deputy Director for Archeology at Mt. Vernon, details how Mt. Vernon came to be owned by a private association that pioneered the role of individuals in preserving places of historic significance.
1 min
4
4Father Abraham
Alan Kraut, Professor of History at American University, details how Lincoln overcame personal tragedy and existential doubts to complete his mission of uniting the Union.
2 min
5
5Soldiers Blue & Gray
Alan Kraut, Professor of History at American University, describes the powerful bond shared by soldiers North and South in the Civil War.
2 min
6
6He Belongs To The Ages
Alan Kraut, University Professor of History at American University, recounts the shock and grief Americans felt when Lincoln was struck down at the moment of victory.
2 min
7
7Lincoln The Racist
Alan Kraut, University Professor of History at American University, explains that Lincoln's close relationship with Frederick Douglass helped change the course of history.
2 min
8
8Abraham Lincoln Vs Jefferson Davis
Alan Kraut, University Professor of History at American University, describes how Lincoln's common touch made him a more effective war-time leader than Jefferson Davis.
3 min
9
9A Nation Of Immigrants
Europeans pouring into America at the dawn of the 20th century comprised the greatest migration of human beings ever, recounts Alan Kraut, University Professor of History at American University. But not everyone who journeyed to the new world saw it as the promised land.
5 min
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