U.S. History Links

1877 - 1900

Redemption, Populism, Industrialisation, Imperialism



William Jennings Bryan, The "Cross Of Gold" Speech 1896 William Jennings Bryan was Democrat/Populist nominee for the presidency in 1896. This famous speech secured his reputation as one of the nation's foremost speakers. what does it tell us about the populist agenda of 1896?

Populism - The People's or Populist Party of the 1890s Worth Robert Miller's great site containing images, documents, historiography and analysis of the populist movement in the 1890s. A great place to begin.

United We Stand? Tom Watson on Interracial Southern Populism (1892) Leading Georgia populist Tom Watson offers an insight into the racial politics of populism in the South during the early 1890s.

Keep Off the Grass!: Coxey’s Army Invades the Nation’s Capital (1894) This march of unemployed men to the nation's capital was not the the only one during the 1890s, or since. The speech written by leader Jacob Coxey wasn't delivered at the time due to his arrest. What does it tell us about the the agenda of the populists?

The Omaha Platform: Launching the Populist Party (1892) This party platform codified the local populist agenda that had existed for a least a decade prior to the founding of the People's Party (aka the Populist Party) in 1892. What does it tell us about the concerns of the populists core constituency?

Alcohol, Temperance & Prohibition Searchable database of articles and posters from the temperance campaigns of the late 19th/early 20th centuries.

Five Justices & The Grand Commission Online documentary covering the role of the US Supreme Court in deciding the disputed presidential election of 1876. Click on each section to be guided through the origins and solution to the controversy.

Harpweek: Finding Precedent - Hayes v. Tilden Excellent site covering the controversy over the 1876 presidential election. Explores the issues that led to compromise and the final death knell of the Reconstruction era.

The American Variety Stage How did the urbanites of the late 19th and early 20th century entertain themselves? This Library of Congress collection of of video, sound and memorabilia allows us to explore the context and content of Vaudeville.

The World's Columbian Exposition: Idea, Experience, Aftermath. A "virtual tour" of the 1893 exposition.

Introduction: The White City Contains pictures and images of the white city.

World's Columbia Exposition of 1893 Site provided by the Illinois Institute of Technology. Contains images and essays on the exposition. The Christopher Robert Reed essay is particularly useful.

Frederick Jackson Turner, The Frontier in American History Full text of the Turner thesis.

The History of Jim Crow Valuable collection of maps, testimony and other resources detailing the development and destruction of Jim Crow laws in the United States.

Without Sanctuary A collection of photographs/souvenirs documenting lynch law in the United States. This important site contains photographs of some truly brutal crimes.

Landmark Cases Supreme Court: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) School site that provides a useful lesson in how local cases can come to assume national significance. In this case the court ruling became a cornerstone for the institution of a legalised system of racial segregation that lasted for 50 years.

Henry Demarest Lloyd, "The Lords of Industry," North American Review 331 (June 1884) Critique of "Robber Barons" such as Andrew Carnegie.

Andrew Carnegie, "Wealth", North American Review 1889 One of America's super-rich of the Gilded Age era explains the virtues and responsibilities of his extraordinary wealth.

Links to Articles on life in the steel industry

The American 1890s: a Chronology Exactly what the title suggests.

The Era of William McKinley Contains a few useful documents/articles relating to the president.

Labor-Management Conflict in American History Links to documents relating to the Anthracite Coal Strike, Homestead, etc.

Jacob A. Riis, How the Other Half Lives (1890) Landmark study of tenement life in New York City.

Father Knows Best?: Strikers Denounce Pullman Statement of Pullman striker outlining his loathing of George Pullman and his company.

Chicago Metro History Fair: 1894: The Pullman Strike CommissionReport Four transcripts of testimonies before the United states StrikeCommission.

“For the Further Benefit of Our People”: George Pullman AnswersHis Strikers George Pullman justifies the wage cuts that led to the 1894 strike.

Enter To Discover Pullman's Real Industrial Model City and Reasons for the Great Strike in 1894 Long title, but features some useful images and biographies regarding the strike.

Broken Spirits: Letters on the Pullman Strike Letters from the Governor of Illinois regarding the aftermath of the strike.

1896: the Presidential Campaign: Cartoons and Commentary Excellent site detailing the personalities and issues of the 1896 election. Well resourced.

New York Public Library: A War in Perspective, 1898-1998 A great resource for discovering the contemporary context in which the United States embarked on war with Spain. Plentiful examples of media coverage.

The Spanish-American War in Motion Pictures Exactly as the title might suggest. Early film footage of the conflict, troop preparations etc.

The World Of 1898: The Spanish-American War Library of Congress Site containing maps/chronologies of conflict.

Crucible of Empire: The Spanish American War Great PBS site containing newspaper articles, music from the period. Very useful for coverage of the USS Maine sinking.

De Lôme Letter (1898) A reproduction and text of the letter that contributed to war fever in the US in 1898.

Anti-Imperialism and the United States, 1898-1935 Selection of texts covering opposition to the Spanish-American Conflict. Also useful for exploring the nature of inter-war isolationist sentiment.

1900-1917

Washington vs. Du Bois, Progressivism, Women's Suffrage



Urban Experience in Chicago: Hull-House And Its Neighborhoods Comprehensive well resourced site from the University of Illinois that provides a wealth of material on those at the forefront of social welfare progressivism.

"Aid Poor By Respect: Miss Jane Addams Tells Club Women Patronage Is Worse Than Useless," Chicago Record-Herald (June 2, 1906). This newspaper report outlines the motivations of one of the leading lights of the settlement house movement Jane Addams.

Booker T. Washington, “Cast Down Your Bucket Where You Are" TheAtlanta Compromise speech, 1895. Contains text of the famous "Atlanta Compromise" speech.

Miller Center: Woodrow Wilson Speeches Transcripts of all the significant speeches made by Wilson during his two terms in the White House.

Theodore Roosevelt, State of the Union Message, Dec. 1901 After dealing with the assassination of McKinley, TR discusses the growth of massive corporations and what should be done about them.

ehistory: The Anthracite Coal Strike 1902 Timeline and documents detailing with the United Mine Workers strike of 1902 and the role of the presidency in negotiating a settlement.

Theodore Roosevelt, "The Man With The Muck Rake" April 15, 1906 Roosevelt's comments on the journalists and social reformers who highlighted the problems in American society during the 1900s. What does it tell us about his attitude toward social problems?

Theodore Roosevelt, "The Case Against The Reactionaries", June 17, 1912 TR announces the formation of a new Party, the Progressive Party, in order for him to enter the 1912 presidential election against his former vice-pres. William Howard Taft. How did TR portray the progressive agenda?

The Origins of American Animation Another great Library of Congress resource. Contains early animation (1900-1921) that refelects the development of animation and social, cultural and political issues of the period.

The Authentic History Center: Early 1900s Political speeches, cartoons, documents, images of cultural artefacts. A great resource.

Suffragists Oral History Project Testimonies from women involved in the struggle for the vote.

Votes For Women: Selections From the NAWSA Collection, 1848-1921 Documents from the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) giving an incite into the struggle for suffrage from Seneca Falls to the vote.

The Triangle Factory Fire, 1911 Includes testimonials, documents and photographs recounting the tragedy when 146 immigrant workers died in a fire in their factory in New York.

H-SHGAPE: Gilded Age and Progressive Era Resources Motherlode of internet resources covering the United states from 1890-1920s. Well worth a look.

Women of Protest: Photographs From the Records Of the National Women's Party Pictures and other information regarding the activities of the militant wing of the women's suffrage movement.

The Evolution of the Conservation Movement Library of Congress site providing documents that detail the connection between progressivism and conservation.

Theodore Roosevelt: His Life and Times On Film Gives you exactly what you would expect. Contains film footage and sound recordings from the 1912 election.

Inside an American Factory: Films of the Westinghouse Works, 1904 Library of Congress site allowing you to view footage from inside Westinghouse's various factories, building electricity generators, airbrakes, etc. filmed in 1904.

W.E.B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk (1903) Project Gutenburg Site: Allows you to download the full text ofDu Bois' 1903 text - if you don't want to buy it.

The History of Jim Crow: Jim Crow Inside the South Click on each state to see a chronology of each state's Jim Crowlegislation.

America at Work, America at Leisure: Motion Pictures from 1894-1915 Library of Congres website containing early motion pictures of American leisure activities.

W. E. B. Du Bois, “Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others." Chapter from Du Bois's Souls of Black Folk, critiquing Booker t.Washington.

The Booker T. Washington Papers The online edition of the collected papers of Booker T. Washington.

The Armory Show Virtual Exhbit (1913) This site presents the exhibition, named after New York's 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue where it was held. The show provided Americans an introduction to modern art that led to a highly critical response from those used to figurative art.

1917-1929

Red Scare, Normalcy, Consumerism, Scopes Trial, Klan, Harlem



Robert and Helen Lynd, The Automobile Comes to Middletown, 1924 Middletown, in reality Muncie Illinois, was the subject of the Lynd's sociological study. This section charts the impact of one aspect of consumer society on family life: the rise of car ownership.

The Klan Manual, 1925 an outline of the structure and values of the 1920s Ku Klux Klan from one of its manuals

Arthur Kallet and F. J. Schlink, 100,000,000 Guinea Pigs, Dangers in Everyday Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics Extract from popular Depression-era text that critiques the the tactics of American industry that developed in the previous decade. Contains echoes of the progressive agenda of the early 1900s.

Roland Marchand: "The New Woman" Images of the emancipation and progress of the American woman in the 1920s and 1930s Roland Marchand was a historian of modern American cultural consumption. This page offers slides and text from magazines helping understand the changing image/role of women through the 1910s/1920s.

Famous American Trials: Sacco & Vanzetti (1921) Site covering the trial of two immigrant Italian anarchists that became a national sensation. What does their conviction & execution tell us about attitudes toward immigrants and radical politics?

FIRST CALL: American Posters of World War One Online version of an exhibiton at Georgetown university. A Great collection of recruiting posters, calls for war bonds and other domestic issues. Great for seeing how Germany and Germans became demonized.

The Authentic History Center: World War One Music, speeches, posters and cartoons from this site holding a vast archive of popular culture source material.

The Stars and Stripes: The American Soldiers' Newspaper of WorldWar One Copies of the armed services' newspaper from 1918-1919.

Emmet J. Scott, The American Negro in the World War Full text of early analysis of the black role in World War One by Emmet J. Scott, Special adjutant to the Secretary of war and former secretary of Booker T. Washington.

American Leaders Speak: Recordings from World War I and the 1920Election. Text and audio recordings of speeches from politicians on a range of subjects.

America's Secret War: American Intervention In The Russian Civil War, 1918-1920 Documents and photographs exploring the intervention in the Russian Civil War.

Red Scare (1918-1921), an Image Database. Photographs and cartoons relating to the postwar conservative backlash.

A Mitchell Palmer, "The Case Against the 'Reds,'" Forum (1920), 63:173- 185. Article by the U.S. Attorney General justifying the tactics of the post World War One Red Scare.

Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 Archive -- Photographs The University of Tulsa's collection of photographs and postcards documenting the 16 hours of rioting, that led to 800 people being admitted to local hospitals, an estimated 10,000 left homeless, 35 city blocks destroyed by fire and 39 dead.

Famous American Trials: The Black Sox Trial, 1921 What does it say about a country when a sports team decide to throw one of its major sporting events for money? In 1919,8 members of the Chicago White Sox threw the World Series. This site traces what happened when they faced trial in 1921.

The Red Hot Jazz Archive This site provides film, audio and biography of the early jazz greats, tracing their roots and the roots of the music in the 19th and early 20th century. If you want to understand the development of an important strand of popular culture look here.

Famous Trials in American History: Tennessee Vs. John Scopes, The "Monkey Trial" 1925. Transcripts and articles relating to the famous trial.

H. L. Mencken: The Scopes Trial Part of a website called "positive atheism", this page contains links to H.L. Mencken's witty, brutal newspaper reports of the Scopes Trial. The title of the first piece "Homo Neanderthalensis" sets the tone.

The Authentic History Center: 1920s Music, speeches, images from the decade. Worth exploring if you're examining the development of consumer culture.

Between The Wars: The Klan Rides Again Site containing documents and audio of the 20's era Klan.

“Art [and History] by Lightning Flash”:The Birth of a Nation and Black Protest Center For History & New Media site with a clip from the movie and examples of the protest letters written by those, led by the NAACP, seeking to stop the film being shown.

Only Yesterday: An Informal History of the 1920's , Frederick Lewis Allen (1931) The Full text of Allen's influential work on the 1920s.

Radical Revolution Net: The Dearborn Independent Scanned copies of Henry Ford's company newspaper, contains examples of his racialised, anti-semitic worldview.

emplive: Sweet Home Chicago Part of a site devoted to the history of American Popular Music.Includes audio interviews with blues musicians explaining why they moved out of the South.

Great Migration inquiry project, Spring 2002 * Resources Page Great set of resources, including maps, detailing the nature ofthe Great Migration.

The African-American Mosaic: Chicago: Destination for the GreatMigration Site including a number of primary resources dealing with the causes and consequences of migration. Worth a look.

Harlem: Mecca of the New Negro Full Hypertext of the March 1925 edition of Survey Graphic. Contains contributions from many leading contributors to the Harlem Renaissance.

American radicalism: The Ku Klux Klan Original texts/documents care of Michigan State University library. Click on the text to view the documents. Well worth a look.

Rhapsodies in Black: The Art of the Harlem Renaissance Contains short essays and examples of artworks from the era.

Harlem, 1900-1940: An African-American Community Useful set of images relating to the Harlem Renaissance.

American Experiece: Monkey Trial Excellent site containing cartoons and popular songs(!) reklating to the trial, in addition to a detailed timeline.

Rhapsodies in Black: Art of the Harlem Renaissance Site accompanying a recent exhibition covering the Harlem Renaissance. Contains brief essays and examples of art.

Poster for the Milwaukee KKK inviting citizens to a summer 1924rally. Poster advertising klan rally in Milwaukee, 1924.

The Emergence of Advertising in America: 1850 - 1920: John W. Hartmann Center for Sales, Advertising and Marketing History Collection of advertisments from the early years of the advertising industry.

Prosperity and Thrift: The Coolidge Era and the Consumer Economy, 1921-1929 Wide array of Library of Congress source materials from the 1920s that document the widespread prosperity of the Coolidge years, the nation's transition to a mass consumer economy, and the role of government in this transition.

1929-1939

Great Depression, New Deal



Huey Long, "Every Man A King" 1934 An fine example of the way the "Kingfish" became so increadibly popular during the early years of the depression.

Hoover Online!: Hoover and the Depression: Documents relating to the Hoover Administration's response to the Great Depression.

The Depression Papers of Herbert Hoover Was Herbert Hoover really the naive, aloof blunderer depicted by the Roosevelt Administration/every tv documentary on the Great Depression since? Make up your own mind with the help of these documents from his presidency.

The New Deal Network Massive resource of documents relating to the New Deal. Essential.

FDR & The Court-Packing Controversy Supreme Court history site that includes an online documentary regarding FDR's attempts to overcome a conservative Supreme Court by adding extra justices. Click on the link to start the documentary.

FDR Library: Fireside Chats Of Franklin D. Roosevelt So, we all know FDR reassured a worried nation through a series of radio messages, but what did he actually say? This archive gives you the full text of the critical addresses.

Studs Terkel: Recordings From Hard Times Studs Terkel has spent his entire career interviewing Americans about their experiences. This page from his website offers you the opportunity to listen to some of the inteviews conducted for Hard Times, his oral history of America in the 1930s.

America In The 1930s A remarkable website from the University of Virginia. Contains numerous examples of popular culture - including advertising and radio - as well as a helpful, detailed timeline.

Voices of the Dust Bowl: The Charles L. Todd and Robert Sonkin Migrant Worker Collection Library of Congress site providing text and audio from California's migrant labour camps.

America From the Great Depression to World War II: Photgraphs from the FSA/OWI, 1935-1945. Library of Congress site including photgraphs by Dorothea Lange.

Action Comics, No. 1 (June 1938) Toward the end of the depression, Superman made his first appearance in this comic. The whole of it is reproduced here - what can Superman, and the other stories here, tell us about the period in which it was produced?

A Gullible Nation? A Closer Look At That Night Of Panic Great site offering full audio of the night in 1938 when Orson Welles convinced thousands of Americans that aliens had landed via a radio play of War of the Worlds. Provides context of the scare within American radio and world events.

Portrait of America: Survey Graphic In The 1930s Collection of articles from the magazine that charted the social development of the United States through the 1930s. A great resource.

1940-1945

Japanese American Internment, Civil Rights, Rosie The Riveter



Studs Terkel: The Good War Studs Terkel is an oral historian who has spent much of the past fifty years talking to Americans about their life experiences. These selections were used in his book The Good War that traced the impact of World War Two on American society.

The Evacuation of the Japanese Following Pearl Harbor The late Roland Marchand's source task asks us to consider the competing forces that shaped policy toward Japanese Americans during World War Two and consider their effects.

"What We're Fighting For": American Visions of National Purposes and Social Relationships During World War II A great collection of posters/advertisements that asks students to develop an analysis of how these images aimed to either reflect or mould public opinion. Another fine resource from the late Roland Marchand.

FDR on African Americans in the Military (Sept 27 1940) The Miller Center For Political Affairs has produced this audio & transcription of FDR's discussion with A. Phillip Randolph and Walter White regarding the presence of African Americans in the US army. A truly incredible insight from over 60 years ago.

THE VOICES OF WWII FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM This site provides audio and video testimonies from US war veterans. The site covers the European, Pacific and domestic fronts and the issue of Japanese-American internment.

Densho: Testimonies of Japanese American Incarceration Website full of the testimonies of Japanese-Americans incarcerated during World War Two. The site contains different sections privding chronology and maps. You must complete free registration to access the testimonies.

Voices of World War II: Experiences From the Front and at Home A collection of radio broadcasts and oral histories from the war era.

After the Day of Infamy: "Man-on-the-Street" Interviews Following the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Audio interviews with American citizens.

The Stanley Hayami Diary, 1941-1944. Stanley Hayami was a Japanese American student from Los Angeleswho attended high school at the Heart Mountain concentration camp in Wyoming. This is his diary. An excellent resource.

PBS Zoot-Suit Riots Website exploring the race riot that hit Los Angeles in 1943. White servicemen and locals turned on young Mexican and African-Americans - especially those wearing Zoot-Suits. Find out about this conflict over race, space and fashion here.

The Authentic History Center: World war two In Toons See how Donald duck, Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny were used to confront the Nazis & Japanese in these excerpts.

Historic Government Publications From World War Two Southern Methodist University's collection of official government documents & pamphlets. Fully searchable, documents appear in PDF format.

“That’s Why I’m Marching”: Mobilizing African Americans for War Contains propaganda material designed to bring African Americans into the war effort. Contains propaganda film using the battle between Max Schmelling and Joe Louis as a metaphor for the broader conflict.

ROSIE THE RIVETER PROJECT A set of oral historries conducted with veterans of the home front. Requires adobe acrobat as the interviews open in PDF files.

Aliens In Our Midst (1942). On May 10, 1942 the University of Chicago Round Table broadcast Aliens In Our Midst over the Red Network of the National Broadcasting Company. This "radio discussion" broadcast from the University of Chicago raised questions such as "What are we doing abou

PRODUCE FOR VICTORY: Posters on the American Home Front (1941-45) World War II posters helped to mobilize a nation. Inexpensive, accessible, and ever-present, the poster was an ideal agent for making war aims the personal mission of every citizen. Government agencies, businesses, and private organizations issued an array

Radio Days: The Battle for Iwo Jima Contains radio accounts of some of the heaviest fighting of the Pacific War.

Voices of World War II: Experiences From the Front and at Home Great set of audio/pictures/documents dealing with all aspects of the home front from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Highly Recommended.

Doctor Seuss Went to War Wartime cartoons by the creator of the Cat in the Hat.

Donald Duck: The Spirit Of 1943 Disney cartoon in which Donald Duck takes on the axis.

NARA: Powers of Persuasion, Poster Art of World War II Exactly as it suggets.

African American mosaic: Cavalcade of the American Negro Documents relating to the black contribution to the Chicago exposition of 1940.

Rutgers Oral History Archives Go to "conflict index" to find interviews with people recallingtheir experiences on the American Home front.

Library of Congress: Rosie Pictures: Select Images Relating to American Women Workers During World War II Selection of photographs, posters and cartoons relating to the employment of women workers during World War Two.

A. Philip Randolph 1889-1979 Go to the civil rights section to view a few documents relatingto the MOWM.

1945-1960

Cold War, Anticommunism, Cultural Conformity, Eisenhower



“You Are the Un-Americans, and You Ought to be Ashamed of Yourselves”: Paul Robeson Appears Before HUAC Paul Robeson's testimony before HUAC from 1956.

The Literature & Culture of the American 1950s Large set of links relating to the decade. Useful for study of anticommunism.

The Truman Doctrine, March 12th, 1947 Truman Library copy of Harry Truman's speech which outlined the nature of the growing conflict between the United states and the Soviet Union. Explore the rest of the site for details of the dfarting process.

"X Article" Sorces of Soviet Conduct, George Kennan, July 1947. A core text by one of the chief architects of the Cold war strategy of Containment. Kennan was based in the U.S. embassy in Moscow. The text covered similar themes to the "long telegram" Kennan had written in February 1946.

Executive Order 9835: Federal Loyalty Program, March 21st, 1947. Full text of the Truman loyalty order from teachingamericanhistory.org. The order was designed to root out communists from all branches of government service.

Statement by the President on the Government’s Employee Loyalty Program, November 14, 1947 "I believe I speak for all of the people of the United States when I say that disloyal and subversive elements must be removed from the employ of the Government." read on to explore the justification of the loyalty program.

Universal News reels: Hollywood 'Red' Probe Begins, October 1947 Newsreel detailing the start of HUAC hearings on Hollywood.

1948: Year of Turmoil & Triumph Collection of documents from the Harry Truman Library.

Arthur Schlesinger, "Not Left, Not Right, But A Vital Center", New York Times Magazine, Sunday, April 4, 1948 (sec. 6) Article pointing to the development of the Cold War Liberal ideology by one of its key architects.

The Alger Hiss Trials, 1949-50 Website providing biography and transcripts of the trials of Alger Hiss, a State Dept employee charged with communist subversion and eventually sent to jail for perjury. The investigation, conducted by HUAC, made a star of Richard Nixon.

American Radicalism: The Hollywood Ten Group of 10 Hollywood producers, directors, and screenwriters who, questioned by the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947, refused to testify to possible communist affiliations. They were imprisoned and blacklisted.

Cold War: Excerpts from the Hollywood HUAC Hearings The page contains links to testimonies of four people called before the hearings of the House Committee during the hearings held to investigate subversion in the movie industry.

NSC 68: United States Objectives and Programs for National Security (1950) Planning document produced by Paul Nitze and presented to the National Security Council (hence the NSC) which outlines the nature of the threat posed by the Soviet Union.

American Radicalism: The Rosenberg Case. Accused of passing on atomic secrets to the Soviet Union, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were sentenced to death in 1951. Read documents relating to their failed campaign for clemency.

Senator Joseph McCarthy, Wheeling, W. Virginia Speech, February 9, 1950 Shorter version of the famous speech alledging communist subversion of the state dept.

Excerpts From Senate Proceedings on Senator Joe McCarthy's SpeechRelating to Communists in the State Department, Feb. 20, 1950 The congressional record of McCarthy's most infamous speech explaining the relationship between the rise of communism, the fall of China and infiltration of the US State Dept. Includes context of the speech. Look for the bold type for the speech itself

Censure Of Senator Joseph Mccarthy (1954) Full text of the Senate motion that damned the practices of Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Herblock: Fire! Cartoons on McCarthyism Herb Block was an editorial cartoonist for the Washington Post from the 20s to the early 21st century. These cartoons are a great way of exploring the issues of McCarthyism and its impact on American life.

The Times Looks Back: Eisenhower vs Stevenson, 1952 & 1956. New York Times website offering articles covering the two presidential elections of the 1950s - both fought between Dwight Eisenhower (Rep.) & Adlai Stevenson (Dem.)

Senator Richard Nixon's Checkers Speech (1952) Richard Nixon's first major brush with corruption. Read how Nixon, as a vice-presidential nominee, attempts to reconcile the public with his alleged receipt of a secret $18,000 donation from backers.

Prelinger Archive: Communism (1952) Educational film outlining the perils of Communism.

Eisenhower Library: McCarthyism Documents detailing the response of President Eisenhower to the communist threat and the role of Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Eisenhower Library: The Rosenberg case Collection of documents detailing how the Eisenhower Adminstration dealt with clemency appeals regarding the execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for spying.

Edward R. Murrow:A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy See it Now (CBS-TV, March 9, 1954) Full transcript of the Ed Murrow's damaging investigation of Sen. Joseph McCarthy's practices.

“Have You No Sense of Decency”: The Army-McCarthy Hearings History Matters transcript that details the destruction of Senator Joseph McCarthy by attorney Joseph Welch. After the televised hearings, McCarthy, a broken man, succumbed to alcoholism, while Welch went on to star in the movie Anatomy Of A Murder.

This I Believe - Americans and their fundamental beliefs In the 1950s Edward Murrow asked American citizens, some famous some not, to record a 600-word statement of their fundamental beliefs. These brief essays, only 5 minutes when broadcast, provide us within an insight into the values of 1950s America.

The Beat Page Website full of short biographies of leading writers of the beat generation including Kerouac, Ginsberg and Burroughs. Also includes examples of their work and links to other sites. A good place to start when you're reconsidering 50s cultural conformity.

Prelinger Collection: Duck and Cover (1951) Watch/download this cheery/scary film giving kids advice on how to survive impending nuclear war. Fronted by an animated tortoise!?!

D E C L A S S I F I E D: The Nixon/Khruschev Kitchen Debate Short Colour clip of the infamous kitchen dbate between the soviet premier and the American Vice-President.

Levittown: Documents of an Ideal American Suburb Documents/photographs relating to the archtypal 1950s suburb.

The Kinsey Institute: Data from Alfred Kinsey's Studies Brief collection of data from Alfred Kinsey's two studies into sexuality: Sexual Bahavior in the Human Male (1948) and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953).

1960-1975

Cuba, SDS, Great Society, Women's Rights, Antiwar, Watergate



August 1968: Gore Vidal vs William F. Buckley (You Tube) Gore Vidal gets involved in a heated debate with conservative William F. Buckley over the American presidency. A row that gives you some idea of either how much these two hated each other, or the visceral nature of politics in 1968.

Richard Nixon, Address to the nation on the war in Vietnam ("Silent Majority" speech), November 3, 1969. Richard Nixon's election victory was partly a consequence of appealing the to the "silent majority". How does he define them here?

Peter Schrag, "The Forgotten American," Harper's, August 1969 Peter Schrag's piece for Harper's magazine captures the boiling resentment of those whites who felt ignored and disadvantaged by government policies designed to eradicate poverty. An example of the entrenched opposition to the movement.

“We Are Living in a State of Anarchy”: Radical Assessments and Agendas in theYear 1968 Six years prior to these statements, Tom Hayden had co-written the Port Huron statement. What had changed?

George Wallace for President 1968 Campaign Brochure In 1968, George Wallace, the former Governor of Alabama, ran as a thrid party presidential candidate. While he didn't win his appeal streched far outside the South.

The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962: The 40th Anniversary Excellent collection of audio, documents and analysis from the National Security Archive.

In Touch: One of the students remebers Kent State This Ohio University page contains a video in which Dean Kahler, one of nine students wounded at Kent State on May 4 1970 revisits the events. Contains excellent footage of the event. A great oral history resource.

The Cuban Missile Crisis: The Washington Post Full text of The Washington Post covering the period October 22nd to October 29th, 1962.

Free Speech Movement Digital Archive More documents from the University of California, Berkeley.

Free Speech Movement Archives Collection of speeches/documents from the Berkeley protests

SDS Documents Michigan Some quite specific documents. Also useful for study of the anti-war movement.

Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum: Selected Speeches & Messages Useful collection of speeches outlining critical policy decisions/statements.

Lyndon Johnson Library & Museum: Media On Demand Audio and video of critical moments in the Johnson presidency.

TeachingAmericanHistory.Org - Lyndon Johnson Selection of Speeches, Documents relating to Johnson's Domestic & Foreign Policies.

You Tube: Republican For Johnson campaign ad (1964) 4 minute election broadcast in the form of a monologue by a liberal Republican talking to camera. As striking as the "Daisy" ad in its way. For other campaign adverts, explore the EASE history site in the general links section.

Google Video: Ronald Reagan "A Time For Choosing" 1964 Ronald Reagan first came to prominence as a politician in 1964 through this campaign speech for Republican Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. The speech offers a glimpse of the origins of the New Right politics that Reagan represented in the 80s.

Lyndon Johnson, "The Great Society" University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, May 22, 1964 Lyndon Johnson's speech outlining the nature of the proposed Great Society/War On Poverty.

Mayor Richard Daley on the Community Action Program, Dec. 1965 Miller Center audio and transcription in which the mayor of Chicago, Richard Daley, voices his opposition to one of the central planks of the War on Poverty: the Community Action Program. A great example of the tensions the policy caused.

You Tube: NETWORK EVENING NEWS CBS,NBC,ABC, SUMMARY OF VIETNAM NEWS (65-68) Apparently these excerpts are taken from Vanderbilt University's recording of news reports from US networks between 1965 & 1968. These clips provide us with a chance to explore the meaning of the term "tv war".

You Tube: CBS News (Feb. 27, 1968) - Report from Vietnam Trusted CBS News Anchorman Walter Cronkite informs the nation that, after the Tet Offensive, the United States is now "mired in stalemate" in Vietnam. Full text is avaliable from History Matters in the general links section.

Stonewall and Beyond: Lesbian and Gay Culture Use the index to reach the stonewall section. Includes newspapers reports and photographs covering the events at the Stonewall Inn in 1969.