North America History

Meet Harry S. Truman, Joe McCarthy, Ike, JFK, LBJ, Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, Elvis Presley, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Cesar Chavez, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. Full coverage of everything, including President Clinton's impeachment trial.

When was the first special forces unit established? What daring feats have taken place throughout history? This unique timeline of the US Army Ranger missions seizes the courage and drama these soldiers experienced. Follow along to learn more!

On November 24, 1971, a man boarded a passenger plane in Portland, Oregon. Later, he would become known as D. B. Cooper. But that wasn’t his real name, and he was no ordinary passenger. He hijacked the plane, demanded $200,000, and parachuted out of the plane with the money. He was never seen again. Who was D. B. Cooper, and what happened to him? Explore the theories behind this crime and why it has become one of history’s greatest mysteries.

On April 14, 1865, only days after the Civil War had come to a close, a gunshot rang out in Ford’s Theatre and President Abraham Lincoln slumped forward in his seat. Hours later, the United States had lost its leader. Now listeners can step back in time to learn about what led up to the assassination plot, how the fateful evening unfolded, and the ways in which one tragic day changed America forever.

Riveting, moving, and impossible to put down, War, Terrible War takes us into the heart of the Civil War, from the battle of Manassas to the battle of Gettysburg and on to the South's surrender at Appomattox Court House. Follow the common soldiers in blue and gray as they endure long marches, freezing winter camps, and the bloodiest battles ever fought on American soil.

America is a nation of immigrants. People have come to the United States from around the world seeking a better life and more opportunities, and our country would not be what it is today without their contributions. From writers like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, to scientists like Albert Einstein, to innovators like Elon Musk, this book honors the immigrants who have changed the way we think, eat, and live. Their stories serve as powerful reminders of the progress we've made, and the work that is still left to be done.

It began as President Ulysses S. Grant's bid for international glory after the Civil War - America's first attempt to reach the North Pole. It ended with Captain Charles Hall's death under suspicious circumstances, dissension among sailors, scientists, and explorers, and the ship's evacuation and eventual sinking. Then came a brutal struggle for survival by 33 men, women, and children stranded on the polar ice.

Andrew Jackson’s America examines the events and personalities, particularly President Andrew Jackson, that shaped the development of the United States during the first half of the 19th century. Learn about the influence that Andrew Jackson had on the way America developed, the industrial revolution and the beginning of the two-party system.

"Boys, let us get up a club." Six restless young men raided the linens at a friend's mansion, pulled pillowcases over their heads, hopped on horses, and cavorted through the streets of Pulaski, Tennessee. The six friends named their club the Ku Klux Klan, and, all too quickly, their club grew into the self-proclaimed Invisible Empire with secret dens spread across the South. This is the story of how a secret terrorist group took root in America's democracy.

This is American history at its most basic. Believing that students get "lost in a swamp of factual information", the Colliers survey the essential concepts of settling the Great Plains, without a great deal of detail. For example, in describing the sequence of events that led to the Grattan Massacre, there is no mention of date, location, or names of the people involved. Without prior knowledge, listeners would not know it was the Grattan Massacre. Topics addressed include Native American history prior to contact with whites and conflicts with settlers and the military, ranching and cowboys, railroads, and reform movements.

Rising from poverty-stricken Louisville in the 1950s, Ali became one of the world's greatest athletes. Beginning life as Cassius Clay, Ali would struggle against opponents both in and out of the ring. Segregation and racism stood as obstacles in his path, but as he climbed the boxing ranks, his social conscience grew. He refused to be pigeonholed as a stereotypical black athlete in the 1960s and changed his name to Muhammad Ali after converting to Islam.

Elva Zona Heaster died in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, in January 1897. Her death was originally thought to be from natural causes. But when Zona's ghost began visiting her mother, the death began to look a lot more suspicious.

From music to art to poetry, creativity filled the air in the Fillmore District. The creativity and inclusion brought communities together—with no exceptions. Everyone was welcome, and everyone was accepted. In this beautiful story about the historical Fillmore District in San Francisco, author Rachel Werner touches on themes of inclusivity and culture.

In the late 1800s, newsboys—or “newsies”—were a critical part of the newspaper industry. They bought stacks of papers from newspaper publishers and then sold them on city streets for a small profit. But in 1898, William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal and Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World raised the cost of 100 papers by 10 cents. The price increase cut into the newsboys’ profits, and by the summer of 1899 their frustration boiled over. They banded together and showed the world how activists of any age can use a strike.

In 1777, the American Revolution is well underway. At 16, Sybil Ludington knows the war all too well. Her father is a colonel in the Continental Army, battling for America's independence from Great Britain. Colonel Ludington and his regiment are home for the season when word comes that the British Army is attacking nearby. With her father too ill to ride, it's up to young Sybil to alert the American militia that the British are coming.

What does a college have to do with presidential elections? If it's the electoral college, a lot! Listeners will learn all about the electoral college and how it plays a part in our elections.

Listeners will learn how her years as a daughter, student, lawyer, wife, and mother shaped her into the influential education, healthy living, and women's rights advocate she is today.

Liberty. Freedom. Equality. Honesty. Respect. All of these values are important when electing our officials. Listeners will learn about democratic values and how they play a part in our elections.

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that schools had to allow Black students to attend previously all-white schools. On September 4, 1957, nine Black students were set to attend Little Rock Central High in Little Rock, Arkansas. But when they arrived, an angry mob of white people spat at them and hurled racist insults. They were also prevented from entering the school by the National Guard. After they were finally allowed in weeks later, they faced even more abuse from white students and staff.

So you want to be a Supreme Court justice? Find out the requirements, the roles and responsibilities, and how you can put yourself on the path to sitting on the highest court in the nation.