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Forgotten America: Rediscovering Events That Changed the Nation

Series: Forgotten America: Rediscovering Events That Changed the Nation

4.5

(8)

Episodes

Rating

TVPG

Year

2025

Language

English

Publisher

The Great Courses

About

Dive into the underappreciated and underexplored stories throughout US history and meet the lesser-known figures who played an outsized role in making America what it is

Related Subjects

Episodes

1. Smallpox in the American Revolution

28m

Smallpox swept across colonial America in waves, devastating cities and ravaging vulnerable populations. In the course's inaugural lesson, explore how early Americans thought about and responded to the scourge. Get to know inoculation's leading proponents as well as its skeptics. And see how smallpox and germ warfare affected the outcome of the Revolutionary War.

2. Hollywood and the Hays Code

30m

Owing to political and social pressure, motion pictures opted to censor themselves in the 20th century. Peek behind the curtain to see how moral panic collided with free speech and artistic expression in Hollywood and track the demise of the Hays Code with the wide release of films like "Psycho" and "Bonnie and Clyde."

3. Forever Foreigners: Anti-Asian Laws

29m

Many in the United States sought to restrict immigration in the late 19th century. In this lecture, focus on Chinese exclusion. Why was the federal government so eager to curb a population it had depended on for cheap railroad labor? And how did the Chinese Exclusion Act lay the groundwork for Japanese internment 60 years later?

4. Tuberculosis Transforms America

30m

The most fatal ailment in the United States at the turn of the century, tuberculosis made its mark on American politics, culture, and even infrastructure. Explore consumption's lasting impact on westward expansion, desserts, popular fashion, lawn furniture, and everyday manners, and learn about the scientific theory that transformed how Americans understand the disease.

5. Patton Versus the Bonus March Veterans

29m

During the Great Depression, a cadre of World War I veterans descended on Washington, DC, to demand fair pay, transforming the National Mall into a long-term campsite. Examine the fight for veteran benefits in the United States, focusing on the so-called Bonus Army and their efforts in the interwar years.

6. The Rise and Fall of American Fascism

32m

Investigate the rise of the American fascist movement, starting with the spread of antisemitic conspiracy theories by famed industrialist Henry Ford. See how Nazi sympathizers like Charles Lindberg lobbied against US involvement in World War II. And track the movement's swift demise after its extremism became impossible to ignore.

7. Two Sisters Fight for Freedom

29m

Delve into the fascinating lives of Grimké sisters Angelina and Sarah, crusaders of the abolitionist cause. Examine the religious ideologies, institutional infrastructure, and robust social networks that empowered America's incredibly controversial antislavery movement, paying special attention to how the sisters' public struggles highlighted the connection between abolition and women's rights.

8. When Women Lost Citizenship Through Marriage

29m

Before 1922, a woman's citizenship status in the United States was tightly bound to her husband's. Here, become acquainted with activists Ethel Mackenzie and Ruth Bryan Owen and dig into the political and legal battles that ensued as both women tried to wrestle citizenship back from the federal government.

9. The Controversial Soldier Vote

28m

The military vote has always been controversial-especially in war. Travel back to 1864 to piece together the coalition that kept Abraham Lincoln in the White House, examining the complicated logistical effort to count ballots on the battlefront, before examining the long fight to enfranchise soldiers after the Civil War.

10. The Capitol Crawl for Disability Rights

29m

Though we are used to sidewalk ramps and closed captions today, comprehensive accommodations for disabled Americans are a relatively modern phenomenon. Get to know the activists who organized on behalf of disability rights and accessibility legislation in the 20th and 21st centuries, from San Francisco's 504 sit-in to the Capitol Crawl.

Extended Details

SeriesForgotten America: Rediscovering Events That Changed the Nation

Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

The Great CoursesDirector

The Great CoursesProducer

Rachel Michelle GunterActor