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And the last thing that I think is related to this market revolution is the Second Great Awakening. Now, I don't want to go into too much detail about this because I have a whole separate series of videos about the Second Great Awakening, but this Second Great Awakening was kind of an explosion of religious fervor, which was happening at almost exactly the same time as the market revolution. And many American historians actually think that it's these confusing and confounding and anxious forces that lead a lot of people to take up religion, because as the world is changing around them, as people now have to relate in different ways to their neighbors as bosses and employees rather than bartering partners, and as they're swept up in international markets that are outside their control, people look for new explanations and comfort and comfort in an increasingly confusing world. So that's one explanation for the Second Great Awakening. So I started out this series of videos by saying that some historians have argued that the market revolution was actually more revolutionary than the American Revolution. Now, that's a difficult question to answer because we're talking about a revolution in politics as opposed to kind of a revolution of economics. But I will say that though the American Revolution dissolved the political bonds between the United States and Great Britain, its social and economic impact were relatively limited. | The Market Revolution - part 3.mp3 |
So that's one explanation for the Second Great Awakening. So I started out this series of videos by saying that some historians have argued that the market revolution was actually more revolutionary than the American Revolution. Now, that's a difficult question to answer because we're talking about a revolution in politics as opposed to kind of a revolution of economics. But I will say that though the American Revolution dissolved the political bonds between the United States and Great Britain, its social and economic impact were relatively limited. Most people kind of ended up in the same place socially after the American Revolution as they were before it. But the market revolution changes an awful lot in American society in terms of how they participate internationally and how people organize their daily lives. So I think there is a strong argument to be made that this revolution of economics, technology, even religion is considerably farther reaching than the American Revolution. | The Market Revolution - part 3.mp3 |
What comes into your mind? Traveling wherever you please? Having enough money to do what you want? Or is freedom better defined by what it's not? Not having anyone telling you what to do? Not being in prison? Freedom is a core aspect of US national identity. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Or is freedom better defined by what it's not? Not having anyone telling you what to do? Not being in prison? Freedom is a core aspect of US national identity. But if someone gave you a box labeled contents, freedom, what would you expect to find inside? This was the question that the United States faced during Reconstruction, the period following the Civil War when the US government, Southern state governments, and African Americans attempted to negotiate a new social and political order for the South. But what African Americans expected to find in the box labeled freedom was very different from what their former enslavers wanted to put there. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Freedom is a core aspect of US national identity. But if someone gave you a box labeled contents, freedom, what would you expect to find inside? This was the question that the United States faced during Reconstruction, the period following the Civil War when the US government, Southern state governments, and African Americans attempted to negotiate a new social and political order for the South. But what African Americans expected to find in the box labeled freedom was very different from what their former enslavers wanted to put there. Was freedom just the absence of slavery, as most white Southerners believed? Or did it imply citizenship, political power, and economic self-sufficiency? Trying to solve this dilemma, Congress passed and the states ratified three new constitutional amendments during the Reconstruction era. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
But what African Americans expected to find in the box labeled freedom was very different from what their former enslavers wanted to put there. Was freedom just the absence of slavery, as most white Southerners believed? Or did it imply citizenship, political power, and economic self-sufficiency? Trying to solve this dilemma, Congress passed and the states ratified three new constitutional amendments during the Reconstruction era. The 13th Amendment, which ended the system of slavery in 1865, the 14th Amendment, which extended citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States in 1868, and the 15th Amendment, which gave black men the right to vote in 1870. So in just five years, African Americans in the South went from personal property to full civic participants, at least in theory. In reality, how different were definitions of freedom, citizenship, and democracy before and after Reconstruction? | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Trying to solve this dilemma, Congress passed and the states ratified three new constitutional amendments during the Reconstruction era. The 13th Amendment, which ended the system of slavery in 1865, the 14th Amendment, which extended citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States in 1868, and the 15th Amendment, which gave black men the right to vote in 1870. So in just five years, African Americans in the South went from personal property to full civic participants, at least in theory. In reality, how different were definitions of freedom, citizenship, and democracy before and after Reconstruction? To really answer this question, we need to examine continuity and change in the Reconstruction era. What stayed the same and what changed in each of these three areas following the passage of the Reconstruction amendments? Okay, first, let's look at continuities and changes in the definition of freedom. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
In reality, how different were definitions of freedom, citizenship, and democracy before and after Reconstruction? To really answer this question, we need to examine continuity and change in the Reconstruction era. What stayed the same and what changed in each of these three areas following the passage of the Reconstruction amendments? Okay, first, let's look at continuities and changes in the definition of freedom. Before the end of slavery, African Americans had neither economic nor physical freedom. They didn't have control of their bodies or of their labor. The past system kept them from moving freely, and slavery itself meant that they couldn't choose where to work or earn money from their own work. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Okay, first, let's look at continuities and changes in the definition of freedom. Before the end of slavery, African Americans had neither economic nor physical freedom. They didn't have control of their bodies or of their labor. The past system kept them from moving freely, and slavery itself meant that they couldn't choose where to work or earn money from their own work. So how much did their physical and economic freedom change after the 13th Amendment outlawed slavery? Well, their economic self-sufficiency went through some ups and downs. Most African Americans believed that their years of unpaid toil entitled them to land of their own. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
The past system kept them from moving freely, and slavery itself meant that they couldn't choose where to work or earn money from their own work. So how much did their physical and economic freedom change after the 13th Amendment outlawed slavery? Well, their economic self-sufficiency went through some ups and downs. Most African Americans believed that their years of unpaid toil entitled them to land of their own. U.S. Army General William Tecumseh Sherman redistributed Confederate territory on the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina to black families, who farmed there for a few years until Lincoln's successor, Andrew Johnson, gave all confiscated land back to its former owners. Instead, most black farmers became sharecroppers, renting a portion of a white landowner's farm in exchange for part of the crop yield. This gave black farmers a lot more freedom over their own work, since they didn't have to work under an overseer, but economically, sharecropping kept black farmers, as well as small white farmers, in an endless cycle of debt and poverty. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Most African Americans believed that their years of unpaid toil entitled them to land of their own. U.S. Army General William Tecumseh Sherman redistributed Confederate territory on the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina to black families, who farmed there for a few years until Lincoln's successor, Andrew Johnson, gave all confiscated land back to its former owners. Instead, most black farmers became sharecroppers, renting a portion of a white landowner's farm in exchange for part of the crop yield. This gave black farmers a lot more freedom over their own work, since they didn't have to work under an overseer, but economically, sharecropping kept black farmers, as well as small white farmers, in an endless cycle of debt and poverty. After the 13th Amendment, most southern state governments attempted to limit the physical freedom of African Americans as well, with statutes known as the Black Codes. Many of these codes defined anyone who wasn't under a labor contract as a vagrant, who could be arrested and have their labor sold. Later, segregation limited the physical freedom of where southern African Americans could go and what they could do. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
This gave black farmers a lot more freedom over their own work, since they didn't have to work under an overseer, but economically, sharecropping kept black farmers, as well as small white farmers, in an endless cycle of debt and poverty. After the 13th Amendment, most southern state governments attempted to limit the physical freedom of African Americans as well, with statutes known as the Black Codes. Many of these codes defined anyone who wasn't under a labor contract as a vagrant, who could be arrested and have their labor sold. Later, segregation limited the physical freedom of where southern African Americans could go and what they could do. Laws like the Black Codes, which so obviously attempted to institute slavery by another name, led Congress to pass the 14th Amendment, which defined a US citizen as anyone born or naturalized in the United States, and specifically prevented states from infringing upon the rights of citizens. Before the Civil War, citizenship was exclusively the privilege of white Americans. Non-white immigrants weren't eligible to become US citizens, and the 1857 Supreme Court decision in Dred Scott declared that no African Americans could be citizens at all. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Later, segregation limited the physical freedom of where southern African Americans could go and what they could do. Laws like the Black Codes, which so obviously attempted to institute slavery by another name, led Congress to pass the 14th Amendment, which defined a US citizen as anyone born or naturalized in the United States, and specifically prevented states from infringing upon the rights of citizens. Before the Civil War, citizenship was exclusively the privilege of white Americans. Non-white immigrants weren't eligible to become US citizens, and the 1857 Supreme Court decision in Dred Scott declared that no African Americans could be citizens at all. The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, led to a huge increase in the number of US citizens, and it decoupled citizenship from whiteness. Even the American-born children of Asian immigrants were citizens. But the Supreme Court defined the 14th Amendment very narrowly in the late 19th century, permitting many laws that discriminated on the basis of race. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Non-white immigrants weren't eligible to become US citizens, and the 1857 Supreme Court decision in Dred Scott declared that no African Americans could be citizens at all. The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, led to a huge increase in the number of US citizens, and it decoupled citizenship from whiteness. Even the American-born children of Asian immigrants were citizens. But the Supreme Court defined the 14th Amendment very narrowly in the late 19th century, permitting many laws that discriminated on the basis of race. Only in the 20th century would the 14th Amendment become an important tool for civil rights activists to break down segregation. Lastly, the 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, extended the right to vote to black men. In the years leading up to the Civil War, with few exceptions, only white men had the right to vote. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
But the Supreme Court defined the 14th Amendment very narrowly in the late 19th century, permitting many laws that discriminated on the basis of race. Only in the 20th century would the 14th Amendment become an important tool for civil rights activists to break down segregation. Lastly, the 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, extended the right to vote to black men. In the years leading up to the Civil War, with few exceptions, only white men had the right to vote. The 15th Amendment radically redefined the terms of American democracy. During Reconstruction, more than 2,000 African Americans held public office, including two US senators. But there were limits to this new, broader definition of democracy. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
In the years leading up to the Civil War, with few exceptions, only white men had the right to vote. The 15th Amendment radically redefined the terms of American democracy. During Reconstruction, more than 2,000 African Americans held public office, including two US senators. But there were limits to this new, broader definition of democracy. First, it didn't include women, much to the frustration of the women's suffrage movement. Then, as the federal government ceased to intervene to protect black citizens in the South in the late 1870s, Southern state governments imposed a range of voter suppression tactics to effectively bar African Americans from voting, which then reduced the likelihood of black politicians winning office. Not until the 1960s would African American voter registration once again reach Reconstruction-era levels. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
But there were limits to this new, broader definition of democracy. First, it didn't include women, much to the frustration of the women's suffrage movement. Then, as the federal government ceased to intervene to protect black citizens in the South in the late 1870s, Southern state governments imposed a range of voter suppression tactics to effectively bar African Americans from voting, which then reduced the likelihood of black politicians winning office. Not until the 1960s would African American voter registration once again reach Reconstruction-era levels. So how much did the Reconstruction Amendments change definitions of freedom, citizenship, and democracy? Well, after the Amendments, African Americans were free to own their own bodies and labor, but that was about it. The 14th and 15th Amendments led to short-lived revolutions in the concept of citizenship and in voting rights, but those rights had all but evaporated by the end of the century. | Failure of Reconstruction AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
After several years of neutrality, Woodrow Wilson, who was serving as President of the United States at the time, even campaigned for re-election on the slogan, he kept us out of war. But less than a month after his second inauguration, Wilson went before Congress to ask for a declaration of war against Germany. It wasn't easy to achieve an abrupt about face from a country that was determined not to become involved in the conflict to a country that was wholly dedicated to the war effort. So the US government swept into action to convince everyone to support the war. The new Committee on Public Information churned out propaganda to convince people to buy war bonds and to keep soldiers well supplied with food and weapons. Propaganda campaigns strongly linked patriotism with unquestioning support of the American government and of capitalism. Dissenters were not just called un-American, they were also in danger of being arrested or deported under new laws that restricted freedom of speech. | World War I Homefront Period 7 1890-1945 AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
So the US government swept into action to convince everyone to support the war. The new Committee on Public Information churned out propaganda to convince people to buy war bonds and to keep soldiers well supplied with food and weapons. Propaganda campaigns strongly linked patriotism with unquestioning support of the American government and of capitalism. Dissenters were not just called un-American, they were also in danger of being arrested or deported under new laws that restricted freedom of speech. For many immigrants and African Americans in this time period, the home front during World War I offered both new opportunities and great dangers. One major opportunity brought on by World War I was the prospect of better jobs for African Americans. The war slowed down immigration to about a tenth of what it had been previously, since torpedoes made the Atlantic a dangerous place for ships. | World War I Homefront Period 7 1890-1945 AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Dissenters were not just called un-American, they were also in danger of being arrested or deported under new laws that restricted freedom of speech. For many immigrants and African Americans in this time period, the home front during World War I offered both new opportunities and great dangers. One major opportunity brought on by World War I was the prospect of better jobs for African Americans. The war slowed down immigration to about a tenth of what it had been previously, since torpedoes made the Atlantic a dangerous place for ships. The sudden drop in immigrants and the need to produce war material led to an explosion in the number of factory jobs that were available to black workers. In the decade that surrounded World War I, half a million African Americans left the South and headed for northern and midwestern cities in a mass exodus known as the Great Migration. Even though black factory workers didn't enjoy anything like the wages or privileges afforded to white workers, they still could make more money in the North than they could as sharecroppers in the South. | World War I Homefront Period 7 1890-1945 AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
The war slowed down immigration to about a tenth of what it had been previously, since torpedoes made the Atlantic a dangerous place for ships. The sudden drop in immigrants and the need to produce war material led to an explosion in the number of factory jobs that were available to black workers. In the decade that surrounded World War I, half a million African Americans left the South and headed for northern and midwestern cities in a mass exodus known as the Great Migration. Even though black factory workers didn't enjoy anything like the wages or privileges afforded to white workers, they still could make more money in the North than they could as sharecroppers in the South. In the North, they also had the right to vote and were less likely to encounter racial violence like lynching, but racial violence, segregation, discrimination were still prominent fixtures of black life in the North. Several of the most deadly race riots in American history happened during this period in northern cities. Another opportunity that World War I offered to immigrants and African Americans was the ability to boost their status in society by contributing to the war effort. | World War I Homefront Period 7 1890-1945 AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Even though black factory workers didn't enjoy anything like the wages or privileges afforded to white workers, they still could make more money in the North than they could as sharecroppers in the South. In the North, they also had the right to vote and were less likely to encounter racial violence like lynching, but racial violence, segregation, discrimination were still prominent fixtures of black life in the North. Several of the most deadly race riots in American history happened during this period in northern cities. Another opportunity that World War I offered to immigrants and African Americans was the ability to boost their status in society by contributing to the war effort. Many immigrants saw displays of patriotism as a way to show that they were truly American and had assimilated through the melting pot. The US government appealed to immigrants specifically to show their patriotism by enlisting, participating in parades, or buying war bonds. Take a look at this propaganda poster showing immigrants passing by the Statue of Liberty. | World War I Homefront Period 7 1890-1945 AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Another opportunity that World War I offered to immigrants and African Americans was the ability to boost their status in society by contributing to the war effort. Many immigrants saw displays of patriotism as a way to show that they were truly American and had assimilated through the melting pot. The US government appealed to immigrants specifically to show their patriotism by enlisting, participating in parades, or buying war bonds. Take a look at this propaganda poster showing immigrants passing by the Statue of Liberty. It's written in Yiddish, the language commonly spoken by Eastern European Jews, and it says, "'You came here seeking freedom. "'Now you must help preserve it.' "'And it instructs them not to waste food.'" | World War I Homefront Period 7 1890-1945 AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Take a look at this propaganda poster showing immigrants passing by the Statue of Liberty. It's written in Yiddish, the language commonly spoken by Eastern European Jews, and it says, "'You came here seeking freedom. "'Now you must help preserve it.' "'And it instructs them not to waste food.'" So conspicuous displays of patriotism and other efforts to help the war were a way that immigrants could show that they were American and therefore deserve to be treated just the same as other Americans. For similar reasons, African American leaders like W.E.B. Du Bois encouraged black men to enlist for military service, hoping that serving honorably in the war would help improve the status of African Americans, just as the service of black soldiers had done in the Civil War. | World War I Homefront Period 7 1890-1945 AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
"'And it instructs them not to waste food.'" So conspicuous displays of patriotism and other efforts to help the war were a way that immigrants could show that they were American and therefore deserve to be treated just the same as other Americans. For similar reasons, African American leaders like W.E.B. Du Bois encouraged black men to enlist for military service, hoping that serving honorably in the war would help improve the status of African Americans, just as the service of black soldiers had done in the Civil War. This poster celebrated the accomplishments of the all-black 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the Harlem Hellfighters, who were the first allied soldiers to engage the Germans in combat. The French government awarded many of them the Croix de Guerre, its medal for heroism. But despite the hopes of Du Bois and others, the wartime service of African Americans didn't result in any significant civil rights gains during the war or when they returned home. | World War I Homefront Period 7 1890-1945 AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Du Bois encouraged black men to enlist for military service, hoping that serving honorably in the war would help improve the status of African Americans, just as the service of black soldiers had done in the Civil War. This poster celebrated the accomplishments of the all-black 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the Harlem Hellfighters, who were the first allied soldiers to engage the Germans in combat. The French government awarded many of them the Croix de Guerre, its medal for heroism. But despite the hopes of Du Bois and others, the wartime service of African Americans didn't result in any significant civil rights gains during the war or when they returned home. Army units were segregated, and most soldiers were confined to menial duties. The Wilson administration didn't even allow black soldiers to participate in victory parades at the end of the war. At home, failure to fully embrace American patriotism was sharply punished. | World War I Homefront Period 7 1890-1945 AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
But despite the hopes of Du Bois and others, the wartime service of African Americans didn't result in any significant civil rights gains during the war or when they returned home. Army units were segregated, and most soldiers were confined to menial duties. The Wilson administration didn't even allow black soldiers to participate in victory parades at the end of the war. At home, failure to fully embrace American patriotism was sharply punished. In 1917 and 1918, Congress passed the Espionage Act, which made it a crime to spy, interfere with a draft, or make false statements about the military, and the Sedition Act, which criminalized statements critical of the government. These laws were especially dangerous for immigrants who were more likely to advocate for socialism and for labor unions, which were by their very nature a critique of the American economic system. Thousands of people were arrested as a result of these laws for doing things like publishing newspapers or handing out pamphlets. | World War I Homefront Period 7 1890-1945 AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
At home, failure to fully embrace American patriotism was sharply punished. In 1917 and 1918, Congress passed the Espionage Act, which made it a crime to spy, interfere with a draft, or make false statements about the military, and the Sedition Act, which criminalized statements critical of the government. These laws were especially dangerous for immigrants who were more likely to advocate for socialism and for labor unions, which were by their very nature a critique of the American economic system. Thousands of people were arrested as a result of these laws for doing things like publishing newspapers or handing out pamphlets. German immigrants faced particular discrimination since they were suspected of sympathizing with or colluding with the enemy. The push for a unified American public during the war also led to new immigration restrictions. In 1917, Congress required that immigrants pass a literacy test, and after the war, Congress would pass a series of new laws establishing ethnic quotas among immigrants, which heavily discriminated against the new immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe. | World War I Homefront Period 7 1890-1945 AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Thousands of people were arrested as a result of these laws for doing things like publishing newspapers or handing out pamphlets. German immigrants faced particular discrimination since they were suspected of sympathizing with or colluding with the enemy. The push for a unified American public during the war also led to new immigration restrictions. In 1917, Congress required that immigrants pass a literacy test, and after the war, Congress would pass a series of new laws establishing ethnic quotas among immigrants, which heavily discriminated against the new immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe. These laws were partly motivated by fears that radicals sympathetic to the Russian Revolution, in which communists took control of the Russian government, were part of a global conspiracy to undermine capitalism. There was a series of labor strikes in 1919 that seemed to confirm this suspicion, leading to a crackdown on labor unions and socialist organizations known as the Red Scare. Red was the color of the Russian communists. | World War I Homefront Period 7 1890-1945 AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
In 1917, Congress required that immigrants pass a literacy test, and after the war, Congress would pass a series of new laws establishing ethnic quotas among immigrants, which heavily discriminated against the new immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe. These laws were partly motivated by fears that radicals sympathetic to the Russian Revolution, in which communists took control of the Russian government, were part of a global conspiracy to undermine capitalism. There was a series of labor strikes in 1919 that seemed to confirm this suspicion, leading to a crackdown on labor unions and socialist organizations known as the Red Scare. Red was the color of the Russian communists. Thousands more people were arrested as possible radicals, and many immigrants were deported. So World War I and the United States' response to it at home caused huge changes in the flow of people to and within the United States. The dangers of war slowed what had been a tidal wave of immigrants from Europe down to just a trickle, and the economic opportunities it brought in the form of wartime factory work led hundreds of thousands of African Americans to leave the South and head to northern cities. | World War I Homefront Period 7 1890-1945 AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
So how did this book start a war? So in this video, we'll tell you a little bit more about the plot, but in the previous video, we kind of discussed what was going on in the country at the time, and Harriet Beecher Stowe, again, was from this abolitionist family. She was really deeply affected by the Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Act, and also by slave auctions. So this video will get a little bit more into the heart of the plot of the novel, which does have to do with the family being torn apart. All right, so what was Uncle Tom's Cabin actually about? Uncle Tom's Cabin was set on a plantation in Kentucky, and it starts out with this kind of group of slaves that are about to be sold to other plantation owners. And so Eliza and her son actually run away. | Uncle Tom's Cabin part 2 (2).mp3 |
So this video will get a little bit more into the heart of the plot of the novel, which does have to do with the family being torn apart. All right, so what was Uncle Tom's Cabin actually about? Uncle Tom's Cabin was set on a plantation in Kentucky, and it starts out with this kind of group of slaves that are about to be sold to other plantation owners. And so Eliza and her son actually run away. They run up north, so Eliza goes up north. And Uncle Tom is sold down the river. So Eliza is trying to make sure that she and her son are not separated by being sold. | Uncle Tom's Cabin part 2 (2).mp3 |
And so Eliza and her son actually run away. They run up north, so Eliza goes up north. And Uncle Tom is sold down the river. So Eliza is trying to make sure that she and her son are not separated by being sold. So she decides that she's going to escape and take her son with her up to Canada. But Uncle Tom, he's not actually related to, he is sold in the opposite direction. He's getting farther away from freedom by heading down the Mississippi. | Uncle Tom's Cabin part 2 (2).mp3 |
So Eliza is trying to make sure that she and her son are not separated by being sold. So she decides that she's going to escape and take her son with her up to Canada. But Uncle Tom, he's not actually related to, he is sold in the opposite direction. He's getting farther away from freedom by heading down the Mississippi. When you think about the sort of geography of slavery, it's a much more urban environment in some of the more coastal areas. So you might be in Charleston, or you might even be in Baltimore as an enslaved person, and you might have a pretty high degree of freedom, and also a possibility of escape, either by crossing the border or by boat. When you're sold into this sort of deep south area, you are deep in plantation country, and there might not be another soul that you could rely on to help you escape for 100, 200 miles. | Uncle Tom's Cabin part 2 (2).mp3 |
He's getting farther away from freedom by heading down the Mississippi. When you think about the sort of geography of slavery, it's a much more urban environment in some of the more coastal areas. So you might be in Charleston, or you might even be in Baltimore as an enslaved person, and you might have a pretty high degree of freedom, and also a possibility of escape, either by crossing the border or by boat. When you're sold into this sort of deep south area, you are deep in plantation country, and there might not be another soul that you could rely on to help you escape for 100, 200 miles. And I think this is really something that Harriet Beecher Stowe wants to help point out in the book, that there was this sense of doom for Uncle Tom, however, his Christian faith was the only thing that really kept him going. And he bonded with this young white woman he met, Eva, just about their Christian faith, and really reading his Bible was the thing that got him up in the morning. So where were those kind of feelings about religion coming from? | Uncle Tom's Cabin part 2 (2).mp3 |
When you're sold into this sort of deep south area, you are deep in plantation country, and there might not be another soul that you could rely on to help you escape for 100, 200 miles. And I think this is really something that Harriet Beecher Stowe wants to help point out in the book, that there was this sense of doom for Uncle Tom, however, his Christian faith was the only thing that really kept him going. And he bonded with this young white woman he met, Eva, just about their Christian faith, and really reading his Bible was the thing that got him up in the morning. So where were those kind of feelings about religion coming from? You can definitely see that Harriet Beecher Stowe is influenced by her own family's faith, which is influenced by the Second Great Awakening. And the Second Great Awakening was this kind of flowering of religious belief in the 1830s and 1840s. It was kind of a reaction against the era of enlightenment, which was what had inspired the founders of the United States to think of a more humanist world, a more rational, scientific world. | Uncle Tom's Cabin part 2 (2).mp3 |
So where were those kind of feelings about religion coming from? You can definitely see that Harriet Beecher Stowe is influenced by her own family's faith, which is influenced by the Second Great Awakening. And the Second Great Awakening was this kind of flowering of religious belief in the 1830s and 1840s. It was kind of a reaction against the era of enlightenment, which was what had inspired the founders of the United States to think of a more humanist world, a more rational, scientific world. People start going to camp meetings, they have religious revivals, they experience religious conversions. And in this time period, there's kind of a shift in thinking about God in the United States. You know, if you think back to the Puritans, they have this incredibly punitive, sort of Old Testament destroyer God, right? | Uncle Tom's Cabin part 2 (2).mp3 |
It was kind of a reaction against the era of enlightenment, which was what had inspired the founders of the United States to think of a more humanist world, a more rational, scientific world. People start going to camp meetings, they have religious revivals, they experience religious conversions. And in this time period, there's kind of a shift in thinking about God in the United States. You know, if you think back to the Puritans, they have this incredibly punitive, sort of Old Testament destroyer God, right? One of the most famous early sermons in the United States is sinners in the hands of an angry God that at any moment God might release you into the flames. Well, there's a new emphasis on Christ-like love in the early 1830s, 1840s. New interpretation of God as being forgiving and gentle, family-oriented, it's very Victorian. | Uncle Tom's Cabin part 2 (2).mp3 |
You know, if you think back to the Puritans, they have this incredibly punitive, sort of Old Testament destroyer God, right? One of the most famous early sermons in the United States is sinners in the hands of an angry God that at any moment God might release you into the flames. Well, there's a new emphasis on Christ-like love in the early 1830s, 1840s. New interpretation of God as being forgiving and gentle, family-oriented, it's very Victorian. Where God was seen as this punisher who condemned most people to hell, in the Second Great Awakening, there's a new emphasis on a forgiving, kind, family-oriented Jesus who will save everyone, and that's very incompatible with the ideas of slavery. Exactly, and I think that Uncle Tom's Cabin can really be considered a part of the Second Great Awakening because of the way that it points out these fundamental inconsistencies and contradictions between Christian faith and human bondage. How could a religion that says, treat thy neighbor as thyself, actually sanction slavery? | Uncle Tom's Cabin part 2 (2).mp3 |
New interpretation of God as being forgiving and gentle, family-oriented, it's very Victorian. Where God was seen as this punisher who condemned most people to hell, in the Second Great Awakening, there's a new emphasis on a forgiving, kind, family-oriented Jesus who will save everyone, and that's very incompatible with the ideas of slavery. Exactly, and I think that Uncle Tom's Cabin can really be considered a part of the Second Great Awakening because of the way that it points out these fundamental inconsistencies and contradictions between Christian faith and human bondage. How could a religion that says, treat thy neighbor as thyself, actually sanction slavery? So Uncle Tom is kind of this martyr character, right? He is a devout believer in Christianity and the forgiveness of God right up until his very end. So how does Uncle Tom's Cabin actually end? | Uncle Tom's Cabin part 2 (2).mp3 |
How could a religion that says, treat thy neighbor as thyself, actually sanction slavery? So Uncle Tom is kind of this martyr character, right? He is a devout believer in Christianity and the forgiveness of God right up until his very end. So how does Uncle Tom's Cabin actually end? So Uncle Tom's Cabin ends with Uncle Tom being beaten by his overseers. He's sold kind of through this chain of different slave families in the Deep South, and he ends up with just a terrible, terrible slaveholder who requests his death, actually partially because he was reading all of this religious text. And this slave owner was named Simon Legree, and kind of this name, Simon Legree, has actually stuck with us in popular culture to mean a really evil, cruel, punitive master. | Uncle Tom's Cabin part 2 (2).mp3 |
So how does Uncle Tom's Cabin actually end? So Uncle Tom's Cabin ends with Uncle Tom being beaten by his overseers. He's sold kind of through this chain of different slave families in the Deep South, and he ends up with just a terrible, terrible slaveholder who requests his death, actually partially because he was reading all of this religious text. And this slave owner was named Simon Legree, and kind of this name, Simon Legree, has actually stuck with us in popular culture to mean a really evil, cruel, punitive master. And the rest of the family actually meets back up. Eliza's reunited with a bunch of other people that were on the original plantation, and they really think about Uncle Tom as this martyr. They hear of his death, and he's looked at as kind of this sacrifice for the cause of freedom. | Uncle Tom's Cabin part 2 (2).mp3 |
And this slave owner was named Simon Legree, and kind of this name, Simon Legree, has actually stuck with us in popular culture to mean a really evil, cruel, punitive master. And the rest of the family actually meets back up. Eliza's reunited with a bunch of other people that were on the original plantation, and they really think about Uncle Tom as this martyr. They hear of his death, and he's looked at as kind of this sacrifice for the cause of freedom. Right, and then also, Uncle Tom, he dies, never having renounced his Christian faith, and his example of martyrdom actually leads everyone who witnesses his death, including Simon Legree, to convert to Christianity, and to vow never to hold slaves again. And I think the ending of the book really points out this main theme within a lot of Second Great Awakening texts, which was that if you just paid attention to how you were falling away from your Christian commitments then you could get back on track and maybe bring people together by utilizing Christian faith in a productive and public way. So the book is published in 1852, and then what happens? | Uncle Tom's Cabin part 2 (2).mp3 |
So John, if I'm a student studying American history or US government, why should I care? Well first, there are great stories. The characters in American history all the way through are fascinating. Just human beings. They would make great just movie characters, period. Heroes, villains, people who rise to courage when they were otherwise pretty boring people. Look at Abraham Lincoln, for example. | Why study US history, government, and civics US government and civics Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
Just human beings. They would make great just movie characters, period. Heroes, villains, people who rise to courage when they were otherwise pretty boring people. Look at Abraham Lincoln, for example. He failed miserably, repeatedly, repeatedly, repeatedly. And then he becomes the greatest president. And when he's almost at the end of his... Well, he doesn't know it's the end of his life, but later in life after he's had his greatness, he says, I confess that I was like a cork in a stream. | Why study US history, government, and civics US government and civics Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
Look at Abraham Lincoln, for example. He failed miserably, repeatedly, repeatedly, repeatedly. And then he becomes the greatest president. And when he's almost at the end of his... Well, he doesn't know it's the end of his life, but later in life after he's had his greatness, he says, I confess that I was like a cork in a stream. Well, if you're a regular person and you think my life feels without a purpose, you can think, well, the greatest president in America felt like his life was kind of bouncing around. And so that is an incredibly human connection to greatness. And we all need connections to greatness of whatever kind to inspire us. | Why study US history, government, and civics US government and civics Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
And when he's almost at the end of his... Well, he doesn't know it's the end of his life, but later in life after he's had his greatness, he says, I confess that I was like a cork in a stream. Well, if you're a regular person and you think my life feels without a purpose, you can think, well, the greatest president in America felt like his life was kind of bouncing around. And so that is an incredibly human connection to greatness. And we all need connections to greatness of whatever kind to inspire us. Because the questions today that America faces about freedom and liberty and what it means to be an American and how the power is distributed throughout our governments and our lives that affect us today were discussed and talked about and wrestled over all throughout American history. And it is a continuing experiment. And when Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he said this new country that we're creating has to constantly refresh. | Why study US history, government, and civics US government and civics Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
And we all need connections to greatness of whatever kind to inspire us. Because the questions today that America faces about freedom and liberty and what it means to be an American and how the power is distributed throughout our governments and our lives that affect us today were discussed and talked about and wrestled over all throughout American history. And it is a continuing experiment. And when Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he said this new country that we're creating has to constantly refresh. Each new generation has to refresh their contact with the original ideals that the country was founded on. Otherwise, the country will fail. And so it's not only important to know what's going on around us by studying history, but it is, according to Thomas Jefferson, your duty to stay engaged with the ideas of America so that those ideas don't get lost in the kind of flurry and craziness of a current moment. | Why study US history, government, and civics US government and civics Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
Jeffrey, let's start with the end of the Civil War. Let's go on this timeline here. In Appomattox, we have the surrender of General Robert E. Lee to the Union General Ulysses Grant in April of 1865. So take us from there and tell us when we start having these Reconstruction Amendments. Well, the debates over the Reconstruction Amendments had actually begun before the end of the Civil War. President Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, but he wasn't sure that he had the constitutional authority to free the slaves. And therefore, it was part of his party platform in 1864 that he would pass constitutional amendments abolishing slavery. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
So take us from there and tell us when we start having these Reconstruction Amendments. Well, the debates over the Reconstruction Amendments had actually begun before the end of the Civil War. President Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, but he wasn't sure that he had the constitutional authority to free the slaves. And therefore, it was part of his party platform in 1864 that he would pass constitutional amendments abolishing slavery. So as you said, the Civil War ended in April 1865. Even before then, the Senate had already introduced the 13th Amendment, which would abolish slavery. The House passed it in January of 1865, and it was ratified at the end of that year in December of 1865. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
And therefore, it was part of his party platform in 1864 that he would pass constitutional amendments abolishing slavery. So as you said, the Civil War ended in April 1865. Even before then, the Senate had already introduced the 13th Amendment, which would abolish slavery. The House passed it in January of 1865, and it was ratified at the end of that year in December of 1865. So that's the one that Spielberg did that movie about. The movie Lincoln is about the 13th Amendment, right? Exactly. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
The House passed it in January of 1865, and it was ratified at the end of that year in December of 1865. So that's the one that Spielberg did that movie about. The movie Lincoln is about the 13th Amendment, right? Exactly. You know the story from that great movie. Yeah, that's right. Well, you know, the Declaration of Independence says that all men are created equal, but the original Constitution contains no guarantee of equality. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
Exactly. You know the story from that great movie. Yeah, that's right. Well, you know, the Declaration of Independence says that all men are created equal, but the original Constitution contains no guarantee of equality. How did that become a constitutional right? It was Lincoln who proclaimed at Gettysburg a new birth of freedom that would ensure that Jefferson's promise that all men are created equal would actually become a legal reality. But again, Lincoln's promise in Gettysburg wasn't enshrined in the Constitution until the 13th Amendment was passed, and that's the amendment that abolishes slavery. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
Well, you know, the Declaration of Independence says that all men are created equal, but the original Constitution contains no guarantee of equality. How did that become a constitutional right? It was Lincoln who proclaimed at Gettysburg a new birth of freedom that would ensure that Jefferson's promise that all men are created equal would actually become a legal reality. But again, Lincoln's promise in Gettysburg wasn't enshrined in the Constitution until the 13th Amendment was passed, and that's the amendment that abolishes slavery. It says, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime, wherever the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction. So that, did that actually end slavery right away? Well, it formally ended slavery, but the Southern states fought back. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
But again, Lincoln's promise in Gettysburg wasn't enshrined in the Constitution until the 13th Amendment was passed, and that's the amendment that abolishes slavery. It says, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime, wherever the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction. So that, did that actually end slavery right away? Well, it formally ended slavery, but the Southern states fought back. They passed a series of laws known as the Black Codes that basically reinstated slavery by other means. They denied African Americans the right to make and enforce contracts, the right to sue and be sued, and basically denied them the equal civil rights that white people were entitled to. So didn't the 13th Amendment apply also to the states or just to the federal government? | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
Well, it formally ended slavery, but the Southern states fought back. They passed a series of laws known as the Black Codes that basically reinstated slavery by other means. They denied African Americans the right to make and enforce contracts, the right to sue and be sued, and basically denied them the equal civil rights that white people were entitled to. So didn't the 13th Amendment apply also to the states or just to the federal government? The 13th Amendment does indeed apply to the federal government, to the states, and to private parties, too. Private parties are forbidden from putting others in peonage or slavery. The problem is that the Southern states just ignored it, and even though they'd formally emancipated the slaves, they continued to deny slaves their equal civil rights. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
So didn't the 13th Amendment apply also to the states or just to the federal government? The 13th Amendment does indeed apply to the federal government, to the states, and to private parties, too. Private parties are forbidden from putting others in peonage or slavery. The problem is that the Southern states just ignored it, and even though they'd formally emancipated the slaves, they continued to deny slaves their equal civil rights. So how did Congress push back on that? So they pushed back by passing the Civil Rights Act of 1866. That law basically said that African Americans shall have the same rights to make and enforce contracts, to sue and be sued, to inherit property as white people. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
The problem is that the Southern states just ignored it, and even though they'd formally emancipated the slaves, they continued to deny slaves their equal civil rights. So how did Congress push back on that? So they pushed back by passing the Civil Rights Act of 1866. That law basically said that African Americans shall have the same rights to make and enforce contracts, to sue and be sued, to inherit property as white people. The problem was, once again, there was question about Congress's constitutional authority to pass that Civil Rights Act. And President Andrew Johnson vetoed the Civil Rights Act, claiming Congress lacked the constitutional authority to pass it. That's why the 14th Amendment was necessary to make clear that Congress had the power to pass the Civil Rights Act. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
That law basically said that African Americans shall have the same rights to make and enforce contracts, to sue and be sued, to inherit property as white people. The problem was, once again, there was question about Congress's constitutional authority to pass that Civil Rights Act. And President Andrew Johnson vetoed the Civil Rights Act, claiming Congress lacked the constitutional authority to pass it. That's why the 14th Amendment was necessary to make clear that Congress had the power to pass the Civil Rights Act. And at that point, all of the states that had been in rebellion as part of the Confederacy were back as part of the United States? No, not at all. This is part of the fascinating bit of the story. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
That's why the 14th Amendment was necessary to make clear that Congress had the power to pass the Civil Rights Act. And at that point, all of the states that had been in rebellion as part of the Confederacy were back as part of the United States? No, not at all. This is part of the fascinating bit of the story. It was a condition to be readmitted to the Union that the states ratified the 14th Amendment. So basically, they were forced at gunpoint to ratify the 14th Amendment. Congress told them, unless you ratify this amendment, you will not be allowed back in the Union. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
This is part of the fascinating bit of the story. It was a condition to be readmitted to the Union that the states ratified the 14th Amendment. So basically, they were forced at gunpoint to ratify the 14th Amendment. Congress told them, unless you ratify this amendment, you will not be allowed back in the Union. And what about the 13th Amendment? Did it ratify that as well? The 13th Amendment began to be debated before the Civil War ended. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
Congress told them, unless you ratify this amendment, you will not be allowed back in the Union. And what about the 13th Amendment? Did it ratify that as well? The 13th Amendment began to be debated before the Civil War ended. As we remember from the movie, it was a nail-biter. But basically, that one passed without the force of arms behind it. But it passed by not all of the states being participants in the process, because the southern states hadn't all come back in by the time the 13th was ratified. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
The 13th Amendment began to be debated before the Civil War ended. As we remember from the movie, it was a nail-biter. But basically, that one passed without the force of arms behind it. But it passed by not all of the states being participants in the process, because the southern states hadn't all come back in by the time the 13th was ratified. That's exactly right. And that's why there's a serious question about whether the 13th and the 14th Amendment actually were legally ratified. But of course, the same question arose with the ratification of the original Constitution, which broke the rules of the Articles of Confederation. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
But it passed by not all of the states being participants in the process, because the southern states hadn't all come back in by the time the 13th was ratified. That's exactly right. And that's why there's a serious question about whether the 13th and the 14th Amendment actually were legally ratified. But of course, the same question arose with the ratification of the original Constitution, which broke the rules of the Articles of Confederation. Therefore, our greatest constitutional guarantees may have been ratified by arguably illegal means. But everybody now accepts, and every court has now accepted, that the 13th Amendment was ratified justifiably. They certainly do. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
But of course, the same question arose with the ratification of the original Constitution, which broke the rules of the Articles of Confederation. Therefore, our greatest constitutional guarantees may have been ratified by arguably illegal means. But everybody now accepts, and every court has now accepted, that the 13th Amendment was ratified justifiably. They certainly do. And the 14th and 15th too, these are now the centerpiece of our constitutional jurisprudence, arguably the most important constitutional amendments we have. Well, in the next session, we'll get to the 14th Amendment. Thank you, Jeffrey. | The Reconstruction Amendments Overview and 13th Amendment.mp3 |
Lord Delaware had successfully led English forces in their war of extinction against the nearby Algonquin tribe, the Powhatans, and John Rolfe had discovered that Virginia was a perfect place to grow tobacco. So even though they didn't find gold in Virginia, they found something that was almost as good, and that was a luxury commodity that people in Europe were very eager to buy. But tobacco was incredibly labor intensive to grow and process. So in this video, let's talk a little bit more about what that need for labor meant as the Virginia colony began to grow. Now in the last video, I mentioned that the very first ship bearing enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown in 1619. So just 12 years after Jamestown was founded, Africans had been brought to the area. So this shows that enslaved Africans were some of the very first people who weren't of native origin in the New World and would help shape the English colonies pretty much from the very start. | Jamestown - life and labor in the Chesapeake (2).mp3 |
So in this video, let's talk a little bit more about what that need for labor meant as the Virginia colony began to grow. Now in the last video, I mentioned that the very first ship bearing enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown in 1619. So just 12 years after Jamestown was founded, Africans had been brought to the area. So this shows that enslaved Africans were some of the very first people who weren't of native origin in the New World and would help shape the English colonies pretty much from the very start. But even though there were enslaved Africans in Virginia that early, the system of broad race-based slavery that will really kick in in the early 20th century and characterize the American South up until the Civil War didn't get started right away. And there were a couple of reasons for that. One was, as we've mentioned many times, it was not particularly healthy to live in this area. | Jamestown - life and labor in the Chesapeake (2).mp3 |
So this shows that enslaved Africans were some of the very first people who weren't of native origin in the New World and would help shape the English colonies pretty much from the very start. But even though there were enslaved Africans in Virginia that early, the system of broad race-based slavery that will really kick in in the early 20th century and characterize the American South up until the Civil War didn't get started right away. And there were a couple of reasons for that. One was, as we've mentioned many times, it was not particularly healthy to live in this area. You can see here, this is pretty much all a giant swamp. To this day, some people joke that one of the reasons that Washington, D.C. was founded here in this area of Virginia is that it is so unpleasant to be there. They thought it would keep the American government smaller because legislators wouldn't actually want to go to the capital. | Jamestown - life and labor in the Chesapeake (2).mp3 |
One was, as we've mentioned many times, it was not particularly healthy to live in this area. You can see here, this is pretty much all a giant swamp. To this day, some people joke that one of the reasons that Washington, D.C. was founded here in this area of Virginia is that it is so unpleasant to be there. They thought it would keep the American government smaller because legislators wouldn't actually want to go to the capital. So a pretty good number of people who came to the New World in these early years died of mosquito-borne diseases. So swamp, standing water, mosquitoes, leads to epidemics. So say I'm an English planter, and I want to plant a lot of tobacco, many acres of tobacco. | Jamestown - life and labor in the Chesapeake (2).mp3 |
They thought it would keep the American government smaller because legislators wouldn't actually want to go to the capital. So a pretty good number of people who came to the New World in these early years died of mosquito-borne diseases. So swamp, standing water, mosquitoes, leads to epidemics. So say I'm an English planter, and I want to plant a lot of tobacco, many acres of tobacco. So I'm gonna need some people to help me. Now, I have some choices. I could purchase an enslaved African person from one of these ships, and that might cost me hundreds of pounds. | Jamestown - life and labor in the Chesapeake (2).mp3 |
So say I'm an English planter, and I want to plant a lot of tobacco, many acres of tobacco. So I'm gonna need some people to help me. Now, I have some choices. I could purchase an enslaved African person from one of these ships, and that might cost me hundreds of pounds. Slaves are pretty expensive. And since it's such an unhealthy environment in this area, there is a reasonable chance that any person that I purchase might die within a year or so, and then I'd lose my investment. So this is a pretty cruel and terrible form of economics, but if you're a planter in this time period, this is exactly how you're thinking. | Jamestown - life and labor in the Chesapeake (2).mp3 |
I could purchase an enslaved African person from one of these ships, and that might cost me hundreds of pounds. Slaves are pretty expensive. And since it's such an unhealthy environment in this area, there is a reasonable chance that any person that I purchase might die within a year or so, and then I'd lose my investment. So this is a pretty cruel and terrible form of economics, but if you're a planter in this time period, this is exactly how you're thinking. Now, my other option for help is to bring over white laborers from England, and these are called indentured servants. So perhaps there is a young man living in London. He has lots of older brothers, so he's not gonna inherit anything. | Jamestown - life and labor in the Chesapeake (2).mp3 |
So this is a pretty cruel and terrible form of economics, but if you're a planter in this time period, this is exactly how you're thinking. Now, my other option for help is to bring over white laborers from England, and these are called indentured servants. So perhaps there is a young man living in London. He has lots of older brothers, so he's not gonna inherit anything. He doesn't have much in the way of economic opportunity, so he thinks, I could go for a new start in the new world, but I don't have the money to pay my passage on a ship across the Atlantic. So what the planters would do is they would say, all right, I will pay your fare across the Atlantic, maybe that's 15 pounds, say, and in exchange, you will work for me for a period of, say, three to seven years. Now, some indentures were shorter than that, some were longer, but this is a kind of a general guideline of how long they might work, and at the end of that three years, you will get land of your own, and I will give you some tools and clothes, things you need to succeed, and then you can be your own planter. | Jamestown - life and labor in the Chesapeake (2).mp3 |
He has lots of older brothers, so he's not gonna inherit anything. He doesn't have much in the way of economic opportunity, so he thinks, I could go for a new start in the new world, but I don't have the money to pay my passage on a ship across the Atlantic. So what the planters would do is they would say, all right, I will pay your fare across the Atlantic, maybe that's 15 pounds, say, and in exchange, you will work for me for a period of, say, three to seven years. Now, some indentures were shorter than that, some were longer, but this is a kind of a general guideline of how long they might work, and at the end of that three years, you will get land of your own, and I will give you some tools and clothes, things you need to succeed, and then you can be your own planter. So this was a pretty good investment if you were a young person without many opportunities in England. There is only one problem, and it's the same problem we've been talking about all along, is that this is a swamp full of mosquitoes, and you are quite likely to die in Virginia. So this actually turned out to be a pretty good deal for the planters who were there early. | Jamestown - life and labor in the Chesapeake (2).mp3 |
Now, some indentures were shorter than that, some were longer, but this is a kind of a general guideline of how long they might work, and at the end of that three years, you will get land of your own, and I will give you some tools and clothes, things you need to succeed, and then you can be your own planter. So this was a pretty good investment if you were a young person without many opportunities in England. There is only one problem, and it's the same problem we've been talking about all along, is that this is a swamp full of mosquitoes, and you are quite likely to die in Virginia. So this actually turned out to be a pretty good deal for the planters who were there early. They also took advantage of something called the headright system, which meant that they got 50 acres of land in Virginia, and of course, this is just Native Americans' land that they're just appropriating for themselves, but that's a whole separate issue. So you got 50 acres more land every time you brought one person over from England. So if you could afford to bring more and more of these indentured servants over from England, you could amass huge, huge amounts of property, just gigantic tobacco plantations. | Jamestown - life and labor in the Chesapeake (2).mp3 |
So this actually turned out to be a pretty good deal for the planters who were there early. They also took advantage of something called the headright system, which meant that they got 50 acres of land in Virginia, and of course, this is just Native Americans' land that they're just appropriating for themselves, but that's a whole separate issue. So you got 50 acres more land every time you brought one person over from England. So if you could afford to bring more and more of these indentured servants over from England, you could amass huge, huge amounts of property, just gigantic tobacco plantations. And early on in the history of indentured servitude, very few of the servants, a pretty small percentage, actually lived to finish their indenture and to make good on this promise of land for themselves and tools and clothes to get started. So this very quickly begins to build a social structure in Virginia where there are a few planters who are extremely wealthy, who own lots of land, and then there's everybody else. There's a large number of indentured servants who've only been there for a couple of years, who may or may not live to see out the end of their indenture. | Jamestown - life and labor in the Chesapeake (2).mp3 |
So if you could afford to bring more and more of these indentured servants over from England, you could amass huge, huge amounts of property, just gigantic tobacco plantations. And early on in the history of indentured servitude, very few of the servants, a pretty small percentage, actually lived to finish their indenture and to make good on this promise of land for themselves and tools and clothes to get started. So this very quickly begins to build a social structure in Virginia where there are a few planters who are extremely wealthy, who own lots of land, and then there's everybody else. There's a large number of indentured servants who've only been there for a couple of years, who may or may not live to see out the end of their indenture. So this is kind of a large lower class. And then there are a handful of small farmers who managed to live through their period of indenture, are now getting started on their own. And then there's just a tiny smattering of enslaved Africans. | Jamestown - life and labor in the Chesapeake (2).mp3 |
There's a large number of indentured servants who've only been there for a couple of years, who may or may not live to see out the end of their indenture. So this is kind of a large lower class. And then there are a handful of small farmers who managed to live through their period of indenture, are now getting started on their own. And then there's just a tiny smattering of enslaved Africans. So just a few slaves in Virginia. This is in the early years of the 1600s. So how do we get from a world where the vast majority of workers in the southern part of what will become the United States are white, to a world where the vast majority of people working on plantations were enslaved black Africans? | Jamestown - life and labor in the Chesapeake (2).mp3 |
So we've already talked about it helping to establish the League of Nations, but in specific, or particularly with regards to Germany, the biggest aspect of it was its application of war guilt, essentially putting the full blame of the war on Germany. Maybe you could justify it by saying, look, Germany was the most aggressive actor at the beginning of the war, declaring war on Russia and France without much provocation. But then the counterargument would be, look, Austria-Hungary had already declared war on Serbia, Russia had already mobilized. But then the counter-counterargument, well, Germany gave a blank check to Austria. It said it would back up Austria no matter what Austria had done. Needless to say, this applied a lot of the Germans were not happy about being assigned the full blame of war guilt. Now on top of that, we've already talked about the notion that it really diminished, the Treaty of Versailles really forced the German military to be diminished dramatically down to 100,000 troops, which is really now more of a glorified police force. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
But then the counter-counterargument, well, Germany gave a blank check to Austria. It said it would back up Austria no matter what Austria had done. Needless to say, this applied a lot of the Germans were not happy about being assigned the full blame of war guilt. Now on top of that, we've already talked about the notion that it really diminished, the Treaty of Versailles really forced the German military to be diminished dramatically down to 100,000 troops, which is really now more of a glorified police force. It was also forbidden from forming a union with Austria. And you might say, why Austria in particular? Well, Austria is a German-speaking state, and so you could imagine there's a lot of ethnic affinity or linguistic affinity between Germany and Austria. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
Now on top of that, we've already talked about the notion that it really diminished, the Treaty of Versailles really forced the German military to be diminished dramatically down to 100,000 troops, which is really now more of a glorified police force. It was also forbidden from forming a union with Austria. And you might say, why Austria in particular? Well, Austria is a German-speaking state, and so you could imagine there's a lot of ethnic affinity or linguistic affinity between Germany and Austria. So this is not allowed according to the Treaty of Versailles. And then on top of that, Germany loses its colonies. And these colonies we've already talked about, these are colonies in Africa, colonies in Asia, and colonies in the Pacific. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
Well, Austria is a German-speaking state, and so you could imagine there's a lot of ethnic affinity or linguistic affinity between Germany and Austria. So this is not allowed according to the Treaty of Versailles. And then on top of that, Germany loses its colonies. And these colonies we've already talked about, these are colonies in Africa, colonies in Asia, and colonies in the Pacific. Then on top of that, we have the reparations. We have the reparations estimated at the equivalent in 2013 terms of about $450 billion US dollars. That doesn't get fully paid, but it still has a huge toll on the German economy, especially because the reparations were not just paid in currency, they were paid in resources. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
And these colonies we've already talked about, these are colonies in Africa, colonies in Asia, and colonies in the Pacific. Then on top of that, we have the reparations. We have the reparations estimated at the equivalent in 2013 terms of about $450 billion US dollars. That doesn't get fully paid, but it still has a huge toll on the German economy, especially because the reparations were not just paid in currency, they were paid in resources. And to make sure that they were paid in resources, the Allies actually occupied the Saar region right over here, which was coal-rich. And for the next 15 years, it would ship that coal to France. So the Allies weren't just getting paid in currency, they were getting paid in dollars. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
That doesn't get fully paid, but it still has a huge toll on the German economy, especially because the reparations were not just paid in currency, they were paid in resources. And to make sure that they were paid in resources, the Allies actually occupied the Saar region right over here, which was coal-rich. And for the next 15 years, it would ship that coal to France. So the Allies weren't just getting paid in currency, they were getting paid in dollars. But this would also have the effect, as Weimar Germany, the Weimar Republic, this is the government of Germany after World War I, called the Weimar Republic because its constitution was drafted in the city of Weimar, in order to try to pay the currency portions of the reparations, lets the printing presses go free, tries to convert into other currencies, and then you essentially have hyperinflation in Germany through the early 20s, through 1923. And on top of that, once this hyperinflation happens and they no longer can pay the reparations, then in order to continue to extract resources from Weimar Germany, France goes ahead and occupies the Ruhr region, which is right about here. It's also very rich in steel and coal, and they began shipping the resources out, which was another huge humiliation for the Germans. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
So the Allies weren't just getting paid in currency, they were getting paid in dollars. But this would also have the effect, as Weimar Germany, the Weimar Republic, this is the government of Germany after World War I, called the Weimar Republic because its constitution was drafted in the city of Weimar, in order to try to pay the currency portions of the reparations, lets the printing presses go free, tries to convert into other currencies, and then you essentially have hyperinflation in Germany through the early 20s, through 1923. And on top of that, once this hyperinflation happens and they no longer can pay the reparations, then in order to continue to extract resources from Weimar Germany, France goes ahead and occupies the Ruhr region, which is right about here. It's also very rich in steel and coal, and they began shipping the resources out, which was another huge humiliation for the Germans. And on top of that, it's crippling the German economy. They're taking all of the main resources out of the German economy. This happened in 1923 as well. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
It's also very rich in steel and coal, and they began shipping the resources out, which was another huge humiliation for the Germans. And on top of that, it's crippling the German economy. They're taking all of the main resources out of the German economy. This happened in 1923 as well. And the combined effect of, one, just the humiliation of World War I, the shipping away of resources, now this occupation of the Ruhr region, which was never even part of the already bad Treaty of Versailles from the Germans' point of view, this helped bring support for fairly more and more extreme parties in Germany. And as you go into the end of 1923, it gave some energy for Hitler's, at the time, fairly small national socialists, or their Nazis, to attempt a coup d'etat of the government, attempt their Beer Hall Putsch. It ends up failing, but it does give a lot of energy to what was before a very marginalized or very small party. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
This happened in 1923 as well. And the combined effect of, one, just the humiliation of World War I, the shipping away of resources, now this occupation of the Ruhr region, which was never even part of the already bad Treaty of Versailles from the Germans' point of view, this helped bring support for fairly more and more extreme parties in Germany. And as you go into the end of 1923, it gave some energy for Hitler's, at the time, fairly small national socialists, or their Nazis, to attempt a coup d'etat of the government, attempt their Beer Hall Putsch. It ends up failing, but it does give a lot of energy to what was before a very marginalized or very small party. Because of this occupation, it allows that party to grow by a significant amount. But on top of that, let's talk about the actual territorial losses, all of the territorial losses. You have this little region up here, the north part of East Prussia. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
It ends up failing, but it does give a lot of energy to what was before a very marginalized or very small party. Because of this occupation, it allows that party to grow by a significant amount. But on top of that, let's talk about the actual territorial losses, all of the territorial losses. You have this little region up here, the north part of East Prussia. At first, it becomes a French protectorate, according to the Treaty of Versailles, but then it's later taken over by Lithuania. We've already talked about this whole region of Germany, of the former German Empire, that's carved away in order to give it to the new state of Poland. Most of Poland is carved out of the former Russian Empire, part is carved out of the former German Empire, and also part is carved out of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
You have this little region up here, the north part of East Prussia. At first, it becomes a French protectorate, according to the Treaty of Versailles, but then it's later taken over by Lithuania. We've already talked about this whole region of Germany, of the former German Empire, that's carved away in order to give it to the new state of Poland. Most of Poland is carved out of the former Russian Empire, part is carved out of the former German Empire, and also part is carved out of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Then you have this region right here in Silesia. Part of it goes to Poland, part of it goes to Czechoslovakia. You have the famous Alsace and Lorraine region right over here. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
Most of Poland is carved out of the former Russian Empire, part is carved out of the former German Empire, and also part is carved out of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Then you have this region right here in Silesia. Part of it goes to Poland, part of it goes to Czechoslovakia. You have the famous Alsace and Lorraine region right over here. It had been a cause of contention between Germany and France for many, many, many years. Now this goes back to France. You have a little piece right over here that goes to Belgium. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
You have the famous Alsace and Lorraine region right over here. It had been a cause of contention between Germany and France for many, many, many years. Now this goes back to France. You have a little piece right over here that goes to Belgium. And then you have the North Schleswig region goes to Denmark. Now on top of that, as you can imagine, the diminished troops, the taking resources away, France really wanted to cripple Germany's ability of being able to invade at any future point in time. But on top of that, they also set up a demilitarized zone in the Rhineland. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
You have a little piece right over here that goes to Belgium. And then you have the North Schleswig region goes to Denmark. Now on top of that, as you can imagine, the diminished troops, the taking resources away, France really wanted to cripple Germany's ability of being able to invade at any future point in time. But on top of that, they also set up a demilitarized zone in the Rhineland. The Rhineland, this included both the demilitarized zone, included the west bank of the Rhine River, all of Germany that was west of the Rhine River, so this entire region right over here. And then it was also occupied by the Allies. And Germany was also forbidden from militarizing or mobilizing troops anywhere 50 kilometers east, east of the Rhine River, east of the Rhine River as well. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
But on top of that, they also set up a demilitarized zone in the Rhineland. The Rhineland, this included both the demilitarized zone, included the west bank of the Rhine River, all of Germany that was west of the Rhine River, so this entire region right over here. And then it was also occupied by the Allies. And Germany was also forbidden from militarizing or mobilizing troops anywhere 50 kilometers east, east of the Rhine River, east of the Rhine River as well. And so you see going out of Treaty of Versailles, every attempt was made to attempt to cripple Germany's war-making abilities. They were forbidden from trading in arms, and they couldn't have many types of offensive weapons. So this really was to try to prevent Germany from being able to do what they did in World War I. | More detail on the Treaty of Versailles and Germany World history Khan Academy (2).mp3 |
Scott landed with a US naval fleet several weeks beforehand. He bombarded the coastal stronghold of Veracruz and then fought his way inland toward the capital. Scott actually followed the same route that Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes took more than 300 years earlier. Winfield Scott's campaign to Mexico City was just one of three fronts in the two-year-long, continent-spanning effort of the United States to take Mexican territory by force. The other two fronts were in California and New Mexico. After the two nations made peace by signing the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in mid-1848, the United States gained over a million square miles of new territory, a landmass larger than the Louisiana Purchase. For Mexico, this war was a catastrophic defeat, which resulted in the loss of about 1 1⁄3 of its total area. | The Mexican-American War AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
Winfield Scott's campaign to Mexico City was just one of three fronts in the two-year-long, continent-spanning effort of the United States to take Mexican territory by force. The other two fronts were in California and New Mexico. After the two nations made peace by signing the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in mid-1848, the United States gained over a million square miles of new territory, a landmass larger than the Louisiana Purchase. For Mexico, this war was a catastrophic defeat, which resulted in the loss of about 1 1⁄3 of its total area. The Mexican-American War doesn't really loom large in American memory compared to the Revolutionary War or the Civil War, but it was a transformative event in the history of the United States and North America. On the scale of national politics, the war led to political realignment and eventually the Civil War. But on a human scale, it led to transformations in the lives of people who lived in the West, who went to bed one day in Mexico and woke up the next day in the United States. | The Mexican-American War AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
For Mexico, this war was a catastrophic defeat, which resulted in the loss of about 1 1⁄3 of its total area. The Mexican-American War doesn't really loom large in American memory compared to the Revolutionary War or the Civil War, but it was a transformative event in the history of the United States and North America. On the scale of national politics, the war led to political realignment and eventually the Civil War. But on a human scale, it led to transformations in the lives of people who lived in the West, who went to bed one day in Mexico and woke up the next day in the United States. National boundaries shifted under their feet. For those people, the outcome of the war meant new laws, customs, new friends and enemies, and even the loss of rights and privileges. So let's dive a little deeper into the causes and effects of the Mexican-American War. | The Mexican-American War AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
But on a human scale, it led to transformations in the lives of people who lived in the West, who went to bed one day in Mexico and woke up the next day in the United States. National boundaries shifted under their feet. For those people, the outcome of the war meant new laws, customs, new friends and enemies, and even the loss of rights and privileges. So let's dive a little deeper into the causes and effects of the Mexican-American War. The war began in April of 1846. A Mexican cavalry brigade attacked US forces, who were under the command of General Zachary Taylor, across the Rio Grande River from the town of Matamoros, Mexico. After this attack, President James K. Polk sent a war message to Congress. | The Mexican-American War AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
So let's dive a little deeper into the causes and effects of the Mexican-American War. The war began in April of 1846. A Mexican cavalry brigade attacked US forces, who were under the command of General Zachary Taylor, across the Rio Grande River from the town of Matamoros, Mexico. After this attack, President James K. Polk sent a war message to Congress. He fumed that the Mexican troops had invaded our territory and shed American blood on the American soil. Now, back up a minute. You may be wondering, as many keen observers did at the time, what exactly were US forces doing there near the Rio Grande River in the first place? | The Mexican-American War AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
After this attack, President James K. Polk sent a war message to Congress. He fumed that the Mexican troops had invaded our territory and shed American blood on the American soil. Now, back up a minute. You may be wondering, as many keen observers did at the time, what exactly were US forces doing there near the Rio Grande River in the first place? And the answer to that reveals the two major causes of the war, Texas annexation and Manifest Destiny. Let's start by talking about Texas annexation. American settlers, many of whom were slave owners, had been moving to Texas since the 1820s, when the region was still controlled by Spain. | The Mexican-American War AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |
You may be wondering, as many keen observers did at the time, what exactly were US forces doing there near the Rio Grande River in the first place? And the answer to that reveals the two major causes of the war, Texas annexation and Manifest Destiny. Let's start by talking about Texas annexation. American settlers, many of whom were slave owners, had been moving to Texas since the 1820s, when the region was still controlled by Spain. After Mexican independence, the country outlawed slavery, but the American settlers resisted the Mexican government's authority. In 1836, they rebelled and won independence for Texas. They requested that the United States annex the new nation shortly thereafter, but adding another slave state to the Union was politically dangerous for the administration at that time. | The Mexican-American War AP US History Khan Academy.mp3 |