"In the most ambitious one-volume American history in decades, award-winning historian Jill Lepore offers a magisterial account of the origins and rise of a divided nation. The American experiment rests on three ideas--"these truths," Jefferson called them--political equality, natural rights, and the sovereignty of the people. And it rests, too, "on a dedication to inquiry, fearless and unflinching," writes Jill Lepore in a groundbreaking investigation...

"The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the single most important piece of legislation passed by Congress in American history. This one law so dramatically altered American society that, looking back, it seems preordained--as Everett Dirksen, the GOP leader in the Senate and a key supporter of the bill, said, "no force is more powerful than an idea whose time has come." But there was nothing predestined about the victory: a phalanx of powerful senators,...

In the United States, racial profiling affects thousands of Americans every day. Both individuals and institutions such as law enforcement agencies, government bodies, and schools routinely use race or ethnicity as grounds for suspecting someone of an offense. Explores the history, the many manifestations, and the consequences of this form of social injustice.

Bill Maher hosts this witty inquiry into the meaning of the Constitution today. Drawing examples from current events and pop culture, Maher reveals the Constitution as "a living document. Beginning with a brief overview of the full document, then focusing on the Bill of Rights, Maher demonstrates history as an evolving process. Insightful commentary encourages students to relate current events to the First, Second, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments, and...

In America, freedom of speech is a cherished fundamental right. Must it be curtailed during emergencies or wars? In this program, ABC News anchor Ted Koppel and correspondent John Donvan explore the penalties of political dissent in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. News footage and a round table discussion with media personalities, journalists, and others who have suffered the consequences of voicing...

"Until the 21st century, most of our activities were private by default, public only through effort; today anything that touches digital space has the potential (and likelihood) to remain somewhere online forever. That means all of the technologies that have made our lives easier, faster, better, and/or more efficient have also simultaneously made it easier to keep an eye on our activities. Or, as we recently learned from reports about Cambridge Analytica,...