One Day University
American History Bundle
Five of our most popular classes – watch each one whenever you’d like!
Professor O’Donnell will host a private Zoom office hours “Q&A” session on
Thursday, September 15th at 7:00pm ET to answer student questions.
$89 Non-Members | Only $44 for Members
Reminder: Members must be logged in with password to pay reduced price
Here’s What’s In The Bundle!
VIDEO
American Immigration: Past, Present, and Future
Edward O’Donnell / College of the Holy Cross
The history of immigration to the United States stretches over 400 years, beginning with the first European settlements in the New World around 1600. Around this time, British and other Europeans settled primarily on the east coast, seeking freedoms previously unavailable in Europe. In 1619, the importation of African slaves began – which though technically immigration, certainly was not voluntary. Emigration from other countries (especially European states) of populations to the US has since come in successive waves, and attitudes towards these new immigrants have cycled between favorable and hostile. While strict numerical counting of immigrants ended in 1965, at various times, immigration rules have become more or less restrictive based upon the presidential administration. The current Administration’s attitude towards immigration has veered back to a “hard line” approach but it is hardly the first to take such a perspective.
VIDEO
Conflict and Conquest in the American West
Edward O’Donnell / College of the Holy Cross
Beginning in the 1840s, settlers spurred on by enthusiastic reports of open land and the Homestead Act began pouring into the trans-Mississippi West. They established millions of farms and created thriving railroad, ranching and mining industries. However, these achievements came at the expense of the hundreds of thousands of Native Americans who resisted for a time, but eventually succumbed to the Army and life on reservations. This presentation examines the ideas, policies and events that shaped the conquest of the West. Professor O’Donnell will also look at the ways in which our image of the West shaped, and continues to shape, the American imagination and self-image.
VIDEO
The Progressive Era, 1900 – 1920: America’s Quest for a Better Society
Edward O’Donnell / College of the Holy Cross
The period 1900-1920 was marked by a wide-ranging effort by many Americans – from President Theodore Roosevelt to settlement house pioneer Jane Addams – to rein in the excesses and abuses that accompanied the industrial boom, rapid urbanization, and political corruption of the Gilded Age. This spirit of reform (Progressivism) brought about significant changes in politics, business regulation, labor law, women’s rights, and social welfare policies. Yet there were limits to this reform, most notably around race relations. In this presentation, Professor O’Donnell will examine the ideas and motivations of these reform movements and assess their success and enduring legacies.
VIDEO
The Great Depression and the New Deal
Edward O’Donnell / College of the Holy Cross
During the early years of the Great Depression, Americans experienced economic hardship (25% unemployment) on a scale that was without precedent in U. S. history. This multimedia presentation explores the causes and impact of the Great Depression. It also will examine the key aspects of President Roosevelt’s New Deal, including: the central philosophical and political ideas behind it, the goals and outcomes of the short-term programs like the WPA and permanent reforms such as Social Security, the conservative challenge to the New Deal (i.e., Liberty League), and the formation of the New Deal coalition. Finally, Professor O’Donnell will offer an assessment of the successes and failures of the New Deal.
VIDEO
History Matters: Why Understanding the Past is Essential
Edward O’Donnell / College of the Holy Cross
Almost everyone, it seems, knows a variation of the quote by the American philosopher George Santayana, “Those who do not learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat its mistakes.” But do we really know why it’s important to study history? Do we know what separates history from other academic subjects like math, science or psychology? Do we know what it is that historians do, or why it matters? This presentation will broaden participants’ understanding of the significance of history beyond some elusive notion of “learning lessons.” Using vivid examples from topics such as the history of slavery, the Civil War, immigration, and women’s rights, Professor O’Donnell will explore the five essential elements of history and how they hold the potential to strengthen our democracy, promote human rights, boost a healthy patriotism, and inform our public policy decisions on issues such as taxes, healthcare, war and privacy.
ONLINE Q&A
