Main Content for Page

19th Century Turning Points in U.S. History

America entered the 19th century as an agricultural nation of 16 states and 5.3 million people. By the end of the century, the nation was an industrial power of 45 states and 76 million people. This series of eight programs is chaptered into 55 stand-alone segments that highlight significant historical events, scientific milestones and cultural achievements. Historical content is delivered 'on demand' with unprecedented ease, allowing teachers and students instantaneous access to specific information.
  • Title ID 6-19TP
  • History, American History
  • 8 Programs
  • 37 Supplemental Files
  • 10th Grade through Post Secondary
  • Published by Ambrose Video Publishing Inc./Centre Communications
loading...
Included Programs
Supplemental Files
Reviews
Related Titles

Included Programs

1800 - 1813Running time is 25 minutes

American History, 19th Century American History, United States History, and 19th Century United States History are emphasized in this first 19th Century Turning Points Program.

Chapter List
1800 - Washington DC Becomes the Nation's Capitol
Washington D.C., the U.S. Capital named for George Washington and designed by Pierre-Charles L'Enfant, was the home of President John Adams and scene to the transfer of power from Federalists to Jeffersonian Republicans.
1803 - The Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase, which included the Mississippi River and New Orleans, would become known as the Louisiana Territory.
1804 - Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark expedition or the Corps of Discovery, was led by William Clark and Meriwether Lewis, and used seasoned mountain men to explore the Louisiana Purchase.
1807 - Robert Fulton Awakens the World to the Steamboat
Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat, led American inventors at the start of 19th century, through the backing of American entrepreneur, Robert Livingston.
1811 - Battle of Tippecanoe
At the Battle of Tippecanoe, Shawnee leader Tecumseh was defeated by General William Henry Harrison.
1811 - New Madrid Earthquake
The New Madrid Earthquake affected most of the Mississippi river Rift Valley, changing the river's course in some places.

1814 - 1826Running time is 24 minutes

American History, 19th Century American History, United States History, and 18th Century United States History are emphasized in this second 19th Century Turning Points Program.

Chapter List
1814 - Washington DC is Captured and Burned by the British
The War of 1812 produced heroes such as Commodore Perry and Dolley Madison, while Fort Miggs was defended by General Harrison and the White House were burned.
1814 - Star Spangled Banner is Written
In the War of 1812, Francis Scott Key wrote the Spangled banner during the siege of Fort McHenry.
1815 - Battle of New Orleans
In the War of 1812, the Battle of New Orleans was won by Andrew Jackson after the Ghent Treaty had ended the war.
1819 - Washington Irving Publishes "Rip Van Winkle" - 1819
Washington Irving, the American author, wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
1821 - Inauguration of the Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail, opened by William Becknell, was just one of many trails west, including the Oregon Trail, Mormon Trail and California Trail.
1825 - Erie Canal is Completed
The Erie Canal, was built by New York governor DeWitt Clinton.
1826 - James Fenimore Cooper Publishes "Last of the Mohicans"
James Fenimore Cooper, wrote Last of the Mohicans, which introduced the archetype character of Natty Bumpo, also known as Hawkeye and Deerslayer, the first truly American character by an American Author.

1827 - 1846Running time is 25 minutes

American History, 19th Century American History, United States History, and 18th Century United States History are emphasized in this third 19th Century Turning Points Program.

Chapter List
1831 - Cyrus McCormick Demonstrates His Mechanical Reaper
Cyrus McCormick, who invented the mechanical reaper, was an American entrepreneur and an American inventor.
1831 - Nat Turner Begins His Rebellion
Nat Turner, who led a slave rebellion, to end slavery and free slavery slaves, told his story in The confessions of Nat Turner.
1832 - Black Hawk War Ends with Massacre at Bad Axe River
Chief Black Hawk, who led American Indians in Black Hawk War, which ended in the Massacre at Bad Axe River, also wrote Black Hawk an Autobiography.
1836 - Alamo Falls
The Alamo, would introduce American heroes James Bowie, William Travis, and Davy Crockett, in the fight to free Texas led by Stephen Austin.
1845 - Edgar Allen Poe Publishes "The Raven"
Edgar Allan Poe wrote "The Raven", one of the masterpieces of American poetry.
1846 - The Donner Party Starts West
The Donner Party, organized by George A Donner, would end in tragedy in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
1846 - United States Declares War on Mexico
The Mexican American War, begun by President John K. Polk, was fought to bring Texas into the union and to promote slavery and Manifest Destiny.

1846 - 1860Running time is 25 minutes

American History, 19th Century American History, United States History, and 18th Century United States History are emphasized in this fourth 19th Century Turning Points Program.

Chapter List
1846 - Dr. John Morton Demonstrates Painless Surgery Using Ether
American Scientist, Dr. William T.G. Morton, was the first to use ether.
1848 - Gold is Discovered at Sutter's Mill
California Gold Rush, would lead tens of thousands of 49ers, to look for gold near San Francisco.
1849 - Treaty Between U.S. and Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands under King Kamehameha, helps the American Navy.
1852 - Harriet Beecher Stowe Publishes "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin, the leading Abolitionist tale against, slavery and owning slaves.
1854 - Commodore Perry Lands in Japan
Commodore Perry in using the American Navy to open Japan, showed the preeminence of the navy.
1858 - Lincoln Douglas Debates Begin
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas participated in the, Lincoln Douglas Debates on slavery and states' rights before the civil war.
1860 - Pony Express Mail Service Begins
The Pony Express and, Butterfield Stage route opened up the American west.

1861 - 1865Running time is 24 minutes

American History, 19th Century American History, United States History, and 18th Century United States History are emphasized in this fifth 19th Century Turning Points Program.

Chapter List
1861 - Eleven States Comprise the Confederacy
The Civil War, fought to end Slavery and bring the Confederacy back into the Union was led by Abraham Lincoln.
1862 - Congress Sets Forth the Homestead Act
Homestead Act, passed during the Civil War, gave homesteaders a chance to settle the west.
1863 - Lincoln Signs Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation, ending slavery during the Civil War, was written by Abe Lincoln, to rally the support of abolitionists.
1863 - Lincoln Delivers His Gettysburg Address
During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln gave his immortal Gettysburg Address.
1865 - Lee Surrenders at Appomattox
Appomattox, ending the civil war, brought together Confederate General Robert E. Lee, and Union General U.S. Grant.
1865 - Abraham Lincoln is Assassinated
Abraham Lincoln wanted to let the south back into Union easily, but the Abraham Lincoln assassination by John Wilkes Booth would lead to a harsh Reconstruction.
1865 - Formation of the Ku Klux Klan
The Ku Klux Klan, created to keep blacks in a virtual slavery, was founded by Minor Merriweather.

1866 - 1870Running time is 23 minutes

American History, 19th Century American History, United States History, and 18th Century United States History are emphasized in this sixth 19th Century Turning Points Program.

Chapter List
1867 - Carpetbaggers Descend on the South
Reconstruction brought and scalawags into the south when slavery ended.
1867 U.S. Acquires Alaska . . . Seward's Folly
Known as Seward's folly, Alaska was bought by the U.S. in 1867.
1868 - President Andrew Johnson is Impeached
Andrew Johnson's impeachment was the first faced by an American Presidency, and would deepen reconstruction, led by abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens.
1869 - Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad
The Transcontinental Railroad, completed at Promontory Point, opened the era of Railroads and American Industrialization, leading to the creation of great railway magnates such as Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jay Gould, and James Fiske.
1870 - Rockefeller Incorporates Standard Oil Co. of Ohio
Standard Oil, founded by John D. Rockefeller, would centralize the American oil industry.

1871 - 1881Running time is 24 minutes

American History, 19th Century American History, United States History, and 18th Century United States History are emphasized in this seventh 19th Century Turning Points Program.

Chapter List
1871 - Chicago Fire
The Chicago Fire, in Chicago, Illinois, was supposedly started by O'Leary's cow.
1872 - Susan B. Anthony is Arrested for Voting
Susan B. Anthony, a leader of women's rights and civil rights, was helped by long time friend Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
1875 - Robert Smalls, Former Slave, Elected to the House
Robert Smalls, a slave, escaped the South during the civil war and returned to help lead reconstruction.
1876 - Alexander Graham Bell Demonstrates the Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, another example of the American entrepreneur and the American Inventor.
1876 - Battle of Little Bighorn
At the Battle of Little Big Horn, George Armstrong Custer was defeated by Crazy Horse leading northern Indian Plains tribes.
1879 - Thomas Edison Demonstrates the Incandescent Lamp
Thomas Edison, inventor of the Incandescent Lamp, was an American Inventor, who also produced the phonograph and helped found the electric utility industry dominated by General Electric.
1880 - George Eastman Patents Kodak Roll Film
George Eastman ,founded of Kodak, was an American inventor who created the photography industry.
1881 - Booker T. Washington Opens Tuskegee Institute
Booker T. Washington founded the Tuskegee Institute and helped to promote civil rights.

1881 - 1898Running time is 24 minutes

American History, 19th Century American History, United States History, and 18th Century United States History are emphasized in this eighth 19th Century Turning Points Program.

Chapter List
1881 - Clara Barton Organizes the American Red Cross
Clara Barton who founded the American Red Cross, was a nurse during the Civil War.
1882 - Chinese Exclusion Act Passed by Congress
The Chinese Exclusion Act impacted Chinese American Civil Rights.
1885 - Mark Twain Publishes "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"
Mark Twain, who wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, was one of the 19th century's American Humorists, whose real name was Samuel Clemens.
1889 - Oklahoma Land Rush begins
The Oklahoma Land Rush gave Indian Lands to white settlers and would lead to the creation of the state of Oklahoma.
1890 - Battle at Wounded Knee
The Battle of Wounded Knee, fought t stop the Ghost Dance, happened after the great Sioux leader, Sitting Bull, was killed,
1893 - First Gas Powered Automobile is Demonstrated
The building of the automobile, by American Inventors, Frank Duryea and Charles Duryea would lead to the American automobile industry.
1896 - Plessy vs. Ferguson Case Upholds Segregation
In Plessy v. Ferguson, Segregation and Jim Crow were held up by the U.S. Supreme Court, of which only John Marshall Harlan stood for Black civil rights.
1898 - Sinking of the Maine
The Sinking of the Maine launches American imperialism to take over Cuba, the Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico and destroys the Spanish fleet and makes the reputation of Teddy Roosevelt.

Supplemental Files

19th Century -TEACHERS GUIDE
19th Century -TESTS
Amendments to the Constitution
Chief Black Hawks Autobiography (Excerpt)
Civil Rights Act of 1886
Constitution of the Confederacy
Constitution of the United States of America
Declaration of Independence
Emancipation Proclamation
Gettysburg Address
Homestead Act of 1862
Louisiana Purchase
Map-Alaska-Sewards Folly
Map-Americas Expansion
Map-Civil War
Map-Civil War Battle-Antietam
Map-Gold in the West
Map-Gold in the West BLANK (for Testing)
Map-Lewis And Clark Expedition
Map-Lewis And Clark Expedition BLANK (for testing)
Map-Oklahoma Territory-Land from Native Americans
Map-Train Route Hubs
Map-Transcontinental Railroad
Map-Westward Expansion
Map-Westward Expansion BLANK (for testing)
MARC Records for 19TP
MARC records for the series 19th Century Turning Points in U.S. History
National Anthem
Treaty with Hawaii
Treaty with Japan 1858
1800 - 1813
1814 - 1826
1827 - 1846
1846 - 1860
1861 - 1865
1866 - 1870
1871 - 1881
1881 - 1898

Reviews

Through background period drawings, paintings, and brief reenactments, sharply focused, short segments touch on significant social and political happenings, emphasizing their lasting impact on modern society. Dramatically read journal and correspondence excerpts add variety to the straightforward voice-over narration. Topics range from wars and treaties to inventions and literary events. Each segment stands alone, and the DVD menu allows teachers and students to zero in on appropriate material... Recommended as a valuable overview of the time period.
Booklist
Providing an overview of defining moments from the 1800s, from historical events and scientific breakthroughs to literary landmarks and technological innovations . . . Recommended.
Video Librarian

Related Titles