North America History

It started on a summer afternoon in 1795 when a young man named Daniel McGinnis found what appeared to be an old site on an island off the Acadian coast, a coastline fabled for the skullduggery of pirates. Ever since that summer day, the possibility of what might be hidden in the depths of a small island off the south coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, has made it the site of the world's longest, most expensive, and most perplexing treasure hunt. Author D'Arcy O'Connor recounts the fascinating stories and amazing discoveries of past and current treasure seekers who have sought Oak Island's fabled treasure for over 200 years.

In February, 1763, Britain, Spain, and France signed the Treaty of Paris, ending the French and Indian War. In this one document, more American territory changed hands than in any treaty before or since. As the great historian Francis Parkman wrote, "half a continent...changed hands at the scratch of a pen."

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, whaling vessels plied their trade in the waters off the Eastern Arctic of North America. This trade has, until now, been documented solely from the perspective of the whalers. Here, finally, is a rich view from from the perspective of the Inuit, who welcomed the whalers and served on their crews.

On November 24, 1971, a man boarded a passenger plane in Portland, Oregon. Later, he would become known as D. B. Cooper. But that wasn’t his real name, and he was no ordinary passenger. He hijacked the plane, demanded $200,000, and parachuted out of the plane with the money. He was never seen again. Who was D. B. Cooper, and what happened to him? Explore the theories behind this crime and why it has become one of history’s greatest mysteries.

Young listeners are encouraged to take a closer look at the U.S. Constitution's first ten Amendments, known as the Bill of Rights. Citizens of the newly independent United States proposed several freedoms, including speech, assembly, and worship—many of which are still recognized and honored today.

Listeners will explore the events and people behind the Mayflower Compact, the first written framework for a government for the United States of America. Students will gain a stronger understanding of the events surrounding the signing of the Mayflower Compact and the groundwork of democracy in America.

Travel to Canada. Find out the facts about this country in North America.

Travel to the United States. Find out the facts about this country in North America.

You may know about the sinking of the Titanic. But did you know science played a big role in the ship’s voyage, disaster, and discovery? Learn all about the ship and the events that led to its sinking.

Many know Paul Revere by the infamous words, “The British are coming!” But did he really say that? Listeners will learn the facts and the fiction behind Paul Revere’s midnight ride.

In 1848, gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California. Word quickly spread, and the California Gold Rush was on! Thousands of people went to California in hopes of finding gold and striking it rich. But did that really happen? What was the real impact of so many miners rushing to the state? Discover what’s real and what’s fiction about the California Gold Rush through primary sources and expertly leveled text.

Betsy Ross made many flags during the American Revolution, but did she sew the first flag? Learn to separate fact from fiction by listening to this story of the stars and stripes!

You may have heard of the Oregon Trail. In the 1840s, more than 5,000 people traveled the Oregon Trail, hoping for a better life. But did you know that science played a big role in this epic journey? Learn how covered wagons were engineered. Find out how food was preserved and diseases were treated along the trail.

When President Abraham Lincoln created the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, it had far-reaching effects on the course of the Civil War and U.S. history. Using an inquiry-based approach, listeners will discover how the Emancipation Proclamation helped end slavery and led to historic changes in the United States and in the lives of all U.S. citizens.

If the founding fathers and mothers of the United States had built a time capsule to tell the story of the nation's beginnings, what artifacts would be packed inside? Tea leaves, a lantern, yellowed documents, and more tell a part of the story of the colonists' fight for independence. In this Time Capsule History book, listeners can examine primary sources of the Revolutionary Era to explore this exciting moment in history!

Why did the Pilgrims and other settlers come to North America? How did American Indians react to white settlers on their land? How was North America changed by the colonists? The colonization of the New World led to major changes for both European colonists and the native peoples who already lived there. Using an inquiry-based approach, listeners will learn all about the historic changes that took place in the land and various people's lives at the beginning of Colonial America.

Discover the haunted places of one of America's most notable cities. Listeners will find just the right amount of scariness for a cold, dark night.

So many lives were lost in the Battle of the Alamo. Are the spirits of these brave fighters now haunting modern-day San Antonio, Texas? What other ghosts could be joining them? Discover the ghosts and haunted places of this historic Texas town. Listeners will find just the right amount of scariness for a cold, dark night.

Many other mainline Christians viewed the Quakers as a dangerous sect, so much so that they pressured the British Parliament to pass the Quaker Act of 1662. This act set forth in law the “prescribed form” of prayer and worship as designated by the state. It was a formula that specifically left the traditions of the Quakers out. Unable to gain acceptance in England, the Quakers would soon leave the place of their origin altogether and try their luck in a brave new world on another continent.

Since our nation's birth, the Supreme Court has been the highest court in the United States. But until 1935, it didn't have a building of its own. Join a lawyer named Marta in The U.S. Supreme Court as she follows the court's long journey to its final home in Washington, D.C.