Early 20th Century U.S. ‑ Videos

More To History: National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Undeterred by his childhood disability, Henry Viscardi became one of the most effective advocates for disabled Americans in U.S. history.

Run on the Banks

Learn more about the history of big banks.

When Homework Was Banned

In the early 1900s, Ladies’ Home Journal took up a crusade against homework, enlisting doctors and parents who say it damages children’s health. In 1901 California passed a law abolishing homework!

Superman’s First Time On Screen

In 1941, Superman made his big screen debut in this cartoon produced by Fleischer Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Audiences could now watch the Man of Steel move faster than a speeding bullet, be more powerful than a locomotive and leap tall buildings in a single bound!

Flashback: Chevrolet’s Bizarre Pirate‑Themed Cartoon

In the 1930s, car companies turned to some pretty strange tactics to earn back American consumers after the Great Depression. In 1938, Chevrolet released this pirate‑themed cartoon, featuring the company’s new Master sedan.

History Shorts: How the Statue of Liberty Got Across the Atlantic

You might know that the Statue of Liberty was built in France, but how exactly did they move the 225‑ton icon to the United States?

Flashback: A Knife‑Throwing Mother Brings Her Family Into the Act

Louella Gallagher is not the prototypical mother of the 1950s. Her daughters Connie Ann, age 5, and Colleena Sue, age 2.5, serve as props in a knife‑throwing act that would be considered a bit too risky by today’s standards.

How Anti‑Mexican Racism in L.A. Caused the Zoot Suit Riots

Learn how media bias and anti‑Mexican racism contributed to the Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles in 1943, resulting in one of the worst episodes of racial violence in 20th century America. Discover the origins of the term “zoot suit.”

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

A chronicle of a tragic fire that occurred at New York City’s Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in 1911.

Titanic’s Lookout

This video clip from ‘What Happened After’ looks at the life of Fredrick Fleet, the infamous lookout aboard the Titanic who first saw the iceberg that would sink the ship.

Titanic: Stewardess Survival

This video clip from ‘What Happened After’ looks at the life of Violet Jessup, a stewardess aboard the Titanic who would ultimately become the only woman to survive the sinking of the Titanic and her sister ship, the Britannic.

This Day in History Video: What Happened on January 11