FEATURED CONTENT FOR MARCH 2024
KnowItAll brings you the resources you need for:
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South Carolina Day - View details below - under the South Carolina Day heading!
In addition, we feature content for these observances:
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World Storytelling Day
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World Poetry Day
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National 3D Day
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International Day of Forests
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International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
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World Water Day
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And more!
Plus... it’s all so easy to locate, just a few clicks away—on KnowItAll.org! View details below!
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Please keep in mind that our KnowItAll Factoids for March are available here!
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And our KnowItAll Factoids for the full calendar year are available here!
WOMEN’S HISTORY COLLECTION
Women's History Month provides the opportunity to acknowledge two women who played important roles during the Lewis and Clark Expedition:
Lewis and Clark Expedition | History In A Nutshell
Note for educators regarding Sacagawea: According to scholars, the pronunciation of Sacagawea as Sak-a-JA-wee-ah is incorrect. The more historically correct way to pronounce her name is with a hard G- "Sak-ah-GAH-wee-ah". Lewis and Clark spelled her name in eight different variations throughout their journals.
Sacagawea's assistance to the Corps of Discovery - guidance, knowledge of the western landscape, and interpreting skills proved invaluable during the expedition. Sacagawea (born 1788) was a member of the Lemhi-Shoshone Tribe. When she was 12 years old, a Hidatsa raiding party had taken her captive as well as several other members of her tribe. During her stay among the Hidatsas, she was married to French-Canadian fur trader Toussaint Charbonneau.
In February 1805, Sacagawea was only 16 years old when she met Captain Meriwether Lewis at Fort Mandan (located in present-day North Dakota). Lewis was summoned to provide medical care since she was having difficulty giving birth to her son, Jean-Baptiste Charbonneau. Before the expedition's departure from Fort Mandan, Lewis and Clark convinced Sacagawea and Charbonneau to join them, since they would need interpreters for the future encounter with the Shoshone tribe. Sacagawea and Charbonneau agreed, and as winter came to a close, the Expedition departed Fort Mandan to continue west. In August 1805, the corps had located a Shoshone tribe and was attempting to trade for horses to cross the Rocky Mountains. They used Sacagawea to interpret and discovered that the tribe's leader, Cameahwait, was her long-lost brother.
Sacagawea traveled for thousands of miles while accompanying the Corps of Discovery, arriving at the Pacific Ocean with them. During the eastbound journey back to St. Louis, Missouri, the Expedition stopped at the Mandan villages where Sacagawea, her husband and her son said their farewells and parted ways with the rest of the group.
After her service with the Corps of Discovery, it is highly accepted among scholars that she died of typhus in 1812, however, some Native American oral histories depict that she lived for many more years among the Shoshone, instead dying in 1884.
In September 1805, the starving, freezing and exhausted members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition had survived the brutal crossing of the Bitterroot Mountains. Upon arrival on the other side, the Expedition encountered the Nimiipuu (pronounced "nee-me-pooh") Native American tribe (or Nez Perce in French, meaning "pierced nose"). Several members of the tribe considered killing the members of the Expedition since they were well-supplied with arms, gunpowder and trade goods.
One member of the Nimiipuu Tribe, an elderly woman by the name of Watkuweis (pronounced "wat-koo-wees") heard about the plan being concocted and intervened on behalf of the Expedition. During her youth, Watkuweis lived among Canadian traders who were kind to her. Remembering her time among the whites, Watkuweis stopped the other Nimiipuu warriors, saying something along the lines of: "These are the people who helped me. Do them no harm!"
Watkuweis supposedly means, “Returns from a Far Land.” According to Nimiipuu legend, Watkuweis was captured as a young woman, taken to Canada, and traded between tribes until she ended up in the Great Lakes region. There she was purchased by a white man and lived for a time among the whites. After she had given birth to a child, she was determined to escape and with the help of some friendly whites who supplied her with food and a horse, she began her long journey back to her tribe.
Captain William Clark mentions in his journal seeing this old woman, but he failed to realize how valuable she was to the Corps of Discovery. Without Watkuweis' intervention, the journey could have prematurely ended in the high country of today’s Idaho.
WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE - OUR CONTENT INCLUDES:
COLLECTION: WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT
From the American Revolution to the Civil Rights Era, and in fields from education to medicine, to law, this collection brings stories of the outstanding women who have led the way!
HISTORY IN A NUTSHELL: WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT
This two-part expose on the Women's Suffrage Movement in the U.S. outlines the early years of the movement, all the way to the passing of the 19th Amendment on August 18, 1920. The fight for full suffrage, to include African Americans and minorities, would not come to pass until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Thanks to the efforts of generations of suffrage leaders, people of all races and genders can have a say in U.S. elections!
SISTERHOOD: SC SUFFRAGISTS: 4-PART SERIES
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment and learn the role South Carolina women played in the national movement that eventually guaranteed more than 26 million women the right to vote. But there is more to do.
Sarah and Angelina Grimké worked tirelessly for both abolition and women’s suffrage. The Grimke sisters were the first to say, in print, that women deserved to live alongside men with an equal political footing. They were the first to connect abolitionism with feminism.
During Reconstruction, despite their inability to vote or hold political office, the Rollin Sisters, were among the most influential people in South Carolina politics. Born to an aristocratic free Black family in Charleston, the Sisters were noted for their influence and political savvy in Reconstruction politics. Their Columbia home, dubbed "the Rollin Salon," was the site for social and political gatherings where black and white Republican politicians and their wives mingled freely, advancing social causes and helping to shape the political climate of the times. In February 1871, Charlotte Rollin and her sisters received a charter for SC's first Women's Suffrage organization, the South Carolina Chapter of the American Woman Suffrage Association (SCAWSA), a coalition of blacks and whites working to enact universal suffrage, regardless of race and gender. This program examines the sisters' efforts and those of their cohorts, whose dreams were once centerstage before being crushed by the fall of Reconstruction.
As the national debate for suffrage came to the fore, South Carolina women were increasingly drawn into the movement for social and educational reform. From the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) to the Equal Suffrage Leagues (ESL) to the burgeoning women's club movement, numerous groups - both Black and White - mobilized and took valiant stands as the fight for suffrage intensified. Susan Pringle Frost, Eulalie Salley, Marion Birnie Wilkinson and the Pollitzer Sisters - Mabel, Carrie, and Anita, daughters of a prominent Jewish family from Charleston - are among the oft-overlooked and forgotten rebels in the Palmetto State. Their tireless efforts contributed greatly to the women's rights movement and the fight for the female vote!
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment and learn the role South Carolina women played in the national movement that eventually guaranteed more than 26 million women the right to vote. But there is more to do.
Continuing our Women's History Content:
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH | PERISCOPE
At the turn of the 20th century, women in the United States could not vote. A political party promoted National Women's Day as a day to protest for women's rights, particularly the right to vote. On February 23, 1909, over 2,000 men and women attended the first National Women's Day rally in New York. The success of the event inspired other countries to participate, and National Women's Day became International Women's Day in 1911.
GEORGIA O'KEEFFE: A WOMAN ON PAPER | CAROLINA STORIES
Georgia O’Keeffe’s modern art is some of the most widely recognized of any American artist. O’Keeffe inspired generations to pursue careers in the art field. Modern art is a diverse genre in the United States, and Georgia O’Keeffe pioneered to create her own take on the genre. This Carolina Stories special spotlights Georgia O'Keeffe's art career, from humble beginnings in New York, to Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina, and New Mexico.
In addition to featuring content on the women who made a difference in our history, we also offer Palmetto Voices, a series featuring women leaders in our times!
PALMETTO VOICES
The series features female leaders in South Carolina who share the experiences, skills and decisions that have brought them success. These voices of the Palmetto State offer advice and suggestions for excellence in various career clusters and fields of study.
We offer Project Lead South Carolina, a series for young women about what it takes to be a leader.
PROJECT LEAD SOUTH CAROLINA
From middle school to high school, teenage girls face unique pressures every day. Between issues with bullying, body image, boys, friends and “frenemies,” life during that awkward transitional period can feel like it’s filled with challenges. It’s important our girls have role models, people to look up to, think about, and speak with to help navigate those land mines.
Notable women in South Carolina give advice on what makes a successful leader.
In addition, we encourage girls to pursue careers in science and mathematics.
SCIENCE SPLASH
A girl's odyssey of hands-on science and math activities, speakers, shows and exhibits—all designed to educate, inspire, stimulate and entertain middle school girls ages 10-14.
We offer a series on young women who are serving their communities and our state through their commitment to public service.
WOMEN VISION SC
Focuses on issues affecting women throughout the state and the nation, and a new generation of young people pursuing public service for their communities and the state at large.
We offer the James Otis Lecture Series 2015 on Women’s Rights, including addresses by the following:
Also, a Q&A Session on Women’s Rights is included in the program:
Our WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP COLLECTION offers resources on women who are making a difference in a number of career fields!
FOR NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH -
PLEASE VIEW OUR NUTRITION COLLECTION UNDER KNOWITALL HEALTHY!
Healthy Hannah’s Healthy Choice Heroes
Healthy Hannah is a cyber super hero who helps her friends make healthy choices by teaching them about nutrition and physical activity while taking them on adventures through cyber space. This micro-series consists of twenty 2 to 3-minute episodes intended for ages K-6.
Lesson Plans
Youth Media Health Institute - Healthy Food, Farms & Gardens
The American Graduate Youth Media Institute, held at South Carolina ETV, focused on health and community engagement. Students used their video and reporting skills to create short documentaries on healthy food, farms and gardens. By focusing on sustainable food production and nutrition, the Youth Media Institute helped students make the connection between a healthy lifestyle and their own educations.
EdAware: Eat Smart, Move More
Series designed to increase understanding of the problem of childhood obesity and related health, nutrition and physical activity issues and to make viewers aware that they are part of the solution.
Growing Up with Smart Cat Workbook - Download here.
Check out these videos for National Nutrition Month!
Additional Lesson Plans for National Nutrition Month include:
Browse by grade and subject to find more health-related resources!
Calendar / Coloring Page
As we focus on improving our health and nutrition, we also want to emphasize the importance of handwashing and avoiding the spread of colds, flu, viruses and COVID-19. We’d like to remind you to view these videos:
FLU PSAs - ILLNESS PREVENTION TIPS & WASH HANDS SONG
These PSAs were created by SC DHEC to prevent the spread of flu and other contagious illnesses. Four key illness prevention tips are highlighted in English and with Spanish subtitles, along with the Wash Hands Song with Danielle Howle (K-2).
FOR SOUTH CAROLINA DAY, KNOWITALL OFFERS THESE GREAT FIELD TRIPS!
LET’S GO!
Check out virtual reality tours of some of South Carolina’s most interesting historical sites on your desktop computer or the Matterport App. Each tour includes an overview video and photo gallery.
Avery Research Center | Let's Go!
The Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture is located on the site of the former Avery Normal Institute. It was a hub for Charleston’s African American community from 1865–1954 that trained its students for professional careers and leadership roles. In 1985, the alumni of the Avery Normal Institute, spearheaded by the Honorable Lucille Whipper, formed the Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture. It joined with the College of Charleston to establish the Avery Research Center to preserve the legacy of the Avery Normal Institute and educate the community on the history and culture of African Americans in Charleston, the South Carolina Lowcountry, and South Carolina at large. View more..
Benjamin Mays Historical Preservation Site
Dr. Benjamin E. Mays' childhood home is the focal point of the Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site, a destination for individuals and groups interested in learning about the life of one of the nation’s most influential Civil Rights leaders and the African American experience in South Carolina. View more.
Learn more about Dr. Mays by watching the Carolina Stories documentary, Born To Rebel, Driven to Excel.
Established in Trenton (Edgefield County) in 1881 by the Reverend Alexander Bettis, this school provided former enslaved African Americans and their children with a basic education of reading and writing as well as skills and trades. A former slave who could neither write nor read, Bettis organized the Mt. Canaan Missionary and Educational Union to raise the $300 used in purchasing the land for the boarding school. While there was an emphasis on teacher education, the school’s primary focus was on industrial training.
At a time when the state neglected the education of African Americans, Bettis Academy offered educational opportunities when few professions were open to blacks. Consisting of fourteen buildings, the school was accredited by the state as a junior college in 1933. This course of study allowed graduates to teach in South Carolina’s elementary schools or enter four-year colleges as juniors.
Beginning in 1940 the school was overseen by interested northerners, such as Clement Biddle and Alice Angell, who obtained a grant from the General Education Board, a philanthropic organization established by John D. Rockefeller in 1903. Funds were used to construct a seven-room home-economics building and to purchase farm equipment and vehicles.
Bettis closed in 1952 when South Carolina began improving statewide public education for Black citizens. In 1998 Bettis Academy and Junior College was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Booker T. Washington High School
From 1915-1974, Booker T. Washington High School served as a separate educational system for young African Americans in Columbia, South Carolina. The school began with elementary grades and became a standard high school in 1924. For many years, Booker T. Washington was the largest African American high school in South Carolina.
In 1956, the facilities of the school were expanded and renovated, but the 1954 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in "Brown v. the Board of Education" that segregated schools, no matter how fine their physical plant and educational programs, were inherently unequal, led to the end of the school. When Columbia schools were integrated, the University of South Carolina absorbed Booker T. Washington School's physical plant, some of whose buildings are still in use by the University.
The mission of the Catawba Cultural Center is to preserve, protect, promote and maintain the rich cultural heritage of the Catawba Indian Nation through efforts in archives, archeology, tribal historic preservation, native crafts, cultural education, and tourism development. The Cultural Center provides an overview of the rich culture and history of the Catawba Indian Nation. There are exhibits that can be seen at no charge and a member of the staff will be happy to answer any questions that you have. There is also a craft store in the center that features crafts from many of our native artisans.
The Columbia Museum of Art sparks powerful connections through art from around the corner and around the world in an environment that is welcoming to all. The museum is the cultural heart of a revitalized downtown Columbia and boasts a wide variety of original and historic art pieces, from thousands of years ago, to present day.
Florence C. Benson Elementary School
"The Florence C. Benson Elementary School was built in 1953-55 as Wheeler Hill School to serve African American students of the community and as a replacement for the overcrowded Celia Dial Saxon Negro Elementary School. An equalization school, it is both an example of the government’s efforts to maintain “separate but equal” school systems for blacks and whites and one of the last remnants of a segregated black residential area. The school served 270 students in the first through sixth grades. In 1958 it was re-named in honor of Florence Corinne Benson, a former teacher at the school." - From the GreenbookofSC.com.
Fort Hill, the antebellum plantation of John C. Calhoun, South Carolina’s pre-eminent 19th century statesman, started as a four-room Clergy Hall. Through a succession of Calhoun-Clemson women, Fort Hill would come into Thomas Green Clemson’s possession. In 1888, Clemson bequeathed three-fourths of the Fort Hill plantation and $80,000 to the state of South Carolina for the establishment of a public scientific and agricultural college. He willed that Fort Hill “shall always be open for the inspection of visitors."
The first fort on Sullivan's Island, constructed of palmetto logs and sand, was still incomplete when Commodore Sir Peter Parker of the Royal Navy and nine British men-of-war attacked it on June 28, 1776. After a nine-hour battle, the ships were forced to retire. Charlestown was saved from British occupation, and the fort was named in honor of its commander, Colonel William Moultrie. In May 1780 the British finally captured Charlestown, including Fort Moultrie, finally evacuating the city in December 1782 as the Revolution entered its final year.
Today Fort Moultrie has been restored to portray the major periods of its history. A visitor to the fort moves steadily backwards in time from the World War II Harbor Entrance Control Post to the site of the Palmetto-log fort of 1776.
The H.L. Hunley submarine made history during the American Civil War when she became the first submarine to sink an enemy ship in combat. In February 1864, the Hunley, under command of Lieutenant George E. Dixon, sank the U.S.S. Housatonic; a Union blockade vessel. The Hunley's mission was a success, but disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and never returned to port.
Located in York County near Rock Hill, Brattonsville is home to structures that range from a pre-Revolutionary War cabin to an antebellum plantation.
Historic Scott's Branch High School
The original Scott’s Branch High School was formed to serve African American students in Summerton, South Carolina. Originally known as the Taw Caw School, the school's name changed due to the location of the first building being in front of a brook called Scott's Branch. When the first building burned down, parents raised funds to replace it with a two-story building and auditorium. This second building burned down in 1937 and Clarendon County rebuilt the present Scott’s Branch Middle School.
Lamar High School in Darlington County, South Carolina, was the site of an attack on school buses carrying African American students to the campus on March 3, 1970. In January 1970, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals of the United States ordered Darlington County Public Schools to immediately integrate by February 18, 1970. While there was compliance in much of the county, many white parents in Lamar strongly objected to integration. Local businessman Jeryl Best led a group, Citizens for Freedom of Choice, in a boycott of the segregated white schools in the Lamar area from February 18 to March 3. African American parents boycotted the segregated schools for two weeks, concerned there would not be federal protection for their children. A.W. Stanley, the president of the Darlington NAACP Branch, voiced the rising danger of violence to the County Superintendent of Education and urged him to request federal assistance.
As the county and public schools continued to try to comply with the court order, the Citizens for Freedom of Choice began protesting at Lamar High School on March 2. The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, known as SLED, came in and dispersed the crowd. On March 3, a crowd of 200 white men and women attempted to prevent buses from entering the school grounds, and then attacked three buses carrying students. The violent mob broke out windows, shot the buses, and disabled them before turning them over and threw bricks at the older African American students who fled. In the months after the riot, A.W. Stanley and the NAACP in Darlington County called on the federal government to investigate the riot. They also published the accounts of seven of the victims that got turned over: Ronald Bacote, Clarence Brunson, Edward Lunn, Annette Johnson, David Lunn, Sally Mae Wilds, and Woodrow Wilson Jr. Twenty-eight people were arrested for their participation in the riot, and the violence was condemned by Governor Robert McNair and President Richard Nixon’s Administration.
In the school tour you will learn about the lead up to the attack, the white attack, and the arrests. In the gym tour you will learn about the response, aftermath, and commemoration of the Lamar Bus Riot.
The Mann-Simons Site, home to the same entrepreneurial African American family for nearly 130 years, traces the journey of Columbia’s African American community from enslavement through urban renewal.
Modjeska Monteith Simkins House
Built between 1890 and 1895, this one-story cottage was home to Modjeska Monteith Simkins, considered "the Matriarch of Civil Rights activists of South Carolina," from 1932 until her death on April 5, 1992.
Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon
Located in downtown Charleston, the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon is nationally recognized as one of our country’s most significant historical sites.
Penn Center is one of the most significant African American historical and cultural institutions in existence today. The historic campus is located on St. Helena Island, one of the most beautiful and historically distinct of the South Carolina Sea Islands, and at the heart of Gullah culture.
Completed by 1713, The Powder Magazine is the oldest governmental building in South Carolina. This facility was used as an arsenal from 1713 - 1748 to defend the colony from the Spanish, French, pirates, slave rebellion and native attacks. It was then temporarily reinstated by the Continental Army during the American Revolution. After 1780, The Powder Magazine was retired; however, private owners discovered a variety of other functions for this historic structure. Throughout the 19th century, The Powder Magazine was converted to a stable, print shop, blacksmith shop, wine cellar, and horse carriage house. In 1902, The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of South Carolina purchased the building, saving it from being destroyed. It was then restored and opened as a museum.
SC Confederate Relic Room & Military Museum
The South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum's mission is to collect and preserve the military history of this state. When visitors enter Columbia's oldest museum, they will uncover the state's military history from the Revolutionary War to the present War on Terror.
South Carolina Military Museum
First established in Sumter county as the “National Guard Museum and State Weapons Collection”, the South Carolina Military Museum relocated to the capital city of Columbia to better serve its mission of preserving the State’s military history.
This new location offered strong partnerships with the South Carolina Military Department and the opportunity to expand the collection. Through the efforts of staff and volunteers, the former National Guard motor pool was transformed into an inviting space for the community to learn their rich military heritage.
Officially recognized by the U.S. Army’s Center for Military History and the National Guard Bureau, the museum features a timeline of South Carolina military history within two full exhibit galleries available for visitors to explore. Staff members are on hand to help with research inquiries by utilizing our archival collection or resource material. Always striving to lead by example, the museum also hosts community events to thank our veterans and build relationships with the community
Located in the capital city of Columbia, the State House and its grounds are a living monument to South Carolina’s rich history. Take a 3D virtual tour inside the SC State House.
The Upcountry History Museum is a history museum in Greenville, South Carolina that displays the regional history of fifteen upstate South Carolina counties from the early 18th century to the present.
USS Yorktown at Patriot’s Point
USS Yorktown (CV-10) was an Essex-class aircraft carrier that served with the US Navy in World War II and the Vietnam War. World War II’s famous “Fighting Lady” would participate significantly in the Pacific offensive that began in late 1943 and ended with the defeat of Japan in 1945. The Yorktown received the Presidential Unit Citation and earned 11 battle stars for service in World War II. In the 1950s, the Yorktown was modernized to operate jet aircraft as an attack carrier (CVA). In 1957, she was re-designated an anti-submarine aircraft carrier (CVS), and would later earn 5 battle stars for service off Vietnam (1965-68). The ship also recovered the Apollo 8 astronauts and capsule (December 1968). The Yorktown was decommissioned in 1970 and placed in reserve. Today, the ship is a floating military museum located at Patriot's Point in Charleston, SC.
The Woodrow Wilson House in Columbia is the only museum in the nation dedicated to telling the story of Reconstruction. Located at 1705 Hampton Street, in historic downtown Columbia, South Carolina, this is the home where President Woodrow Wilson spent four years of his childhood. The house was built in 1871, during the height of the Reconstruction era; a tumultuous period in United States and South Carolina history. Today, the house is a museum, devoted to showing Columbia's struggle to rebuild itself after the Civil War, and the Wilson family's time spent in the home.
HISTORY IN A NUTSHELL
Short, sweet, and to the point - Join our cartoon host as he takes viewers on journeys through significant historical events in world history!
In January of 1918, a deadly H1N1 strain of Influenza called the "Spanish Flu" began sweeping across the globe. This flu, also known as "Strain A" or "Avian Flu", took its toll worldwide, infecting mainly young adults, and even South Carolinians had to face this flu without any real forms of medicine. Learn how the Pandemic first arrived in South Carolina, along with its socio-economic effects, and measures taken to combat its spread.
This edition of History In A Nutshell travels back to antiquity; to some of the earliest days of Western Civilization: Ancient Rome! These three segments briefly cover the rise and fall of Rome, including: founding, transition from monarchy to republic, The Punic Wars, the fall of the republic, the reign of the emperors, Christianity, and Rome's collapse.
Note: Some topics regarding Ancient Rome may not be suitable for younger audiences. Please conduct further research at your own discretion.
After the American Revolution, the new United States of America needed to form a permanent government of its own. Why did the Articles of Confederation fail, and how did the U.S. Constitution come to be? This episode of "History In A Nutshell" answers those questions!
The date of January 24, 1848 started out as a typical work day for carpenter James W. Marshall, who was tasked with constructing a water-powered sawmill in Coloma, California. While digging a channel, Marshall looked down and noticed shiny metallic flakes in the water below him. What Marshall discovered would trigger one of the largest single movements of human beings in world history. Once President James K. Polk confirmed the presence of gold in California, thousands of people from the United States and abroad caught “gold fever,” and flocked to California with hopes and dreams of striking it rich. The California Gold Rush transformed the United States forever, and fast tracked California to becoming a state in 1850. Join our cartoon avatar host as he takes viewers through a brief historical expose on the California Gold Rush!
This episode of History in a Nutshell explores the S.C.-centric holiday known as "Carolina Day"! Carolina Day, which commemorates the victorious Battle of Sullivan's Island during the American Revolutionary War, is observed every June 28th. On June 28, 1776, a small band of Patriots stationed at the palmetto log fort managed to miraculously fend off a massive British fleet. Learn more about the Battle of Sullivan's Island, the evolution of the Carolina Day holiday, and how the S.C. State Flag as we know it today came to be!
The French and Indian War played a significant role in shaping North America as we know it today. Although it officially began in 1756 as part of the Seven Years War, the French and Indian War had engagements taking place years prior. Between the British and French colonists, and the Native Americans all living on the same continent, a conflict was only inevitable. The French and Indian War was a fight for supremacy of the Ohio Valley region, between the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, also known as "the Forks of the Ohio."
Part one takes place between 1754-1756 - outlining how the conflict begins, with escalating political and economic tensions in the Ohio Valley. Part two briefly takes viewers through the war itself, after war is officially declared in 1756 (1756-1763). Find out how the results of the French and Indian War set the stage for the American colonies declaring independence from Great Britain!
Join our cartoon avatar host as he guides viewers through the history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The U.S. acquired the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803, and President Thomas Jefferson wanted to know exactly what he had bought. Between 1804-1806, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the "Corps of Discovery" on a journey west to the Pacific Ocean on a search for the fabled "Northwest Passage" waterway. Was the journey worth it? Find out in this edition of History in a Nutshell!
President James K. Polk desired to achieve his vision of "Manifest Destiny," and sought to acquire Mexico's northern territories. Mexico had no desire to sell Alta California and Nuevo Mexico to Pres. Polk, and in turn was provoked into war by attacking American troops within disputed territory in Texas. From 1846-1848, the United States and Mexico fought for supremacy of these territories. Modern historians view the Mexican-American War as a source of controversy due to how the land was acquired. Learn how the United States was able to expand from east to west with History In A Nutshell!
Saddam Hussein's military forces invaded and occupied Iraq's next door neighbor Kuwait on August 2, 1990. This invasion was immediately condemned by the United Nations, and an Allied Coalition was formed with the purpose of driving Saddam out of Kuwait.
This edition of History in a Nutshell explores the reasons behind Saddam's invasion of Kuwait, and the process behind the Coalition's response to Saddam's aggression. Includes an interview with U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Joel "Rally" Rush - an A-10 Thunderbolt pilot who destroyed Iraqi tanks during the Persian Gulf War!
The question of "the peculiar institution" known as slavery had been hotly debated long before the American Civil War. After the Civil War, Congress did not have a clear plan as to what to do with the millions of newly liberated African American "Freedmen". The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution were meant to fix the social and political issues many African Americans faced. Resistance in both the state and federal levels made progress during the "Reconstruction Era" difficult, and ultimately caused the "Great Experiment in Biracial Democracy" to fail. Full and equal rights for African Americans, as well as minorities, would not be fully realized until the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
*Viewer discretion is advised, as it may contain content which some may find controversial*
In the late 1950's, and throughout the 1960's, the U.S. was in the middle of The Cold War with the Soviet Union. Both sides tried to out-perform one another in every way, including scientific advancements and setting records. The Soviet Union had kicked off the "Space Race" when they launched the first man-made satellite called "Sputnik." In this episode of History In A Nutshell, follow the events leading up to the U.S. landing on the moon; from test pilots and Project Mercury, through Gemini and the Apollo program!
Also included in this episode is a bonus feature! For the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the South Carolina State Museum hosted a special screening of the PBS documentary Chasing The Moon. During this event, Knowitall.org and SCETV got the opportunity to interview two South Carolinians who helped recover Apollo spacecraft after they returned from their journeys to the moon!
Join our avatar host as he takes viewers through a brief expose on the events leading up to the forced removal of Native American tribes from the eastern United States. After the American Revolutionary War, an experiment in "civilization" was implemented so that American Indians could peacefully coexist with neighboring white settlers. As more settlers arrived in the U.S. in the early 1800s, more room was demanded from the Native Americans. Despite opposition to the Indian Removal Act initiated by President Andrew Jackson, Native Americans would eventually be forcibly moved from the eastern U.S. and placed in the "designated Indian territory" west of the Mississippi River. This forced transfer known today as the "Trail of Tears" remains one of the most controversial subjects in American history.
This two part expose on the Women's Suffrage Movement in the U.S. outlines the early years of the movement, all the way to the passing of the 19th Amendment on August 18, 1920. The fight for full suffrage, to include African Americans and minorities, would not come to pass until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Thanks to the efforts of generations of suffrage leaders, people of all races and genders can have a say in U.S. elections!
A brief video on World War I: how the war started, the U.S.' involvement, fighting the war, and the aftermath, with the Treaty of Versailles. Spanish captions are now available.
EXPLORE SOUTH CAROLINA – VIEW THE COLLECTION!
Learn about South Carolina. You may be surprised at what you'll find!
TOPICS
Explore more of our content on South Carolina’s history, people and places!
Check this series first, where you'll find a multitude of resources on a vast assortment of topics!
Continue exploring the list below for more South Carolina content that will fascinate and enlighten you!
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A Visit to Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historic Park
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ETV Education (Content Developed by South Carolina ETV's Education Department)
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Tuskegee Airmen (60th reunion events in Camden, SC)
Curious about SC Day? Take a look!
*South Carolina Day
*SECTION 53-3-60*. *South Carolina Day*. [SC ST SEC 53-3-60]
The public schools shall observe Calhoun's birthday, the eighteenth of March of each year, as South Carolina Day and on that day the school officers and teachers shall conduct such exercises as will conduce to a more general knowledge and appreciation of the history, resources and possibilities of this State. If such day shall fall on Saturday or Sunday the Friday nearest to March eighteenth shall be so observed and if any school shall not be in session on such date, the celebration may be held before the close of the term. The State Superintendent of Education shall suggest such topics or programs, as he may deem appropriate for the celebration of South Carolina Day.
Read more: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t53c003.php
Continuing the March Observances:
World Storytelling Day
Visit our IT'S STORYTIME Collection!
These read-aloud fairy tales and stories are available as video and/or interactives.
Series in this collection include:
Visit our LIBRARIES, LITERATURE & LEARNING Collection!
Series include:
TOPICS
World Poetry Day
National 3-D Day
Try out our 3D VR Interactives!
Try out our virtual reality tours of some of South Carolina’s most interesting historical sites on your desktop computer or the Matterport App. Each tour includes an overview video and photo gallery.
World Water Day
This holiday is all about valuing water – our life source – and seeing to it that we understand how diversly it is used and appreciated.
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Dive in…to Knowitall! Find videos related to water!
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Environmental Awareness Collection
VIEW MORE RESOURCES TIED TO OBSERVANCES ON OUR MARCH FACTOIDS PAGE - HERE ON KNOWITALL.ORG!
FACTOIDS FOR THE FULL CALENDAR YEAR ARE AVAILABLE HERE!
TO GET THE MOST OUT OF KNOWITALL, EXPLORE THESE AREAS!
If we were able to spark your curiosity with the resources listed above, please visit these additional areas on KnowItAll.org!
Knowitall.org features over 9,000 mobile-friendly videos, worksheets, and interactives for preK-12. Now you can drill down to the specific Topics and Subtopics you’re interested in.
Find topical content and lessons grouped together for your convenience. These are available all year long for your planning purposes.
Lesson plans for teachers that meet South Carolina standards.
Be sure to review our KnowItAll blogs! They provide links to recommended resources each month. You may be surprised by all the topics you'll find!
From the top of the home page, click on the magnifying glass, and when the search box opens, click on the magnifying glass again, and the results will come up, showing all of the assets available on KnowItAll.org. The newest content will appear at the top of the results. Just scroll down to view all of the content that is new to you! Visit often, so you won’t miss a thing!
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The Learning Continues on KnowItAll.org!
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