250 to 250: 18. Pujo Committee, Narrated by Representative Joe Morelle

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Pujo Committee, Narrated by Representative Joe Morelle

United States Representative Joe Morelle of New York serves as Vice Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Committee and is a Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration. Representative Morelle explores the impact of the Pujo Committee’s 1910s examination of consolidation in American banking.

In the late 1800s, many Americans worried that a few bankers had too much power.

• Large banks controlled many businesses and investments.
• People called this group of powerful bankers the "money trust."

In 1912, Congress created a committee to investigate the banking industry.

• The committee was led by Arsène Pujo.
• The investigation found that a few banks controlled a lot of the nation's money.
• The committee recommended new rules for banks.
• It also suggested new regulations for the stock market.
• Louis Brandeis used the report to write a book about banking.
• Many Americans supported stronger government oversight of banks.
• The investigation helped lead to banking laws during the Progressive Era.
• These new rules helped make banking fairer.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 10:01: Is your household income less than or equal to 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines?
• USCIS 100:11 / 128:12: What is the economic system of the United States?

Family Fun

• Consumer Finance: Banking Basics card game | all activities
• Currency Education Program: Money coloring pages
• Federal Reserve: Banking Panics of the Gilded Age; Education (many lesson plans and activities)
• FDIC: Money Smart Basics for Kids
• The Morgan Library and Museum: J. Pierpont Morgan's Library onlinee exhibit
• USCIS: Fact Sheet Form N-400, Application for Naturalization Filing Fees

250 to 250: 17. Fannie Lou Hamer, Narrated by Monica Land

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Fannie Lou Hamer, Narrated by Monica Land

Monica Land is a journalist and niece of civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer. She produced the award-winning film, “Fannie Lou Hamer's America” and now manages the digital educational website, www.fannielouhamersamerica.com. Land remembers the inspiring life of the Mississippi voting rights activist who asked “Is this America?”

Fannie Lou Hamer was born in Mississippi in 1917.

• She worked as a sharecropper on a farm.
• In 1962, she attended a meeting about voting rights.
• The meeting inspired her to register to vote.
• Local officials would not let her register.
• She lost her home because she tried to vote.
• Hamer continued to help African Americans register to vote.
• Many people opposed her work.

In 1963, she was badly beaten and suffered injuries for the rest of her life.

• She became a leader in the civil rights movement.
• In 1964, she gave a powerful speech at the Democratic National Convention.
• In her speech, she asked, “Is this America?”
• Many people across the country heard her message.
• In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
• Fannie Lou Hamer helped expand voting rights for African Americans.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• Have you EVER registered to vote or voted in any Federal, state, or local election in the United States?
• USCIS 100:48. / 128:63. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote.  Describe one of them.
• USCIS 100:84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
• USCIS 128:69. What are two examples of civic participation in the United States?

Family Fun:

• Civil Rights Trail: Fannie Lou Hamer
• Getting to Know ALL About Her: Fannie Lou Hamer lesson plan
• NMAACH: How Fannie Lou Hamer Challenged a Nation
• NPS: When Everyday Folks Become Heroes
• Poets: Teach This Poem: “When Fannie Lou Hamer Said” by Mahogany L. Browne
• uscitizenpod: Fannie Lou Hamer coloring page

250 to 250: 16. Man o' War, Narrated by Governor Andy Beshear

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Man o' War, Narrated by Governor Andy Beshear

Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky is currently serving his second term in office with a strong focus on education, disaster response, faith, and family. Governor Beshear tells the story of Man o’ War, the prolific thoroughbred race horse who helped restore Americans’ faith in the country after World War I.

Man o' War was one of the most famous racehorses in American history.

• He was named in honor of the WWI military service of his breeder, August Belmont Jr..
• Man o' War won 20 of his 21 races.
• He earned a large amount of prize money.
• He was known for his speed and long stride.

In 1920, the New York Times named him an outstanding athlete of the year.

• He shared this honor with Babe Ruth.
• His success came after World War I and a worldwide pandemic.
• Many Americans admired him and followed his races.
• Man o' War became a symbol of hope and confidence.
• He fathered many successful racehorses.
• One of his descendants was Seabiscuit.
• Seabiscuit later became a symbol of hope during the Great Depression.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:17.f. Have you EVER gambled illegally or received income from illegal gambling?
• USCIS 100:79. Who was President during World War I?
• USCIS 128:101. Why did the United States enter World War I?

Family Fun

• Breyer: Horses coloring pages
• Dummies: Betting on Horse Racing For Dummies Cheat Sheet
• Kentucky Horse Park: Man o' War
• Unique Creations by Anita: How to Make a Horse Racing Game
• National WWI Museum and Memorial: War Horse Visits the National WWI Museum in Kansas City

250 to 250: 15. Social Security Act, Narrated by Jan John

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Social Security Act, Narrated by Jan John

Jan John is a retired sales executive, active volunteer in local Maine politics, Social Security beneficiary, and dog lover. Jan John reveals how pioneering Labor Secretary Frances Perkins fought to create Social Security benefits during the Great Depression. 

During the Great Depression, many banks and businesses closed.

• Many people lost their jobs and savings.
• Frances Perkins wanted to help workers and families.
• She worked with Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In 1935, President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act of 1935.

• The law provided money for older people after retirement.
• It also helped widows, orphans, and unemployed workers.
• Workers helped pay for these benefits through payroll taxes.
• Social Security became an important safety net for Americans.
• Millions of people have received help from Social Security.
• Later, Dwight D. Eisenhower said Social Security was very important to the country.

Social Security remains an important program in the United States today.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 2:02a. Do you want the Social Security Administration (SSA) to issue you an original or replacement Social Security card and update your immigration status with the SSA if and when you are naturalized?
• USCIS 100:80. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
• USCIS 128:71. Why is it important to pay federal taxes?

Family Fun:

• Frances Perkins Center: Resources
• NWHM: Frances Perkins and the New Deal (lesson plan)
• NASI: A Young Person's Guide to Social Security
• NPS: FDR's Home Junior Ranger Booklet
• NPS: FDR Memorial, Washington DC
• SSA: Social Security Information in Other Languages
• SSA: Social Security Factoids Comic Books | Book 2 | Book 3| (1950s-1960s)

250 to 250: 14. Ellis Island, Narrated by Ken Burns

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Ellis Island, Narrated by Ken Burns

Filmmaker Ken Burns explores the legacy of Ellis Island, the immigration entry station that processed millions of immigrants coming to America.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many immigrants came to the United States from Europe.

• Many arrived by ship in New York Harbor.
• They often saw the Statue of Liberty as they entered America.
• Third-class passengers went to Ellis Island for inspection.
• From 1892 to 1954, more than 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island.

Immigrants received medical and legal inspections.

• Most immigrants were allowed to enter the United States.
• People with serious illnesses might be sent to a hospital.
• Some immigrants were sent back to their home countries.
• About 2% of immigrants were not allowed to enter.

Ellis Island became a symbol of hope and opportunity.

• Many immigrants came to America to build a better life.
• Their hard work helped shape the history and culture of the United States.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 1:01  Explain how you are elibgible to become U.S. citizen?
• USCIS 100:95.   Where is the Statue of Liberty?*
• USCIS 128:124. The Nation’s first motto was “E Pluribus Unum.” What does that mean?

Family Fun

• ColorKo: Ellis Island Gateway to America Coloring Page
• iCivics: Immigration Nation online game
• KQED: Ken Burns in the Classroom: The Statue of Liberty (and Ellis Island) lesson plans
• NPS: Ellis Island Expedition Series
• NPS: Ellis Island Junior Ranger Booklet
• PBS: Ken Burns' Statue of Liberty (and Ellis Island) (stream online or borrow it from the library)
• USCIS: USCIS and the Legacy of Ellis Island

250 to 250: 13. Margaret Chase Smith’s “Declaration of Conscience,” Narrated by Governor Janet Mills

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Margaret Chase Smith’s “Declaration of Conscience,” Narrated by Governor Janet Mills

Maine Governor Janet Mills is a former Attorney General, state legislator, and the first woman governor of Maine. Governor Mills recounts Republican Senator Margaret Chase Smith’s stirring rejection of McCarthyism.

On June 1, 1950, Margaret Chase Smith gave an important speech in the U.S. Senate.

• At that time, the Cold War was beginning.
• Some people accused others of being communists without good evidence.
• Joseph McCarthy often made these accusations.

Senator Smith disagreed with these tactics.

• She warned against using fear, hatred, and false accusations for political gain.
• She gave a speech called the “Declaration of Conscience.”
• Smith said that leaders should act with honesty and fairness.
• She believed that people should put the country before politics.
• Her speech encouraged Americans to defend democracy and freedom.

Today, Margaret Chase Smith is remembered for her courage and leadership.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:05. Have you ever been a member of, or connected with, any Communist or totalitarian party anywhere in the world?
• USCIS 100: 51.  What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?
• USCIS 128:109.  During the Cold War, what was one main concern of the United States?

Family Fun

• Americans Who Tell The Truth: Margaret Chase Smith
• Clio: The “Declaration of Conscience” speech delivered to the United States Senate by Senator Margaret Chase Smith on June 1, 1950.
• Crash Course: The Cold War: Crash Course US History #37
• Margaret Chase Smith Library: Biography
• Retro Report: Cold War Timeline: Origins of the Cold War
• Teaching American History: Declaration of Conscience
• TED-ed: What is McCarthyism? And how did it happen? - Ellen Schrecker 
• uscitizenpod: Margaret Chase Smith coloring page

250 to 250: 12. Constitutional Convention, Narrated by Heather Cox Richardson

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Constitutional Convention, Narrated by Heather Cox Richardson

Heather Cox Richardson is an award-winning historian and the author of Letters from an American. She’s the author of seven books, including the bestselling Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America. Richardson tells the story of the Constitutional Convention, where 55 delegates constructed the framework for a new government.

In 1787, delegates met in Philadelphia to improve the government.

• They wanted to replace the Articles of Confederation.
• The Articles of Confederation were too weak to govern the new country.

Fifty-five delegates worked together for four months.

• They created a new plan for the government.
• This plan became the United States Constitution.
• The Constitution created three branches of government.
• It included checks and balances to prevent one person from becoming too powerful.

On September 17, 1787, the delegates signed the Constitution.

• The Constitution was sent to the states for approval.
• A woman asked Benjamin Franklin what kind of government had been created.
• Franklin replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

The Constitution remains the highest law of the United States today.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz:

• N-400 Part 9:31. Do you support the Constitution and form of Government of the United States?
• USCIS 100:65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
• USCIS 128:14. Many documents influenced the U.S. Constitution. Name one.

Family Fun:

• Ben's Guide: Constitutional Convention
• Constitution Facts: Quiz
• Print Coloring Sheet: The Constitution
• Randolf Academy: Constitution Crossword Puzzles
• USCIS: Constiution Conversation Cube
• USCIS: A More Perfect Union series: The Civics Test Guide to Constitution Gardens | complete series
• USCIS: One Nation, One People 2024 (100qs) | 2025 (100/128qs)
• VOA LearningEnglish: The Constitution

250 to 250: 11. Yellowstone, Narrated by Jon Tester

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Yellowstone, Narrated by Jon Tester

Former Montana Senator Jon Tester is a third-generation farmer and former school teacher who has served at the local, state, and federal levels of government. Tester explores the origins and influence of Yellowstone, America’s first national park.

In 1872, Ulysses S. Grant signed a law creating Yellowstone National Park.

• Yellowstone was the first national park in the United States.
• The park is located in parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.
• Yellowstone has mountains, hot springs, and the famous Old Faithful geyser.
• Native American people, including the Shoshone, lived in the area for many years.
• Some business leaders wanted to use the land for tourism.

Congress decided that the land should be protected for everyone to enjoy.

• Yellowstone became a public park for the people.
• The national park idea helped protect beautiful places in the United States.
• Today, the National Park System includes hundreds of parks, battlefields, and monuments.
• These protected places preserve millions of acres of land across the country.
• National parks help people learn about nature, history, and culture.
  

POP Interview and Civics Quiz: 

• N-400 Part 9:05.b.6. Have you EVER advocated (supported and promoted), or been a member of, involved in, or in any way the unlawful damage, injury, or destruction of property?
• USCIS 100:33.  Who signs bills to become laws?
• USCIS 128:20. Name one power of the U.S. Congress.

Family Fun:

• NPS Yellowstone: Curriculum | Junior Ranger Guide
• PBS: Ken Burns' The National Parks: America's Best Idea (stream or borrow the DVDs from your library)
• Yellowstone Forever: Yellowstone Coloring Pages