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 

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

250 to 250: 10. Women's Armed Services Integration Act, Narrated by Representative Chrissy Houlahan

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Women's Armed Services Integration Act, Narrated by Representative Chrissy Houlahan

U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, engineer, entrepreneur, and educator who is continuing her career of service as the first woman ever to represent Pennsylvania's 6th District in Congress. Representative Houlahan shares how the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, proposed by Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith, changed the military forever.

Before World War II, women served in the U.S. military only during wars.

• Women could not be permanent members of the military.
• They did not receive all the same military benefits as men.
• Dwight D. Eisenhower supported giving women permanent military status.

In 1948, U.S. Senator Margaret Chase Smith proposed a new law.

• Congress passed the Women's Armed Services Integration Act.
• The law allowed women to serve as permanent members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.
• The law created more opportunities for women in the military.
• Many women served because of the efforts of leaders like Senator Smith.

Today, nearly 400,000 women serve in the U.S. Armed Forces.

• More than 2 million women are military veterans.
• Women have made important contributions to the defense of the United States.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz: 

• N-400 Part 9:25. Have you EVER served in the U.S. armed forces?
• USCIS 100:24. Who does a U.S. Senator represent?
• USCIS 128:107. Dwight Eisenhower is famous for many things. Name one. 

Family Fun

• A Mighty Girl: Spies, Medics, Soldiers, & Peacemakers: 16 Women Wartime Heroes You Should Know
• American Legion: Fun Facts about Women in the Military
• Arlington Cemetary: Women in the Military Activity Packet
• Military Women's Memorial: Education Resources (many lesson plans and online exhibits)
• National Archives: Military Resources: Women in the Military
• Nation WWII Museum, New Orleans: Our War, Too (many lesson plans and online exhibits)
• Truman Library: Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948

250 to 250: 09. Rubén Salazar, Narrated by Sylvia Salazar

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250 and Tono Latino: Rubén Salazar, Narrated by Sylvia Salazar

Sylvia Salazar is a Colombian-born engineer turned political content creator and activist. She is the founder of Tono Latino, a platform that break downs U.S. politics in both English and Spanish. Here, Salazar details the life of pioneering Latino journalist Rubén Salazar, who sought the growth of the Chicano movement in the 1960s.

Rubén Salazar was born in Mexico.

• He grew up in El Paso, Texas.
• He served in the U.S. Army.
• Later, he became a U.S. citizen.

He studied journalism in college.

• He worked as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times.
• He reported on the Vietnam War.
• Salazar wrote about the Chicano movement.
• The Chicano movement supported the rights of Mexican Americans.
• Salazar encouraged Mexican Americans to be proud of their history and culture.

In 1970, he attended the National Chicano Moratorium march against the Vietnam War.

• During the march, a sheriff's deputy fired a rubber bullet.
• The bullet struck and killed Salazar.
• Officials ruled his death an accident.

Today, Rubén Salazar is remembered as an important journalist and civil rights advocate.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz: 

• N-400 Part 1.01F (Is your eligibility based on) at least one year of honorable military service at any time?
• USCIS 100:93.  Name one state that borders Mexico.
• USCIS 128:68.  How can people become United States citizens?

Family Fun:

• LA Conservancy: Rubén Salazar Park | Story Maps
• LAPCA: Mi Los Ángeles Adventure Book
• liberatedethnicstudies: National Chicano Moratorium (1970) lesson plan
• NAHJ: Ruben Salazar Scholarship Fund
• NPS: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage: Reform
• USC: US Latinx Activism and Protests: From the Farm to the (Legislative) Table

250 to 250: 08. Thomas Paine’s "Common Sense," Narrated by Representative Jamie Raskin

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Thomas Paine’s "Common Sense," Narrated by Representative Jamie Raskin

U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin is the ranking member of the House Committee on the Judiciary. He was the majority whip of the Maryland State Senate and a constitutional law professor at American University. Representative Raskin shares how Thomas Paine’s Common Sense defined the stakes of the American revolution.

Thomas Paine arrived in Philadelphia in 1774.

• He believed America could be a place of freedom and opportunity.
• At that time, many colonists blamed Parliament for their problems.
• Many colonists still supported the king.

In January 1776, Thomas Paine published a pamphlet called Common Sense.

• The pamphlet argued against rule by a king.
• Paine said that people should choose their own government.
• He also opposed the idea that power should pass through royal families.
• Common Sense encouraged many colonists to support independence.
• Paine believed Americans could create a new and better nation.
• His ideas helped inspire the movement for American independence.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz: 

• We just learned that Americans wanted self govenment and did not want a king:
• N-400 Part 16:01 (Do you) declare, on oath, that (you) absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which (you) have heretofore been a subject or citizen
• It's America 250!
• USCIS 128:61. Why did the colonists fight the British?
• USCIS 128:77. Name one reason why the Americans declared independence from Britain.

Family Fun:

• NHS: Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, 1776 lesson plan
• ThomasPaine.org: The Paradox of NYC’s Thomas Paine Park in Foley Square
• Super Coloring: Thomas Paine
• UK National Portait Gallery: Thomas Paine

250 to 250: 07. Rita Moreno, Narrated by Ariana DeBose

 

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Rita Moreno, Narrated by Ariana DeBose

Ariana DeBose is a dancer, singer, and actress who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Anita in Steven Spielberg's 2021 West Side Story. DeBose tells us about the inspiring and pioneering life of Puerto Rican singer, actress, dancer, and activist Rita Moreno who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Anita in Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise’s 1961 West Side Story.

Rita Moreno was born in Puerto Rico in 1931.

• She became a famous actress, singer, and dancer.
• She won an Academy Award for her role in West Side Story.
• She was the first Latina woman to win an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award (EGOT).

Rita Moreno supported civil rights and equal rights.

• She encouraged people to be proud of their culture and background.
• She said: "Wear your nationality like a flag.  Be proud of it. Be proud your Puerto Rican."
• She kept her Puerto Rican accent and identity.
• She refused roles that used unfair stereotypes.
• She spoke out for racial equality and gender equality.

She also helped people learn about Puerto Rico.

• Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory.
• Rita Moreno's success inspired many people in the United States and around the world.

POP Interview and Civics Quiz: 

• N-400 Part 3:01: What is your ethnicity? (Select only one box)  Hispanic or Latino.  (or)  Not Hispanic or Latino.
• USCIS 100:91. Name one U.S. territory.
• USCIS 100:97 / 128:122. Why does the flag have 50 stars?
• USCIS 128:29. Name your U.S. representative. 

Family Fun:

• Crayola: Puerto Rico coloring page
• DLTK-Kids: Puerto Rico Crafts, Facts, and Activities for Kids
• NPRD: National Puerto Rican Day Parade (mid-June)
• NPS: San Juan National Historic Site: Education Resources

250 to 250: 06. Battles of Lexington and Concord, Narrated by Governor Maura Healey

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Battles of Lexington and Concord, Narrated by Governor Maura Healey

Maura Healey is the 73rd Governor of Massachusetts, the state’s first woman and first openly LGBTQ person elected to the position. Governor Healy recounts the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the opening salvos of the Revolutionary War.

On April 19, 1775, British soldiers marched to Lexington.

• They wanted to take weapons stored by the colonists.
• Before the soldiers arrived, riders warned the colonists.
• Colonists in Lexington learned that the British were coming.
• Local militia members gathered on the town green.
• A British officer told the militia to leave.
• As the groups faced each other, a shot was fired.
• British soldiers opened fire.
• Eight colonists were killed and twelve were wounded.

The British soldiers then continued to Concord.

• About 400 militia members were waiting there.
• Fighting began at the Old North Bridge.
• These battles were the start of the American Revolutionary War.
• Later, Ralph Waldo Emerson called the first shot "the shot heard round the world."
• The battles at Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of America's fight for independence.
  

POP Interview and Civics Quiz: 

• N-400 Part 9:8.b. Have you EVER served in, been a member of, assisted (helped), or participated in any armed group (a group that carries weapons), for example: 
• paramilitary unit (a group of people who act like a military group but are not part of the official military)
• self-defense unit
• vigilante unit
•  rebel group
• or guerrilla group?
• USCIS 100:61. Why did the colonists fight the British?
• USCIS 128:76. What war did the Americans fight to win independence from Britain?

Family Fun:

• America 250 in Idaho: One if by Land, Two if by Sea coloring page
• Jones 4567: Paul Revere coloring page
• Smithsonian Postal Museum: Battles of Lexington and Concord; Sybil Ludington
• Print Coloring Sheet: Paul Revere coloring page

250 to 250: 05. John Peter Zenger, Narrated by Jelani Cobb

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250:  John Peter Zenger, Narrated by Jelani Cobb

Peabody Award winner Dr. Jelani Cobb is a prolific author, journalist, and Dean of Columbia Journalism School whose work centers on race, politics, history, and culture. Cobb tells the story of John Peter Zenger, a colonial newspaperman whose trial for printing critical statements about the royal governor of New York helped to define freedom of the press.

In 1734, John Peter Zenger printed articles that criticized the governor of New York.

• The governor had Zenger arrested and put on trial.
• Zenger's lawyers said that true statements should not be punished.
• The jury found Zenger not guilty.
• The decision helped support freedom of the press.

Freedom of the press means newspapers can report information and opinions without government control.

• In 1787, Thomas Jefferson said that a free press is important for democracy.
• He believed that newspapers help people stay informed.
• Later, the founders wrote the Bill of Rights.
• They included freedom of the press in the First Amendment.
• The First Amendment protects the right of a free press in the United States.

POP Interview and Quiz: 

• N-400 Part 15. Do you promise that the information and evidence submitted in your N-400 Application for Naturalization is complete, true, and accurate?
• USCIS 100:06. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?* 
• USCIS 128:65.   What are three rights of everyone living in the United States? 

Family Fun

• Amnesty International: Free Speech ABC coloring pages
• First Amendment Museum: Art & Politics: 300 Years of Political Cartoons

250 to 250: 04. Erie Canal, Narrated by Pete Buttigieg

Heather Cox Richardson and 250 to 250: Erie Canal, Narrated by Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg is a former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, a veteran, and the 19th U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Buttigieg tells us about the Erie Canal, the engineering marvel that opened up the interior of the United States. 

After the Revolutionary War, the United States became larger.  The country grew from the 13 original states to the Mississippi River.

• The Appalachian Mountains stretched from Canada to Alabama.
• The mountains made travel difficult.
• It was hard to move people and goods between the East Coast and the Midwest.
• Travel was slow and expensive.
• Americans wanted a faster way to travel.
• They also needed an easier way to move goods.
• New transportation projects helped connect different parts of the country.

To solve this problem, New York State built the Erie Canal (1817-1825). 

• Workers used shovels, mules, and simple machines to build it.
• The canal connected the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes.
• It made travel and trade faster and easier.
• The canal lowered transportation costs.
• More goods could move across the country.
• Many settlers used the canal to move west.
• The canal helped New York become an important center for trade.

The Erie Canal changed the economy and helped the country grow.

• Workers who built the canal played an important role in American history.
• People sang canal songs to celebrate their work and American democracy.

POP Interview and Quiz: 

• N-400 Part 7:01 Where have you worked and/or attended school (full-time or part-time) during the last 5 years?
• USCIS 100:12./128:13: What is the economic system in the United States?
• USCIS 100:90.What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?

Family Fun

• Eire Canal Museum: Resouces, Lesson Plans, Coloring Pages, Activities
• Eire Canal Heritage Corridor: Learning Hub