Unit 1--A New NationThe United States we know, almost wasn't. It was, and continues to be, a grand experiment in democracy. How can we ensure the security of our nation while also protecting the fundamental rights of its people? How do we establish the government's authority to rule, but also maintain that the source of its power lies in it's citizens? The answer lies in creating an imperfect document, a document that can adapt and change to a future unseen--The Constitution of the United States of America.
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Unit 2--WestwardA young country, ready to stretch its legs, begins to look for its destiny past the western horizon. A President, convinced he does not have the authority to make the greatest real estate purchase in history, looks to the Constitution and Supreme Court to help him define his legacy. Finally, two men lead a team of explorers on the greatest American expedition ever, into its heartland, up its most powerful river, over its tallest mountains--and back--in the name of science, discovery, and the United States of America.
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Unit 3--Civil WarThe United States is having an identity crisis. How much longer can slavery survive in a society that claims "all men are created equal?" Each new state that is added must choose a side--Free or Slave--with each decision making the battle lines more clear. Even the flexibility designed in the Constitution is not enough to prevent the coming war. For the North it is a fight for morality and preservation of the Union, for the South it is fight to defend their way of life.
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