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Mini Courses and Presentations

Mini Courses

Multi-series courses that encourage participants to dig in to the history and current relevance of the subject.

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Single Topic Presentations

Single issue presentations on topics of historical interest (60-90 min each). 

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Reel Justice

Movie of the Month Club! Four monthly offerings in 75-90 minute blocks of time.

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Single Topic Presentations

These interactive presentations are designed as 60, 75, or 90 minute discussions on topics of historical of interest. They are offered as singletons but could be done as a series upon request.
This is a comprehensive list of all single topic presentations currently available from Frank Sachs

Women’s History

  • Six Women who made their mark in colonial America – A peacemaker, a spiritual leader, a slave poet, a prominent essayist, a women’s rights advocate, and a revolutionary war heroine,
  • Seneca Falls Convention of 1848 – How the ”Women’s Declaration of Independence” leads to securing the right vote, and ERA.
  • “Madam President.” – Edith Bolling Galt Wilson –  The First woman to wield the powers of the Presidency.
  • First 3 Women Who Would be President – No woman has served as president, but it isn’t for lack of trying.
  • November 22, 1963 – The day a generation of lost their innocence and how a widow taught us to grieve.
  • Female Firsts in America Government – Legislative – Janette Rankin, Executive – Francis Perkins, Judicial – Sandra Day O’Connor.
  • First Ladies make their mark – 6 very different First Ladies who helped define the role. Dolly Madison, Francis Cleveland, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy, Betty Ford, and Nancy Reagan.
  • Honk & Holler – Ruth Bader Ginsburg brings a case before the Supreme Court and impacts all future gender equality rulings.

 

National Treasurers

  • Our National Park System – How a state park, and a lucky accident led to the creation of America’s parks.
  • Mt. Rushmore – Story behind the building a memorial to four Presidents and why they were chosen.
  • The Statue of Liberty – It origins, what it first represented, and what it came to represent and why.


    American Holiday’s Origin Stories

  • Martin Luther King Day – Dr, King, his life, and pivotal role in the Civil Right Movement.
  • President’s Day – How the birthdays of two President gave rise to Holiday recognizing all.
  • Flag Day and the American Flag – 1776, Betsy Ross and so much more.
  • Independence Day – How 13 distinct colonies came together to Declare the Independence from Britain.
  • Constitution Day – Unrest after the war lead the nation to create a unique form of national government.
  • Thanksgiving Day – A Pilgrim celebration that inspired our National Holiday of giving thank.

The American Presidency

  • How George Washington Becomes the First U.S. President: On April 30, 1789 in New York City.
  • Presidential Primaries – When they began? What purpose they served and serve today? Why have a Primary and not a Caucus?  Why are Iowa and New Hampshire first?
  • Presidential Inaugurals:  Presidential goal setting, how it informs us, and occasionally inspires the nation.

 

General American History

  • Gettysburg Address – How Lincoln encouraged our nation to begin anew by aligning with the Declaration.
  • April 1865 Ends the Civil War – From Lee’s surrender on April 9th to Lincoln assassination on the 15th.  
  • The Final chapter of the American frontier – The Last Stand to “I will fight no more forever.”. 
  • The Scottsboro Boys: A gross miscarriage of Justice leads to decisions that more fairly enforce the law.
  • How Flight Captured America’s imagination Part 1 – The first 50 years and how Orville, Wilbur, and Charles excited America’s imagination?
  • How Flight Captured America’s imagination Part 2 – The second 50 years as Amelia, Howard, Chuck, John, and NASA each take their turn.
  • Black Sox Scandal of 1919 – Baseball loses its innocence when greed and corruption are exposed. 
  • Pearl Harbor – December 7, 1941 – “A day that will live in infamy.” Japan’s surprise attack on the U S. 
  • The Rise and Fall of the Wall – From “Ich Bin Ein Berliner” to “Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall.”

 

American Immigration

  • The Saga of Ellis Island – The unique role Ellis Island played as the Gateway to America
  • Movements and People – 1587 to present – Where we came from, when we came, and the challenges we had to overcome.

Inventing the American Nation

  • Road to Independence – Plymouth to Philadelphia, how 13 English colonies declare their independence.
  • The Years in-between – How failure of the Articles of Confederation leads to a Constitution.
  • Inventing a Nation – The Writing and Selling of the United States Constitution.
  • The Federalist Papers – The Debate Over Ratification and how these papers defined our government.
  • Bill of Rights – Part 1: The Bill’s Origin Story. How and why we need a Bill of Rights.
  • Bill of Rights – Part 2: What Civil Liberties does it protects and how it became part of our daily lives?
  • The Civil War Amendments: 13th, 14th and 15th – Freedom, citizenship and right to vote for all Americans.

 

Americas’ Political Institutions

  • Our Voting Rights – How our voting rights have evolved throughout the history of our country.
  • Our Representative Government – Redistricting & Gerrymandering how and why they work together.
  • Political Party Roles and Purposes – How nominations, conventions, and primaries have evolved.
  • Presidential Campaigning – How newspapers, technology, media and of money influence elections. 
  • Presidential Debates: When and why did they began, how they evolved, and what purpose they serve.
  • The Electoral College – Why do we have it?  What’s Its history, purpose, function over time.
  • Supreme Court – Impact on elections, representation, rules, regulations, money, and interference.

 

Presidential Powers, Duties, Customs, and Limitations

  • Presidential structure and powers: What Article II of Constitution has to say about it and how it’s evolved.
  • Presidential Inaugurals:  Presidential goal setting, how it informs, and occasionally inspires the nation.
  • The State of the Union:  It purpose, how it is to be delivered, and how it has evolved over time.
  • War Powers: What war powers does the President have, and what limits those powers.
  • Proclamations and Executive Orders: What are they, what do they do, and what are their limits.
  • The Bully Pulpit: How the President uses it to advocate for his agenda has changed over time.
  • Impeachment:  It purpose, structure, when it has occurred,  and how it has evolved over time.

 

Disputed Presidential Elections 

  • 1800 – John Adams v. Thomas Jefferson and Arron Burr
  • 1824 – John Quincy Adams v. Andrew Jackson v. Henry Clay v. William Crawford
  • 1876 – Rutherford B. Hayes v. Samuel Tilden
  • 1912 – William Howard Taft v. Teddy Roosevelt v. Woodrow Wilson
  • 2000 – George W. Bush v. Al Gore
  • 2016 and 2020 – Hillary Clinton v. Donald Trump and Donald Trump v. Joe Biden

 

Accidental Presidents

  • William H. Harrison dies and John Tyler becomes the first Vice President to be sworn in as President
  • Zachary Taylor dies and Millard Filmore becomes President.
  • Abraham Lincoln is assassinated and Andrew Johnson becomes President.
  • James Garfield is assassinated and Chester A. Arthur becomes President.
  • William McKinley is assassinated and Theodore Roosevelt becomes President.
  • Warren G. Harding dies and Calvin Coolidge becomes President.
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt dies and Harry S. Truman becomes President.
  • John F. Kennedy is assassinated and Lyndon B. Johnson becomes President.
  • Richard Nixon resigns and Gerald Ford becomes President.

Mini Courses

Each series is comprised of five or to six lessons/presentations that can be presented in 60, 75 or 90 minute sessions. Each tells the story of how our government was created and chronicle moments in our America’s history.

My American Government Series

All classes are taught once a week and can be presented in 60, 75, or 90-minute blocks. Each course is a series five or six individual classes which are part of a series of five consecutive classes but each can be taught as a single unit.

Part 1: American Foundations – Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the Constitution (6 lessons)
We will examine the history and construction of these three foundational documents and follow the journey of how thirteen English Colonies came to declare independence, build a nation, and write a historic original governing document, the Constitution.

Part 2: The Bill of Rights – And the additional Amendments Discussed and Explained (6 lessons)
We will learn how the constitution was ratified, and why a Bill of Rights was added, and what civil liberties it protects, and how the subsequent 17 amendments were designed to help the government function and others to protect our civil rights.

Part 3: A Friend of the Court – How the Criminal Justice System in America Works (5 lessons)
We will learn how crimes are classified and how the criminal Justice system works to simultaneously enforce the law while protecting our rights under it. We explore of the rights of the accused, the proper role of law enforcement, and those who defend or prosecute plaintiffs, the role of judges who supervise and the jury who decides a case, and learn how appeals courts determine if the case was judged appropriately.

Part 4: The American Political Process Discussed and Explained (6 lessons)
“A chicken in every pot,” Candidate Herbert Hoover 1928 campaign slogan is emblematic of how the American political system has evolved over the past 250 years. These presentations explain how the change has occurred in our political process, and evolved into the system we use today.

Part 5: American Institutions Examined (6 lessons)
Every country has a political culture with shared beliefs, values, and norms that define the relationship between citizens and government, and citizens to one another. America is no different so it helps to understand our country’s governmental institutions which helps us to make sense of the way the founders designed them and how they function today.

My US History Courses Offered

Each of these classes consists of either 5 or 6 weekly presentations in 60, 75, or 90-minute blocks.

Accidental Presidents – Nine Presidents left office before their term expired elevating their Vice-President to the presidency  (6 lessons)
Eight died in office. Four were of natural causes, four were cut down by an assassin’s bullet, and one resigned before his term was over. Together we will examine how each early exit changed the course of American history.

Disputed Elections. – Six Presidential Elections that changed America (6 lessons)
Four Presidential elections results have been disputed and in two others the nominating process was very irregular and came under great criticism. Together we will discuss why they were disputed, how the disputes were resolved, what was the impact on the presidency that followed, and American history?

Neglected History 1, 2, and 3(5 lessons)
This class is an opportunity for you to refresh your memory about important people, events, or movements that have been often overlooked, neglected, or rarely discussed in American History.  Together we will examine and discuss The Federalist Papers, November 22, 1963, Five Women who would be President, The origins of our National Parks, and the history of American Immigration.

Class 1:

  • Ratification of the Constitution – It was a close call.
  • November 22, 1963 – A widow teaches us to grieve.
  • Four Women who would be President – Each will surprise you.
  • America Gift to the World – The origins of our National Parks.
  • The History of American Immigration – Who we are and where we came from and when.

Class 2:

  • The Federalist Papers – How our government was designed to work.
  • Last Stand to I Will Fight No More Forever – From the greatest victory to a final defeat.
  • America’s First Woman President – Edith Wilson Stewardship.
  • The Scottsboro Boys – A travesty of Justice makes justice work better for us all.
  • Flight Captures America’s Imagination Part I & Part 2 – From the Wright Brothers to Apollo 11

 

Class 3: 

  • Origins of the American Flag – Betsy Ross and so much more.
  • Women’s Suffrage: Seneca Falls, to securing the Vote, to the ERA.
  • The Gettysburg Address – Second fiddle takes first place.
  • The Black Sox Scandal – How greed saved America’s pastime. 
  • “Tear down this wall,” From building to the fall of the Wall.

America in a World of Empires 1 and 2

6 lessons for each part

In this class we examine how each of the distinct foundational American cultures were established through the experiences of European Settlers and the influences of the outside world.  As we progress we will examine a history of the epic struggle between individual liberty and the common good and how each region continues to uphold its distinguishing ideals and identities today.

Colin Woodard’s best seller, American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America, is our guide but purchase of the book is optional as you will not need it to follow the lessons.

 Part 1 begins by exploring who was here first.  Then we examine where and why people came to America from other parts of the world as we explore their encounters upon arrival. We begin with the Spanish in El Norte, then New France, the Tidewater aristocrats, and conclude with Yankeedom. the New England colonies.  

 Part 2 explores the arrival of the Dutch in New Netherlands, the founding of the Barbados Slave culture in the Deep South, the Quakers in the Midlands, and how the Scotch/Irish founded Greater Appalachia.  We will then see how the French and Indian war provided valuable lessons to enable these diverse national cultures to come together to fight for independence.  

Reel Justice

Discussions include films accurately depicted in the  American judicial system.  It operates like a movie of the Month Club with four monthly offerings and is offered in a 75–90-minute blocks of time.

Each participant will receive instructions on how to watch the films.  Those offering this series will choose how instructions will be disseminated.  Then participants are given the list of four films to watch and which one will be discussed and analyzed each month.  Each series runs for four months, meeting once each month to discuss and analyze a different film. There are two categories of films offered those accurately depicting the American Judicial System and films depicting Real Legal Events in U.S. History.

Films about the American Judicial System

  • 12 Angry Men (1957) Criminal case – Jury deliberations for a 1st degree murder trial.
  • The Verdict (1982) Civil case – Suit for medical malpractice for causing brain death.
  • A Few Good Men (1992) Military Justice – Accidental homicide results in a murder trial.
  • Philadelphia (1993)  Civil case – Suit for workplace prejudice during the AID’s epidemic. 

Films about Real Legal Events in U.S. History

  • Inherit the Wind (1960) Criminal case  – For teaching evolution in violation of Tennessee state law 
  • American Hustle (2013) Criminal – Entrapment in 1980, and bribery scandal that occurred in New Jersey. 
  • North Country (2005) Civil Suit –  for damages caused by a sexual assault in northern Minnesota in 2002.
  • Just Mercy (2017) Criminal – Appeal wrongful murder conviction and death sentence in Alabama in 2014.
  • Amistad (1997)  time period – 1839 – Criminal – Piracy, Murder, and Ownership vs. Kidnapping.
  • The Accused (1988)  Civil – Damages from Rape.
  • Presumed Innocence (1990)  Criminal – Murder case.
  • Flash of Genius (2008) time period 1964 – Civil – Patten ownership.

Films That Portray Justice Most Accurately in Comedy

  • Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Mental Competence of Santa Claus.
  • My Cousin Vinny (1992) Homicide and leaving the scene of an accident.
  • Legally Blonde (2001)  Sexism and a accused murderer defended.
  • Win, Win (2011) Comedy, Lawyer twists the law and commits fraud and is caught.

Films from Books by John Girsham 

  • The Firm (1993) Young lawyer joins a famous firm then finds out it is on the wrong side of the law.
  • The Client (1994) Boys life endangered after he stumbles across information on a politician’s murder.
  • A Time to Kill (1996) Heartbroken father avenges his daughter’s rape by shooting men responsible.
  • The Rainmaker (1997) New lawyer fights an insurance company that refuses a dying man’s coverage.
  • Runaway Jury (2003) Gun manufacturer trial pits an idealist lawyer against a jury consultant.