Secondary Catalogue

Christopher Columbus’ expeditions to North America in 1492 marked the beginning of huge changes to the populations of the continent and the spread of division. This video explains how the establishment of European colonies in North America led to the American Revolution, which in turn resulted in the establishment of the independent nation of the United States of America. Informative and evocative viewing for senior secondary history students. Show Less

19th-century America was characterised by societal divisions: North and South, men and women, Republic and Democrat, Black and White. This video covers key events in American 19th-century history, including the Louisiana Slave Revolt, the Missouri Compromise, the Removal Act, the abolitionist and women’s rights movements, the election of Abraham Lincoln and the American Civil War. Informative and evocative viewing for senior secondary history students. Show Less

Divisions between science and religion, and conservatism and progressivism, have been present in American society since the 19th century. This video explores the conflict between religious beliefs and scientific theory through the case of the 1925 Scopes trial, touching on Darwin’s theory of evolution, the rise of fundamentalism and the continued debate around the teaching of evolution in the classroom. Informative and evocative viewing for senior secondary history students. Show Less

The deepest and most historically consistent division between people in America has been along racial lines. This story of how medical doctor Ossian Sweet came to be on trial after shootings at his Detroit home in September 1925, helps to illustrate and explain the strong racial tensions at this time, as well as the activities and beliefs of the Ku Klux Klan. Show Less

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw huge numbers of immigrants travelling to the United States. This video explores American attitudes towards immigrants through the case of the 1920 Sacco and Vanzetti murder trial, highlighting the treatment of immigrant workers, Italian anarchists and World War I, anti-immigrant legislation and immigration quotas. Informative and evocative viewing for senior secondary history students. Show Less

The passing of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution, recognising women’s voting rights, in 1920 was the culmination of a decades-long struggle. This video explores the role of women in the US and the movement for women’s rights in the late 19th and 20th centuries, touching on the suffrage movement, Prohibition, flappers, and the Equal Rights Amendment. Informative and evocative viewing for senior secondary history students. Show Less

International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on March 8 – but why is this day important? What does the day signify? This Miniclip explores the origins of women’s suffrage throughout the United Kingdom’s modern history including the impact of World War I on women's rights and the granting of voting rights for women. It also discusses damaging stereotypes for both girls and boys, the presence of gender inequality that still exists today, and how to celebrate the women in your own life. Show Less

Man on the Bus is the true story of Martha, a Polish survivor of the Holocaust, who led a double life in Australia and her daughter Eve, a psychologist and filmmaker, who discovered the truth. The film follows Eve finding clues – in old recordings, a street directory and in Martha’s home movies, a mystery man is seen gazing into the lens. Eve’s investigation leads her to the Sobieski Castle in the Ukraine, the site of a massacre in which her maternal grandmother died. After her husband was executed, Martha was forced into hiding. Eve also traces her father’s amazing and heroic escape from a concentration camp. In Melbourne, Eve’s parents rebuild their shattered lives. However, their quest for normality is disrupted by a chance encounter on a bus that changes everything. Man on the Bus becomes a compelling tale of two defining human traits—endurance and frailty—and a metaphor for the 20th century’s most painful trauma. Show Less

In this short animation, students learn how civil rights lawyer, activist and politician Nelson Mandela helped end apartheid in South Africa and brought a divided country together through showing respect for difference. When children learn about inspirational people who embody key global competencies and traits, like equality, empathy, curiosity and communication, they are inspired to become the change they want to see. Show Less

The First World War was fought on a scale never seen before. This video investigates the many and complex causes of this global conflict. Pupils will learn about the system of alliances that contributed to the powder keg that was Europe in 1914, as well as the spark that ignited the Great War that would embroil nations around the globe. Show Less

Art and spirituality are woven into the fabric of Polynesian cultures. In this video, students will come to appreciate the both distinct and subtle differences between the cultures of different Polynesian nations, the spiritual codes that guide the Polynesian way of life, and the art forms that have been mastered over generations. Show Less

This programme considers the aftermath of the Holocaust immediately following the war, when the full extent of its evil finally came to light. The plight of European Jews continued into the post-war period, with most unable to return to their homes and facing long and, at times, fruitless journeys to seek refuge overseas. Students will also learn how the pressure for a Jewish state intensified during this time, culminating in the formation of Israel. Show Less

Exploring the rise of anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany and the spread of Nazi control across Europe, this programme looks at how and why the Jewish people went from being distrusted and blamed for Germany’s ills, to being violently vilified through events such as Kristallnacht, to finally being rounded up for mass extermination. Intended for viewing by audiences from middle secondary and older, this background to the Holocaust will help students to contextualise one of the worst atrocities in human history. Show Less

The Holocaust was carried out at such a scale that the world took time to come to grips with the enormity of it. But, incomprehensibly, the Holocaust was not the last atrocity of its nature to be committed. Concluding the series, this programme outlines more recent attempts at genocide and takes students through the significance of coping with and commemorating the Holocaust many decades on, and long into the future. Show Less

How much did the Allies know of the horrors being committed against European Jews at the hands of the German Nazis, and were they in a position to act against them as they were occurring? This programme considers this unsettling question before exploring the Allied response after the war, when the full and harrowing extent of the Holocaust was revealed. A close examination of the Nuremburg Trials provides students with insight into the considered legal process of Nazi retribution. Show Less

The first settlers to Polynesia’s many islands were met with unique environments, flora and fauna that were unlike those they had migrated from. How they managed these natural resources over the centuries has not always been sustainable. Focusing on the disastrous environmental consequences on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), students will learn about the complex historical relationship between people and place in Polynesia. Show Less

Polynesia’s islands take the formation of a huge triangle in the Pacific Ocean, but how people came to call these islands home is a long-debated topic. In this video, students will learn about the unique geography of Polynesia and meet the people throughout history who have attempted to solve the mystery of Polynesian migration. Show Less

For the Polynesian island nation of Rapa Nui, the giant Moai statues possess a strong, spiritual power, called ‘mana’. This video explores the way that Rapanui spirituality is expressed both artistically and through the cultural tradition of the Birdman competition, ‘Tangata Manu’. Show Less

With grand visions for a stable, peaceful empire, Emperor Hadrian ordered the construction of a wall in his name spanning the width of northern Britainnia, demarcating the north-west frontier of the Roman empire. As this video explores, Hadrian's wall was mighty in proportion, not only as a defensive structure, but also as a physical reminder of the Roman empire's strength and power. Diagrams and purposeful narration make this a valuable resource for students of senior Classical Studies and History courses. Show Less

The City Dionysia was a religious festival and celebration of Athenian culture and its pinnacle event, a competition of the dramatic arts, was held at the Theatre of Dionysus, birthplace of Greek tragedy. Seating 15,000, including dignitaries from afar, the theatre staged plays which payed homage to Greek history and mythology and provided often outspoken commentary on politics and justice. An ideal resource for students in senior Classical Studies and History courses, this video explores the cultural significance of Athenian theatre and how it spread across the Greek world. Show Less

Athenian art and culture flourished under the leadership of Pericles, who wanted to create a society that history would remember. The Parthenon serves as one of the civilisation's most remarkable structures and evidence that Pericle's wish for a lasting Athenian legacy came true. Using primary and secondary sources, this video will help students in senior Classical Studies and History courses to understand why and how the Parthenon was constructed, the intricacies of its sculptures which are indicative of Athenian style, and its enduring significance. Show Less

Built to seat over 250,000 spectators, Circus Maximus was referred to by one Greek historian as "one of the most beautiful and admirable structures in Rome." The chariot racing that took place there was the epitome of Roman entertainment but, as this video explores, also served to distract the Roman public from important matters of civic life, placating them with the spectatcle. Using primary and secondary source materials, this video is an ideal accompaniment to senior Classical Studies and Ancient History courses. Show Less

In this short animation, students learn how American aviation pioneer Amelia Earthart showed flexibility to overcome multiple challenges and obstacles in her determination to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. When children learn about inspirational people who embody key global competencies and traits, like equality, empathy, curiosity and communication, they are inspired to become the change they want to see. Show Less

When Mao Zedong announced China’s second five-year plan, the Great Leap Forward, in 1958, it promised a Communist utopia based on collectivisation of agricultural property and production, and industrialisation where everyday citizens produced steel. But, as this video reveals, it spawned a catastrophic, widespread famine. The Party had to change tack, and Mao’s influence waned, but for how long…? Show Less

Like other dictators, Mao Zedong exploited his own personality cult. This video examines the grip he had on China’s population during the fear and hysteria of the Cultural Revolution. Citizens carried copies of his ‘Little Red Book’, attended study classes on Mao Zedong Thought and acquired vast quantities of Mao merchandise that glorified their leader. Ironically, religion was outlawed and replaced by the godlike adoration of Chairman Mao. Show Less