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What killed all the bison? - Andrew C. Isenberg

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By the mid-1700s, many Plains nations survived on North America’s largest land mammals: bison. They ate its meat, made the hides into winter coats and blankets, and used the bones and horns for tools. But in the following decades, millions of bison would be deliberately slaughtered, threatening the survival of Plains societies. Andrew C. Isenberg shares what led to the animal's near-extinction.

For over a century, some commenters have argued that U.S. history is exceptional: compared to states in Europe, the U.S. was more democratic, more prosperous, less characterized by labor strife, and, importantly, less inclined toward imperial conquest. Was the near-extinction of the bison an example of imperial conquest? What does this say about U.S. “exceptionalism”?

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Andrew C. Isenberg
  • Director Rémi Cans
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Storyboard Artist Rémi Cans
  • Animator Dabid Pascual
  • Compositor Dabid Pascual
  • Art Director Rémi Cans
  • Composer Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio
  • Sound Designer Amanda P.H. Bennett, cAMP Studio
  • Script Editor Soraya Field Fiorio
  • Fact-Checker Charles Wallace

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