Leo & Layla's History Adventures Season 3, Episode 20: Amerigo Vespucci: The Explorer Who Gave America Its Name

1

Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Peaceful Civil Rights Leader

Elementary students will learn about the importance of standing up for what is right when Leo and Layla travel to meet Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the prominent civil rights leader and activist, whose dream was to live in a world where people would “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

11 min

2

Leo Baekeland: The Innovator of Modern Plastics

Plastic. A dangerous pollutant or a solution to a problem that was negatively affecting the natural world? If your children are being told to feel guilty about using plastic, have them watch this animated episode to learn about Leo Baekeland, the Belgian chemist who developed the first synthetic plastic, Bakelite – a revolutionary discovery that was developed so humans wouldn’t have to use products made from animals on the verge of extinction and could instead help the environment while also meeting people’s needs.

9 min

3

Abraham Lincoln: The President Who Saved the Union

Teach elementary kids about our beloved 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, who grew up a poor farm boy and eventually led our country through the tumultuous Civil War. Even though he could have reprimanded the Confederacy for seceding from the Union, Lincoln never held a grudge or lost sight of his ultimate goal of reunifying the nation.

15 min

4

Booker T. Washington: From Slavery to Self-Sufficiency

Teach your elementary kids the value of hard work, self-reliance, and practical skills with this animated video about Booker T. Washington. When Leo and Layla go back in time to meet this former slave who founded the Tuskegee Institute to help his fellow black Americans advance in society after the Civil War, they learn the importance of relying on themselves and not allowing anyone to hold them back.

9 min

5

Esther: The Courageous Jewish Queen

Want your kids to be a good influence on their friends and have courage to stand up for what’s right? In this animated video, Leo and Layla travel back in time to meet Queen Esther, who teaches the brother and sister duo how to be brave and use a position of influence to make a positive change.

10 min

6

Susan B. Anthony: Crusader for Women's Right to Vote

What was the women’s suffrage movement, and how did it change the right to vote in America? This animated video about Susan B. Anthony, renowned women’s suffragist from the 19th century, will entertain and educate your elementary kids about important American history and why we should not take for granted the rights that others before us have fought for.

8 min

7

Moses: The Leader of God’s People

There are a lot of kids' stories out there about Moses, one of the most important figures in the Bible. But, do your children know that even Moses had a hard time asking for help? In this animated video for elementary kids, Moses reminds Leo and Layla about the importance of turning to God, as well as others, in times of need.

12 min

8

Justice John Marshall: The Great Chief Justice

This animated video about John Marshall, the 4th Chief Justice of the United States, teaches elementary kids why it’s important to make tough and fair decisions. Not only was Justice Marshall one of the fairest men in U.S. history, but he also helped make the Supreme Court what it is today—a governing body that interprets the Constitution as it is written and settles legal disputes in a fair and neutral way.

8 min

9

Leonardo da Vinci: Visionary Artist and Inventor

Teach elementary kids there are no limits to their curiosity and imagination with this animated video about Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance painter, sculptor, inventor, engineer, and architect, whose curious nature inspired his many achievements in the arts and sciences.

8 min

10

Elizabeth Blackwell: America’s First Female Doctor

Accomplishing a goal when there are no role models to emulate can be difficult, but that didn’t stop Elizabeth Blackwell from becoming the first woman doctor in the United States in 1849. This time-traveling cartoon will teach your elementary kids about Dr. Blackwell and her determination to achieve her dreams despite the difficulty of forgoing a new path.

7 min

11

Jacob: The Man Who Wrestled with God

This time-traveling cartoon about Jacob from the Bible will teach elementary kids that admitting their faults isn’t always easy, but it’s part of growing up to be a responsible young adult. When Leo and Layla meet Jacob, they learn how he changed his ways from being a deceiver to eventually accepting responsibility for his actions.

10 min

12

Francis Scott Key: The Poet Behind the Star-Spangled Banner

Do your children know how our national anthem came to be? Teach them with this time-traveling animated video about Francis Scott Key, the young man who became inspired to write a poem known as the “Star Spangled Banner” when he saw the American flag still standing after the Battle of Baltimore during the War of 1812.

9 min

13

John Adams & Thomas Jefferson: The Founding Fathers’ Friendship and Friction

This time-traveling cartoon introduces elementary students to two of America’s Founding Fathers—John Adams and Thomas Jefferson—who disagreed on almost everything when it came to politics, but eventually realized that what united them was greater than what divided them: the love of America.

9 min

14

Thomas Edison: The Innovator of the Light Bulb

This cartoon encourages elementary kids to strive to improve society with ingenuity and invention. They’ll travel through time to meet Thomas Edison, the famed inventor who didn’t let his physical setbacks stop him from changing the world!

8 min

15

Joseph: From Prison to Pharaoh's Right Hand

It’s normal for siblings to argue, but the Bible teaches us to love and forgive one another. Elementary students will learn this lesson as they time travel to meet Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob, who knew a thing or two about sibling rivalry and the power of forgiveness.

8 min

16

Lewis & Clark: Explorers of the American Frontier

While feeling bored on a road trip, Leo and Layla meet the adventurous pioneers Lewis and Clark, famous for mapping and journaling about the rivers, mountains, plants, and animals of the uncharted land obtained in the Louisiana Purchase. Through this animated adventure, your elementary kids will understand important history and learn not to take for granted the comfort and ease of modern-day travel.

9 min

17

Pope John Paul II: The Pope Who Stood Against Communism

This animated video will introduce your elementary students to Pope John Paul II, who promoted peace, justice, and compassion while fighting against communism in his native Poland.

11 min

18

Sadao Munemori: Patriotism in the Midst of Persecution

Teach elementary students to be a victor, not a victim, with this time-traveling cartoon about Sadao Munemori, a brave Japanese-American WWII hero who felt he had much to prove after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. When Leo and Layla meet the brave soldier, they learn how he and his family sacrificed and persevered to prove their loyalty to the United States.

8 min

19

Madison & Montesquieu: The Men Who Gave Us Checks and Balances

What does a French philosopher from the 18th century have to do with the founding of America? Your elementary students will travel with Leo and Layla to meet Montesquieu, a political philosopher of the Enlightenment, and learn how his ideas about separation of powers inspired Founding Father James Madison when constructing the United States government that remains in place today.

14 min

20

Amerigo Vespucci: The Explorer Who Gave America Its Name

Do your elementary students know where America got its name? They’ll love time traveling with Leo and Layla to meet Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci—the man who realized that the New World was a new continent.

9 min

21

Menachem Begin & Anwar Sadat: Israel & Egypt's Treaty

Your elementary students will travel to 1979 to meet Prime Minister of Israel Menachem Begin and President of Egypt Anwar Sadat—two leaders who worked together despite hostilities to forge a treaty of peace. Your children will learn that by setting aside old rivalries, peace and cooperation are indeed possible.

12 min

22

Queen Elizabeth I: The Unifying Queen of England

In this animated cartoon, your elementary students will travel to 16th-century England to meet Queen Elizabeth I. They will learn about the difficult decisions she made to restore national pride during her reign and how she exhibited many qualities that a good leader must possess.

10 min

23

Hippocrates: The Father of Medicine

Have your elementary kids heard of the “Hippocratic Oath”? In this time-traveling cartoon, they’ll get to meet Hippocrates, the father of medicine for all of Western Civilization, and learn how important it is to “do no harm” and show compassion to those who are suffering.

8 min

24

Michael Faraday: Pioneer of Electromagnetism

Teach elementary kids the importance of standing up for scientific truth! This time-traveling cartoon introduces children to Michael Faraday, the British scientist who furthered the study of electromagnetism by standing firmly against pressure and challenging well-known and established theories at a time when it would have been easier for him to remain silent.

8 min

25

Mary Ludwig Hays: Woman Warrior of the American Revolution

Does your child know about the amazing women of the Revolutionary War? In this episode, Leo and Layla travel back in time to meet Mary Ludwig Hays, the woman behind the legend of “Molly Pitcher,” and find out how integral women were to the founding of our great nation.

8 min