The American Civil War was a military contest between defenders and opponents of the union of American states. Reunification of the country involved a contest of words over how to remember the war. Leaving aside the Lost Cause view of the Civil War, even defenders of the Union did not learn the same lessons of […]
Beginning with the upheavals of the 1960s, the United States saw a diverse set of groups pushing for social change. These included African Americans, Native Americans, women, and gays and lesbians. This seminar will focus on the legacy of the 1960s, the intersection of personal behavior with political movements and battles won and lost by […]
There have been thousands of books and articles written about the Declaration of Independence, and its ringing words make an appearance in every American History textbook. Given all this commentary and interpretation, is it still possible to understand the Declaration as its authors understood it? Join us ‘around the table’ as we discuss the primary […]
There have been thousands of books and articles written about the Declaration of Independence, and its ringing words make an appearance in every American History textbook. Given all of this commentary and interpretation, is it still possible to understand the Declaration as its authors understood it? In this seminar, we will discuss the primary sources […]
Explore how the Declaration of Independence shaped the struggle for civil rights in America. This webinar examines how activists and movements challenged the nation to live up to its promise of liberty and equality, highlighting key campaigns, speeches, and actions that connected the fight for racial equality to the ideals of 1776. Social studies educators […]
Congress began as a revolutionary body, gathering representatives from the colonies to protest British policy and eventually declaring independence from Great Britain. During the Revolution Congress served as the organ of government for the new United States, but dissatisfaction with their performance led to the Philadelphia Convention of 1787 and the redesign of Congress as […]
This one-day seminar explores how 19th-century women utilized wit and satire to navigate three pivotal eras of American history: the challenges of frontier life and Western settlement, the political upheavals of the Civil War, and the social reforms of the Progressive Era.Participants will analyze how humorists like Marietta Holley and Mary Abigail Dodge used "sprightly" […]
There have been thousands of books and articles written about the Declaration of Independence, and its ringing words make an appearance in every American History textbook. Given all this commentary and interpretation, is it still possible to understand the Declaration as its authors understood it? In this seminar, we will discuss the primary sources that […]
This seminar will discuss readings that address such issues as political developments in North America and the British empire and the arguments for and against independence, culminating in the Declaration of Independence; the Revolutionary War as a military, social and cultural event in the development of the American nation and state; and the United States […]
What took place during the summer of 1787 is still considered extraordinary…but how did the delegates actually tackle and respond to the problems facing them to secure ‘the blessings of liberty’? Our study of these debates will attempt to understand the interests and principles that divided the members of the Convention and how they arrived […]
