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=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 10:17:55 -0400
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Gary Nash
Subject: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Dear Fellow Teachers:
Welcome to the =93Talking History=94 forum on the American Revolution
sponsored by History Matters website. Here are a few areas that we might
explore (but do not feel constrained by these since all comments and
questions are welcomed).
How did ideological and material factors figure in the causes of the
American Revolution? This is an old chestnut but still one worth
exploring=96and one that will help students cut their teeth on understanding=
multiple causation.
Who fought in the Revolution (on the homefront as well as on the
battlefield), how did the composition of the army and navy change between
1775 and 1783, and to what extent was American military leadership a factor
in the victory? Military historians in recent years have turned from battle=
and campaign history (though that topic is not yet exhausted) to explore
the composition of the army and the capabilities of its leaders. Much new
work has been done on the role of women in the war effort as well as the
roles of American Indians and African Americans. It is interesting for
students to explore how the latter two groups pursued their own interests
primarily by joining the British yet standing on principles=96life, liberty,=
and the pursuit of happiness=96that animated white colonists.
To what extent was the Revolution double-sided=96simultaneously a war
of independence and a war to remake America? This question goes way back
to Carl Becker=92s thesis that the Revolution was as much a question of
=93who should rule at home=94 as =93home rule.=94 One of the contributions =
of
this generation=92s social historians is to revive this debate and produce
fresh research on issues heatedly aired while the war against England for
American independence took its course=96for example, abolition of slavery,
greater rights for women, democratizing state legislatures, instituting
more equitable taxes, providing public education, and creating evangelical
churches that democratized religious institutions and services.
Gary Nash
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 10:09:14 -0500
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Bertha Wise
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
All of Gary's topics sound quite interesting and worthy of discussion. I =
feel a little bit out of my element on this since I do not teach American =
History; rather, I am an English and Humanities teacher. My interest in =
the subjects is from a more general point of view--that is, from both =
sides: from the American side as well as the English/European side. =
Also, I am teaching a General Modern Humanities course which is truly =
integrated in its content--history, art, literature, music, etc. In the =
course, the primary objectives are to address how western culture evolved, =
the influences on it, and its eventual influence on emerging cultures from =
the Renaissance forward. Of course, the American influences don't play =
much of role until the beginnings of colonization and later revolutionary =
periods. My biggest complaint or concern is that none of the college =
texts include very much from the American point of view until almost the =
20th century! Furthermore, little if any inclusion or even mention of =
wormen is also present and then only, as was noted in the previous =
discussions, as add-ons. My responsibility is further complicated in =
including this material because I already have more than I can really =
cover in an equitable way. The way around this dilemma for me has been to =
require the students to have studied the text independently, identify a =
focal point (search for the ideal/utopian ideals in the 1700s for example) =
and examine how that is evidenced in the art, music, literature, and any =
other prominent elements which vary from period to period. I have also =
begun using an electronic bulletin board for students to discuss among =
themselves various issues that arise in class discussion/lectures. Any =
suggestions that might come from my colleagues in the history department =
are welcome. Thanks.
Bertha Wise
Chair of English and Humanities
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 15:54:03 -0600
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Norleen Healy
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
If anyone has suggestions for Bertha, please send them to all of us on the
list. Her response reiterated my position as a English and Humanities
instructor who also teaches an integrated Humanities course. From my
experiences in the team taught Humanities course on this campus, I believe
history teachers want as much from us (in English and Literature) as we do
from them in providing a widened perspective.
Bertha: I am particularly interested in how you are setting up the on-line
discussions. My cohort (Katie Curtiss) in the history department and I are
trying to figure this out for the Humanities class next semester. If you or
anyone else has suggestions, we'd welcome them.
> ----------
> From: Bertha Wise[SMTP:bwise@OKC.CC.OK.US]
> Sent: Thursday, October 01, 1998 9:09 AM
> To: AMERICANREVOLUTIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
> Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
>
> All of Gary's topics sound quite interesting and worthy of discussion. I
> feel a little bit out of my element on this since I do not teach American
> History; rather, I am an English and Humanities teacher. My interest in
> the subjects is from a more general point of view--that is, from both
> sides: from the American side as well as the English/European side.
> Also, I am teaching a General Modern Humanities course which is truly
> integrated in its content--history, art, literature, music, etc. In the
> course, the primary objectives are to address how western culture evolved,
> the influences on it, and its eventual influence on emerging cultures from
> the Renaissance forward. Of course, the American influences don't play
> much of role until the beginnings of colonization and later revolutionary
> periods. My biggest complaint or concern is that none of the college
> texts include very much from the American point of view until almost the
> 20th century! Furthermore, little if any inclusion or even mention of
> wormen is also present and then only, as was noted in the previous
> discussions, as add-ons. My responsibility is further complicated in
> including this material because I already have more than I can really
> cover in an equitable way. The way around this dilemma for me has been to
> require the students to have studied the text independently, identify a
> focal point (search for the ideal/utopian ideals in the 1700s for example)
> and examine how that is evidenced in the art, music, literature, and any
> other prominent elements which vary from period to period. I have also
> begun using an electronic bulletin board for students to discuss among
> themselves various issues that arise in class discussion/lectures. Any
> suggestions that might come from my colleagues in the history department
> are welcome. Thanks.
>
>
> Bertha Wise
> Chair of English and Humanities
>
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 17:23:19 -0500
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Bertha Wise
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Norleen,
Well, I didn't know if there were very many places that integrated =
humanities course were taught, so I am happy to hear that you also teach =
it. In Oklahoma, it is taught in many of the two-year community colleges =
but not at the university level usually. I find that interesting, but =
don't know what else to say about. I do not have a cohort in the history =
department. The two full time history faculty both teach American history =
courses and no western civilization or European courses, and don't even =
mention other cultures! This is not necessarily their fault, as it =
evolved in that way here at our college--that the humanities would be =
responsible for providing students with the broad overview of civilization =
and culture. The course is overwhelming to both students and teachers. =
=20
At the New Media Institute that I attended in Tulsa this past summer, we =
had much discussion about how to incorporate more use of technology into =
the course which already has so much stuff that everyone is hard pressed =
to get through it. I have to say that I don't really try to "get through =
it" anymore. Instead, I emphasize the most important concepts and point =
out the best examples for students to see and then we work on seeing the =
relevance and making connections.
My use of the webboard (electronic bulletin board) this semester is one of =
the ways that I am trying to achieve this lofty goal. It has not been =
easy because a large number of my students still do not have a computer at =
home. About 20-25 % probably have "easy" access at home or work. The =
rest do have access here at the college--labs and library. Howver, time =
and convenience are always good excuses why someone has not gotten in to =
post a message. The other major factors are fear and intimidation! I =
have literally had to sit with students individually and walk them through =
the process of setting up their email accounts and then their webboard =
accounts. Now in the sixth week of the semester, everyone who is going to =
participate has done so and almost everyone is feeling comfortable with =
it. They are beginning to manage it and even enjoy it to some extent. =
Their deadline every week is midnight Fridays and I spend time on the =
weekend checking them. Actually, I have gotten pretty fast doing it and =
make appropriate responses. I don't tell them, but I do read postings =
throughout the week at odd moments.=20
If you would like to lurk or visit the webboard, feel free to do so. If =
you sign in as a new user, you can post a message too. I have someone in =
the Ukraine who has her students participating and a high school teacher =
in Japan is also posting to my literature conference. I won't have hard =
data to show that it makes a difference, but the anecdotal evidence seems =
to say it will. I will see.
http://webboard.okc.cc.ok.us:8080/
Bertha Wise
Chair of English and Humanities
=========================================================================
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1998 22:15:09 -0600
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Norleen Healy
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
Thank you for the information. I have logged into your discussion. Do you
have home page with your syllabus attached? I would like to see it. I am
in the painful, frustrating process of trying to create a homepage to which
I will attach my syllabi. I plan to attach syllabi for all my classes and
then to really work on adding links to the humanities one for now. I was so
inspired by the Newmedia workshop but have a long long way to go to get
where you are. It's a good challenge though.
> ----------
> From: Bertha Wise[SMTP:bwise@OKC.CC.OK.US]
> Reply To: American Revolution Forum
> Sent: Thursday, October 01, 1998 4:23 PM
> To: AMERICANREVOLUTIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
> Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
>
> Norleen,
>
> Well, I didn't know if there were very many places that integrated
> humanities course were taught, so I am happy to hear that you also teach
> it. In Oklahoma, it is taught in many of the two-year community colleges
> but not at the university level usually. I find that interesting, but
> don't know what else to say about. I do not have a cohort in the history
> department. The two full time history faculty both teach American history
> courses and no western civilization or European courses, and don't even
> mention other cultures! This is not necessarily their fault, as it
> evolved in that way here at our college--that the humanities would be
> responsible for providing students with the broad overview of civilization
> and culture. The course is overwhelming to both students and teachers.
>
> At the New Media Institute that I attended in Tulsa this past summer, we
> had much discussion about how to incorporate more use of technology into
> the course which already has so much stuff that everyone is hard pressed
> to get through it. I have to say that I don't really try to "get through
> it" anymore. Instead, I emphasize the most important concepts and point
> out the best examples for students to see and then we work on seeing the
> relevance and making connections.
>
> My use of the webboard (electronic bulletin board) this semester is one of
> the ways that I am trying to achieve this lofty goal. It has not been
> easy because a large number of my students still do not have a computer at
> home. About 20-25 % probably have "easy" access at home or work. The
> rest do have access here at the college--labs and library. Howver, time
> and convenience are always good excuses why someone has not gotten in to
> post a message. The other major factors are fear and intimidation! I
> have literally had to sit with students individually and walk them through
> the process of setting up their email accounts and then their webboard
> accounts. Now in the sixth week of the semester, everyone who is going to
> participate has done so and almost everyone is feeling comfortable with
> it. They are beginning to manage it and even enjoy it to some extent.
> Their deadline every week is midnight Fridays and I spend time on the
> weekend checking them. Actually, I have gotten pretty fast doing it and
> make appropriate responses. I don't tell them, but I do read postings
> throughout the week at odd moments.
>
> If you would like to lurk or visit the webboard, feel free to do so. If
> you sign in as a new user, you can post a message too. I have someone in
> the Ukraine who has her students participating and a high school teacher
> in Japan is also posting to my literature conference. I won't have hard
> data to show that it makes a difference, but the anecdotal evidence seems
> to say it will. I will see.
>
> http://webboard.okc.cc.ok.us:8080/
>
> Bertha Wise
> Chair of English and Humanities
>
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1998 05:13:03 -0500
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Bertha Wise
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Yes, I have a homepage with syllabi that I am currently or have recently =
taught. I keep the syllabi simple--pretty much just text--so they are not =
a hassle to change or upload. I created my pages in Netscape Composer, so =
there is nothing fancy (no Java or sound), but they are navigable (maybe =
not the best). Be prepared, my homepage does not appear "scholarly" at =
first, but I do have quite a bit of stuff linked to it. As time permits I =
will revise and redesign some of my pages. I also have been informed that =
I need a text only version to meet ADA standards. While it takes time to =
put a page up, it takes time to maintain it. You will find it fun and =
sometimes frustrating but quite satisfying. See it at http://www.okc.ok.us=
/~bwise
Bertha
<<< Norleen Healy 10/ 6 11:15p >>>
Thank you for the information. I have logged into your discussion. Do =
you
have home page with your syllabus attached? I would like to see it. I am
in the painful, frustrating process of trying to create a homepage to =
which
I will attach my syllabi. I plan to attach syllabi for all my classes and
then to really work on adding links to the humanities one for now. I was =
so
inspired by the Newmedia workshop but have a long long way to go to get
where you are. It's a good challenge though.
> ----------
> From: Bertha Wise[SMTP:bwise@OKC.CC.OK.US]
> Reply To: American Revolution Forum
> Sent: Thursday, October 01, 1998 4:23 PM
> To: AMERICANREVOLUTIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
> Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
>
> Norleen,
>
> Well, I didn't know if there were very many places that integrated
> humanities course were taught, so I am happy to hear that you also teach
> it. In Oklahoma, it is taught in many of the two-year community =
colleges
> but not at the university level usually. I find that interesting, but
> don't know what else to say about. I do not have a cohort in the =
history
> department. The two full time history faculty both teach American =
history
> courses and no western civilization or European courses, and don't even
> mention other cultures! This is not necessarily their fault, as it
> evolved in that way here at our college--that the humanities would be
> responsible for providing students with the broad overview of civilizatio=
n
> and culture. The course is overwhelming to both students and teachers.
>
> At the New Media Institute that I attended in Tulsa this past summer, we
> had much discussion about how to incorporate more use of technology into
> the course which already has so much stuff that everyone is hard pressed
> to get through it. I have to say that I don't really try to "get =
through
> it" anymore. Instead, I emphasize the most important concepts and point
> out the best examples for students to see and then we work on seeing the
> relevance and making connections.
>
> My use of the webboard (electronic bulletin board) this semester is one =
of
> the ways that I am trying to achieve this lofty goal. It has not been
> easy because a large number of my students still do not have a computer =
at
> home. About 20-25 % probably have "easy" access at home or work. The
> rest do have access here at the college--labs and library. Howver, time
> and convenience are always good excuses why someone has not gotten in to
> post a message. The other major factors are fear and intimidation! I
> have literally had to sit with students individually and walk them =
through
> the process of setting up their email accounts and then their webboard
> accounts. Now in the sixth week of the semester, everyone who is going =
to
> participate has done so and almost everyone is feeling comfortable with
> it. They are beginning to manage it and even enjoy it to some extent.
> Their deadline every week is midnight Fridays and I spend time on the
> weekend checking them. Actually, I have gotten pretty fast doing it and
> make appropriate responses. I don't tell them, but I do read postings
> throughout the week at odd moments.
>
> If you would like to lurk or visit the webboard, feel free to do so. If
> you sign in as a new user, you can post a message too. I have someone =
in
> the Ukraine who has her students participating and a high school teacher
> in Japan is also posting to my literature conference. I won't have hard
> data to show that it makes a difference, but the anecdotal evidence =
seems
> to say it will. I will see.
>
> http://webboard.okc.cc.ok.us:8080/
>
> Bertha Wise
> Chair of English and Humanities
>
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 11:08:30 -0400
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Jessica Finnefrock
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
I am a graduate student working towards my M.A. in History and planning
on teaching at the high school level. I am currently talking a class on
the American Revolution in which we are discussing many of the issues
Gary Nash has raised. We've read various historians' interpretations of
the causes of the Revolution (Reid, Morgan, Bailyn, Wood thus far) and seen
the variety of explanations given from a pervasive idenitification with
Whig ideology to a strict disagreement over the constitutionality of the
actions of the British.
My concern is that much of this discussion (the alternative ways historians
have interpreted the causes of the Revolution)is not happening at all on the
high school level. I went to an excellent private school in Connecticut,
and even took A.P. U.S. History, but there was no discussion whatsoever
about alternative explanations of the cause of the Revolution. We read what
was in our textbook and that was assumed to be true.
This was the case with other topics as well. It was not until I went to
college that I was introduced to the term historiography and taught to
evaluate the bias and sources used by historians.
It would clearly not be possible for high school teachers to assign the 12
books I am expected to read on this one topic alone, so how do you suggest
teachers introduce their students to the various interpretations (other
than merely mentioning the various ideologies as part of a lecture)? Do
you suggest any particular primary source materials that would be useful
in demonstrating the attitudes of the colonists?
Jess Finnefrock
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 10:26:17 -0500
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Bertha Wise
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Jess,
I am not an American history teacher, but I do teach General humanities =
which encompasses the study of western civilization and the cultural =
elements as an integrated approach. Through my personal study as well as =
exchanges through electronic bulletin boards, I have learned of many =
different ways that people from other countries learn history and =
"accepted" views related to things like the causes of the American =
Revolution. You might see if there is an electronic bulletin board that =
reaches around the world but concentrates on American history. Once, you =
get involved with something like that, you can involve students in a =
virtual discussion with others. Another possibility if there would be =
support from the school is to set up one of your own and invite people =
from other places to visit. Look into that. Some are relatively low =
maintenance, and even free! =20
Bertha Wise
Chair of English and Humanities
>>> Jessica Finnefrock 10/08/98 10:08AM >>>
I am a graduate student working towards my M.A. in History and planning
on teaching at the high school level. I am currently talking a class on
the American Revolution in which we are discussing many of the issues
Gary Nash has raised. We've read various historians' interpretations of
the causes of the Revolution (Reid, Morgan, Bailyn, Wood thus far) and =
seen
the variety of explanations given from a pervasive idenitification with
Whig ideology to a strict disagreement over the constitutionality of the
actions of the British.
My concern is that much of this discussion (the alternative ways historians=
have interpreted the causes of the Revolution)is not happening at all on =
the
high school level. I went to an excellent private school in Connecticut,
and even took A.P. U.S. History, but there was no discussion whatsoever
about alternative explanations of the cause of the Revolution. We read =
what
was in our textbook and that was assumed to be true.
This was the case with other topics as well. It was not until I went to
college that I was introduced to the term historiography and taught to
evaluate the bias and sources used by historians.
It would clearly not be possible for high school teachers to assign the 12
books I am expected to read on this one topic alone, so how do you suggest
teachers introduce their students to the various interpretations (other
than merely mentioning the various ideologies as part of a lecture)? Do
you suggest any particular primary source materials that would be useful
in demonstrating the attitudes of the colonists?
Jess Finnefrock
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 13:01:47 -0500
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Carl Schulkin
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Jessica,
Teaching historiography and accepting as truth what a textbook says
are not the only two alternatives to teaching United States history at the
high school level. There is little time to teach historiography in a high
school survey course, and I am not convinced that the American Revolution
would be the best topic to treat historiographically at the high school
level. But the alternative is not simply to have students accept the
textbook interpretation as true. If you teach history as interpretation,
you can teach high school students to analyze the interpretation in any
textbook critically on the basis of the evidence (whether restricted to the
evidence in the textbook or supplemented by additional evidence which you as
the teacher provide). Juniors in high school are not only quite capable of
mastering this kind of critical analysis, they actually come to enjoy it.
Carl Schulkin
Pembroke Hill School
Kansas City, MO
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 14:11:42 -0400
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: John Moore
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Jessica,=20
I teach American History at an urban community college. I am reluctant to =
have my students delve into interpretations of history in detail because =
many of them do not understand the basic events due to poor preparation at =
high schools. What I do is present the concept of historiography and the =
idea of alternate explanations in my opening class. As topics appear that =
are open to many interpretations, such as the American Revolution and the =
Civil War, I present the major ideas of these explanations. Often I =
suggest that students use one of the alternate explanations as the basis =
for the course paper.
I would recommend that high school teachers concentrate on providing the =
best background in American History they can rather than confuse a student =
with alternate explanations.
Hope the above helps.
regards,=20
jrm
John R. Moore
Tidewater Community College
Norfolk, VA 23510
e-mail: tcmoorj@tc.cc.va.us
tel: 757-822-1308
>>> Jessica Finnefrock 10/08 11:08 AM >>>
I am a graduate student working towards my M.A. in History and planning
on teaching at the high school level. I am currently talking a class on
the American Revolution in which we are discussing many of the issues
Gary Nash has raised. We've read various historians' interpretations of
the causes of the Revolution (Reid, Morgan, Bailyn, Wood thus far) and =
seen
the variety of explanations given from a pervasive idenitification with
Whig ideology to a strict disagreement over the constitutionality of the
actions of the British.
My concern is that much of this discussion (the alternative ways historians=
have interpreted the causes of the Revolution)is not happening at all on =
the
high school level. I went to an excellent private school in Connecticut,
and even took A.P. U.S. History, but there was no discussion whatsoever
about alternative explanations of the cause of the Revolution. We read =
what
was in our textbook and that was assumed to be true.
This was the case with other topics as well. It was not until I went to
college that I was introduced to the term historiography and taught to
evaluate the bias and sources used by historians.
It would clearly not be possible for high school teachers to assign the 12
books I am expected to read on this one topic alone, so how do you suggest
teachers introduce their students to the various interpretations (other
than merely mentioning the various ideologies as part of a lecture)? Do
you suggest any particular primary source materials that would be useful
in demonstrating the attitudes of the colonists?
Jess Finnefrock
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 12:57:44 -0600
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Katie Curtiss
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
I completely agree with Mr. Moore. I teach American History at a community
college in Sheridan, Wyoming. My students are also very weak in the basic
events, building blocks of American History. I often feel that we as History
Instructors must spend more time advocating that student's have classes
covering the BIG PICTURE before they have classes in specific events. I have
many students who have taken classes addressing themes in American History,
but can not put it all together into a coherent story; resulting in an
inability to understand cause and consequence.
Katie Curtiss
Sheridan Community College
Sheridan Wyoming
> ----------
> From: John Moore[SMTP:tcmoorj@TC.CC.VA.US]
> Sent: Thursday, October 08, 1998 12:11 PM
> To: AMERICANREVOLUTIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
> Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
>
> Jessica,
> I teach American History at an urban community college. I am reluctant to
> have my students delve into interpretations of history in detail because
> many of them do not understand the basic events due to poor preparation at
> high schools. What I do is present the concept of historiography and the
> idea of alternate explanations in my opening class. As topics appear that
> are open to many interpretations, such as the American Revolution and the
> Civil War, I present the major ideas of these explanations. Often I
> suggest that students use one of the alternate explanations as the basis
> for the course paper.
> I would recommend that high school teachers concentrate on providing the
> best background in American History they can rather than confuse a student
> with alternate explanations.
>
> Hope the above helps.
> regards,
> jrm
>
> John R. Moore
> Tidewater Community College
> Norfolk, VA 23510
> e-mail: tcmoorj@tc.cc.va.us
> tel: 757-822-1308
>
> >>> Jessica Finnefrock 10/08 11:08 AM >>>
> I am a graduate student working towards my M.A. in History and planning
> on teaching at the high school level. I am currently talking a class on
> the American Revolution in which we are discussing many of the issues
> Gary Nash has raised. We've read various historians' interpretations of
> the causes of the Revolution (Reid, Morgan, Bailyn, Wood thus far) and
> seen
> the variety of explanations given from a pervasive idenitification with
> Whig ideology to a strict disagreement over the constitutionality of the
> actions of the British.
> My concern is that much of this discussion (the alternative ways
> historians
> have interpreted the causes of the Revolution)is not happening at all on
> the
> high school level. I went to an excellent private school in Connecticut,
> and even took A.P. U.S. History, but there was no discussion whatsoever
> about alternative explanations of the cause of the Revolution. We read
> what
> was in our textbook and that was assumed to be true.
> This was the case with other topics as well. It was not until I went to
> college that I was introduced to the term historiography and taught to
> evaluate the bias and sources used by historians.
> It would clearly not be possible for high school teachers to assign the 12
> books I am expected to read on this one topic alone, so how do you suggest
> teachers introduce their students to the various interpretations (other
> than merely mentioning the various ideologies as part of a lecture)? Do
> you suggest any particular primary source materials that would be useful
> in demonstrating the attitudes of the colonists?
> Jess Finnefrock
>
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 12:50:09 -0700
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: gary b nash
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
In-Reply-To:
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Jessica: I think it is possible to introduce students to different
interpretations of the Amer. Rev. and to the way different people at the
time experienced it differently and thought about it differently. Two of
the Natl Center for Hist in the Schools (NCHS)teaching units, organized
around primary sources and cobbled into lessons plans, attempt to do this.
One is on Women and the Amer. Revol. The other is on Boston's role in the
coming of the Amer Revol.
So it can be done--and ought to be. I was involved int he Houghtom
Miffline 5th grade textbook, America Will Be, where right upfront we use
the Boston Massacre--as seen in Paul Revere's famous engraving and
portrayed very differently in John Adams's legal defesne of the Brit.
soldiers--to show students that history is what happened but also what we
think happened.
I urge you to look at these materials and hope it will answer some of your
needs. You are certainlky right that the schools have a long way to go in
presenting history as something more than received wisdom dispensed from
above. If you want to order the teachng units I mention above, you can do
so by emailing Samantha Holtkamp, NCHS staff member, at samh@ucla.edu.
At 11:08 AM 10/8/98 -0400, you wrote:
>I am a graduate student working towards my M.A. in History and planning
>on teaching at the high school level. I am currently talking a class on
>the American Revolution in which we are discussing many of the issues
>Gary Nash has raised. We've read various historians' interpretations of
>the causes of the Revolution (Reid, Morgan, Bailyn, Wood thus far) and seen
>the variety of explanations given from a pervasive idenitification with
>Whig ideology to a strict disagreement over the constitutionality of the
>actions of the British.
>My concern is that much of this discussion (the alternative ways historians
>have interpreted the causes of the Revolution)is not happening at all on the
>high school level. I went to an excellent private school in Connecticut,
>and even took A.P. U.S. History, but there was no discussion whatsoever
>about alternative explanations of the cause of the Revolution. We read what
>was in our textbook and that was assumed to be true.
>This was the case with other topics as well. It was not until I went to
>college that I was introduced to the term historiography and taught to
>evaluate the bias and sources used by historians.
>It would clearly not be possible for high school teachers to assign the 12
>books I am expected to read on this one topic alone, so how do you suggest
>teachers introduce their students to the various interpretations (other
>than merely mentioning the various ideologies as part of a lecture)? Do
>you suggest any particular primary source materials that would be useful
>in demonstrating the attitudes of the colonists?
>Jess Finnefrock
>
>
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 16:26:51 -0500
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Bertha Wise
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
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American History Teachers:
What, if any, attempt has been made to teach American history using an =
integrated curriculum or with a cross-disciplinary team approach which =
helps students make the conections that so many of us feel is important. =
It has always seemed backward to me to learn specifics first and then the =
broad picture second. =20
Bertha Wise
Professor of English and Humanities
Oklahoma City Community College
bwise@okc.cc.ok.us
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 17:35:51 UTC
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Stanzi Constock
Subject: Uncl: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
In-Reply-To: note of Thu, 8 Oct 1998 16:26:51 -0500 from Bertha Wise
From: Stanzi Comstock
It seems backward to me, too, but here is the problem: young people learn detai
l more naturally; the BIG PIX seems abstract, arbitrary, and stereotypical if t
aught first, in my experience: they don't get the big aha! that way. They seem
to find it boring, and are not able to relate to it, so they don't "get" it. So
my answer is to get them to read in a small, particular area very closely, and
then see where it "fits" in a broader pattern. . .
Stanzi Comstock, Humanities
Tulsa Community College, Southeast Campus
(918)595-7624
scomsto@vm.tulsa.cc.ok.us
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 22:03:50 -0500
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Bertha Wise
Subject: Re: Uncl: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Stanzi,
I agree with you that detailed elements seem to get their attention more, =
and perhaps from those they do put the bigger picture together. One way =
that a colleague of mine had found successful is to have students do =
timelines and even identify specific events--major and minor--along the =
way. For many students the sense of continuity is helpful. I have toyed =
with the idea of developing an interactive timeline for some periods or =
better yet, have my students help develop it. The only problem is that =
too many of them still have little access and less time to work on such an =
ambitious undertaking. I am sure in Tulsa as it is at OKCCC, a majority =
of our students are full time employees somewhere at the same time that =
they may be full time students and full time parents! Any ideas how to =
involve more active learning for these situations?
Bertha Wise
English and Humanities
Oklahoma City Cmty. College
bwise@okc.cc.ok.us
<<< Stanzi Constock 10/ 8 5:35p >>>
From: Stanzi Comstock
It seems backward to me, too, but here is the problem: young people learn =
detai
l more naturally; the BIG PIX seems abstract, arbitrary, and stereotypical =
if t
aught first, in my experience: they don't get the big aha! that way. They =
seem
to find it boring, and are not able to relate to it, so they don't "get" =
it. So
my answer is to get them to read in a small, particular area very =
closely, and
then see where it "fits" in a broader pattern. . .
Stanzi Comstock, Humanities
Tulsa Community College, Southeast Campus
(918)595-7624
scomsto@vm.tulsa.cc.ok.us
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 02:04:15 -0400
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: McGraphite
Subject: Just Looking
I'm a Junior in high school writing a research paper on the co-evolution of
a democratic government along side a strict social caste of Blacks and
Whites. I don't think that I would be able to contribute much to the
discussion, I'm really just here to look. I'm not sure where I should even start on this, so I guess I'll just start by asking, "What caused
Americains to see that freedoms were something that all people should have,
but not see that slaves were people also."
If you have any other suggstions I'd be glad to hear them.
In regard to teaching high school students about the alernative reasons of
history, I would have to favor teaching the most accepted theory, or a more
broad based one. It seems to me that that kind os study would be for someone who wants to make history a big part of his/her life, such as teaching. I have a hard time with history as it is, and don't really plan on making it a career. While I do think that introducing that in a class would be good, going really in depth with it would just be very confusing.
J. McGrath
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 07:12:12 -0400
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Magda Vasillov
Subject: Re: Uncl: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Stanzi, Yes, start with primary sources if possible and work to a broader
understanding. This is what my art history survey tries to impart --
working from specific works of art to general concepts of context and
style.
Magda Vasillov
Hostos Community College (CUNY)
>From: Stanzi Comstock
>It seems backward to me, too, but here is the problem: young people learn detai
>l more naturally; the BIG PIX seems abstract, arbitrary, and stereotypical if t
>aught first, in my experience: they don't get the big aha! that way. They seem
>to find it boring, and are not able to relate to it, so they don't "get" it. So
> my answer is to get them to read in a small, particular area very closely, and
> then see where it "fits" in a broader pattern. . .
>
>Stanzi Comstock, Humanities
>Tulsa Community College, Southeast Campus
>(918)595-7624
>scomsto@vm.tulsa.cc.ok.us
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 07:23:17 -0600
Reply-To: gibsonn@asms1X.dsc.k12.ar.us
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Neal Gibson
Organization: AR School for Math & Science
Subject: American Revolution
Greetings:
It's kind of funny that Gary Nash is the moderator for this listserv,
since I had to read his books in grad school. Anyway, one thing we
are doing here at ASMS about the Revolution is having all juniors do
a research paper on George Washington's Farewell Address. They had
to read the address and then choose one theme to construct an
original thesis about. They then had to find supporting evidence
from the Library of Congress' American Memory Collection, using
either the George Washington Papers or A Century of Lawmaking. Since
these materials are online and searchable by keyword it's not a
difficult project for high school students to do. But what makes it
most rewarding for me as a teacher is that my students are doing real
historical research, much like Prof. Nash would do, all without
having to peruse a dusty archive somewhere. Technology can indeed be
incorporated into the classroom.
Neal Gibson
Arkansas School for Mathematics and Sciences
GIBSONN@ASMS1X.DSC.K12.AR.US
HTTP://ASMS.K12.AR.US
501-622-5403
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 07:42:33 UTC
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Stanzi Constock
Subject: Uncl: Re: Uncl: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
In-Reply-To: note of Fri, 9 Oct 1998 07:12:12 -0400 from Magda Vasillov
From: Stanzi Comstock
Magda, Exactly. Of course, we are limited to "primary sources in translation",
which carries its own special probs/ops and we try to focus on the teaching opp
ortunities of the problem of translation itself. Something I learned in an NEH
Institute that I have since incorporated into virtually every nook and cranny o
f my courses, is to bring in several translations of the same piece, select a v
ery small section, and have different members of the class read each aloud, wit
h discussion after each and all. This seems to have a tonic effect on the discu
ssion, keeping it close to the text and yet allowing for lots of personal react
ion.
Stanzi Comstock, Humanities
Tulsa Community College, Southeast Campus
(918)595-7624
scomsto@vm.tulsa.cc.ok.us
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 07:50:01 UTC
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Stanzi Constock
Subject: Uncl: Re: Uncl: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
In-Reply-To: note of Thu, 8 Oct 1998 22:03:50 -0500 from Bertha Wise
From: Stanzi Comstock
Bertha, Yes, I too have been using student-generated (with lots of "guidance")T
ime-lines as part of every teaching process, and that is part of the "pattern"
into which they must fit their detailed work. When it is finished, they at time
comment that they "did the footnotes first". It helps them stay honest. I
am very weak on computers, but see that an interactive time-line is exactly wh
at I am looking for, for my students. There are serious problems, if anyone wan
ts to discuss this further. . . I will add that I "make" them match their time-
line to a map, telling them that there is always a time-line "understood" for a
a map, and a map for a time-line. This also helps them stay focused. With
a class that can work quickly, I can finally show them how to translate this i
nto a respectable paper. . . By the way, hand-drawn icons are the graphics I in
sist upon, for this part of the work. . .
Stanzi Comstock, Humanities
Tulsa Community College, Southeast Campus
(918)595-7624
scomsto@vm.tulsa.cc.ok.us
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 10:45:52 -0400
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Guocun Yang
Organization: Manchester Community Technical College
Subject: Re: Just Looking
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
For J. McGrath, on the slavery issue, you may start with Edmund S. Morgan's American Slavery, American Freedom (1975), David B. Davis's The Problem of Slavery in Western Culture (1966), and Winthrop D. Jordan's White Over Black (1968).
Guocun Yang
McGraphite wrote:
> I'm a Junior in high school writing a research paper on the co-evolution of
> a democratic government along side a strict social caste of Blacks and
> Whites. I don't think that I would be able to contribute much to the
> discussion, I'm really just here to look. I'm not sure where I should even start on this, so I guess I'll just start by asking, "What caused
> Americains to see that freedoms were something that all people should have,
> but not see that slaves were people also."
> If you have any other suggstions I'd be glad to hear them.
>
> In regard to teaching high school students about the alernative reasons of
> history, I would have to favor teaching the most accepted theory, or a more
> broad based one. It seems to me that that kind os study would be for someone who wants to make history a big part of his/her life, such as teaching. I have a hard time with history as it is, and don't really plan on making it a career. While I do think
> that introducing that in a class would be good, going really in depth with it would just be very confusing.
>
> J. McGrath
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 10:56:15 -0700
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: gary b nash
Subject: Re: Just Looking
In-Reply-To: <361E21A0.FE46CC09@commnet.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
For J. McGrath, I might immodestly add my book--Race and Revolution, which
is more accessible for precollegiate students. Which is not to say that
Davis, Morgan, and Jordan's books aren't classics. But they are very dense
and very long--a long row to hoe for high schools students.
At 10:45 AM 10/9/98 -0400, you wrote:
>For J. McGrath, on the slavery issue, you may start with Edmund S.
Morgan's American Slavery, American Freedom (1975), David B. Davis's The
Problem of Slavery in Western Culture (1966), and Winthrop D. Jordan's
White Over Black (1968).
>Guocun Yang
>
>McGraphite wrote:
>
>> I'm a Junior in high school writing a research paper on the co-evolution of
>> a democratic government along side a strict social caste of Blacks and
>> Whites. I don't think that I would be able to contribute much to the
>> discussion, I'm really just here to look. I'm not sure where I should
even start on this, so I guess I'll just start by asking, "What caused
>> Americains to see that freedoms were something that all people should have,
>> but not see that slaves were people also."
>> If you have any other suggstions I'd be glad to hear them.
>>
>> In regard to teaching high school students about the alernative reasons of
>> history, I would have to favor teaching the most accepted theory, or a more
>> broad based one. It seems to me that that kind os study would be for
someone who wants to make history a big part of his/her life, such as
teaching. I have a hard time with history as it is, and don't really plan
on making it a career. While I do think
>> that introducing that in a class would be good, going really in depth
with it would just be very confusing.
>>
>> J. McGrath
>
>
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 10:52:08 -0400
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Gretchen Boger
Subject: Re: Just Looking
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
Mr/Ms McGrath:
One of the best American history books ever written is on precisely the
dilemma you're examining in your paper. It's Edmund Morgan's _American
Slavery, American Freedom_, and it should be readily available at most
libraries and/or good bookstores. It sets out to examine this precise
question: how could a country develop on the much-heralded premises of
freedom and equality, while at the same time establishing its economic base
in a system of human slavery? Of course, Morgan presents only one
answer--whether it is "the most accepted thoery" I couldn't say--but it is
compelling.
Good luck with your paper.
Gretchen Boger
> ----------
> From: McGraphite[SMTP:mcgraphite@AOL.COM]
> Reply To: American Revolution Forum
> Sent: Friday, October 09, 1998 2:04 AM
> To: AMERICANREVOLUTIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
> Subject: Just Looking
>
> I'm a Junior in high school writing a research paper on the co-evolution
> of
> a democratic government along side a strict social caste of Blacks and
> Whites. I don't think that I would be able to contribute much to the
> discussion, I'm really just here to look. I'm not sure where I should
> even start on this, so I guess I'll just start by asking, "What caused
> Americains to see that freedoms were something that all people should
> have,
> but not see that slaves were people also."
> If you have any other suggstions I'd be glad to hear them.
>
> In regard to teaching high school students about the alernative reasons of
> history, I would have to favor teaching the most accepted theory, or a
> more
> broad based one. It seems to me that that kind os study would be for
> someone who wants to make history a big part of his/her life, such as
> teaching. I have a hard time with history as it is, and don't really plan
> on making it a career. While I do think that introducing that in a class
> would be good, going really in depth with it would just be very confusing.
>
> J. McGrath
>
=========================================================================
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 23:44:54 -0500
Reply-To: RDowning@UDel.Edu
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: "Roland G. Downing."
Subject: Re: Just Looking
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Dear J. McGrath,
In 1947 I was your age and in high school in the South. I felt quilty
about the racial discrimination around me. I am now very proud that my
generation had a big part in abolishing legal racial discrimination.
Let me rephrase your question to fit my experience. "How could it be
that a mere HS student felt guilty in 1947, but that great American
statesmen (and also ordinary men and women) in the 1770s did not." I've
been working on that question for a lifetime and I have answers which
you may find useful.
First let's understand that race and culture are two different things.
Race is inherited and culture is learned. In 1770, this distinction was
not common knowledge. It was easy for them to believe that culture could
be inherited. Today we know that racial characteristics are truly
superficial, and that it is culture that counts!
The colonists did not consider the Blacks and the American Indians to be
advanced enough to be treated as equals. At best they were simple noble
savages. Slavery had not become a big moral issue yet. It was more of
an economic one. Pushing the American Indians off their land for the
benefit of a more advanced culture, was not viewed as "ethnic cleansing"
but was considered the nornal thing to do. In fact, ethnic cleansing
and slavery were normal practices in all cultures and involving all
races in the world at that time. Black Africans and American Indians
used these practices among themselves with wreckless abandon. The
Europeans distinquished themselves in these areas by just doing it
better!
Yes, it is true that the Western Europeans had developed a culture that
was superior to all others. The WEs were not superstitious and had
developed highly efficient organizations and laws. They were eons ahead
in scientific knowledge. Their superiority was marginal when compared
to the Muslims and Chinese, but when compared to the Africans and
American Indians they were light years ahead.
Today, we are taught to think that all cultures should be valued
equally. We do this in the United States because its the right thing to
do in order to unite the various "modern American cultures" together in
one society. We can afford to do this because the differences between
"modern American cultures" are really quite small. Back then the
differences were huge! Today we want to build one big tolerant American
culture, but then there was little thought of including the Blacks and
American Indians in the mix.
One final caveat that will certainly help you in your quest for your
personal answer. Don't fall victim to "presentism". Don't judge past
events using present standards. Students should not be taught to feel
guilty or to feel as victims, to feel superior or to feel inferior,
because of past events over which they have no control.
Good Luck! Roland Downing
=========================================================================
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1998 09:26:07 -0400
Reply-To: dsmith3@earthlink.net
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Dan Smith
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
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Norleen Healy wrote:
>
> Thank you for the information. I have logged into your discussion. Do you
> have home page with your syllabus attached? I would like to see it. I am
> in the painful, frustrating process of trying to create a homepage to which
> I will attach my syllabi. I plan to attach syllabi for all my classes and
> then to really work on adding links to the humanities one for now. I was so
> inspired by the Newmedia workshop but have a long long way to go to get
> where you are. It's a good challenge though.
>
> > ----------
> > From: Bertha Wise[SMTP:bwise@OKC.CC.OK.US]
> > Reply To: American Revolution Forum
> > Sent: Thursday, October 01, 1998 4:23 PM
> > To: AMERICANREVOLUTIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
> > Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
> >
> > Norleen,
> >
> > Well, I didn't know if there were very many places that integrated
> > humanities course were taught, so I am happy to hear that you also teach
> > it. In Oklahoma, it is taught in many of the two-year community colleges
> > but not at the university level usually. I find that interesting, but
> > don't know what else to say about. I do not have a cohort in the history
> > department. The two full time history faculty both teach American history
> > courses and no western civilization or European courses, and don't even
> > mention other cultures! This is not necessarily their fault, as it
> > evolved in that way here at our college--that the humanities would be
> > responsible for providing students with the broad overview of civilization
> > and culture. The course is overwhelming to both students and teachers.
> >
> > At the New Media Institute that I attended in Tulsa this past summer, we
> > had much discussion about how to incorporate more use of technology into
> > the course which already has so much stuff that everyone is hard pressed
> > to get through it. I have to say that I don't really try to "get through
> > it" anymore. Instead, I emphasize the most important concepts and point
> > out the best examples for students to see and then we work on seeing the
> > relevance and making connections.
> >
> > My use of the webboard (electronic bulletin board) this semester is one of
> > the ways that I am trying to achieve this lofty goal. It has not been
> > easy because a large number of my students still do not have a computer at
> > home. About 20-25 % probably have "easy" access at home or work. The
> > rest do have access here at the college--labs and library. Howver, time
> > and convenience are always good excuses why someone has not gotten in to
> > post a message. The other major factors are fear and intimidation! I
> > have literally had to sit with students individually and walk them through
> > the process of setting up their email accounts and then their webboard
> > accounts. Now in the sixth week of the semester, everyone who is going to
> > participate has done so and almost everyone is feeling comfortable with
> > it. They are beginning to manage it and even enjoy it to some extent.
> > Their deadline every week is midnight Fridays and I spend time on the
> > weekend checking them. Actually, I have gotten pretty fast doing it and
> > make appropriate responses. I don't tell them, but I do read postings
> > throughout the week at odd moments.
> >
> > If you would like to lurk or visit the webboard, feel free to do so. If
> > you sign in as a new user, you can post a message too. I have someone in
> > the Ukraine who has her students participating and a high school teacher
> > in Japan is also posting to my literature conference. I won't have hard
> > data to show that it makes a difference, but the anecdotal evidence seems
> > to say it will. I will see.
> >
> > http://webboard.okc.cc.ok.us:8080/
> >
> > Bertha Wise
> > Chair of English and Humanities
> >
Hi, please remove my address from this list.
Thank you
=========================================================================
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1998 15:18:27 -0700
Reply-To: tkwayne@cats.ucsc.edu
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: "Tiffany K. Wayne"
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Prof. Nash mentioned looking at an event, such as the Boston Massacre,
to get at issues of interpretations. Along those lines, I would
recommend Davidson's and Lytle's _After the Fact: The Art of HIstorical
Detection_ (McGraw-Hill, 1992). Volume I deals with key interpretative
events in early American history. The chapter on "Declaring
Independence" is an attempt to get students to think about the
Declaration itself in terms of document analysis. We all know the
debates about the Decl., its production, and its meaning for the
colonists. Why not let students in on this?? This chapter is a
readable, accessible version of what someone like Pauline Maier has done
on a larger, more complex scale.
This book is definitely meant for community college or entering
university students -- possibly even for AP high school students. We do
a disservice to students (college, high school, maybe even younger) AND
to our profession if we don't present history in a exciting manner that
allows for different interpretations and possibilities; not just a
matter of knowing all "the facts" that add up to a "coherent story."
That's not how we DO history, so why should we TEACH it that way?
Lastly, I would not argue that many entering college students lack even
a basic understanding of historical events -- myself included as I think
back! But "events" need not be a precursor to analytical,
interpretative thinking. The examples mentioned hopefully show how the
two can be presented simultaneously -- and work on the Revolution
provides some of the most exciting opportunities to do so.
Tiffany Wayne
PhD candidate, U.S. History
Univ. California, Santa Cruz
tkwayne@cats.ucsc.edu
=========================================================================
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1998 20:23:09 EDT
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Steve Schwartz
Subject: Women - The American Revolution
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
It is virtually assured that once a topic has past, materials or information
applicable suddenly become available. Therefore, I submit the following
resource, primarily applicable for high school level, with the knowledge that
the "Lerner - Women" month has past.
If your library can get a hand on a copy of Social Science Record, (The
Journal of the New York State Council for the Social Studies) Vol. 35, # 1,
Spring, 1998 you will find an article entitled, "Women's Rights Activists,
1848 - 1920". Within, the authors Jeanette Balantic and Andrea Libresco, who
are both secondary school instructors present lesson plan suggestions along
with voluminous primary and secondary documents that can be employed to help
students gain an understanding of marriage laws, household responsibilities,
education possibilities, working conditions, health and reproduction issues
and the movement to obtain the right to vote. In and of themselves, many of
these documents appear elsewhere. It is the accompanying suggested student /
teacher activities that makes this an exemplary resource. An additional
article in the same issue, "On Writing Rosie the Riveter: Women Working on the
Home Front in World War II", presents the authors thoughts as she explains the
tremendous social, political and economic upheaval brought about by the
employment of females in once male - only bastions once the Second World War
started. It is an interesting insight into the concerns of an author as she
weighs the inclusion of materials in her work.
In light of the current monthly topic, I have come upon a very brief (65
pages), but interesting booklet entitled Women in the American Revolution
edited by Jeanne Munn Bracken and published by Discovery Enterprises, Ltd.
The applicable level would appear to be middle school to high school and it
includes a variety of edited documents describing the travails,
accomplishments, sacrifices and activities of women between the outbreak of
hostilities and the final withdrawal of English troops. The emphasis is on
debunking the idea that "war is a masculine activity" with women as simple by-
standers. The documents are short but pull emotional chords --- women waiting
for word from their husbands, brothers, fathers; females defending their
family property; the begrudging admiration expressed by foreign soldiers of
the courage and contributions of colonial women; the efforts of Quaker women
as well as those who fought and joined the ranks of the Continental Army.
Good reading!
Steve Schwartz
=========================================================================
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 11:29:58 EDT
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Steve Schwartz
Subject: Museum Exhibit
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
For those of you close enough to the NY metropolitan area, a special exhibit
on George Washington is opening on November 20th and running through February
22, 1999 at the New York Historical Society on Central Park West in Manhattan.
It promises to include memorabilia from Mount Vernon never on exhibit to the
public before, as well as a collection of rare documents and paintings. No
doubt, at least a few of the objects on display will relate to Washington's
role as a revolutionary war leader.
Think of it --- spending Washington's birthday viewing his famed false teeth!
Steve Schwartz
=========================================================================
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 09:22:01 -0700
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: gary b nash
Subject: Re: Museum Exhibit
In-Reply-To: <3a694cfe.36222076@aol.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
For those in the Southern California area, this exhibit is at the
Huntington Library--opening shortly and continuing through May 1999.
At 11:29 AM 10/12/98 EDT, you wrote:
>For those of you close enough to the NY metropolitan area, a special exhibit
>on George Washington is opening on November 20th and running through February
>22, 1999 at the New York Historical Society on Central Park West in
Manhattan.
>
>It promises to include memorabilia from Mount Vernon never on exhibit to the
>public before, as well as a collection of rare documents and paintings. No
>doubt, at least a few of the objects on display will relate to Washington's
>role as a revolutionary war leader.
>
>Think of it --- spending Washington's birthday viewing his famed false teeth!
>
>Steve Schwartz
>
>
=========================================================================
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1998 21:44:32 -0400
Reply-To: typee@earthlink.net
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: John Marcus
Subject: Re: Museum Exhibit
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
gary b nash wrote:
>
> For those in the Southern California area, this exhibit is at the
> Huntington Library--opening shortly and continuing through May 1999.
>
> At 11:29 AM 10/12/98 EDT, you wrote:
> >For those of you close enough to the NY metropolitan area, a special exhibit
> >on George Washington is opening on November 20th and running through February
> >22, 1999 at the New York Historical Society on Central Park West in
> Manhattan.
> >
> >It promises to include memorabilia from Mount Vernon never on exhibit to the
> >public before, as well as a collection of rare documents and paintings. No
> >doubt, at least a few of the objects on display will relate to Washington's
> >role as a revolutionary war leader.
> >
> >Think of it --- spending Washington's birthday viewing his famed false teeth!
> >
> >Steve Schwartz
> >
> >
Thanks--my son really wants to see those teeth!
=========================================================================
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 10:54:37 -0400
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: tara james
Subject: Research project
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hello!
I am a graduate student at Sarah Lawrence college and I am doing a
historiography project on the American Revolution. I am focusing on the
question of republican rhetoric and the continuation of slavery. Part of
what I want to look at is how did historians in the early 19th century
handle this contradiction, or did they?
I have found plenty of historians who discussed this question at the end of
the century but since the profession didn't really exist in the beginning
of the century, I'm not sure where to start. Can anyone point me in the
right direction?
Thanks
Tara James
=========================================================================
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 17:22:48 PDT
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: AUDREY ALCORN
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
Content-Type: text/plain
I couldn't agree more with Bertha's suggestion for an interdisciplinary,
team approach. I do not teach history; I teach philosophy. After years
of listening to my liberal arts majors (I teach at a community college)
moan about their dreaded science requirements, a colleague (physics
prof) and I decided to develop a new physics course specially designed
for liberal arts majors. It de- emphasizes math, stresses logic, and
incorporates the history and philosophy of science into a traditional --
labs and all -- physics class. It has been quite successful with
students and a wonderful experience for the teachers. I dare say, the
liberal arts majors who take the class actually know a lot more about
physics, the "big picture" of physics, than most engineering or science
majors. Sometimes we think we have to do it all by ourselves. We
don't!
>From owner-americanrevolutionforum@ashp.listserv.cuny.edu Thu Oct 8
14:40:43 1998
>Received: from listserv (listserv.cuny.edu) by listserv.cuny.edu (LSMTP
for Windows NT v1.1b) with SMTP id <0.FFFBFE7A@listserv.cuny.edu>; Thu,
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>Received: from ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU by ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
> (LISTSERV-TCP/IP release 1.8d) with spool id 0843 for
> AMERICANREVOLUTIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU; Thu, 8 Oct
1998
> 17:28:44 -0400
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>Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 16:26:51 -0500
>Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
>Sender: American Revolution Forum
>From: Bertha Wise
>Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
>To: AMERICANREVOLUTIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
>
>American History Teachers:
>
>What, if any, attempt has been made to teach American history using an
=
>integrated curriculum or with a cross-disciplinary team approach which
=
>helps students make the conections that so many of us feel is
important. =
>It has always seemed backward to me to learn specifics first and then
the =
>broad picture second. =20
>
>Bertha Wise
>Professor of English and Humanities
>Oklahoma City Community College
>bwise@okc.cc.ok.us
>
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1998 10:11:57 -0600
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Katie Curtiss
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I teach a interdisciplinary humanities class at Sheridan College. It is a
five credit class taught by 3 instructors - art, literature and history
(me). I must say it is a wonderful class and I love teaching it. It changes
every semester as the team develops new approaches and I continue to learn
along with the students, each semester.
The comment brought to my mind two books which have helped me develop ways
to discuss various perspectives on the American Revolution and in the
Humanities class, the Age of Revolutions. I find Crane Brinton's The Anatomy
of a Revolution and Gordon S Wood The Radicalism of the American Revolution
extremely helpful. Also to get a discussion going as to just what kind of
Revolution it was I challenge the students to put themselves in someone's
shoes in 1776 - (a patriot, loyalist, farmer, planter, Native American,
slave, fisherman etc.) create a life for themselves and then debate with
each other as to what they have to gain or loose. If you begin the colonial
period with suggesting student's pick a place they would like to live and
have them explain why, then their character can grow with the colonial
experience and then they have to make a decision in 1776 as to what their
position will be. It helps them get an empire perspective as well as an
American perspective and to personalize the information as opposed to
memorize the information.
Katie Curtiss
Sheridan College
> ----------
> From: AUDREY ALCORN[SMTP:audrey_alcorn@HOTMAIL.COM]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 1998 6:22 PM
> To: AMERICANREVOLUTIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
> Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
>
> I couldn't agree more with Bertha's suggestion for an interdisciplinary,
> team approach. I do not teach history; I teach philosophy. After years
> of listening to my liberal arts majors (I teach at a community college)
> moan about their dreaded science requirements, a colleague (physics
> prof) and I decided to develop a new physics course specially designed
> for liberal arts majors. It de- emphasizes math, stresses logic, and
> incorporates the history and philosophy of science into a traditional --
> labs and all -- physics class. It has been quite successful with
> students and a wonderful experience for the teachers. I dare say, the
> liberal arts majors who take the class actually know a lot more about
> physics, the "big picture" of physics, than most engineering or science
> majors. Sometimes we think we have to do it all by ourselves. We
> don't!
>
> >From owner-americanrevolutionforum@ashp.listserv.cuny.edu Thu Oct 8
> 14:40:43 1998
> >Received: from listserv (listserv.cuny.edu) by listserv.cuny.edu (LSMTP
> for Windows NT v1.1b) with SMTP id <0.FFFBFE7A@listserv.cuny.edu>; Thu,
> 8 Oct 1998 17:28:44 -0400
> >Received: from ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU by ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
> > (LISTSERV-TCP/IP release 1.8d) with spool id 0843 for
> > AMERICANREVOLUTIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU; Thu, 8 Oct
> 1998
> > 17:28:44 -0400
> >Received: from smtp.okc.cc.ok.us (okccc_fs1.okc.cc.ok.us) by
> listserv.cuny.edu
> > (LSMTP for Windows NT v1.1b) with SMTP id
> > <3.FFA67450@listserv.cuny.edu>; Thu, 8 Oct 1998 17:28:43
> -0400
> >Received: from OKCCC-Message_Server by smtp.okc.cc.ok.us with
> Novell_GroupWise;
> > Thu, 08 Oct 1998 16:27:07 -0500
> >X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise 5.2
> >Mime-Version: 1.0
> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
> >Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
> >Content-Disposition: inline
> >Message-ID:
> >Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1998 16:26:51 -0500
> >Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
>
> >Sender: American Revolution Forum
>
> >From: Bertha Wise
> >Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
> >To: AMERICANREVOLUTIONFORUM@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
> >
> >American History Teachers:
> >
> >What, if any, attempt has been made to teach American history using an
> =
> >integrated curriculum or with a cross-disciplinary team approach which
> =
> >helps students make the conections that so many of us feel is
> important. =
> >It has always seemed backward to me to learn specifics first and then
> the =
> >broad picture second. =20
> >
> >Bertha Wise
> >Professor of English and Humanities
> >Oklahoma City Community College
> >bwise@okc.cc.ok.us
> >
>
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 13:17:42 -0500
Reply-To: RDowning@UDel.Edu
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: "Roland G. Downing."
Subject: "Brown Bess" Musket
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Dear Forum,
I have a friend who wants to know how this type musket got it's name,
"Brown Bess". He has what he calls a 2nd model and uses it along with a
Revolutionary War uniform in various educational settings. Children are
attracted to the name and often ask why so. Thank you for your
attention.
Roland Downing
=========================================================================
Date: Sun, 18 Oct 1998 21:21:41 -0400
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Barbara Clark Smith
Subject: Re: Gary Nash's Introduction to the Forum
I want to speak to the question of whether and how to introduce students to
matters of historiography and interpretation. I am a scholar of the American
Revolution, a museum curator who presents public history to audiences of
different ages, and also the parent of a 6th-grade daughter. I have found it
difficult to explain various historians' interpretations, especially to those
who know little about an event or an era to begin with.
Two strategies seem to work pretty well: I often start with specific stories
of individuals or groups. I've learned this in part from my daughter's
interest in historical biographies and also from talking with public groups
who visit the Smithsonian's Museum of American History: Stories about specific
individuals and communities are often accessible, engaging, and memorable.
So then we talk about what the Revolution meant to this particular
person or group, how it appeared from this particular angle of vision.
Generally my students see that different participants probably understood
even such basic ideas as "liberty" in different ways, depending on their
specific situation. The Revolution was different if you lived in Boston or
the Virginia backountry, if you were a sailor or a farmer, if you were free
or enslaved, male or female, patriot or loyalist, Anglican or Baptist, etc.
It follows that historians interpret the Revolution in different ways partly
because they tend to look at different individuals' and groups' experiences.
If I study only one group closely, then explain "the" Revolution, I
will be giving only a partial view. This underscores that historians are
actually involved in a group project. No one studies it all, and we all rely
on other scholars who have explored the evidence for different
participants.
It seems valuable to help students pay attention to where a
historian gets his or her evidence and especially when a historian makes very
general statements. Some use terms like "the colonists" or "Americans" when
they mean just a specific group--only those who chose the patriot side, or
only prominent leaders, or only white New Englanders, or only men. Even if
students will only really get into comparative historiography later (like
my daughter), it seems to set a good foundation for them to learn to look at
just whose "Revolution" (or whatever) is getting privileged attention in
any given account. Whose story is it that we are getting here? It doesn't
surprise anyone to hear that there are other stories or other versions then.
.
On another theme: I'd be interested in teachers' experience taking students
to museum exhibitions, historic houses, and other sites as a way to get them
engaged in learning about an event or era such as the Am.Rev. Any comments?
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 13:31:48 -0400
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Pennee Bender
Subject: Update on the American Revolution Forum
Dear American Revolution Forum Participants,
Gary Nash will be moderating the forum for one more week. We certainly
invite the participants to continue the conversation for as long as they
wish after the month of October. In November we will be starting a new
forum on Cultural History moderated by Lawrence Levine.
To clarify the procedure for canceling your subscription to the listserve,
there are several options:
1. you can send an e-mail to LISTSERV@ASHP.LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU with the
message: SIGNOFF AMERICANREVOLUTIONFORUM
2. you can go to the Web page --
http://ashp.listserv.cuny.edu/archives/AMERICANREVOLUTIONFORUM.html --
and select join or leave the list
3. If you have problems with either of the above methods you can e-mail me:
pbender@email.gc.cuny.edu and request to be removed from the forum listserve.
Please do not reply to messages from the forum or send messages to the
full forum list inorder to be removed from a listserve. These messages
go out to all the subscribers and do not result in your being removed from
the list.
Thanks, Pennee Bender
History Matters Coordinator
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 22 Oct 1998 21:33:34 -0500
Reply-To: RDowning@UDel.Edu
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: "Roland G. Downing."
Subject: Out of Diversity Came Unity
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Dear American Revolution Forum,
The colonists overcame a great deal of cultural diversity to create the
unity necessary to form these United States. How can lessons from that
experience be used today to help diverse students strive for the
cultural unity?
Roland Downing
U. of Delaware
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 10:44:32 -0700
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Katie Curtiss
Subject: Re: Update on the American Revolution Forum
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain
I have not received any postings in a week. Has the discussion ended? Is
anyone posting any more topics for conversation?
Katie Curtiss
Sheridan Wyoming
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 11:39:02 -0800
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: gary b nash
Subject: Re: Update on the American Revolution Forum
In-Reply-To: <34DAF82B2501D211A81F00600821497201ADD8@radar.sc.whecn.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Katie: Not much traffic as you say, but I am glad to discuss anything that
you might want to put on the table. There is much new work, published in
the last half dozen years or so, on women and black Americans in the
Revolution; these topics should help students understand the multiple
meanings of the Amer. Revol. and there are some marvelous primary documents
that will take them into this understudied dimension of our one and only
revolution.
At 10:44 AM 10/28/98 -0700, you wrote:
>I have not received any postings in a week. Has the discussion ended? Is
>anyone posting any more topics for conversation?
>Katie Curtiss
>Sheridan Wyoming
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 15:22:30 -0500
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: tara james
Subject: Historiography
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I've brought this subject up before but I don't think there was any
response so I'll ask the question a little differently. I am interested in
the historiograpy of 18th century slavery. Specifically, I am curious how
historians in the 19th century dealt with the conflict of republicanism,
and slavery. (especially considering the rhetoric of the Revolution)
.Perhaps they did not deal with it at all? I am graduate student, and I am
doing a paper on the subject, but I am not sure how to approach this part
of it. There is plenty of good material starting with U.B. Phillips and
that whole school. Does anyone have any comments, or suggestions? Help!
Thanks
Tara James
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 20:47:50 -0800
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: gary b nash
Subject: Re: Historiography
In-Reply-To: <3.0.1.32.19981028152230.0069aec0@mail.slc.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Tara: you are on to a good topic--how did 19thc historians deal with the
awkward conflict between republicanism and slavery. Mostly by burying the
issue. You might look at my short book titled Race and REvolution. It
doesn't provide answers to your main question but it does provide documents
and argumentation of how vibrant this issue was at the beginning of the
19th century. This makes it all the more intriguing that historians,
writing only a generation later, swept the issue under the carpet.
At 03:22 PM 10/28/98 -0500, you wrote:
>I've brought this subject up before but I don't think there was any
>response so I'll ask the question a little differently. I am interested in
>the historiograpy of 18th century slavery. Specifically, I am curious how
>historians in the 19th century dealt with the conflict of republicanism,
>and slavery. (especially considering the rhetoric of the Revolution)
>.Perhaps they did not deal with it at all? I am graduate student, and I am
>doing a paper on the subject, but I am not sure how to approach this part
>of it. There is plenty of good material starting with U.B. Phillips and
>that whole school. Does anyone have any comments, or suggestions? Help!
>
>Thanks
>
>Tara James
>
>
=========================================================================
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1998 22:03:32 -0800
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Kevin Finney
Subject: Re: Update on the American Revolution Forum
In-Reply-To: <3.0.5.32.19981028113902.00aff4a0@pop.ben2.ucla.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Could anyone out there help me out by steering me to the best recent works
(books or articles) on the Revolution. I am especially interested in works
analyzing both the political and social changes associated with the
revolution. I understand that recent work has illuminated the way in which
the revolution was more of a "social revolution" than previously thought,
but I am not aware of the best works to look at for those arguments.
Beyond that anything that stands out as simply a particularly nice overview
of the recent historiography associated with the Revolution, and the key
issues being debated with a nice collection of footnotes to get me started
would be great.
muchas gracias!
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1998 11:11:49 -0500
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: "Leroy T. Hopkins"
Subject: Re: Update on the American Revolution Forum
In-Reply-To: <3.0.5.32.19981028113902.00aff4a0@pop.ben2.ucla.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
A topic that interests me for the period of the American Revolution is the
birth of African-American freemasonry. Prince Hall and a number of fellow
residents of Boston were initiated by an Irish military lodge in 1775. The
small corpus of African-American masonic texts created by John Marrant and
Prince Hall between 1789-97 contain a wealth of afrocentric allusions
whose source I am trying to localize. Has anyone investigated the
possibility that Volney's research on African antiquities may have
influenced a post-Revolutionary War Black consciousness?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Leroy T. Hopkins, Chair "Zwei Seelen wohnen ach in meiner
Department of Foreign Languages Brust"
Millersville University
Ofc: 717-872-3526
Fax: 717-871-2482
http://www.millersv.edu/~forlang/
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1998 11:45:53 -0500
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: Guocun Yang
Organization: Manchester Community Technical College
Subject: Re: American Revolution Forum
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
As the current session is ending, I would like to express my thanks to Professor
Nash and everyone who contributed. It is very rewarding reading the postings.
Guocun Yang
Katie Curtiss wrote:
> I have not received any postings in a week. Has the discussion ended? Is
> anyone posting any more topics for conversation?
> Katie Curtiss
> Sheridan Wyoming
=========================================================================
Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1998 10:49:14 -0800
Reply-To: American Revolution Forum
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: gary b nash
Subject: Re: Update on the American Revolution Forum
In-Reply-To: <199810290556.VAA46354@theta2.ben2.ucla.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Kevin: Look up at your library 2 vols. of essays on the Amer. Rev. by
Alfred F. Young. These will get you started and refer you to other work.
At 10:03 PM 10/28/98 -0800, you wrote:
>Could anyone out there help me out by steering me to the best recent works
>(books or articles) on the Revolution. I am especially interested in works
>analyzing both the political and social changes associated with the
>revolution. I understand that recent work has illuminated the way in which
>the revolution was more of a "social revolution" than previously thought,
>but I am not aware of the best works to look at for those arguments.
>
>Beyond that anything that stands out as simply a particularly nice overview
>of the recent historiography associated with the Revolution, and the key
>issues being debated with a nice collection of footnotes to get me started
>would be great.
>
>muchas gracias!
>
>
=========================================================================
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 1998 12:33:24 -0500
Reply-To: RDowning@UDel.Edu
Sender: American Revolution Forum
From: "Roland G. Downing."
Subject: Halloween Thought
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Dear Forum,
Halloween Thought: In historical research on the Revolutionary period,
that researchers will select projects emphasizing the unity/assimilation
of cultures in America. It's scary to think otherwise.
Roland Downing