Historians Doris Kearns Goodwin and Carl Sferrazza Anthony discuss little-known facts about past presidents like Harding, Cleveland, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Kennedy, and Reagan.
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Professor David Kennedy examines the experience of the American people in the Great Depression and World War II. Lecture topics include the origins and impact of the Great Depression; the nature and legacy of the New Deal; the military and diplomatic dimensions of American participation in World War II; and the war's impact on American society. Special attention will be given to the historical debate about the Depression's causes; America and the Holocaust; the wartime internment of Japanese-Americans; and the use of atomic bombs against Japan.
This 2009 American Studies Summer Institute, presented with the University of Massachusetts Boston, will offer a critical and historical examination of the social and political impact of severe downturns in the U.S. economy.
In the 1920s, changes in America that had been underway for several decades came fully into view. This is the period when cultural wars first appeared (e.g., the Scopes Trial) and the transformative effects of industrial capitalism touched every part of American life. In the 1930s, an economic crisis challenged received views of the proper relationship of the government to the economy. The course examines various political and economic changes that occurred in this period, with a special emphasis on the New Deal.
The purpose of this one-week summer seminar is to explore a pivotal period in American history. After the uneven prosperity of the 1920s, the Great Depression of the 1930s was a human catastrophe. But the economic crisis also led to dramatic social and cultural change as Americans reacted to hardship and adversity. Above all, the rise of the New Deal under Franklin Roosevelt reshaped the modern state in ways that remain controversial and at the historical core of political debates today.
During this two-week institute teachers and scholars will reconsider iconic American writer John Steinbeck, author of more than 30 books, winner of the Pulitzer Prize (in 1940, for The Grapes of Wrath), the Nobel Prize for Literature (1962), and the United States Medal of Freedom (1964). Days will be filled with study, exploration of the area, discussion, and reflection. During the two weeks, participants will have ample opportunity to appreciate "Steinbeck Country" through exploration of the land and Steinbeck's literature.
The Great Depression. World War II. The Fabulous Fifties. Experience these memorable moments of the 20th century through the eyes of those who lived it. Educators can be among the first to visit the Minnesota Historical Center's new exhibit, Minnesota's Greatest Generation, the capstone to a four-year project. After touring the exhibit, educators will discover tools for conducting oral histories and teaching these important eras in the classroom.
"An NCHE team of Sarah Drake Brown, Fritz Fischer, and Joan Musbach will explore the topic of the Great Depression and WWII at this colloquium."
In this seminar, "Dr. Andrew Darien's discussion of The New Deal will use the National Archives' resources to move beyond the traditional list of legislation to understand the social and cultural implications of this era."
"Professor Alan Brinkley and Michael Flamm explore the period between the end of the “Great War” and the beginning of the “Good War,” during which the United States experienced dramatic political, economic, social, and cultural change. The uneven prosperity of the 1920s contributed to the crisis of the 1930s. The Great Depression in turn led to the New Deal and the reshaping of the modern state, but also to a global crisis that produced World War II. Topics of discussion include the coming of the Great Depression, the New Deal, crime and culture in the 1920s and 1930s, and the beginning of World War II."