The Radical Middle Class in American History: John Brown, Martin Luther King and . . . Harry Lane

Description

Professor Robert D. Johnston explores the issue of class in the United States, focusing particularly on the middle class. He argues for the middle class as a respectable, valuable social class, capable of radical social action; he uses the figures Martin Luther King, Jr., John Brown, and politician and physician Harry Lane (1855-1917) as examples.

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Shaping the Constitution: A View from Mount Vernon, 1783-1789

Description

What do an English historian, an Italian wine merchant, an anti-slavery advocate, and the Father of the Constitution have in common? Each of these individuals—Catherine Sawbridge Macaulay Graham, Philip Mazzei, Francis Asbury, and James Madison—paid one or more visits during the years 1783–1789 to the retired leader of the American Revolutionary forces, George Washington, at his Virginia waterfront plantation, Mount Vernon. Perhaps these guests marveled at the brilliant colors of the mansion's main dining room. They might have strolled around the grounds and seen the slaves performing the multitude of tasks necessary to make the plantation flourish. It's likely that the visitors sat on the east-facing piazza and watched the ships sail up and down the Potomac River. Finally, and most significantly, these visitors—and others like them—participated in dialogues and discussions at Mount Vernon which resulted in the creation of the American constitutional system. The Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshop, "Shaping the Constitution: A View from Mount Vernon 1783–89," funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities We the People initiative, is an opportunity for educators (and ultimately their students) to gain a better understanding of Mount Vernon as a crossroads for the discussion of ideas that led to the Constitution. In brief, the workshop offers academic content about Mount Vernon, George Washington, and the Constitution; the opportunity to engage in scholarly discourse with leading academics; a stipend to help cover housing and meal costs; a transportation allowance; networking with other social studies teachers from around the nation; and ongoing professional development opportunities and the opportunity to earn graduate credit.

Contact name
Hodges, Susan (phone); Ross, Jason (email)
Registration Deadline
Sponsoring Organization
Bill of Rights Institute; George Washington's Mount Vernon
Phone number
703-894-1776
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
Free; $750 stipend
Course Credit
At the conclusion of the seminar, participants will be provided with certificates verifying their attendance at all required sessions. There will be approximately 35 hours of actual instruction within the workshop. Participants should determine in advance to what degree their state or local school districts will accept participation in the workshop for continuing education units. However, the Bill of Rights Institute and Mount Vernon will work with participants to provide sufficient documentation for their school districts. This year, the workshop is able to provide an academic credit option for those interested. Ashland Unversity in Ohio will grant two semester hours of Education graduate credit to participants who submit a teaching activity and pay a total tuition charge of $400. Registration will be handled on the first day of the program and participants must bring either a check or credit card information if they would like to earn these credits.
Duration
Five days
End Date

The Lewis and Clark Expedition

Description

This iCue Mini-Documentary describes President Thomas Jefferson's decision to send an expedition to the newly acquired Louisiana Territory to investigate the land and Native American populations. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were chosen to lead the expedition.

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The U.S. Constitution and American History

Description

This professional development opportunity will bring Texas teachers together with leading scholars to explore important constitutional issues in our nation's history. The program offers teachers the opportunity to work with leading scholars of U.S. history, political science, and law and share strategies for teaching with primary sources.

Contact name
Barger, Liz Bohman
Registration Deadline
Sponsoring Organization
Humanities Texas
Phone number
512-440-1991
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
Free; $300 stipend
Course Credit
Offers continuing professional development credit. GT credit is also available.
Duration
Four days
End Date

People Power: How Art Depicts the Roles of People in Power

Description

Heroes, kings, popes, and saints are but a few of the roles mankind uses to depict figures possessing power. How have artists portrayed this power? Museum Educator Joseph Covington provides some answers as he leads you through the Museum's European and American collections.

Registration Deadline
Sponsoring Organization
North Carolina Museum of Art
Phone number
919-664-6781
Target Audience
3-8
Start Date
Cost
$18 ($16 for Educator members)
Course Credit
Partial credit .25 CEU
Duration
Two and a half hours

The American Presidency in the 20th Century

Description

This seminar will explore how 10 United States presidents, ranging from Theodore Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan, shaped national life during the 20th century. Reading profiles of these presidents by historians and other scholars, participants will look at why some presidents have succeeded and others failed. They will ask how each president addressed two overarching issues: What is the proper role of government in the United States? What role should America play in the larger world?

Contact email
Sponsoring Organization
Newberry Library
Phone number
312-255-3700
Start Date
Cost
$200
Duration
Ten weeks
End Date

The Gilded and Gritty: America, 1870-1912

Description

Constructed around an online "toolbox" of texts and documents collected at the National Humanities Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, participants in this seminar will discuss four themes that are central to the Gilded Age: City and Country, focusing on Arcadian mythology, urban realism, and nostalgia; Citizens and Others, especially immigrants, African Americans, and children; Work and Leisure, especially craft, industrialization, and consumerism; and Politics and the State, including party culture, populism, and progressivism. Within each thematic unit, participants will be searching for characteristic sensibilities of the age, as manifest in public life, literature, and/or the arts. Across the discussions, they will try to identify those documents, questions, and exercises that might best enliven their own classrooms.

Contact name
Rooney, Rachel
Sponsoring Organization
Newberry Library
Phone number
312-255-3569
Target Audience
K-12
Start Date
Cost
Free
Course Credit
Participants receive 10 CPDUs credit hours towards their State of Illinois certification renewal.
Contact Title
Director
Duration
Two days
End Date

Middle East Politics and American Foreign Policy

Description

The Middle East has been a central focus of American foreign policy since the end of World War II. This seminar will examine the strategic significance of the region, its internal dynamics, and the basic outlines of American foreign policy over the past few decades. While the first half of the seminar will concentrate on the historical context of the region, the second half will turn to the future. Participants will look at the various challenges facing the new President̬such as Iran, Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—and the various options open to him.

Contact name
Austin, Brodie
Contact email
Sponsoring Organization
Newberry Library
Phone number
312-255-3672
Target Audience
High school
Start Date
Cost
$125 (must have a Newberry Teachers' Consortium membership).
Course Credit
Participants earn 3 CPDU credits for attending a NTC seminar.
Contact Title
Coordinator
Duration
Three hours