The Emancipation Proclamation
Professor Allen Guelzo examines Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, looking critically at its use of language and Lincoln's motivations in writing it.
Professor Allen Guelzo examines Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, looking critically at its use of language and Lincoln's motivations in writing it.
Professor Mackubin T. Owens traces the flow of antebellum history, up to the Civil War, examining the many changes and pushes for more change that characterized this period.
Professor Mackubin T. Owens looks at perceptions of Abraham Lincoln, both during his presidency and over the course of American history.
Professor Christopher Flannery examines the prominence of the Declaration of Independence in U.S. history and present life, the context in which it was written, and the intentions of its drafters. He looks at the ethics and morality represented in the document.
Professor Christopher Flannery examines the prominence of the Declaration of Independence in U.S. history and present life, the context in which it was written, and the intentions of its drafters. It includes readings from historical documents.
U.S. Navy captain John Rodgaard reviews the life of Charles Stewart (1778-1869), longest-serving officer in U.S. Navy history who eventually commanded the USS Constitution and came to share its nickname, "Old Ironsides." The presentation includes slides.
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A panel of professors examine what led the U.S. to enter Vietnam and begin the Vietnam War and consideration of whether this was or was not a mistake.
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Sandra Rodriguez narrates a basic overview of the Japanese-American internment camps and racism towards Japanese Americans in the U.S. during World War II. The presentation includes a range of clips and readings of anti-Japanese propaganda.
To listen to this lecture, scroll to "Japanese-American Internment," and click on the name. This will automatically download a .wmv file.
This series of lectures freezes my Firefox browser. I also believe that it is meant to be audio and video, but I only receive the audio.
The seminar will explore the separation of powers as it applies to the allocation of responsibility between Congress and the president concerning national security and foreign policy powers. Presidents and legislators have been warring over the question since the earliest days of the republic. The nation's political experience suggests that there are sound arguments to be made on both sides. It also suggests that the issues are unlikely to be finally resolved anytime soon. As participants in this seminar shall see, the debate between President Bush and Congress concerning the war in Iraq is but a modern re-setting of an argument that prompted a spirited exchange on the war powers between James Madison and Alexander Hamilton in 1793. Indeed, it may be argued that there is very little to this debate that was not more or less fully anticipated by those two worthies four years after the Constitution was ratified. Through a series of focused historical readings, the seminar will begin by examining the foundations of the Framers' thought and some of the controversies that exhibit the founding principles at work during the early days of the Republic. Participants will go on from there to examine selected executive-congressional debates as they arose during later military conflicts, especially the Civil War, World War II, the Vietnam War, and the current conflict in the Mideast. The seminar will meet formally for three 90-minute sessions on four days of each week. Each of these sessions will be devoted to a particular set of readings and each of the participants will have a one-on-one session with Professor Uhlmann to discuss the best ways in which the lessons of the seminar might be converted to his or her particular classroom environment. Because the seminar takes place in Washington and devotes a great deal of time to the Founders' thoughts, it would be remiss if it did not take advantage of the knowledge of Pamela Scott, a noted Washington architectural historian, who will share ways in which the art and architecture of Washington reflects the principles of the American regime. The greater part of one day during each week, she will lead specially arranged tours, including Mount Vernon.
David Eisenhower of the University of Pennsylvania argues that World War II was a decisive event with an outcome that has moved the U.S. and the world towards a better future. It, he states, should be taught and studied in order to comprehend not only its warnings but the insights it offers into American strengths and those inhering in a free society. The lecture includes many anecdotes on President Eisenhower.
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