Tag Archives: US History

Press Release: NEH Gilder Lehrman Seminar – Empire City: New York from 1877-2001

CONTACT:                                                                             FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chelsea Van der Gaag

vandergaag@gilderlehrman.org

Tel.: (646) 366-9666 x11

Fax: (646) 366-9669

 

Fort Worth teacher to Attend NEH Landmarks Workshop on New York and American Urban History at Columbia University 

Fort Worth, TX June 7, 2012 This summer, Trinity Valley School Teacher Jennifer Carey will travel to Columbia University in New York, NY, to attend a weeklong NEH Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshop presented by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History entitled “Empire City: New York from 1877 to 2001.”

Led by renowned scholars Kenneth T. Jackson of Columbia University and Karen Markoe of SUNY Maritime College, seminar participants will include K–12 teachers who were selected by the Gilder Lehrman Institute in a competitive process.

Headed by historians Jackson and Markoe, and presented by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and the National Endowment for the Humanities, this workshop will explore key moments in the history of the United States. Using New York as a lens, the seminar will focus on the intersection of history and place in one tiny spot on the map with a major role in the history of our nation. In 1624, the Dutch West India Company set up a small trading post in a huge, sheltered harbor where three rivers met and several islands offered protection against potential enemies. Four hundred years later, this small settlement at the southern tip of the island of Manhattan has grown into the center of capitalism and the largest metropolis on earth. Including lectures, discussions, and field trips, the seminar will provide teaching strategies for attendees to bring back to their own classrooms.

In 2012, the Gilder Lehrman Institute will offer more than 1,000 educators the chance to study American history with leading historians at top institutions throughout the United States and United Kingdom. Each participant will work with primary source documents provided by professors and the Gilder Lehrman Collection, and in addition will receive reading materials, room and board, transportation for tours, and a travel stipend. Since the program’s inception, more than 7,000 educators have participated in Gilder Lehrman Teacher Seminars, and most attendees rate the program as their best professional development experience.

More information about this seminar and the complete list of 2012 Gilder Lehrman Teacher Seminars is available at www.gilderlehrman.org/teacherseminars.

About the Seminar Directors

Kenneth T. Jackson is the Jacques Barzun Professor in History and the Social Sciences at Columbia University.

http://history.columbia.edu/faculty/Jackson.html

Karen Markoe is Distinguished Professor of History and Chair of the Humanities Department at Maritime College, State University of New York.

http://www.sunymaritime.edu/facultystaff.aspx?id=44

About NEH Landmarks of American History: Workshops for School Teachers

The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent grant-making agency of the federal government. NEH Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshops provide the opportunity for K–12 educators to engage in intensive study and discussion of important topics in American history and culture. These one-week programs give participants direct experiences in the interpretation of significant historical and cultural sites and the use of archival and other primary evidence. Landmarks Workshops present the best scholarship on a specific landmark or related cluster of landmarks, enabling participants to gain a sense of the importance of historical places, to make connections between what they learn in the Workshop and what they teach, and to develop enhanced teaching or research materials.

http://www.neh.gov/divisions/education/other-opportunities/empire-city-new-york-1877%E2%80%932001

About the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is a nonprofit organization devoted to the improvement of history education. The Institute has developed an array of programs for schools, teachers, and students that now operate in all fifty states, including a website that features the more than 60,000 unique historical documents in the Gilder Lehrman Collection, www.gilderlehrman.org. Each year the Institute offers support and resources to tens of thousands of teachers, and through them enhances the education of more than a million students. The Institute’s programs have been recognized by awards from the White House, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Organization of American Historians.

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www.gilderlehrman.org

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Native American Accounts of the Donner Party Provide New Insight into the Tragedy

Most school children have heard the story of the ill-fated Donner Party, the small group of pioneers who became stranded in the Sierra Nevada pass (now termed “Donner Pass”) and resorted to cannibalism to survive. This month’s Archaeology Magazine highlights a new and previously unexplored source on the Donner Party tragedy – the local Native Americans.

The Route Taken by the Donner Party

Archaeologist Julie Schablitsky incorporated oral traditions handed down by the Washoe people to learn more about what happened during the tragic winter of 1846-1847.

Their oral tradition recalls the starving strangers who camped in an area that was unsuitable for that time of year. Taking pity on the pioneers, the northern Washoe attempted to feed them, leaving rabbit meat and wild potatoes near the camps. Another account states that they tried to bring the Donner Party a deer carcass, but were shot at as they approached. Later, some wel mel ti observed the migrants eating human remains. Fearing for their lives, the area’s native inhabitants continued to watch the strangers but avoided further contact. (Archaeology Magazine, Schablitsky).

To learn more about this fascinating story, see the article in Archaeology Magazine: “Letter from California: A New Look at the Donner Party” or Julie Schablitsky’s Donner Party Research.

A History of New York City, in 870,000 Photographs

Over 870,000 photographs of the municipal operations of New York City have been made public and tell the history of the city through a unique medium. Some of the photographs date back to the mid 1800s and highlight the unique physical and cultural evolution of the city – highlighting the construction of various important buildings and structures, the rise and fall of celebrities, and even grisly gang-land murders.

The publication and availability of these photographs is a move by the Department of Records to make these records more readily accessible via the internet.

“We all knew that we had fantastic photograph collections that no one would even guess that we had,” Kenneth Cobb.

The database, while impressively large, still has some prominent gaps that the city is consistently working to fill – and it is growing daily.

To learn more about the project, read the article at MSNBC (or the Photoblog here) or search the archives yourself at the NYC Department of Records.

1914 - Painters Suspended from the Brooklyn Bridge

1936 Babe Ruth and his Second Wife Signing Autographs for the Crowd

1918 Police Investigate the Homicide of Gaspare Candella

Death Toll of the American Civil War Higher Than Previously Thought

Andersonville Cemetery courtesy of Wikipedia

The American Civil War was the most devastating American Conflict in our history. New research indicates that the death toll was significantly higher than previously determined.

“The Civil War left a culture of death, a culture of mourning, beyond anything Americans had ever experienced or imagined,” David Blight, Yale University.

Previous estimates had put the death toll at around 620,000 (with most dying from infection and disease). New research puts than number at 750,000 (more than 21% higher than previous determinations). These findings are published in in the December 2011 issue of Civil War Magazine by Dr. David Hacker.

To learn more about the new research, see the article listed above or the briefer article on at BBC News.

A Little Self-Congratulations – Attending the NEH Gilder Lehrman Institute: “Empire City: New York 1877 – 2001″

I just learned that I will have the privilege of attending a National Endowment of the Humanities Summer Seminar, hosted by the prestigious Gilder Lehrman Institute. The seminar is entitled: “Empire City: New York from 1877 – 2001.”  It was an honor and a privilege to be chosen. Today, I booked my (way overpriced) flight to NYC.

I get to spend a week at Columbia University attending lectures and hiking around the city learning about urbanization. I’m so excited! Of course, I’ll be blogging the whole thing.

The Faces of the Crewmen of the USS Monitor to be Reconstructed

Crew of the USS Monitor

The USS Monitor was one of the first iron clad naval ships and most famous for engaging in battle with the Merrimack (in the first battle between ironclad ships). When the turret of the Monitor was raised, two skeletons were found along with it.

Now, forensic anthropologists are using the skulls of the deceased crewmen in an attempt to reconstruct the faces of the ship’s sailors. The men both appear to be Caucasian and between the ages of 17 and 24.  If successful, this will be the first time their faces have been seen in more than a hundred and fifty years.

To learn more about the USS Monitor, see the article in MSNBC.

Read About the American Civil War in Contemporary Newspapers

The Smithsonian has a blog where you can read about the Civil War via contemporary newspapers. You can read how the country experienced the lead-up and break out of the war in a ll of its angst, propaganda, and agony. It’s a fascinating online exhibit!

You can see the exhibit by clicking this link.

My Second Attempt at Digital Storytelling in the Classroom

I played with digital storytelling in the classroom first semester and it went so well, I decided to do it again this semester as a project grade. To see my first experiment, see my previous post: “My First Attempt at Employing Digital Storytelling in the Classroom.” I followed along similarly to my first attempt but made a few minor adjustments. For example:

  • Students were given a list of potential topics (a person, an event, etc) and had to sign up for one, no two students could present on the same topic.
  • I modified my grading rubric.
  • I emailed the parents in advance to let them know we would be working on this project.

Overall, yet again, the students amazed me with their dedication and hard work. As per usual, we had a few technical difficulties (but far fewer this time than the last). I was also excited to see students helping one another to resolve their problems. Students who really struggled with the technology last semester seemed to be the ones most excelled this time around. I did this project for both my Ancient History and US History classes, so I will include some examples for each.

Here were the instructions for my Freshmen Ancient History Class:

And here are the instructions for the Civil War Project (pretty similar)

The students were also given a copy of the grading rubric in advance:

The students did a great job. Here are some great examples:

After the students finished their projects, we watched them in class. I also included questions from all of their projects on the next quiz. As a small extra-credit opportunity, they were encouraged to comment on their classmates’ videos.

H. L. Hunley (Civil War Submarine) Revealed for the First Time

The Civil War submarine, the H. L. Hunley, has finally been unveiled in Charleston, South Carolina. The Hunley, which had several unsuccessful training exercises (resulting in the death of her crew), sank for the third and final time on February 17, 1864.

The rediscovery of and subsequent raising of the Hunley has raised great interest amongst historians and lay-men alike. Now, with this display, individuals are now able to see the Hunley for the first time for more than a century.

“No one alive has ever seen the Hunley complete. We’re going to see it today,” engineer John King

To learn more about the Hunley, its raising, conservation, and see the gorgeous images of this innovative confederate ship, see the article on MSNBC.

Eight Little Known Facts About the Civil War

Smithsonian Magazine Highlights the top 8 little known, obscure, and sometimes just odd facts regarding the American Civil War. The odd facts include:

  1. The brothers Chang and Eng Bunker (the famed “Siamese Twins”) were drafted in the war.
  2. “Rectal Acorns” were used to smuggle messages by spies and couriers.
  3. General Lee had a pet chicken that accompanied him and lived at his home.
  4. Southern cultural standards had odd and strenuous requirements on women in terms of ‘mourning requirements’ – men were expected to be slightly sad briefly and then move on.
  5. After the Battle of Shiloh, several soldiers reported glowing and iridescent wounds.
  6. Confederate President Jefferson Davis shared his name with a Union General which led to some amusing (and deadly) guffaws on both sides!
  7. The famous Southern General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was a severe hypochondriac.
  8. President Abraham Lincoln carried with him a $5 confederate bill in his wallet.

To learn more about these obscure events, see the article in the Smithsonian.