In this photo, I’m ecstatic to be in an art museum for the first time since 2020 and simultaneously wondering how the Philadelphia Art Museum got this massive archway inside the building.
Next time you’re in Philly, go to the Reading Terminal Market and buy yourself a Miller’s Twists hot pretzel. You won’t regret it! Now to the more exciting part- the American Historical Association’s 2023 Conference!
I absolutely loved the sense of community and learning environment at the conference. Historians are very kind, nerdy, and love to share their research with others. I loved making connections with people at the conference, particularly with other undergraduate students who shared a similar love for the 1970s.
Chase W. Fleece presented his research on “Rice is the Price: American Agriculturalists as Counterinsurgents in South Vietnam, 1964-73” at the American Historical Association’s Undergraduate Lightning Round.
During the winter break, I had the incredible opportunity to present research at the 136th annual conference of the American Historical Association in the “City of Brotherly Love.” Along side nine other burgeoning undergraduate scholars, I presented “Rice is the Price: American Agriculturalists as Counterinsurgents in South Vietnam, 1964-73” in a lightning round style panel on the Vietnam War and the Global 70s. Being the only scholar – among only a handful of others in the entire conference – focusing on agricultural history, I had the unique opportunity to introduce others to its infinite wonders (for my fellow graduate students, I didn’t introduce myself as “Corn King”). For those interested in reading a short synopsis of my research, I have included the abstract below.
≈ Comments Off on Nationalism, Newspapers, and Public Opinion in the Civil War: The Cincinnati Daily Commercial, 1864 to 1865
Author: Kasandra Fager, senior in the History major
Editor: Brittany Von Kamp, second year student in the M.A. in History
This is a public presentation written as part of HIST4001, Professional Practices in History and HIST3265, Civil War.
In a great national crisis like ours, unanimity of action among those seeking a common end is very desirable, almost indispensable, and yet no approach to such unanimity is attainable, unless some deference shall be paid to the will of the majority, simply because it is the will of the majority.
Editor: Brittany Von Kamp, second year student in the M.A. in History
This is a public presentation written as part of HIST4001, Professional Practices in History and HIST4804, Seminar in Diplomatic and Military History .
Figure 1: CCF Exploitation of North Korea, 1952, Korean War Propaganda Leaflets This image was published by the Psychological Warfare Section of the United States Army. The poster portrays the North Korean leader, Kim Il Sung, feeding Communist Chinese troops while the people of his country starve. The second image is the back side of the poster which is a caricature of the communist dove of peace. The last image is a documentation sheet which translates the Korean of the poster and gives the prominent information regarding the poster.
The Korean War was the first major conflict in what became known as the Cold War following the conclusion of WWII. The basis of this conflict was the ideological struggle between the two major world powers, the United States which was a capitalist-based economy and the Soviet Union which was a communist-based economy. The war was not a struggle between the two countries head on but was fought with proxy nations who shared similar ideologies with the major powers.
The use of stereotypes towards an opposing force has been a tactic throughout most of human history. Stereotypes have been used to portray the opposite side in a conflict to the civilian people. A racial stereotype, in its basic definition, is when one group takes a characteristic of another group and over dramatize it to make the other side seem almost sub-human. This process is known as othering. Othering is when a person or a group of people view another group in a certain which aims to alienate them or separate them from the larger group.
≈ Comments Off on A Mother’s War: An Ohioan Woman and Her Struggle With the Korean War
Author: Cody Johnston, senior in the History major
Editor: Brittany Von Kamp, second year student in the M.A. in History
This is a public presentation written as part of HIST4001, Professional Practices in History and HIST4804, Seminar in Diplomatic and Military History.
“Air Mail to Glenn Hefner, January 1952” MS-858 Hefner Family Papers Box 4, Folder 1
The Korean War was the first time that the Cold War turned hot. This was due to the increasing tensions between the Capitalist and Communist superpowers of the world after WWII. In fact, this war is one of many firsts. The Korean War is the first proxy war that the United States engaged in. It was the first time that the United Nations (UN) had held a role in a military capacity. These were unprecedented times. Marred by the numerous and complex geopolitics of Asia during the 1950’s, coupled with fears of the conflict escalating to a nuclear holocaust, the Korean War is one that was controversial from the outset. Despite the fear of communism spreading across the United States, the American public did not have much support for the Korean War and it’s goal of containing communism.
Author: Journey Martin, senior in the History major
Editor: Brittany Von Kamp, second year student in the M.A. in History
This is a public presentation written as part of HIST4001, Professional Practices in History and HIST4805, Seminar in Political and Economic History.
A map showing the routes and dates of significant European explorations during the 15th and 16th centuries. Source: Students of History
“Globalization”
is a popular topic in political discussions today. Countries today face the
growing pains of an increasingly interconnected world. More than ever
politicians and theorists debate what a globalized world and global economy
should look like in the 21st century. When facing the challenges and
crises of increasing globalization, it may be beneficial to observe the history
of organized and long-distance trade. The Silk Road (and its maritime partner)
is well known to those who have studied world history, as is the European
expansion and colonization of the 17th and 18th
centuries. Were these prior examples of “world-economies?” Has globalization
taken place prior to these centuries? Historians have competing theories on how
the modern world-economic system was developed.
≈ Comments Off on The Power of Religion: How Women Prospered in Patriarchal Rome
Author: Kaitlin Osborne, senior in the History major
Editor: Brittany Von Kamp, second year student in the M.A. in History
This is a public presentation written as part of HIST4001, Professional Practices in History and HIST4413, Roman Social & Cultural History.
Limestone plaque of magistrae of Bona Dea from Aquileia (Civico Museuo di Storia ed Arte Trieste). Transcription: Aninia M (arci) f (ilia) Magna et / Seia Ionis et Cornelia Ephyre / magistrae B (onae) D (eae) / porticum restituerunt et / aediculam Fonionis Translation: Aninia Magna, daughter of Marcus, Seia Ionis and Cornelia Ephyre, superintendents (magistrae) of the cult of Bona Dea, restored the portico and shrine of Fonio. Accessed from http://lupa.at/15995.
“Was religion important to the average Roman woman?” Better yet – “Were women important to the practice of religion?” These questions might appear to invoke a simple answer, but that is unfortunately not the case. You might find yourself asking “Why?” Well, that is because there is only a limited amount of available information about the life of women in Rome, especially in regard to specific themes such as religion. This problem is only worsened by the fact that much of ancient and modern scholarship was written by and about men, which obviously presents its own set of biased issues. What we do know is therefore drawn upon a mix of epigraphic (inscriptions such as those found on public memorials and tombs) and literary sources from the ancient world that only begin to shed light on women’s religious participation in both the private and public realms of ancient Roman society. With that in mind, the cultural and historical significance of women’s lives and experiences in ancient Rome, especially in regard to religion, really cannot be overstated. This article thus presents a brief discussion on the positive impact of religion on women’s lives as well as the importance of women’s religious participation and involvement.
≈ Comments Off on An Indentured Servant in the Midst of the American Revolution: the Story of John Harrower
Patrick C. Cook, History senior and History Society Vice President
This is a public presentation written as part of HIST4001, Professional Practices in History
Harrower’s itinerary drawn on Robert Sayer’s “A New Map, or Chart in Mercators Projection, of The Western or Atlantic Ocean with Part of Europe, Africa and America” (London, 1757). Accessed from raremaps.com.
The following is a condensed version of John Harrower’s story, a Scottish indentured servant living in Virginia at the time of the American Revolution. Today he is remembered as an indentured servant who kept an extensive personal journal during his time in Virginia. Upon first inspection, one may not notice the peculiarities in his writing. Though the further one may read, they may come to understand that Harrower’s experience was unique and valuable to further study. People of high status would treat Harrower as a friend rather than a servant in the colonies, due to his significant educational and social skills. These skills distinguished him from his fellow indentured servants. Harrower’s ability to write poetry and prose, speak in a gentlemanly fashion, and conduct himself properly among the elite all ensured him greater social mobility than the average servant.
≈ Comments Off on The Vinland Map: A Saga of Fraud
By Jacob Branstiter. Jacob had been president of the History Society in 2019-20. He plans to earn a Master’s Degree in archival studies or a related field, in order to pursue a career in archiving.
This is a public presentation produced in HIST4001, Professional Practices in History.
This project recounts one of the most heated scholarly debates of recent times, the question of the authenticity of the Vinland Map. From its origins in the hands of manuscript thief Enzo Ferrajoli, to its fraud revealed at the hands of independent researcher John Paul Floyd, this map’s legacy is forever marked by its infamy. This infamy stands as a cautionary tale to all researchers of the dangers of scholarly isolation, evidence suppression, and unknown provenance.
