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From Montpelier To Fort Hill: James Mason And The Defense Of Slavery In Virginia, 1848-1861, Zachary D. Thompson
From Montpelier To Fort Hill: James Mason And The Defense Of Slavery In Virginia, 1848-1861, Zachary D. Thompson
Masters Theses, 2020-current
In the mid-nineteenth century, the topic of slavery dominated American politics. Virginia, the state that fostered the ideals of the Revolution, traditionally followed the defense of slavery posited by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, known as the necessary evil defense. James Mason, a grandson of revolutionary figure George Mason, arrived in Washington, D.C. in 1848 and assumed his seat in the Senate, filling the seat after the death of Isaac Pennybacker. A former state delegate and member of the House of Representatives, James Mason carried with him to the Senate influences and relationships that spurred the Virginian to drift away …
Praying For The South: Catholics And The Confederacy, Thomas Richardson
Praying For The South: Catholics And The Confederacy, Thomas Richardson
Masters Theses, 2020-current
This thesis examines the distinctiveness of Southern Catholic support of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, with a geographic emphasis on Virginian Catholics. During the antebellum decades, the Catholic Church in America thrived despite facing increasing hostility from the largely-Protestant United States. In response to these challenges, Catholics learned to support their state and federal governments whenever and wherever they could as a means to defuse anti-Catholic attacks. This led Catholics to condone (and involve themselves in) American racialized slavery, even after the Church itself condemned the practice. Seen in this light, Catholics who fought for and supported the …
“Without Obscuring Deeper Truths:” Interpreting Slavery And Jefferson At Monticello, Andrew Miles
“Without Obscuring Deeper Truths:” Interpreting Slavery And Jefferson At Monticello, Andrew Miles
Masters Theses, 2020-current
This thesis examines the paradigmatic shift in interpretation that occurred at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello during the 1980s and 1990s. For decades, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation presented the site as a marvel of architecture, décor, as well as exemplifying Jefferson’s tranquil domestic life and intellectual talents. Beginning in the 1980s, the Foundation began to address slavery at the site. Chapter one introduction of slavery interpretation during this period. Early attempts to interpret slavery became intertwined with the Foundation’s positive portrayal of Jefferson before becoming more varied and provocative in the 1990s. Chapter two examines the parallel evolution in Jefferson scholarship, …
Fear And Rebellion In South Carolina: The 1739 Stono Rebellion And Colonial Slave Society, William Stanley
Fear And Rebellion In South Carolina: The 1739 Stono Rebellion And Colonial Slave Society, William Stanley
Masters Theses, 2020-current
The Stono Rebellion was a rebellion of enslaved people outside of Charleston, South Carolina, that occurred in early September 1739. Exploring the event and its surrounding context helps historians to understand how the rebellion was the result of political institution and exploitative social practices. This work is a history of colonial South Carolina through the rebellion, asking questions of what led to the rebellion, how the rebellion fit into the broader history of resistance, and what events compounded the rebellion in the historical record. Chapter one is a survey of the origins of South Carolina, and the development of its …
Reconciling With Slavery In The United States: An Evolving Narrative, Jamie Phlegar
Reconciling With Slavery In The United States: An Evolving Narrative, Jamie Phlegar
Masters Theses, 2020-current
This project addresses two strands of inquiry that spring from this issue of evolving race relations in the U.S. First, I examine how Americans talk about the history of slavery in the U.S. What rhetorical strategies are employed when slavery is discussed and/or debated in public history contexts and beyond? Second, I examine talk about the future of race relations in the context of the legacy of slavery. Specifically, I am interested in exploring what rhetorical strategies are employed when discussing the potential for reparations in mainstream arenas.