Digital Commons Network^™

Barbarians & Heretics: Anti-Greek And Anti-Latin Sentiments In Crusade-Era Chronicles, 1096-1204, Ryan Saputo

Honors Theses and Capstones

Historians have debated the role of stereotypes and hostile language in the diversion of the Fourth Crusade to Constantinople mostly through the outdated "Clash of Civilizations" lens. This work investigates the role of hostile stereotypes in both Western and Byzantine narrative histories discussing the first four crusades through a deep textual and literary analysis. This work argues that contemporary narrative histories from the first four crusades demonstrate that virulently hostile attitudes abounded in both Byzantine and Western sources, and that these attitudes greatly affected diplomatic and political decision making during Byzantine-Crusader interactions from 1096-1204. This work's close textual examination of …

Changing Representations Of The Second World War: Why We Fight, Victory At Sea, And The World At War, Maiah Vorce

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Counterfactuals And Prefactuals In Shakespeare: Understanding The Human Mind And Human Behavior Through The Literary Analysis Of Conditional Mental Simulation Thoughts In The Narratives Of Plays, Cierra R. Cowan

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Edward Channing’S Writing Revolution: Composition Prehistory At Harvard, 1819-1851, Bradfield Edward Dittrich

Doctoral Dissertations

My dissertation, building on the work of John Brereton, Robert Connors, and others returns to the Harvard University Archives to reconstruct the Harvard rhetoric program under the leadership of Edward Tyrrel Channing from 1819 to 1851. During that time, coincident with the industrial revolution, U.S. publishers experienced a period of rapid growth as the cost of production for books, newspapers, and magazines dropped, and demand for print grew among a nascent middle class. Against that backdrop, and in spite of considerable resistance, Channing engineered a substantial shift at Harvard from an oratory-based curriculum to a writing-based one, just as the …

Invisible Suburbs: Privatized Growth In Suburban Metropolitan Denver, 1950-2000, Kevin Weinman

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation studies the causes and effects of rapid and uncoordinated suburban growth in metropolitan Denver, Colorado after the Second World War. The region experienced sprawling, low-density residential development on its periphery despite a powerful wave of anti-growth sentiment and that swept the state in the sixties and seventies. This study argues that this resulted from the difficulties experienced by Coloradans in reconciling a number of their cherished ethics: individual freedom and the sanctity of property rights versus a nascent environmentalism, fervent pursuit of wealth and economic opportunity versus an enduring celebration of the state’s traditional ranching heritage and rural …

Playing With Dynamite: U.S. Foreign Policy Toward Palestine, 1945-1948, Jared Paul Rivard

Master's Theses and Capstones

This thesis seeks to explain the motivations for United States Government actions regarding Palestine from 1945 to 1948. The conclusion, based upon accumulated primary research and secondary sources, is that the United States government involved itself Palestinian conflict for humanitarian reasons and was then unable to extract itself from the conflict due to Cold War considerations. The United States did not seek a solution to the Arab-Zionist quandary itself, which would have involved directly confronting the competing nationalist goals of the two groups. Instead, Washington’s earliest actions focused on relocating Jewish victims of the Holocaust to Palestine, and formed its …

Beyond Boston: Catholicism In The Northern New Borderlands In The Nineteenth Century, Molly Gallaher Boddy

Doctoral Dissertations

This study uncovers the religious and ethnic history of northern New England- Maine and Vermont- which has remained for too long on the periphery of scholars’ attention. In 1836, the Vermont Catholic missionary priest Jeremiah O’Callaghan warned members of the New England Catholic Church that “our own Catholicks (are) every where scattered in the woods,” writing not only of the hostile outside Protestant world faced by Catholics in Vermont during the nineteenth century, but also of the difficulty of ministering to such a geographically removed or “scattered” rural population. Still today, the story of these northern New England Catholics that …

The Grand Alliance: From Necessity To Suspicion, Development To Decline, Robert M. Umholtz

Master's Theses and Capstones

This thesis analyzes the development and decline of the relationship among the members of the Grand Alliance during World War II. The primary questions I answer are: what led to the creation of the Grand Alliance, and what caused the alliance to begin to decline at the peak of its effectiveness? To answer these questions, I begin with the events that took place prior to the war and describe how world leaders addressed Hitler’s aggression as individuals in lieu of an alliance; thereby showing the importance of an alliance after the war began. The study then proceeds chronologically, analyzing the …

From Subject To Citizen And From Slave To Freedman: Labor Contracts At Two Moments Of American Transition, Rose Julia Phipps

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Segregation In United States Healthcare: From Reconstruction To Deluxe Jim Crow, Kerri L. Hunkele

Honors Theses and Capstones

During the time period between Reconstruction and the Deluxe Jim Crow era, African Americans were legally oppressed, which hindered their ability to live fully and equally in society with whites. This was especially true in terms of healthcare. Segregation laws were implemented to separate blacks from the rest of society in everyday life; the worst of these laws affected the ability of African Americans to gain access to medical care that was equal to whites. This inequality prevented blacks from being accepted into society and from living quality lives that stem from adequate healthcare. Although the federal and state governments …

Between Locke’S Two Tracts And The Essay On Toleration: Religious Toleration And The Power Of The Magistrate, Kevin W. Vansylyvong

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Spirit Of His Men: The Development Of The Lord Nelson Legend, 1805-1905, Alexa M. Price

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

"An Ill-Judged Piece Of Business": The Failure Of Slave Trade Suppression In A Slaveholding Republic, Sarah A. Batterson

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the U.S. suppression of the slave trade from the ratification of the Constitution in 1789 to the onset of the Civil War in 1861. Instead of studying the slave trade in isolation, this dissertation evaluates U.S. slave trade policy within the context of the development of federal power during the early republic and antebellum period. This work assesses the disconnect between the harsh laws against the slave trade and the United States' ineffectiveness at suppressing the trade, especially since, at its founding, U.S. involvement in the African slave trade seemed to have a looming expiration date.

By …

Preaching Unbelief: Freethought In Boston, 1825--1850, James Rogers

Master's Theses and Capstones

Freethinkers in the early nineteenth century embarked upon unprecedented organizational efforts in a period characterized by evangelical religious awakenings. In the face of almost pervasive discrimination, unbelievers conspicuously appropriated the recruitment and publicity methods of Christian organizations. Radical developments in print technology resulted in the publication of atheistic books and periodicals, none of which survived longer than the Boston Investigator. Its editor, Abner Kneeland, further disseminated antitheistic thought through oratorical performances and by engaging with contemporary social issues. More than this, unbelievers unashamedly copied specific religious practices: they sang rational hymns celebrating "truth" and science, and individual freethinking intellectuals gave …

Strangers In Their Own Native Land: Joseph Smith, Mormons, And The Orientalizating Of An American People, Mahala Ruddell

Master's Theses and Capstones

Emerging stronger than ever in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars, "orientalism" was more than just pictures of Turkish girls in a sultan's harem; it was a process of information sharing through art, literature, military campaigns, and politics. Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, colloquially known as Mormonism, in the midst of this information exchange. A product of his era, he used orientalist rhetoric and imagery to connect the ideas he preached to ancient Judaism, thereby legitimizing the new religion within the context of a much older and more respected holy past. But he was …

Run For Your Life: Spectacle Primaries And The Success Of 'Failed' Primary Candidates, Sean Patrick Mckinley

Master's Theses and Capstones

This thesis qualitatively examines the personal career outcomes of major presidential primary candidates from 1976-2008. It argues that the primary process fundamentally changed with the introduction of reform in the 1970s. It has continued to evolve into the "spectacle primary," a system whereby mere participation, not necessarily electoral success, can convey manifold benefits to subsequent careers in the public or private sectors. It also finds far less risk in primary participation than conventional wisdom might assume. Therefore, this thesis holds that prospective candidates when weighing a presidential primary bid, should consider these ulterior benefits beyond electoral success and all else …

Edward H Durell, New Orleans Civic Reformer And Reconstruction Judge, Sean C. Perry

Master's Theses and Capstones

Judge Edward Henry Durell has faded from the historiography of New Orleans, the Civil War, and Reconstruction. When he does appear, the long held belief that he was a drunkard, corrupt and feeble man sometimes remain. This Thesis utilizes his virtually untouched personal papers to reveal a far different picture. Edward Durell exerted great effort to never be corrupt, despite numerous opportunities to enrich himself at the public expense. He was a brilliant man, who played an important role in modernizing the infrastructure and government of New Orleans in the years 1850 through 1856. He served in his many public …

From Forest To Freshet: The Development Of The Upper Connecticut River Valley Of New Hampshire, 1750-1820, Madeleine Beihl

Honors Theses and Capstones

Outlining the development of the Upper Connecticut River Valley and its effects on the growth of New Hampshire. Concentrates on the period from first European settlements in the region to the early American republic. Especially important to this study are the region's networks of trade and communication.

Arched Bridges, Lily Beyer

Honors Theses and Capstones

An exploration of arched bridges through history. Influence lines for three-pinned and two-pinned arches for moment and axial load are developed. An analysis of the Chesterfield Brattleboro Bridge is included

Shifting Alliances And Fairweather Friends: Luso-American Relations, 1941--1951, Paula Celeste Gomes Noversa. Rioux

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation analyzes the diplomatic relations between Portugal and the United States from 1941 to 1951, a decade that resulted in a tremendous and permanent shift in Luso-American relations. It examines the wartime and postwar goals of both Portugal and the United States. It reveals how these two nations overcame their differences during the war and worked towards mutually beneficial ends after the war. Moreover this dissertation asserts that Antonio Salazar, Portugal's Prime Minister, permanently altered Portuguese-American relations and managed to supplant the assurances found in the flagging AngloPortuguese alliance with a series of American initiatives--the European Recovery Program, the …

Inventing George Whitefield: Celebrity And The Making Of A Religious Icon, Jessica M. Parr

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the making of the public image of eighteenth-century Anglican missionary George Whitefield through his use of trans-Atlantic public print networks. Whitefield, who was a consummate self-promoter and publisher of his own work, played a central role in the development of his image. The success of his publishing campaign meant that he reached iconic status, his every move seemingly documented in newspapers and pamphlets around Great Britain and its American dominions.

Owing to Whitefield's successful use of the trans-Atlantic public print networks and his itinerant preaching, Whitefield's influence extended well beyond national, denominational, racial and ethnic boundaries. The …

A Tumultuous Upheaval And Transformation: The Impact Of The American Revolution On The Bahama Islands, Ross Michael Nedervelt

Master's Theses and Capstones

The position of the Bahama Islands on the periphery Britain's "Blue-Water Empire," far removed from the American Revolution's pitched battles, did not allow the colony to escape unaffected. Rather, the American Revolution had a significant impact on the colony both during and after the conflict. The effects of the Continental Congress' military and commercial policies towards the islands resulted in a political breakdown not seen amongst the remaining loyal British colonies. Furthermore, the effects of the Revolution did not end with the conflict, rather they continued for decades afterwards as many displaced American Loyalists settled on the islands. The Loyalists …

Had Feminists Only Thought Of Food: Men's And Women's Relationship With Food, 1963-1981, Laura Crean

Master's Theses and Capstones

This thesis explores whether the women's movement changed how men and women interacted with food between 1963 and 1981. Through the examination of popular magazines Esquire and Mademoiselle , this thesis analyzes articles and advertisements to gauge where there was change. Men's relationship with food did not change. Men continuously cooked only as a hobby, recreating dishes they ate at fine-dining restaurants promoting themselves as connoisseurs. On the other hand, women experienced positive and negative changes as well as stagnation. Sexual liberation allowed women to embrace the sexual connotations of food for the first time in over a century. Yet, …

Vital Allies: The Colonial Militia's Use Of Indians In King Philip's War, 1675--1676, Shawn Eric Pirelli

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study examines the role that Indians played in King Philip's War. It argues that Indians and Indian fighting tactics saved the colonies from destruction. This contention relies heavily on the assertion that February 1676 was the turning point in the war. Chapter I reexamines the role that Indian spies and informants played in King Philip's War, and argues that they saved the colonies from surprise attacks on major settlements. Chapter II argues that "friendly" Indians played a significant role as counterinsurgents against a common enemy. Additionally, they provided extra numbers at a time when the colonial militias suffered from …

From Sweetwater To Seawater: An Environmental History Of Narragansett Bay, 1636--1849, Christopher L. Pastore

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines environmental change on and around Narragansett Bay from first European settlement in 1636 to the dissolution of the Blackstone Canal Company in 1849. It uses one of the largest estuaries on the East Coast and one situated at the heart of early English settlement in New England as a means to write estuaries into Atlantic history. Examining the ecological and epistemological complexities that arose at the nexus of land and sea, where improvable space and the push of "progress" met an eternal or "profound" ocean, this study reframes estuaries as watery borderlands that people used but never …

The Origins Of American History In The Early Modern English Atlantic World, Ian J. Aebel

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is the story of how the English wrote the history of America between c. 1500 and c. 1700. Utilizing printed and manuscript sources, it argues that writing American history allowed English writers to navigate, negotiate, and contest the terms of a developing Atlantic empire. In doing so, the English created a vision of America to compete with the dominant Spanish narrative by the end of the seventeenth century.

The existence of America gave the English an opportunity to explore the prospect of overseas empire. After the Columbian encounter, English thinkers and writers transformed their historical methodology to accommodate …

Toward An Environmental Conservatism, Terri S. Winters

Master's Theses and Capstones

The Evangelical Climate Initiative (ECI) argues that climate change is real and human-induced and represents a moral challenge for Christians to which an urgent response is required. The ECI demonstrates that there is common ground between conservatism and environmentalism. The actions of the ECI fit within an "environmental conservatism" whose elements have historical precedence. We find the seeds of parallel ideas in the writings of the Southern Agrarians in the 1920s and 1930s---ideas that were brought to full flower by Richard Weaver, an important figure in the development of a post-World War II traditional conservatism. We also find a similar …

War For The Soul Of Empire: Colonial British Protestants In The French And Indian War, 1754--1763, Jonathan Bratten

Master's Theses and Capstones

As the British and French went to war in 1754, the British colonies readied themselves for another round of warfare. Unlike previous colonial wars, however, this conflict was supported by the zealous preaching of Protestant clergy who were calling for the destruction of Catholic New France. Colonial governments were loath to use the vitriolic rhetoric of the clergy, but still used religion as a justification for raising troops to send on campaigns. The soldiers themselves were drawn from the populace, which was extremely religious, and saw themselves as the emissaries of the Lord. These three forces combined to make the …

Arctic Ambitions The Photographs Of The Lady Franklin Bay Expedition Of 1881--1884 George W Rice Photographer, Geoffrey E. Clark

Master's Theses and Capstones

The Lady Franklin Bay Expedition of 1881--1884 to the polar arctic was one of the first U.S. government sponsored foreign expeditions to incorporate the new medium of photography. The official photographer George W. Rice produced over one hundred images recording the progress of the project, including the landscape, scientific work, artifacts and indigenous people. These served multiple functions of acquisition, publicity and propaganda to promote the American program of expanding its sphere of influence beyond the borders of the United States. This thesis is the first complete catalog of the Rice photographs, drawn from all of the known collections, annotated …

Islamic Perspectives On The Crusades: Past And Present, Robert Noel Duprez Jr.

Master's Theses and Capstones

It is important that scholars use a variety of researching methods when analyzing the effect of the Crusades, how they affected Islamic perspectives of the West during the period 1095--1291, and their imprint on today's world. Western scholars with a Euro-centric point of view have accomplished the overwhelming amount of research on the Crusades. It is not until the last decade that Islamic scholars have taken an interest in the Crusades, and their affect on the Muslim world.

This study came to the following conclusions: 1) Scholarship on the Crusades has mainly represented a Euro-centric viewpoint, 2) Contemporary Muslim scholarship …