Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Bayeux Tapestry: Norman And English Perspectives Intertwined, Maria Dajcar

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the Bayeux Tapestry, commissioned by the victorious Normans after the Norman Conquest of 1066, in order to determine which, if any, of its scenes bore English influence. The primary sources analyzed were, among others, Ordericus Vitalis, William of Poitiers, William of Jumieges, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, and the Bayeux Tapestry itself. The secondary sources included monographs by David J. Bernstein, Wolfgang Grape, Frank Stenton, and Ian Walker.

While the majority of the Tapestry scenes adhere to the interpretation of the Conquest that was popularized by Norman chroniclers, several elements, such as the …

The Comunero Uprising In Castile, 1520-1521: A Case Study For Early Modern Revolution, David Kristian Dyer

Masters Theses

This thesis argues that scholars have ignored the Comunero rebellion’s importance as an instance of early modern revolution and that this uprising anticipates the revolutionary movements of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The Leyenda Negra or Black Legend is primarily responsible for this oversight, as Protestant Europe has portrayed Spain as anachronistic and reactionary since the reign of Phillip II. This depiction has skewed both the Spanish and the European historical representations of Spain and pushed Spain onto the periphery of European history. This thesis uses the Comunero rebellion to identify these historiographical problems and suggests a way of viewing …

Imagining Dissent: Muhammad Ali, Daily Newspapers, And The State, 1966-1971, Daniel Bennett Coy

Masters Theses

“The Paranoid Style in American Politics” is an accurate way to describe what happens here. In 1966 heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali was reclassified as fully eligible for military service; it became apparent that he would be drafted to serve in Vietnam. Ali—contesting the government’s right to control his body—claimed his own right to self-determination. But this question of the government’s right over the individual became far more complicated when daily newspapers turned this conflict into an “event.”

These newspapers imposed rigid and simplified categories on a situation that was not easily classifiable. Muhammad Ali’s response was to identify the …

Newspaper Coverage Of Coal Strikes In Cullman, Jefferson, And Walker Counties In North Central Alabama, January And February 1921, Alison Patricia Cook

Masters Theses

The coal strike in Alabama, especially in Birmingham, Cullman, and Jasper during January and February 1921, have not been studied. In the early 1900s, newspapers were generally the only sources of information and news for people, both in rural and urban areas. The coal strikes during this time were some of the bloodiest in Alabama history. Beatings, lynchings, and murders of strikers were common. Strikebreakers, or scabs, also were abused. While northern Alabama farmers were treated worse than others because union miners felt the farmers were taking their jobs only out of spite. Some simply disappeared and later were presumed …

From Useful Knowledge To Rational Amusement: Museums In Early America, Allison M. Morrill

Masters Theses

This study examines the rise of early American museums following their birth from intellectual societies in the American colonies. The two primary categories of collections, scientific and patriotic items, were examined for their significance and intended purpose. Likewise, both popular education and interesting entertainment were identified as factors for encouraging early museum proprietors to seek the appeal of the general public while simultaneously drawing visitors to these early establishments of learning and leisure.

In order to understand the motives behind intellectuals’ desires for popular education, scientific knowledge, and patriotic enthusiasm, the writings of many American intellectual elites were consulted. The …

Dissident Peace Movements Inside The German Democratic Republic: The Search For Reform, Freedom, And Toleration 1979-1986, Abby Demaris Thompson

Masters Theses

This thesis explored the role of the independent peace movements in the German Democratic Republic in the early 1980s. It specifically examined three leaders of these movements: Rainer Eppelmann, Frank Eigenfeld, and Vera Wollenberger. Their work helped create the much larger dissident actions of 1989 by increasing the level of “free space” provided in various Lutheran parishes in East Germany. This expansion occurred in spite of the formation of the GDR Peace Council, which the state used in an attempt to quell opposition by politicizing peace. Their efforts were examined by looking at English translations of GDR Peace Council works, …

Competing Visions Of Spain: Joaquin Costa And Miguel De Unamuno's Searches For National Identity, Alyson F. Baker

Masters Theses

This paper examines the competing visions of Spain offered by Joaquín Costa and Miguel de Unamuno in the last decades of the nineteenth century and in the first years of the twentieth century, as they sought to define the essence of Spainishness. In attempts to describe the national character, they invoked common historical memories and symbols, which were open to numerous interpretations. These multi-faceted and often contradictory depictions of Spain and its inhabitants presented diverse view of the country, attesting to the complexities of national identities. Focusing primarily on the writings of Costa and Unamuno, this paper examines their various …

The Evolution Of Early Franciscan Thought And Practice As Evidenced By The Rules And Testament Of Francis Of Assisi, Bradley Cameron Pardue

Masters Theses

The thesis is an examination of the early thoughts and practices of the Order of Friars Minor (O.F.M.) and of its founder, Francis of Assisi, in light of the rules that he produced for his followers. Building on the work of David Flood, careful textual analysis of the earliest extant rule, the regula non bullata (1221), is directed at reconstructing the stages of that text’s development. The regula non bullata is then compared with the official rule of the Order, the regula bullata (1223). Continuities and alterations between these two texts are considered and the sources of change are explored. …

Making The Most Of A Bad Situation: Coddling, Fraternization, And Total War In Camp Crossville, Tennessee, Gregory J. Kupsky

Masters Theses

This study examines the significance of interactions between German prisoners of war and their American captors during World War II. It uses government documents, personal accounts, and newspaper articles to reconstruct various aspects of life in Camp Crossville, Tennessee, as a representative of the national camp system. It also examines the recollections of former prisoners, guards, and Crossville residents to assess the impressions created by prisoner-captor interactions.

These sources demonstrate that camp life created a generally positive impression among both the Germans and the Americans at Camp Crossville. The POW s attempted to use their time in captivity constructively, and …