Arts and Humanities Commons^™

The Free Arena Of Literature: Science Fiction Films’ Critiques Of Capitalism In The United States, John (Jack) Michael Bilello

History

Capitalism is an inherently flawed system. The ideologies of Karl Marx have remained relevant for their critiques of the system, yet socially, his ideas are not accepted in the capitalist United States. Capitalism, as the dominant economic system of western civilization, has become synonymous with patriotism in the U.S. This has proved incredibly harmful to criticisms of capitalism, as they are met with questions of allegiance and patriotism rather than a careful reconsideration of ideals. Through science fiction films, these ideas that are usually difficult to express become much more palatable to a capitalist society. But to fully appreciate the …

A Battle Over 20th Century Textbooks: How The Civil War Is Still Fought In American Classrooms, Katie Court

History

This paper analyzed the emergence of Lost Cause history textbooks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Following the Civil War, Confederate societies such as the United Daughters of the Confederacy and United Confederate Veterans had a vested interest in positively portraying the South. From 1890-1930, Confederate societies attempted to expel textbooks that spoke unfavorably of the Confederacy, and instead encouraged states all around the country to follow stringent rules of how to discuss historical events. This research was led by material written by these societies and the textbooks they endorsed or expelled, in order to analyze the origins …

Silence Over Their Tombs: A Microhistory Of American Perceptions Of Alcoholism In The Late Eighteenth And Early Nineteenth Centuries Using The Adams Family Papers, Lucy Rebecca Wickstrom

History

The perception of alcohol addiction in the United States of America has changed numerous times throughout the nation’s history, with people accepting it as a mere part of life in the colonial era before preachers and thinkers began to denounce it as a vice and a moral failure. The influential writings of respected patriot Dr. Benjamin Rush, however, initiated a fundamental shift in the way that Americans understood alcoholism, as he was the first to make the argument that it was a disease beyond the control of its sufferers. This paper uses the example of the famous Adams family to …

The Midnight Ride Of Sybil Ludington: A Forgotten Hero In The Shadow Of Paul Revere, Jessica Kay Rebollo

History

The American historical narrative has always been dominated by men; the achievements of women are often left to the past. One such woman who has been forgotten is Sybil Ludington, who in 1777 at the age of sixteen, rode forty miles to alert a unit of the Continental Army of advancing British troops. In this paper, I will compare Sybil Ludington to history’s most renowned nightrider, Paul Revere. I will study the way in which Sybil Ludington and Paul Revere are memorialized in American history, and expose the reason for the lack of Sybil Ludington’s popularity in the American historical …

The History Of High School Ethnic Studies Courses In California: A Case Study Of Santa Maria Joint Union High School District, Brian Gounod

History

Ethnic studies in California's high schools has a 51-year history, beginning in 1968. The growth of ethnic studies has occurred through this period and can be separated into four key time periods. The growth of ethnic studies across these time periods have been issues of ethnic segregation, ethnic self-determination, educational inequalities and immigration issues The greatest period of expansion for ethnic studies has been the 5-year period from 2014-2018, when numerous high school districts adopted new courses and requirements for ethnic studies.

One such high school district to expand its ethnic studies department was Santa Maria Joint Union High School …

Old Belief And The Balance Of Red And Blue: How Old Believers Managed Cultural Infringement, Joseph K. Van Den Berg

History

This paper covers the spread of the Old Believers into Western society, studying how they changed and evolved during the Cold War. The paper focuses on two communities, using them to compare the different attitudes Old Believers had towards differing host cultures. Using a litany of newspapers and the work of a few dedicated anthropologists, "Old Belief and the Balance of Red and Blue: How Old Believers Managed Cultural Infringement" shows the vast array of responses to a small group of Russian sectarians establishing themselves within Western Cultures of differing size and values.

President Jimmy Carter As An Activist?: Understanding President Carter’S Human Rights Policy In El Salvador During 1980 Through A Social Justice Lens, Vanaaisha Das Pamnani

History

During 1980, Salvadoran citizens endured increased violence, torture, and overall suppression of their basic human rights. Many prominent figures were assassinated by either right-wing death squads or leftist insurgents. Then on December 2, 1980 came the murder of four American churchwomen from the Maryknoll Order. Their purpose was to aid the poor within Latin America; El Salvador gave them the opportunity to help the Salvadoran poor in the midst of this violence. However, they were met with suspicion by security forces and, as a result were raped and killed on a dirt road. Within a week, President Jimmy Carter cut …

The Taiko Connection: Reclaiming History, Activating Equality, Tamiko Cavey

History

Taiko drumming has been a Japanese cultural art form from as early as the fifth century. A taiko "boom" in which ensemble groups gained popularity took off in Japan post-WWII, and in the United States during the late 1960s-early 1970s amid the Asian American Civil Rights Movement. In discussing the historical experiences of the burakumin outcastes of Japan and Japanese Americans, this paper explores how taiko has been used as a form of social activism for these marginalized groups, and how this cultural reclamation facilitates the process of developing self-identity.

Hollywood’S Vietnam: How Critics And Audiences Responded To The Vietnam War Genre, Jennifer Freilach

History

This four part essay takes a comprehensive look at articles published in the Los Angeles Times and New York Times to determine how and why critics reviewed essential films about the Vietnam War. It thereby highlights the trends that emerged in their reaction to them. The first section analyzes critics’ response to Coming Home (1978). As the first major film with direct reference to Vietnam, Coming Home posed a unique problem for film critics. The second section analyzes the second major film about Vietnam, The Deer Hunter (1978). The majority of newspaper critics defended Cimino’s epic against negative claims that …

The Power Of Friendship: Cal Poly’S Contract In Thailand And Reinterpreting Cold War Agency Through Relationships, Sean Martinez

History

From 1967 to 1973, Cal Poly was contracted by USAID to provide assistance to the Department of Vocational Education housed under the Royal Thai Government's Ministry of Education. This paper explores how the Cal Poly university administration and the members of the Cal Poly Team in Thailand expressed agency and decision making despite complex bureaucratic relationships and the larger international political conflict between the US and the USSR.

The Repatriation Of Mexican-Americans To America, Aaron Ziskin

History

Shortly following the onset of the Great Depression America undertook a policy coined as Mexican Repatriation wherein it began encouraging people of Mexican descent to return home in order to free up jobs for 'actual' American citizens. This Policy touched countless people as it was broadly applied to anyone of the Mexican race, however as American influence in World War II increased it began facing a worker shortage. In response to this shortage America and Mexico devised a program which allowed for Mexican laborers to be imported for temporary farm and manual labor positions. The focus of this paper involves …

Reclaiming And Reconciling What Was Originally Ours--Christianity And Feminism: A Concise History, Soquel Filice

History

No abstract provided.

Japanese American Internment: A Historiographical Analysis And Evaluation Of Identity, Megan Nicole Manning

History

No abstract provided.

Pratfalls, Seduction And The Farce Of Marriage: How The Screwball Comedy Redefined American Preconceptions Of Traditional Feminine Morality, Fletcher Parrott Thornton Iv

History

No abstract provided.

The Necessity Of A Revolution: The 21st Century Battle For Equality In The Classroom: An Examination Of The History, Critiques And Effectiveness Of Teach For America, Wyatt D. Oroke

History

This paper sets out to explore the controversy surrounding the program Teach For America. The paper sets out to argue whether or not Teach For America has been effective, in terms of its alignment with its goals and mission statement. I conclude that while TFA has been successful in some individual cases, the program as a collective has so far failed to make advancements within the opportunity gap experienced between low-income and high-income students within the American school system. The paper concludes by making several recommendations for the TFA program about how it can alter itself in hopes of being …

Gaman: How Japanese Americans Persevered In The Face Of Racial Injustice 1941-1988, Derek James Koehler

History

A look at the racial injustice of Japanese Americans during WWII including the internment camps and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

The Role Of Historic Novels In Understanding Desertion In The Civil War, Caitlin Wright

History

Deserters made up almost 10% of both armies in the American Civil War, and yet very few Americans discuss or even know about their existence. The impact of desertion is huge, with its full army, the Confederates could have had a chance at defeating the Union, or the war might have ended sooner, lessening the impact on the nation. Using 4 different historic novels written throughout the 20^th century, this essay analyzes the American public’s perception towards deserters. The result from this close study is the understanding that the farther we get away from the conflict that shaped the …

Failure At Iwo Jima And Okinawa, Kevin Denton

History

Poor forethought and execution by the United States on the capture of Iwo Jima and Okinawa resulted in the deaths of thousands of soldiers and civilians. Other alternatives could have been utilized in order to accomplish the same goals in the Pacific War.

Fahrenheit 451: The Burning Of American Culture, David Fox

History

No abstract provided.

The Salem Witch Trials: A Microhistory, Bailey Hitch

History

This paper examines the Salem witch trials by taking a close look at two of the primary accusers: Ann Putnam Jr. and Mercy Lewis. By studying the accuser's influences and accusations we can see that both were driven by inter-family politics and the Indian wars in the North. It was a mixture of these two factors that caused the witch trials.

Through The Eyes Of A Bracero, Karina Flores

History

No abstract provided.

Alone At The Top: A Revisionist History To Determine The True Measure Of Presidential Success, Christopher Spiers

History

No abstract provided.

Keeping History Alive: David Mccullough And The Debate Between Popular And Academic History, James R. Allen

History

The purpose of this paper is to explore the differences between academic history and popular history through David McCullough, one of the most successful popular history writers. It attempts to reconcile the schism between the two schools of thought, and provide a middle ground where each can stand.

'The Father Of Us All': The Cold War Liberalism Of Reinhold Niebuhr And The Paradox Of America's Moral Insecurity, Kendall S. Eyster

History

145 years after Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, there has been a flood of interest in theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, and his awareness of the potential hubris in waging a struggle against extremism. His constantly shifting positions on liberalism and America’s global stature has led to disagreement between historians and politicians who claim his legacy on both ends of the political spectrum. What is indisputable, however, is Niebuhr’s belief in liberalism’s epistemological debt to the ideals of Christianity and the repudiation of America’s history as merely a blueprint for democracy that should be repeated, sui generis, elsewhere.