History Commons^™

Insane Asylums In Britain During The Nineteenth Century, Jeanna Mankins

History Theses

This thesis analyzes insane asylums, in Britain, during the nineteenth century and argues that government, society, and gender had a profound impact on insane asylums and determined the quality of care that female and male patients received as a consequence.

“You Can’T Dispose Of Mercedes Lightly”: Mercedes De Acosta, Queer Women, And Queer Female Desire In The Early Twentieth Century, Katy Stehr

History Theses

This thesis is based off of the life of Mercedes de Acosta (1893-1968), an out lesbian who was very active in the literary, theatrical, and screenwriting spheres at different points in her life. While many could consider her a “failed” artist, given that none of her works were financial successes, she is notable in this time period for the noted quality of her work, her many interpersonal relationships (romantic or otherwise) with others in her trade, and her artistic exploits on both sides of the Atlantic. Being "out" was incredibly unusual for LGBT+ identified people in this time period, and …

An Examination In The Evolution Of Iroquois Lacrosse, Christopher P. Root

History Theses

Once a niche sport to Canada and the northeastern United States, lacrosse has become the fastest growing sport in North America. Though it was played for hundreds of years by the indigenous peoples of this continent prior to the arrival of Europeans, the native roots of the game have not been truly appreciated on a wide scale until recent years. After the adaption and modernization of the game in the mid nineteenth century by Victorian Canadians, the inventors of lacrosse would see over a century of exclusion and discrimination. Native Americans were the victims of rules that were designed to …

Robert Nathaniel Dett And The Music Of The Harlem Renaissance, Daniel Weaver

History Theses

While the contributions of writers and poets to the period of American cultural history known as the Harlem Renaissance are relatively well defined and understood, assessing the contributions of musicians has been more problematic. The topic has been covered indirectly through works of American music history and African American history, but there have been comparatively few works linking music directly to the goals of the movement. Much of the insight into music’s place during this period derives from contemporary writers such as Alain Locke and James Weldon Johnson, both of whom featured discussions of music in their writings. Relatively unknown …

Ralph Raico: Champion Of Authentic Liberalism, Daniel P. Stanford

History Theses

ABSTRACT OF THESIS

Ralph Raico: Champion of Authentic Liberalism

This paper explores the intellectual life and writings of Professor Emeritus in History at Buffalo State College, Ralph Raico. The central thesis seeks to portray Professor Raico as the great modern libertarian revisionist historian, and the great modern champion of historical, classical liberalism. More broadly, the work attempts to solidify Professor Raico’s reputation as a major figure in the modern American libertarian movement.

Raico’s intellectual foundations are fully developed, beginning from grade school at Bronx High School of Science, to his attendance of Ludwig von Mises’s New York University seminar, to …

Catholicism And Community: American Political Culture And The Conservative Catholic Social Justice Tradition, 1890-1960, Jayna C. Hoffacker

History Theses

The prevailing trend in the historiography of American Catholicism has been an implicit acceptance of the traditional liberal narrative as formulated by scholars like Louis Hartz. American Catholic historians like Jay Dolan and John McGreevy have incorporated this narrative into their studies and argue that America was inherently liberal and that the conservative Catholics who rejected liberalism were thus fundamentally anti-American. This has simplified nuanced and complex relationships into a story of simple opposition. Further, the social justice doctrine of the Catholic Church, although based on undeniably illiberal foundations, led conservatives to come to the same conclusions about social and …

Sacred People, A World Of Change: The Enduring Spirit Of The Cherokee And Creek Nation On The Frontier, Marjory Grayson-Lowman Greenbaum

History Theses

This documentary outlines the experiences on the frontier between the Creek and Cherokee Nations and the European settlers between 1763 and the Indian Removal by 1838. A final section is devoted to the Creek and Cherokee descendents today and issues that they address and lives that they live.