History Commons^™

Bess Of Hardwick: Second Most Powerful Woman Of The Elizabethan Age And A Symbol Of Modern Thought, Hollie Mcdonald

Grand Valley Journal of History

While not a very elegant representation of Bess of Hardwick, this quatrain nevertheless introduces a striking and unique character of an Elizabethan woman. Many studies on Elizabethan women focus on the subjugated place of females in that society. However, women, such as Bess of Hardwick, existed, and did not fit within these stereotypes, much like the poem by one of Bess’ contemporaries indicates. Often, since these women are minorities in sixteenth century England, they are overlooked entirely and not given proper credit for their accomplishments and services to crown and country. This is an ungracious disservice to the women who …

Why Chinese Neo-Confucian Women Made A Fetish Of Small Feet, Aubrey L. Mcmahan

Grand Valley Journal of History

Abstract for “Why Chinese Neo-Confucian Women Made a Fetish of Small Feet”

This paper explores the source of the traditional practice of Chinese footbinding which first gained popularity at the end of the Tang dynasty and continued to flourish until the last half of the twentieth century.[1] Derived initially from court concubines whose feet were formed to represent an attractive “deer lady” from an Indian tale, footbinding became a wide-spread symbol among the Chinese of obedience, pecuniary reputability, and Confucianism, among other things.[2]^,[3] Drawing on the analyses of such scholars as Beverly Jackson, Valerie Steele …

Unity, Freedom And Socialism: The Assads, The Ba’Ath And The Making Of Modern Syria, Judson C. Moiles

Grand Valley Journal of History

To many Westerners, the Middle East is thought of as a region torn apart from the inside by ethnic and religious strife. One incongruous case to this perception, however, is the longevity of the Assad family’s rule in Syria. Many scholars have tried to answer the question of how the Assads, members of the minority ‘Alawi community, which was, and is, considered by many Muslims to be heretical, could so wholly dominate the state and military infrastructure of Syria. This study aims to show how deep the roots of ‘Alawi military rule run, and how it can be found in …

Supporting Caste: The Origins Of Racism In Colonial Virginia, Patrick D. Anderson

Grand Valley Journal of History

In 17th century Virginia, lower class whites and blacks coordinated on multiple occasions to resist the power of the ruling class elites. By the late 19th century, white laborers viewed the newly freed slaves through racist precepts and the two groups clashed on a regular basis. The aim of this essay is to explain how the shift from racial solidarity to racial antagonism occurred. Racist ideology originated in the minds of the elites and they attempted to separate the restless lower class along racial lines, first, by legal reforms, second, by creating a separate class of enslaved blacks. Anti-black racism …

Krypteia: A Form Of Ancient Guerrilla Warfare, Brandon D. Ross

Grand Valley Journal of History

Within ancient Sparta, a group of young men scoured the countryside, killing serfs known as helots. The nature of this ancient Spartan institution – the krypteia – has long been debated by scholars. Some have seen it as a bloody culmination of the Spartan educational system, others as a form of suppression against the helot population. This essay, however, challenges the traditional notions surrounding the krypteia by finding a connection between its unconventional mode of fighting to a model of modern guerrilla warfare techniques. By examining this historic institution, the historian can gain insight into the evolution of warfare.

The Successful Integration Of Buddhism With Chinese Culture: A Summary, Xinyi Ou

Grand Valley Journal of History

Buddhism has commonly been credited as the sole foreign religion to truly gain access to the hearts and minds of the Chinese people. Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam were likewise spread along the Silk Roads to China, yet these religions did not take root. What culminating factors played a role in the acceptance of Buddhism into Chinese culture? Is it possible that Buddhism should not be regarded as a foreign religion, but as a seed of thought that was nurtured by the missionary monks and the Chinese into a form almost unrecognizable from it's initial origins? Through a survey …

The Grand Rapids Public Museum: What’S In A Building?, Nicholas A. Claus

Grand Valley Journal of History

“The Grand Rapids Public Museum has provided educational and community opportunities to the local area before and after 1937, however, a split was made from amateurism to professionalism with the procurement of a permanent building in 1937.”

Capitalism And The Science Of History: Appleby, Marx, And Postmodernism, Patrick D. Anderson

Grand Valley Journal of History

Joyce Appleby has written an extensive amount on the origins and development of capitalism, but her work is influenced by her belief that history is a science with at least some objectivity. She rejects Marxism as a relic of past historians with naïve beliefs about finding the laws of nature, but she also rejects postmodern criticisms of history because they undermine any chance for objectivity. Appleby believes the historian can be objective even if politics necessarily colors his or her work. For Appleby, her support of capitalism leads her to make policy recommendations with her historiography, recommendations that change with …

Christian Mysticism As A Threat To Papal Traditions, Hayley E. Pangle

Grand Valley Journal of History

A human universal found across many of the world's cultures is the mystical aspect of a religion that serves, in many ways, as a reaction against the dogmatic, ritualistic tradition of the same religion. Christian mystics of medieval Europe presented a direct confrontation to papal traditions in that they challenged the church through their theological interpretations of scripture, their graphic visions, and their threat to established gender roles.

Korean Perceptions Of Chastity, Gender Roles, And Libido; From Kisaengs To The Twenty First Century, Katrina Maynes

Grand Valley Journal of History

The kisaengs were highly educated performing artists that contradicted the historical view that Korean women should be chaste, quiet, and inconspicuous. Beginning in the twentieth century, kisaengs declined in popularity as sexual services became widely available, and despite the abiding insistence on chastity, millions of Koreans became involved in the prostitution industry. Although the traditional kisaengs have disappeared, the sexual and social oppression that has pervaded throughout Korean history has resulted in the enduring dominance of the prostitution industry. This paper accordingly traces the historical foundation of Korean kisaengs, analyzing the contradictions they posed to traditional values and accounting for …

“No Man’S Land”: Fairy Tales, Gender, Socialization, Satire, And Trauma During The First And Second World Wars, Dawn Heerspink

Grand Valley Journal of History

No abstract provided.