History Commons^™

Language As A Tool: The Use Of Arabic In Spain Under Islamic Rule, Madeline B. Hauenstein

Young Historians Conference

Beginning in 755 the Islamic rulers of Spain attempted to establish a culture of coexistence between the Jews, Christians and Muslims where the oppositional religions were able to unify for socio-economic benefit. The Arabic language proved to be the most significant factor in creating this unity as it was used to monitor trade, developments in the sciences and the preservation of philosophical developments from Greco-Roman antiquity.

Aristotle's Common Good: A Historical Analysis Of Aristotle's Politics, Connor D. Reising

Young Historians Conference

After studying societal structure in Ancient Athens, Aristotle compiled his research into a comprehensive work on government. Though he focuses on three different types of government and their citizen composition, Aristotle captures the preservation of the "common good" within each. This is the value that government should provide citizens with the ability to live well. Though historians still debate the detailed meaning behind Aristotle's words, this central theme is recognized as his key teaching on societal structure. His ideas stemmed from his home in Greece, but his influence can be seen in societies throughout the rest of world history.

The Contributions Of St. Cyprian: Perspectives On Epidemiology And Early Christianity, Iris M. Smith

Young Historians Conference

The Plague of 251 was nicknamed the Plague of Cyprian because of St. Cyprian of Carthage’s recordings of the epidemic. In Cyprian’s treatise ‘On Mortality’ he depicts the symptoms of the disease and offers advice to Christians on how to proceed. Cyprian offers valuable insights to the students of history by depicting a reliable account of the plague so as to build accounts of epidemiology, and as an abstract concept, Cyprian illustrates the moral battles surrounding fatality of early Christians. Records of the Plague of 251 are helpful to epidemiologists, and Cyprian's consolation tactics explain the emotions of early Christians …

An Investigation Into Zionism’S Inner Leadership, Zia L. Klocke

Young Historians Conference

This is a thorough investigation of Zionism’s inner leadership and specifically Herzl’s leadership and success or failure as a political leader. Zionism is a well known and widespread movement that speaks volumes to many people but the leadership during many time periods has been quite lacking. Thus the motivation to further delve into the historical problems with the Zionist movement but even more of a narrow spectrum in respects to Theodor Herzl himself. Through his whole political career, this investigation will inspect what went wrong.

To assess this character and his politics, this paper will go through the general and …

The Nuremberg Trials And Crimes Against Humanity, Katie A. Welgan

Young Historians Conference

The London Charter, signed in August 1945 by Allied leaders to establish the International Military Tribunal, included a seemingly novel category of wartime wrongdoing in the charges against Nazi leaders—crimes against humanity. Although condemned by some as ex post facto law ungrounded in legal precedent, this codified prohibition of destructive action taken by a government against its own citizens was a culmination of humanitarian theory which began in the aftermath of the Thirty Years War. Codified law protecting noncombatants developed during the following centuries, yet the violent excesses of World War I and the failure of the subsequent Leipzig trials …

Copernicus’ Role In The Scientific Revolution: Philosophical Merits And Influence On Later Scientists, Jonathan Huston

Young Historians Conference

Nicolaus Copernicus' publication of De Revolutionibus Orbium Coesltium marks the beginning of a revolution in the field of astronomy and physics. Within 150 years, a heliocentric system became almost universally accepted in the scientific community. Copernicus’ model was significant not because it of its scientific merit, but because of its ideological appeal to scientists during the 16th through 18th century. This paper explores the philosophical foundations of Copernicus' model, and examines his influence in later work of four significant astronomers and physicists, Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton.

Upholding The Monroe Doctrine: American Foreign Policy In The 1954 Guatemalan Coup D'Etat, Nadjalisse C. Reynolds-Lallement

Young Historians Conference

During the Cold War era, the US developed resentment toward the democratically elected government of Guatemala due to fears of Soviet influence in Latin America and liberal reforms orchestrated by President Arbenz that limited the interference of large American corporations in the Guatemalan economy. In keeping with a long history of imperialistic foreign policy, this distrust resulted in the Eisenhower administration and the CIA conspiring to overthrow the Arbenz administration and setting up a new Guatemalan government designed to be more sympathetic to American interests.

Fair Trial In A Sensationalist Society: Charles Manson And The Tate-Labianca Trial, Jamie L. Cannady

Young Historians Conference

The American legal system was created to ensure each citizen a fair and impartial administration of justice. Charles Manson, notorious criminal and leader of the Manson Family, faced one of the most sensationalistic and dramatized trials in all of United States history. This study views Manson's trial under these promised civil liberties, scrutinizing how Manson and his followers were not given the right to fair trial as secured under the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Through many contemptuous actions by the court and media, the accused Family members were sentenced to death without an unbiased and lawful verdict.

An Assessment Of Ho Chi Minh’S Strategies For Gaining Support In The Vietnamese Revolution, Madeline Fraser

Young Historians Conference

Despite Americans’ awareness of Vietnam in the context of America’s crusade against communism, little attention is paid to Ho Chi Minh as a national revolutionary in the creation of an independent Vietnam. This paper addresses Ho Chi Minh’s tactics for inciting a revolutionary spirit in the Vietnamese people, particularly his blending of communism and nationalism. Although Ho was characterized as a fervent communist in the West, an examination of his strategies reveals a man who recognized the need to diversify his platform. Ho not only employed nationalistic propaganda, but also adopted fragments of varying political ideologies and appealed to the …

Aristotle's Rhetoric: The Power Of Words And The Continued Relevance Of Persuasion, Claire Floyd-Lapp

Young Historians Conference

A critical work in the field of persuasion—Aristotle essentially established the discipline—Rhetoric offers historians a framework by which to study the subject’s history. In his text, Aristotle argues what successful rhetoric entails, for what purposes rhetoric should be used, and what effective rhetoricians do. Aristotle’s Rhetoric speaks to the power of words and has remained relevant since its publication. Rhetoric offers writers and speakers a foundation from which to build their arguments. Although the perceived importance of persuasion has faded since Aristotle’s time, we still use words, and many scholars encourage the reclamation of rhetoric.

Riveting Rosie's Riveting Struggles: Women Shipyard Workers In Wwii, Stephanie Lippincott

Young Historians Conference

The women workers of WWII are generally portrayed as strong, happy, independent women sporting colorful bandanas and cocky grins, yet this manicured Rosie-the-Riveter image is a far cry from capturing the experiences of the average woman laborer on the home front. An examination the Kaiser shipyards in Portland and Vancouver makes it evident that women workers faced a plethora of obstacles and stressors in the workplace, only to find themselves booted back into the position of housewife at the end of the war.

The Catholic Church: Shaping The Roles Of Medieval Women, Ashley N. Just

Young Historians Conference

The paradoxical modern expectation for women to remain virgins while simultaneously being sexual objects for men to enjoy as they please is a result of the ideology of the Catholic Church in Medieval Europe. Christian doctrine at this time presented an image of women as inherently weak and prone to sexual sin as a result of Eve's Original Sin. This weakness then led to the expectation that women would remain chaste and subservient, which in turn inhibited the power and influence women possessed Medieval society. Many of the issues modern feminism fights to remedy result from these historical Christian ideas.

Alexander's Empire, Sema Hasan

Young Historians Conference

Alexander the Great is known for creating one of the world’s largest empires but, many are not familiar with the people "behind the scenes" who contributed to his success. This paper examines the role of women in Alexander’s rise to power and their influence in his political campaign. In the cutthroat world of Macedonian politics, it was Alexander’s mother who played a crucial part in establishing her son as king, and used all available tools including murder and deception to do so. Despite the fact that women had little opportunity to become rulers themselves, their involvement in Alexander’s reign was …

The Most Godless Region Of The World: Atheism In East Germany, Sophie L. Goddyn

Young Historians Conference

With a population of 52.1% presently identifying as atheists, East Germany ranks as the most atheistic region of the world. This anomaly can be explained through the economic lenses of supply-side theory and demand-side theory when analyzing the changes instated by the Communist Party during the life of the German Democratic Republic, from 1945 to 1989. Through a process of secularization and religious oppression, the Communist Party lessened the supply of religious goods in East Germany. On the other hand, it also minimized religious demand by providing secular alternatives to traditional religious practices, and institutionalizing anti-religious sentiment. These actions combined …

Griswold V. Connecticut: A Study Of Resistance To Sexual Revolution In Connecticut, 1961, Natalie Pearson

Young Historians Conference

In 1965, the last remaining anticontraceptive law in the United States was made unconstitutional in Griswold v. Connecticut. Despite widespread acceptance of the use of contraceptives, Connecticut legislatures put up incredible resistance to the sexual revolution of the 1960s and subsequent demand that the statute--outlawing individual use of contraceptives--be removed. This paper asserts Connecticut's foundation as a haven for Protestant values as the reason for this determined resistance to the acceptance of contraceptives.

The Power Of The People In Influencing The British Government: The Kindertransport, Sophia Cantwell

Young Historians Conference

The Kindertransport was a program implemented by Britain throughout Europe during World War II to save thousands of persecuted Jewish children. While the British Parliament ultimately passed the movement as a bill and allowed it, the credit and work behind the movement belongs to the Quakers and various Jewish figures of authority in Britain. This paper explores the birth of this movement, its successes and struggles, and its lasting impact on the world today. Without the determination of a few willing people, thousands of lives would have perished during World War II.