Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Menstruation Products And Perceptions: Breaking Through The Crimson Ceiling, Ava Colleran

Young Historians Conference

This paper examines different views on menstruation throughout history and their effects on social, political, and economic landscapes. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and Mayans all believed in the supposed ‘magical powers’ of menstrual blood. These societies held their own ideas on the limits of these magical abilities, and the good and evil forces they could be used for. Throughout these ancient societies, menstruation was used as a justification for the increased control of the state and men over women’s bodies. If menstrual blood did have these magical powers, it was a power that needed to be limited and controlled so …

Social, Scientific, Litigious: The Birth Of A Queer Americanism, Claire M. Fennell

Young Historians Conference

The queer rights movement is often assumed to have advanced because of the collateral benefit of other social rights movements occurring around the same time, in the 1950s and 60s. However, the inception of an organized queer rights movement did not happen in line with any progressive time in United States public thought. In reality, the movement began at a time when America was at its least forward-thinking, during the Cold War. It was not the times becoming more progressive, but rather the shift in the model of oppression the queer community faced which allowed for the advent of an …

Pig Iron To Wrought Iron: Lake Oswego's Transformation From Iron Smelting To The Privatization Of Oswego Lake, Mathew K. Ragsdale

Young Historians Conference

The paper focuses on the interaction between Oregon's public trust doctrine, city ordinances, and private interests surrounding access to Oswego Lake. Areas of study include the early development of Lake Oswego with its prominence in the Oregon iron industry, and its transition from industrial town to weekend retreat to affluent suburb between the late 1800s and mid 1900s. The Lake Oswego Corporation has claimed power over all aspects of the lake, a notion disputed by Oregon's strong public trust doctrine. The city, whose duty is to all residents, has used the lake as a public asset while restricting access to …

The Use Of The Birth Control Movement As A Eugenics Weapon, 1920'S-1960'S, Peyton P. Holstein

Young Historians Conference

While Margaret Sanger made great strides in the crusade for legalization and open access to birth control for women, groups paired her work with ideologies such as Social Darwinism to arm the eugenics movement throughout the Twentieth-century. The eugenics movement was a culmination of racism and newly found scientific theories which led a crusade to purify the American population through reproductive cherry-picking on the basis of race. One of the primary ways that this group attempted to weed out “undesirable” races within the American population was through birth control as well as sterilization. These two movements - birth control and …

The Power Of A Prince: Machiavelli, Devotion, And The Secularization Of Western Politics, Jason D. Grossmann-Ferris

Young Historians Conference

3rd place winner of the Karen E. Hoppes Young Historians Award for Outstanding Research and Writing.

Although The Prince was clearly not well-recieved in its day by many, its influence is clear in modern realpolitik and the creation of the secular state. This paper examines the role of Machiavelli’s seminal work in Western politics within the timeline of the Catholic Church’s decline. In The Prince, Machiavelli clearly guides the reader towards the pragmatic political use of religion instead of legitimate belief, insinuating that faith is more useful as a tool for social control rather than personal conviction. This paper posits …

The Importance Of Richard Lionheart In The Third Crusade, Stefan Caplazi Mr.

Young Historians Conference

The impact that King Richard III of England had on the third crusade is apparent through his limited strategic victories on the battlefield. Richard III did well with his limited resources, but ultimately failed to retake Jerusalem. Due to unforeseeable events, Richard III lost his military support before embarking on much of the campaign to regain the Holy Land. These events proved detrimental to his task. While he was an excellent strategist and fearsome leader, Richard III simply lacked the resources and troops to succeed. This paper argues that with more military support, Richard “The Lionheart” would have retaken the …

You Don’T Need A Weatherman To Know Which Way The Wind Blows: The Prison Break Of Timothy Leary, Phoebe N. Holman

Young Historians Conference

This paper examines the revolutionary merit of the Weather Underground Organization’s prison break of LSD guru Timothy Leary. Was Leary truly an activist willing to risk everything to introduce the public to the healing powers of psychedelics? Or was he an unprofessional mad scientist using his students to further his own agenda? It also provides an explanation of how the WUO and other anti-war organizations like it brought the United States to the brink of a massive societal shift—and then disappeared.

Nixon's Southern Strategy: An Examination Of The Role Of Race In The 1968 And 1972 Presidential Campaigns, Ella Feathers

Young Historians Conference

This paper explores the pivotal role of race in the South's political switch. In 1968, Nixon won the Presidential Election with very slim margins. Four years later, with when running for his second term, he won all the vast majority of the vote, including those from Southern states. By catering to Southern voters on issues such as welfare, desegregation, and crime, Nixon was able to gain Southern support, and secure a new base for the Republican party.

The Spies That Founded America: How The War For Independence Revolutionized American Espionage, Masaki Lew

Young Historians Conference

Prior to the American Revolutionary War (1775-1883), tensions rose as American colonial smugglers circumvented British taxes. By the onset of the conflict, Continental General George Washington faced a daunting British military invasion. Washington's strategy to outmaneuver and tire enemy forces necessitated a way to anticipate incoming attacks. Thus, he looked to espionage, but found few colonists with professional experience. So who would have the deceptive skills to fulfill the task? An exploration of Washington’s dilemma provides compelling evidence explaining how the colonial smugglers who started the war became the Patriot spies who ended it.

Cairo Under Isma'il Pasha: A Divided City, Chloe N. Moehling

Young Historians Conference

The creation of the Suez Canal, in November of 1869, created an opportunity for Isma’il Pasha, Khedive of Egypt, to reintroduce the world to a new, Europeanized Cairo. His vision required spending millions of British pounds to welcome international travelers who came to celebrate the opening of the canal. Isma’il Pasha’s “Europeanization” of the western side of Cairo from 1866 to 1879 ushered his country into decades of economic and political turmoil. While Isma’il’s extravagant spending created European inspired hotels, parks, cafe’s, and the Khedivial Opera House, these expenditures left Egypt indebted to European countries, particularly Great Britain, and international …

A War Of Implicit Forces: The Algerian Revolution, Grace I. Graham

Young Historians Conference

The Algerian Revolution, Algeria’s fight against the colonial power of France epitomized the perseverance of the people’s voice. However, with few military battles won by the Algerians, against the resource rich France, how did Algeria ultimately become the victor? This paper explores the F.L.N.’s strategies in approaching the war and how France’s response to such tactics contributed to domestic and international sympathy for the Algerians’ cause, leading to the eventual liberation of Algeria.

Revitalization In Philadelphia, 1940-1970: Rebuilding A City But Straining Race Relations, Abigail E. Millender

Young Historians Conference

This paper examines government and privately sponsored revitalization projects in inner city and Center City Philadelphia from 1940-1970. These projects—including the construction of rail lines connecting Center City to the suburbs, changes to the National Housing Act, and the revitalization of Society Hill—were meant to bring investment back into the city after the economy had declined from de-industrialization. These projects successfully rebuilt the inner city’s economy, however, they ultimately hurt African-American and minority populations and encouraged segregation. The revitalization of Center City over other parts of inner city and the perpetuation of subprime loans displaced many African Americans, lowered home …

Damming The Columbia River And Its Impact On Celilo Falls, Dalton R. Stormo

Young Historians Conference

This paper discusses the history of Native Americans at Celilo Falls and in the Dalles Area, as well as the impact of white settlers moving there. It focuses on the impact this had on the river itself, through fisheries and various damming projects, and how it affected the lives of the various tribes surrounding the river. It examines the impacts of damming the Columbia River at various points along the river, and what that did to life for the River Tribes. The thesis of this paper is that the flooding of Celilo Falls by the Dalles Dam was a final …

Using “Evil” To Combat “Evil”: The Regulation Of Prostitution In Renaissance Florence, Lilah F. Abrams

Young Historians Conference

In accordance with the general opinions towards women at the time, the establishment of the Office of Decency (known as the Onestá) in Florence, Italy during the Renaissance served to dehumanize the women participating in the profession. While many argue that the Florentine Onestá was established to preserve the city’s image, the ultimate intention of the ordinances was to use women as tools to regulate male behavior. Drawing on the remaining ordinances established by the Onestá as primary source material, this paper identifies the utilization of prostitutes to restrict the defiling of “virtuous” women by men through regulations on attire …

Clickbait Science: A Review Of Rhetorical Patterns Within The Royal Society, Bryan T. Le

Young Historians Conference

King Charles II of England gave birth to the Royal Society and the right for it to publish without interference in the seventeenth century. Out of this society came forth Philosophical Transactions, the first ever science journal. The journal, however, was not strictly bound to science. Articles within the journal exhibit a variety of unusual bits of information ranging from making water colors to constructing a bee-house. This paper shows that the Royal Society included articles that weren’t science but human interest to gather a following for themselves.

Subjective Retelling: The Influence Of External And Individual Factors On The Folktales Of The Brothers Grimm, Katherine R. Woodhouse

Young Historians Conference

Since a first edition of Children’s and Household Tales was published in 1812, the work of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm has been read, told, watched, and referenced all over the world. When the Grimms initially set out to construct the famous anthology, they intended to objectively uncover a breadth of traditional German folktales, preserving them in their purest possible forms. These stories, the brothers believed, held the essence of the nation’s declining culture and collective identity. However, the assumption that the stories of Children’s and Household Tales holistically represent the genuine German history and dialogue of oral storytelling is inaccurate. …

Breaking The Mold: Joan Of Arc's Unyielding Individuality, Sierra Ha

Young Historians Conference

During the Hundred Years’ War, Joan of Arc became known for her unusual dress, piety, and leadership. While these aspects of Joan’s personality have been studied independently by historians, through a comprehensive study of these characteristics, it becomes clear that Joan stood out from her peers because of the strict obstinacy with which she maintained her unique lifestyle. Her mannerisms caught the attention of her English rivals and even the French, whom she fought to protect. Because of the individualistic ways in which she dressed, exercised her faith, and guided others that broke social expectations and the unyielding persistence with …

Lesbians In The Middle Ages: Bietris De Romans, Maggie A. Benware

Young Historians Conference

Sexuality, particularly homosexuality, in the Middle Ages was heavily enshrouded by a culture saturated in religious values. Coupled with a lack of voice of women in this time, it is no wonder that evidence of lesbians is sparse. In lieu of this, historian Judith M. Bennett has offered the classification of a “lesbian-like” woman. This paper not only supports her assertion, but also offers the example of author Bietris de Romans as a “lesbian-like” woman.

To What Extent Did Blood Transfusion Systems And Technologies Modernize During World War Ii?, Hannah J. Leblanc

Young Historians Conference

This investigation will explore changes in blood transfusion during World War II (1939-1945). Medical technology and collection systems for whole blood and blood plasma in particular will be examined. The focus of this investigation will be the United States, but Great Britain will also be mentioned due to its close blood transfusion-related interactions with the United States during this period. Additionally, blood transfusion prior to World War II and in modern times will also be considered in this investigation to provide context and to allow assessment of modernization during the war. However, artificial blood substitutes will not be considered, nor …

Print Media In The Cold War, Madeline Chu

Young Historians Conference

This investigation evaluates the degree to which print media propaganda in America reflected its anti-Communist ideologies during the early years of the Cold War. Specifically, the decade following the end of World War II in 1945 is examined. The messages, mediums, and subjects addressed of four images are analyzed in order to determine the degree to which they embody anti-Communist sentiments. These four pieces include a Time magazine cover from 1950, a comic book cover, a page of a Life magazine fashion article, and an advertisement by Radio Free Europe. Through these images, a conclusion was reached that while anti-Communist …

The Art Of War: Battles Won And Wars Lost, Mark W. Dekay

Young Historians Conference

Sun Tzu is one of the most influential military figures of all time; his treatise The Art of War provides the framework for waging an effective war. War is much more than a game of numbers or pawns on a board, Sun Tzu identifies the underlying factors that determine the outcome of every war, past or present. Follow The Art of War and victory is ensured, but if you ignore Sun Tzu defeat is inevitable. Many wars throughout history are proof of this statement, but there is no greater example than America's defeat in Vietnam. Despite having a much more …

The Effects Of Imperialism On The Us: 1899-1902, Logan Marek

Young Historians Conference

This paper focuses on the Philippine-American conflict that occurred in the late nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century. It investigates the instances in which imperialism were justified by the American people. The Philippine-American war was a conflict that brought the morality of traditional American values into question. Americans were forced to face a backlash of rebel resistance on the islands as well as anti-imperialist movements at home. This war defined not only America as a world power, but as a symbol. It paved the road for the century of Americanism to come.

Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics: A Case Study Of Music Censorship And Suppression In America, Nathaniel T. Belcik

Young Historians Conference

The paper talks about music censorship in the 1980s, specifically the PMRC hearings in 1985. The paper looks at the anti-Rock movement of the 1980s and the Parents Music Resource Center, an organization that wanted warning labels placed on albums. The paper examines the motives of the PMRC and opposition to their proposals from famous musicians. The thesis of the paper is that the PMRC's proposals were adopted by the RIAA because the RIAA wanted to get a tax on cassettes passed and the negative publicity over explicit music was hurting their efforts to get the tax passed.