Digital Commons Network^™

The Rise Of Christian Nationalism: Government And Religion In The Reagan Era And Beyond, Daniela L. Bedolla

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This thesis examines why the relationship between government and religion should remain separated. By focusing on The Cold War and Ronald Reagan’s presidency (1981-1989), this thesis demonstrates Reagan’s administration marked a modern pointing that led to the rise of Christian Nationalism in American politics. The Cold War initially started modeling the puzzle pieces of what Christian Nationalism became, however it was during Regan’s presidency that the American public began to see white Evangelical religious leaders take prominent federal positions, the frequent use of different religious opportunistic tactics in presidential and governmental campaigns and witness religious rhetoric influence domestic as well …

A Moment Of Failure: The Debate Surrounding The Strategic Arms Limitations Talks, Grayson R. Jones

War, Diplomacy, and Society (MA) Theses

Following the Cuban Missile Crisis, many in the United States and the Soviet Union believed their leaders had narrowly avoided nuclear annihilation. In response to this crisis, however, American and Soviet citizens asked more questions about nuclear weapons and their spread than ever before, well into the 1970s, and toward the decade of détente, or “de-escalation” between the superpowers. The term détente first appeared in writings from 1912, as France and Germany tried unsuccessfully to ease the tension before World War I.1 However, it is more famous in its use in Cold War foreign policy. The term détente was popularized …

U.S Presidents In Africa After The Cold War: In Search Of A Reason, Socrates Mbamalu

War, Diplomacy, and Society (MA) Theses

Africa has often ranked low in priority when it comes to U.S. foreign relations. Often, the presence of a threat to U.S. interests in Africa sparks a redirection of U.S. leaders to Africa. The Cold War was one of such periods. This work looks at U.S. leaders after the Cold War, focusing on George W. Bush, whose policies in Africa are considered the most impactful and resource consuming. Scholars have, however, failed to put Bush’s approach to Africa in a broader historical perspective. Existing literature has analyzed Bush’s policies in Africa using programs such as the Millenium Challenge Account (MCA), …

Flood Waters Rise: Hurricanes, Disaster Response, And Race Relations In Coastal Alabama, 1906 – 2006, Danielle Leonardi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

This thesis examines the changes in social relations after natural disasters, specifically hurricanes. The Hurricane of 1906 caused massive damage to Mobile due to the limited warnings. Tensions before the hurricane were already heightened from the Atlanta Race Riot and boiled over after the storm, resulting in a double lynching. Mobile received very little federal aid after the 1906 hurricane and relief heavily on their own communities and the Alabama National Guard. Hurricane Frederic in 1979 was much different because of its position in the Civil Rights Movement. The government relief was slow due to the overwhelming amount needed, and …

“They Can’T Just Stamp Out This Faith”: Cold War Anti-Communism And International Evangelism At The Appalachian Preaching Mission, Braden Lay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Appalachian Preaching Missions (1955-1981) occurred annually in Northeast Tennessee, with their predecessor, the Bristol Preaching Mission, dating back to at least 1949. Local churches, primarily Protestant, organized and convened these annual ecumenical gatherings. Nationally known clergy and laypeople from various denominations spoke, with up to several thousand congregants attending each mission. These individuals provided sermons and speeches on spiritual, domestic, and international issues. Among the most consistently repeated sermon themes was Christianity’s spiritual conflict with atheistic communism. This work addresses the missions’ origins and how the speakers spoke on international Christian missions in decolonized or developing nations as threatened …

Mattie Castlebury: East Texas Oil Boom Legend, Olivia L. Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The discovery of the East Texas Oil Field in 1930 was a pivotal moment, reshaping the region’s economic and social dynamics. Mattie Castlebury emerged as a standout figure among the fervor of the oil boom, leaving an indelible mark on East Texas’ cultural identity. Castlebury’s story showcases resilience and resourcefulness as she navigated the challenges of the oil boom era. She established Mattie’s Ballroom, creating a bustling leisure and entertainment hub.Through her entrepreneurial strategies, Castlebury’s impact on the community is evident, shaping East Texas’ cultural fabric.

The “Women of the Boom” exhibition at the Kilgore College East Texas Oil Museum …

A Quartet Of Consequence: Randolph, Rustin, Baker & Levison & The Movement They Made, Jonathan Klein

Graduate Masters Theses

The historiography of the civil rights movement has been dominated by a debate over the proper placement of the historian’s lens. Should it provide a top/down view concentrating on high profile leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., or should it have a bottom/up focus that zeroes in on courageous grassroots leaders? Some historians have argued for a both/and approach with perspective on both the leaders at the top and at the bottom and how they interacted. What has been missing from this debate is the decisive impact made by networks of leaders who set aside their own narrow interests to …

Tense Indifference: An Examination Of Integration In Two Cities In Marengo County, Alabama, Benjamin Ogden

Honors Theses

For decades, the city of Demopolis, Alabama, in Marengo County has been viewed by West Alabama administrators as a “beacon of hope” in terms of race relations because it successfully integrated its public schools and managed to keep private segregation academies at bay. In the neighboring city of Linden, however, integration was far less successful, with a a segregated private school siphoning off the white students and eroding white support for public education. dominating and destroying the educational structure of the city. In this paper, I delve into how the dichotomy between these two nearby cities was created by the …

County Of Warren Public Judiciary Corporation - Warren County, Kentucky (Sc 3722), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3722. Articles of incorporation and minutes of one meeting of the County of Warren Public Judiciary Corporation, a non-profit corporation acting as agent for Warren County, Kentucky, in the planning and development of new judicial and correctional facilities. Includes a letter to a Louisville, Kentucky architectural firm inviting a proposal for the project.

Dent, Emory Gleason, 1878-1945 (Sc 3724), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3724. Clippings, telegrams of sympathy to his widow, and funeral flower list relating to the death on 19 April 1945 of Bowling Green, Kentucky druggist, businessman and public servant Emory G. Dent.

Unity And Dissent: Exploring The United States Constitution Ratification Among The States, Luke Wyatt

Honors College Theses

The research presented here, analyzes the states in 1787 and the ratification Convention of five states: Delaware, New Jersey, Georgia, New York, and Virginia. There were three states that ratified the United States Constitution unanimously while others had great opposition by anti-federalist. The research analyze why those three states ratified the constitution unanimously while other states had great opposition for it and supported the articles of confederation.

Alexander Ramsey And The Ojibwe, Tyler Kliegl

The Purdue Historian

Alexander Ramsey had a long political career within state and national branches of the United States government. A lesser-known part of his actions in government were his interactions with the Ojibwe Native Americans. His personal actions led to the creation of multiple Ojibwe reservations, but in different Ojibwe bands, they chose to resist. Never in the same way and always at a disadvantage. The hope is to demonstrate how an individual may lead to U.S. policies involving Native Americans and how Native Americans were not passive in these decisions and found multiple routes in dealing with the United States government.

Where To Test A Nuclear Bomb, Tyler Kliegl

The Purdue Historian

The United States detonated three underground nuclear bombs on a far-off Alaskan island called Amchitka in the 1960s and 70s. The goal is to understand what the motive of the United States in selecting Amchitka over the endless potential sites to test at were. What makes a place worthy in being tested on, or unworthy in being left alone. How does the United States deal with resistance from locals and other organizations, fighting to prevent their tests.

The American West And Nozick’S Theory Of Entitlements, Kaitlyn E. Price

The Purdue Historian

Customary law emphasizing the protection of private property rights rather than the authoritative assertion of the law characterized expansion into the American West from 1848-1895. The subsequent legal systems developed in a minarchistic manner that aligned with Robert Nozick’s “theory of entitlements,” leading to the adoption of a “night-watchman state.” This theory asserts that a society built upon customary law that focuses on the protection of individual rights will undoubtedly develop a protective body to safeguard these rights in pursuit of the third principle, the “rectification of justice.” Thus, the chaotic and often disorganized way the West’s extralegal and formal …

"An American Versailles”: Cold War Diplomacy And The Branding Of The American National Image Through The Fashion Of First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, Holly Carew '24

History & Classics Student Scholarship

Holly Carew ’24, History major, Marketing and French minors
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Margaret Manchester, History and Classics

Short-Term Success: The 1988 Reagan-Gorbachev Summit, Samantha Foster

Senior Honors Theses

The 1988 summit in Moscow was the fourth, and final, summit meeting between U.S. President, Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary, Mikhail Gorbachev. The principal issues addressed during the summit included human rights and arms control. This event was the first time that President Reagan visited the Soviet Union and thus took time to explore Moscow by visiting a monastery, Red Square, Arbat Street, and students at Moscow State University. The summit would be considered a success after its close, as the INF Treaty was ratified and further progress in the area of human rights in Soviet Union had been …

"A Secessionist And French Red": The Life Of Pierre Soulé In Transatlantic Context, Caedmon P. Kollmer-Dorsey

History Honors Projects

This thesis analyzes the life of Pierre Soulé (1801-1870), a US Senator representing Louisiana and Minister to Spain who began his political life as a liberal political exile from Restoration-era France. It argues that Pierre Soulé’s fights for slavery and US expansion were in fact not as contradictory with his radically democratic liberalism as they appear to contemporary observers. The particular social, economic, cultural, and political conditions of the 19th century Atlantic World created an environment where liberals such as Soulé engaged in a transnational struggle for increasingly democratic governance which did not necessarily draw them into conflict with the …

The Author And Apartheid: Building Pro-Blackness At Bgsu Through James Baldwin And The Anti-Apartheid Movement, Noah C. Fitch

Honors Projects

The stories of anti-apartheid and James Baldwin at BGSU provides a basis for a building of pro-Blackness in the on-campus community. Through the contextualization and narrative building through a historical sociological framework, these two events show the extent of activism in the 1970s and 1980s rather than the traditional narrative that is discussed. By expanding that narrative, it also expands the narrative surrounding the history not just of BGSU, but the way universities frame their own histories. Additionally, these events take place in the era when the transition from looking at Civil Rights to Human Rights is more prevalent and …

A Cryptid For Catholics And Communists: The Asuang As An Apparatus For Socio-Political Control In The History Of The Philippines, Alexandra Eckhart

Honors Projects

This essay explores the utilization of folklore beliefs in psychological warfare through a comparative analysis of General Edward Geary Lansdale's tactics during the Hukbalahap insurgency at the beginning of the Cold War and the historical exploitation of the asuang myth by Spanish Catholic missionaries in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. While both instances involved leveraging local superstitions to influence behavior, their motivations and approaches diverged significantly. Unlike the missionaries, Lansdale's actions stemmed from a strategic imperative to combat communism rather than a sense of racial superiority or religious domination. Drawing parallels between Lansdale's methods and centuries-old patterns of oppression, this …

Fighting For The Franchise: African American Disfranchisement In Charlottesville, Virginia, Thomas R. Seabrook

Madison Historical Review

Around the turn of the twentieth century, white Southerners crossed the political aisle to disfranchise African American voters through a series of legislation at the state level. Though African Americans resisted these efforts to strip them of their citizenship rights, many historians believe that African Americans had been practically shut out of politics by 1900. Disfranchisement did not mean that African Americans stopped asserting their constitutional rights, however, as historians who trace African American organization and resistance have shown. In this article, I examine the response of African Americans in Charlottesville, Virginia, to disfranchisement and I consider the effect disfranchisement …

Is Humanitarian Aid Neutral? The American Ambulance Field Service And The American Red Cross, Laura Neis

Madison Historical Review

The United States did not outwardly join WWI until April of 1917. However, in the nearly three years in which the U.S. was neutral, they provided medical support to the suffering. This act has been dismissed as humanitarian charity work, and therefore not breaking with neutrality agreements, but it was actually a hotly contested act of foreign policy, and different propaganda campaigns were used to change the minds of American citizens.

Two different groups of medical volunteers show how humanitarian aid shapes perspectives on war. The American Ambulance Field Service drove ambulances for the French army on the front line, …

Republican Manhood And The Disabled Revolutionary War Veteran In The Early American Republic, 1789 – 1797, Virgil Clark

Madison Historical Review

In the aftermath of the American Revolutionary War, several Disabled Continental Army soldiers scattered across the burgeoning Republic were driven by desperation to write letters, pleading with General George Washington for his support. The soldiers’ decision to draft these letters stemmed from their profound frustration and disillusionment with the post-Revolution American state. The soldiers' discontent resulted from the sense of neglect they experienced after the state rejected their petitions for a Disabled Veteran’s pension. As time passed and rent went unpaid, medical bills piled up, and the threat of vagrancy loomed over these men like a malevolent specter. Unable to …

A Most Despicable Hoax: Women, Crime, And Newspapers In Depression-Era St. Louis, Nancy Stiles

Theses

This paper delves into the captivating saga of Nellie Muench, a St. Louis housewife whose life intersected with the burgeoning celebrity culture, evolving media landscape, and shifting gender dynamics of the early 20th century. Muench's involvement as a co-conspirator in the 1931 kidnapping for ransom of a wealthy doctor propelled her into the spotlight, where she navigated media manipulation to attempt to craft her own narrative. Secretly obtaining a baby and passing it off as her own child to gain jury sympathy and blackmail a rich paramour took interest in her case to sensational tabloid (and legal) heights. Drawing from …

Silent Cycles: Unveiling 19th-Century Perspectives On Menstruation, Women's Agency, And Societal Transformations, Anna Bennethum

Campus Research Month

In the 19th century, menstruation was a topic often vieled in silence and misinformation. Nonetheless, it is pivotal in discussions on women's agency and societal shifts. This paper explores 19th-century medical perceptions, the dissemination of reproductive knowledge through women's publications, and a case study of Adventist health publications. Through primary source analysis, this paper reveals how access to medical knowledge empowered women, especially in pursuing higher education. Additionally, examination of Adventist health publications showcases alternative remedies to menstrual disorders, granting women control over their reproductive health. This study illuminates the intersection of menstruation, women's agency, and societal change, emphasizing the …

The Grizzly, April 18, 2024, Marie Sykes, Nicolas Ungurean, Andrew J. Perez, Ellie Burns, Kathy Logan, Kate Horan, Sidney Belleroche, Renee Washart, James Rapp

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Tensions High at Congressional Town Hall • Tree Planting Ceremony to Honor Damiano Rotolo • Ursinus Hosting "Out of Darkness" Walk • Phi Kap's LLS Fundraiser • Expert Tips on Graduate School Planning: What You Need to Know • First Year Review on First-Year Housing • Every REP Matters • ReLAXing is Not an Option

A Republic Of Pawprints: The Rise And Reign Of The Alaskan Sled Dog, 1870-1970, Christopher David Adkins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation charts the career of the Alaskan sled dog: how it was used as an engine of development, how it became a symbol for early American Alaska, and how it fell victim to obsolescence as newer and faster means of conveyance became available. The figure of the sled dog in the Arctic is complex. Because it was closer to the wolf in phenotype both it, and Alaska, were buffeted by the same White settler expectations and Darwinian chauvinism which afflicted its Indigenous peoples. This would intensify during the baptisms by fire of the gold rushes. Dog abuse – overwork, …

Interwar Patriotism: From Military Bands To Marching Bands, 1920s And 1930s, Elise Eaton

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

High school bands have evolved greatly since the first band boom in the early 1920s. Beyond the performance responsibilities and commitments to football and sporting events, bands have their own cultural elements that only band members, band staffs, and families of band students truly understand. This thesis will demonstrate that high school band culture since the 1920s developed alongside the changing fortunes of the U.S. military. Accordingly, U.S. military history shaped the evolving culture of high school marching bands and other youth performing arts groups while these civilian youth groups in turn embedded and reinforced elements of U.S. militarism in …

Seminoles, Soldiers, And Settlers: Identity And Power On The Florida Frontier, Jean Louise Lammie

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This project uses an historical archaeological approach to analyze the processes of cultural negotiation between disparate social groups living in a remote borderland in the early to mid-nineteenth centuries. Florida, first colonized by the Spanish in the 1500s was passed to the United States in 1821 as part of the young nation’s nascent Manifest Destiny. The Seminoles experienced multiple colonial conflicts, dealt with new diseases, and selected aspects of European culture to incorporate into their daily practices of lifeways.

Archaeological studies of culture change tend to focus on the product of colonial interactions rather than the processes of change that …

Historical Alabamiana: Finding Aid, Bethany Latham

Finding Aids

This collection is comprised of items related to the State of Alabama. The items are in a variety of formats, including pamphlets, brochures, clippings, postcards, correspondence, magazines, and more. These items run the gamut as far as their content and have been organized roughly by category. The items originated with the Library’s vertical file, which was culled and the majority of items discarded in 2020. Items related to Alabama and items deemed of significant historical interest were retained and added to the Library’s Special Collections. The vertical file’s original contents date back to JSU’s time as a Normal School; it …

The Grizzly, April 4, 2024, Marie Sykes, Renee Washart, Caitlin Cunnane, Nicolas Ungurean, Kate Horan, Kathy Logan, Dominic Minicozzi, Donovan Dyitt

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Counting Craters With Physics • Talking With the Cast of Captain Darling • Main Street Revitalization Plan • Watson Fellowship Winner Tommy Armstrong '20: Travels and Reflections • Seniors Share Their Favorite Memories at Ursinus • Sudoku! • NCGA National Championship Puts Ursinus on the Map • Springing Into Action