History Commons^™

Two More Proclamations For A Special New Years Eve, John M. Rudy

Interpreting the Civil War: Connecting the Civil War to the American Public

'In accordance, as I believe, with the will of our Heavenly Father, and by direction of your great and good friend, whose name you are all familiar with, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, and Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, on the 1st day of January, 1863, you will be declared "for ever free."' [excerpt]

Bowl Survey, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

Over the next two days and nights ten bowl games will be played across the expanse of our great nation. At the end of the bowl season, culminating with the BCS Championship Game on January 7, thirty-five bowl games will have been played. The first, the Gildan New Mexico Bowl, took place on December 15.

Colonial Figures: Memories Of Street Traders In The Colonial And Early Post-Colonial Periods, Sheri Lynn Gibbings, Fridus Steijlen

Global Studies Faculty Publications

This article explores post-colonial memories about street traders among individuals who lived in the former colony of the Dutch East Indies. It argues that these narratives romanticize the relationship between Europeans and indigenous peoples. Street vendors are also used to differentiate between periods within colonial and post-colonial history. The nostalgic representation of interracial contact between Europeans and traders is contrasted with representations of other figures such as the Japanese and the nationalist. A recurring feature of these representations is the ability of Europeans to speak with street traders and imagine what they wanted and needed. The traders are remembered as …

Resolute On The Eve Of Emancipation, John M. Rudy

Interpreting the Civil War: Connecting the Civil War to the American Public

In the eyes of William Lloyd Garrison, Abraham Lincoln stood waffling on the issue of slavery in the early days of December 1862. To be quite fair, in Garrison's eyes nearly anyone aside from William Lloyd Garrison stood waffling on the issue of slavery most of the time. [excerpt]

Kings And Princes: Christmas In Gettysburg, 1862, John M. Rudy

Interpreting the Civil War: Connecting the Civil War to the American Public

In a house along the first block of the north side of Chambersburg Street, a small metallic ticking noise signaled change. The calendar read December 24th, 1862. The rhythmic tapping was a voice, reaching out in code along thin strips of metal dangling from poles running to the east out of town. Soon, "Hanover, York, Harrisburg, and Baltimore," were sending their glad tidings to Gettysburg's citizens. Then soon, Gettysburg found herself on that Christmas Eve connected, "with all the world and the rest of mankind," the Adams Sentinel reported. In the home of John Scott along Chambersburg Street, the telegraph …

College Sport, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

It’s been some time since I sat down and watched as much as a half of a college football game. Last fall I was in London, a city not infected by intercollegiate athletics, and this fall I simply never got enough time or interest to watch. Then a few weeks ago I did see several games. Florida and Florida State always draws my interest, and the Notre Dame run has been an interesting one.

Homes Across The Border: Russian Summer Houses In The Karelian Isthmus And The Finnish State, 1917–1927, Kitty Lam

Faculty Publications & Research

At the end of the 19th century, numerous St. Petersburg residents established their summer homes in the Karelian Isthmus, a picturesque region in the Grand Duchy of Finland, an autonomous province of the Russian Empire. The ease of travel between the Russian imperial capital and the Finnish seaside towns contributed to this practice. After 1917, a new border regime delineated the nascent Finnish state from the equally new Russian/ Soviet state. This change displaced the majority of Russian proprietors, as well as those imperial subjects who rented vacation properties from local Finns. This article addresses how state-building practices distinguishing between …

The Immigrant Woman:Jewish Assimilation In The Lower East Side Ghetto Of New York City, 1880-1914, Rachael Siegel

History Theses

This paper looks at the factors that affected the extent to which Eastern European Jewish women were able to assimilate into American society between 1880 and 1914. By 1920, approximately 45% of Eastern European Jewish immigrants resided in New York City, primarily on the lower East Side. The population density of the Lower East Side made it the most crowded neighborhood in the city, if not the world. Eastern European Jews, especially Russian Jews, comprised the largest number of immigrants to the United States.

When these immigrants moved into the safety of the United States, they transplanted the traditions of …

Tags And Roger, Richard C. Crepeau

On Sport and Society

Is there anyone out there who thought that Paul Tagliabue would overturn the player suspensions imposed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in the New Orleans bounty case? Maybe someone somewhere had predicted this, but if they did they would be members of an extremely small club.

The Olympic Glory Of Jesse Owens: A Contribution To Civil Rights And Society, Casey Aaron Nash

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Jesse Owens was the star of the Berlin Olympics in 1936. His four gold medals in Hitler's Germany, as an African American, had far reaching implications back in the United States. Despite segregation and a social hierarchy that was an impasse to both black opportunity and achievement, Owens created a lasting legacy that drastically impacted race relations. The purpose of this thesis was to examine what the Olympic glory of Owens represented for society. Owens as an Olympian in 1936 manufactured a brand of social capital that tied people together in commonality—as Americans. As well, in both myth and deed, …

Forgotten Heroes: Lessons From School Integration In A Small Southern Community, Whitney Elizabeth Cate

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the fall of 1956 Clinton High School in Clinton, Tennessee became the first public school in the south to desegregate. This paper examines how the quiet southern town handled the difficult task of forced integration while maintaining a commitment to the preservation of law and order. As the strength of a community was being tested, ordinary citizens in extraordinary circumstances met the challenges of integration with exceptional courage.

Adventus: The Great Coming Of 1862, John M. Rudy

Interpreting the Civil War: Connecting the Civil War to the American Public

A couple of weeks ago, I spent a weekend in Harpers Ferry helping to interpret that amazing place for the National Historical Park's annual Christmas 1864 event. One of the greatest joys of my desk job in interpretive training is getting back out into a parkscape to test out new ideas and practices. This time it gave me the chance to experiment out in the field, wearing the olde-timey clothes of the 1860s and discussing how hammers, anvils and black labor won the war through the U.S. Quartermasters Depot at Harpers Ferry. The event is amazingly fun and infinitely powerful …

Human Rights Policy Paper: Rape As A Tactic Of War, Sarah Fitzgerald

Global Studies Student Scholarship

This paper reports on rape used as a tactic of war, outlining the scope of the problem and introducing policy options to address the issue on a global scale. Policy options targeted at relief services include increasing direct aid through funding fistula surgeries, building rural hospitals, and providing skills training for women awaiting surgery. Additional policy options addressing the problem at its root include legislative changes to stop impunity at the International Criminal Court, revising the Convention on Genocide to include sex and gender, utilization of devices such as the Rape aXe, and changing the culture of misogyny through educational …

Conclusion-Cola And Cartoons: A Showcase Of Freshman Research At Unlv, Cian T. Mcmahon

History First-Year Seminar Research

The decisions we make about politics and society are influenced by what we see and hear in the news. That is why political cartoons are so important. They present clear opinions on complicated matters in ways that transcend everyday language.

“The Ignorant Vote—Honors Are Easy”, Deborah Guinn

History First-Year Seminar Research

In the New York magazine Harper’s Weekly on December 1, 1876, “The Ignorant Vote – Honors Are Easy” cartoon is showing the difference that the African American Republican vote and Irish Catholic Democratic vote played in the 1876 election between Rutherford B. Hayes, a republican, and Samuel J. Tilden, a democrat. There was a dispute on who the actual election winner was because the votes were so close.

“Welcome To All”, Samantha Hamika

History First-Year Seminar Research

In the cartoon “Welcome to All” by Joseph Keppler published in the magazine Puck on April 28, 1880, it portrays Uncle Sam standing in front of an ark with his arms open to immigrants, who are lined up in front of the ark. There are signs next to the ark that claim all good things about America that other countries don’t have. There is also a big, black, evil-looking ghost blending in with the clouds in the background that is staring down on the immigrants.

“Another Triumph For Jonathon—Biggest Reptile In The Universe”, Frances Skeirik

History First-Year Seminar Research

“Another Triumph for Jonathan- Biggest Reptile in the Universe” was published in Judy Newspaper on May 17th, 1882. In this cartoon, Uncle Sam sits back complacently in his rocking chair while this huge sea monster from the United States swims ashore of another country. On the beast is written “American Feniansim”. Looking even closer in the hand of this sea monster is a knife with the word “Assassination” written upon it. Lastly, ashore of the other country is a man holding a lasso in hopes of catching this monster but he is having no luck whatsoever due to the size …

“The Mortar Of Assimilation—And The One Element That Won’T Mix”, Jenna Downs

History First-Year Seminar Research

Published in Puck magazine on June 26, 1889, “The Mortar of Assimilation And The One Element That Just Won’t Mix” cartoon was a perfect exhibit of the Americans view on the Irish immigration to the United States. In the melting pot several different kinds of Americans can be spotted, but the one Irishman is standing on the edge of the pot holding a knife and a flag.

“The Immigrant: Is He An Acquisition Or A Detriment?”, Karla Garcia-Cardenas

History First-Year Seminar Research

Published in Judge magazine on September 19, 1903, “The Immigrant: Is He An Acquisition Or A Detriment?” cartoon reveals the opposing viewpoints of seven major interest groups towards immigration. Individuals surround the immigrants located in the center, expressing their judgments through signs and identification labels. In general, the cartoon depicts the benefits and drawbacks of immigration in the early twentieth century.

“Mongolian Octopus—Its Grip On Australia”, Ron Thornton

History First-Year Seminar Research

Published in the Sydney based The Bulletin Magazine on August 21, 1886, “The Mongolian Octopus – His Grip on Australia” cartoon was pointedly used as a form of propaganda against Mongolian & Chinese immigration. The cartoon illustrates an octopus with a human head and eight outstretched arms. On each of these arms is a different term, such as typhoid or immorality. These terms, along with the octopus itself, all portrayed racist views of Chinese and Mongolian immigrants.

“The High Tide Of Immigration—A National Menace”, Mackenzie Brandenburger

History First-Year Seminar Research

This cartoon “The High Tide of Immigration – A National Menace” appeared in the humor magazine Judge in 1903. It reflects the alarm among some Americans at the growing number of immigrants from countries in Southern and Eastern Europe such as Italy, Russia, Austria, Hungary and declining number of immigrants from countries in northern and western Europe such as Ireland and Germany.

“The Propagation Society—More Free Than Welcome”, Arneisha Swanson

History First-Year Seminar Research

This cartoon was published independently by Nathanial Currier circa 1855. “The Propagation Society- More Free than Welcome” reflects the Americans point of view on the Irish Catholic immigrants in 1855. In the cartoon the priest is bombarding the Americans to step aside so that they can take over all spiritual welfare. Embedded into the cartoon is a message of an anti-Catholic group the “Know Nothings” and their attempt to get rid of the Irish Catholics.

“The Fool Pied Piper”, Elizabeth Stevenson

History First-Year Seminar Research

This cartoon entitled “The Fool Pied Piper,” that was published in Puck Magazine June 2, 1909 shows American distaste for immigration to the United States. It portrays Uncle Sam as the Pied Piper, leading rats across the ocean toward the Statue of Liberty with a pipe that is labeled “Lax Immigration Laws.” The rats are labeled “Murderer,” “Thief”, “Kidnapper,” and “Assassin.” Some rats are carrying papers that say “The Black Hand.” Meanwhile, leaders and citizens of the countries the rats are leaving are cheering the rats’ departure.

“The Balance Of Trade With Great Britain Seems To Be Still Against Us”, Eric Corral

History First-Year Seminar Research

Published in New York’s Harper’s Weekly on April 28, 1883, “The Balance of Trade with Great Britain Seems to be Still Against Us” depicts the rising tensions between immigrants, particularly Irish, coming to the United States from Great Britain. During the Great Famine (1845-1852) many Irishmen under the rule of the Crown emigrated to the United States. Tensions began to flare between both parties once the Irish nationalist group, “The Fenians,” situated in the United States, began to terrorize Great Britain. The United States felt its Irish immigrants were implicated, and Great Britain felt that the United States was allowing …

“Looking Backward”, Flor De Liz Regalado

History First-Year Seminar Research

“Looking Backwards”, the controversial cartoon from Puck Magazine, was published on January 11, 1893. Composed by the founder of Puck Magazine himself, Joseph Keppler, created the cartoon that portrays the arguable rights of foreign visitors, also referred to as immigrants. The image represents an immigrant who has stepped off of a ship and entered into a foreign land and greeted with a generous “goodbye”, by those whom once were in his position and are now successful. Behind the figures that rejected the newcomer, are shadows of themselves being casted as they were once immigrants, too.

“It’S Going To Be Just Turned Around”, Zachary Meyer

History First-Year Seminar Research

Appearing in the Columbus Dispatch on April 21st 1924, Ray Evans’ cartoon titled “It’s Going to Be Just Turned Around” supports the Immigration Act of 1924 by displaying two different worlds in which different immigration policies are being applied: One with the immigration act, and one without.

“The Chinese Question”, Bianca Palacios

History First-Year Seminar Research

Published in Harper's Weekly on February 18, 1871, The Chinese Question defends Chinese immigrants against the brutal prejudice and discrimination that they faced in America. In this cartoon by Thomas Nast, Columbia, the feminine symbol of the United States, shields the despondent Chinese man against a gang of thugs, whom she emphatically reminds that "America means fair play for all men." This armed mob whom were also immigrants consisting of Irish Americans and perhaps German Americans as well. They were very angry about the Chinese coming to America to work and they protested against the Union Draft and Lincoln's Emancipation …

“Uncle Sam’S Thanksgiving Dinner”, Kenosha Gee

History First-Year Seminar Research

Published in the November 22nd, 1860 issue of Harper Weekly, by Thomas Nast (known for the invention of the character Uncle Sam) Nast captured and celebrated the ethnic diversity and envision the political equality of citizens of the American republic. Even though it seems as if the picture shows that everyone race (African, Native, French, German, Arab, British, Chinese, Italian, etc.) are getting along, there are many hidden messages that lies in this photo. Nast aims the cartoon at the ratification of the 15th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. On the table is a monument to “self- government” and “Universal …

“Where The Blame Lies”, Sahar Nawabzada

History First-Year Seminar Research

Published in Judge Magazine on April 4th 1891, the cartoon Where the Blame Lies shows a flood of immigrants arriving to New York City while a disapproving Uncle Sam looks on at them. The cartoon shows a Supreme Court Judge that is imploring Uncle Sam to amend the constitution to restrict immigration. When looking at the immigrants themselves, each immigrant has words such as “Anarchist” or “Socialist” written on their clothing to convey the negative attributes immigrants bring to the country. On the stage is a piece of paper that reads “Mafia in New Orleans, Anarchists in Chicago, and Socialists …

“They Are Pretty Safe There”, Madison Palmer

History First-Year Seminar Research

The year of 1882 was a intense year for Chinese migrants. This was the year that the Chinese Exclusion act was passed thus banning Chinese immigration to the United States. This hatred for the Chinese began around the time of the building of the transcontinental railroad. This was because so many Chinese were moving to the states to help with the railroad that white males began to feel “insecure” or “frightened” that the Chinese would take all the American jobs and women.