History Commons^™

Celtic Romanization: Cultural Assimilation Or Cultural Exchange?, Shawn Lee

Young Historians Conference

The rise of the Roman Empire created not only a military but also a cultural hegemony over colonized populations. While this interaction is often portrayed as a primarily unidirectional process of cultural assimilation, this may not be the case for Celtic peoples following their colonization in the mid first century BC. An examination of Roman perception of Celtic culture, perceived compatibility of Celtic culture, and mixed Romano-Celtic culture indicates that the cultural exchange between Romans and Celts was bi-directional.

A Howl Of Free Expression: The 1957 Howl Obscenity Trial And Sexual Liberation, Jamie L. Rehlaender

Young Historians Conference

The 1957 “Howl” obscenity trial, which covered the constitutionality of utilizing obscene words in literature, was largely influential in the development of literary free expression in America. This case centered on Allen Ginsberg’s Howl and Other Poems, a work which represented the ideals and culture of the literarily experimental and sexually promiscuous Beat Generation. The expansion of free expression can be discerned through the tolerance of these sexual implications in literature, which is documented throughout the history of sexual suppression in past censorship cases. The victory of the “Howl” obscenity trial was essential for liberating the use of sexual …

The Limits Of Tolerance: The Equal Treatment Act And Discrimination In The Netherlands, Dylan E. Wells

Young Historians Conference

The Netherlands has a reputation for being one of the most liberal and accepting nations in the world. However, when analyzing the traditions, politics, education, and other aspects of everyday life in the country, a long-lasting history of racism and prejudice is revealed. This paper explores the possible reasons for inequality in the Netherlands, and the Equal Treatment Act of 1994, the first explicit Dutch anti-discrimination legislation. This paper will discuss the potential reasons why the Equal Treatment Act ultimately failed to curb bias based on race, ethnicity, and religion—challenges still faced by many in the Netherlands today, twenty years …

The Roman Army: Strategy, Tactics, And Innovation, Weiyi Zhou

Young Historians Conference

The Roman Empire at its peak covered millions of square miles of ground, encompassing a vast variety of cultures of people. In order to ensure continued peace and stability in such a mammoth multiethnic empire, the Roman Army was forced to engage and repel a variety of foreign opponents utilizing different tactics across a wide spectrum of terrain, from Macedonian phalanxes on flat plains to Gallic barbarian hordes on forested ground. Simultaneously, the Roman Army also had to avoid compromising internal stability and maintain a force capable of putting down a large range of insurrectionist forces. Even today, with the …

Inevitable Rebellion: Jacobite Risings And The Union Of 1707, Lindsay E. Swanson

Young Historians Conference

In the beginning of the 18th century, the landscape of Europe was changed with the proposal of legislation to unite Scotland and England. While the Union of 1707 served as an important starting point in the English quest for unification, it was not powerful enough to truly prevent insurgency among Scottish natives. This paper explores the problems associated with and Scottish opposition to the Union of 1707, and the measures it took to truly join the two nations under the name Great Britain. It also highlights the endurance of a Scottish identity, examining resistance to empires and questioning the longevity …

Rationalism And The Understanding Of Irrationality, Sophie Hamilton

Young Historians Conference

The Scientific Revolution is an era heavily scrutinized by historians and history teachers alike; the works of Francis Bacon, Andreas Vesalius, and Isaac Newton are included in nearly every textbook and course covering the Enlightenment era. But many people don’t realize that the scientific discoveries of the Enlightenment were not limited to mathematics, astronomy, and anatomy; a revolution in psychiatry was also occurring.

"Rationalism and the Understanding of Irrationality" explores how the rationalist movement in the Enlightenment, which emphasized the use of reason and individualism, enabled leaders in the mental health industry to raise living standards and redefine treatment for …

The Irish Hunger And Its Alignments With The 1948 Genocide Convention, Larissa M. Banitt

Young Historians Conference

The Irish Hunger of the mid nineteenth century began when a potato blight ruined most of Ireland's crop. While this was indeed a natural crisis, Britain's ineffective response exacerbated the sugaring the Irish endured. Widespread discrimination of the Irish, economic and moral ideologies all contributed to the British government's reaction to the famine. This paper evaluates how British adherence to these ideologies increased Irish suffering and aligns with the definition of genocide as defined by the 1948 Genocide Convention

Christianity's Influence On Attitudes Toward Homosexuality In The Roman Empire, Jennie Jiang

Young Historians Conference

Attitudes towards sexuality are deeply influenced by the intricate interplay between religion and social values. How do polytheistic and monotheistic societies differ in how they view sexuality? In the pre-Christian days of the early Roman Empire, polytheism fostered a remarkable tolerance toward both same-sex relations and various expressions of sexuality, as evident in social expectations, literature, and written law. In contrast, a closer examination of the Roman Empire’s transition from a polytheistic to Christian society in the 4^th and 5^th centuries reveals that the rise of Christianity corresponded with, and likely contributed to, increasingly strict attitudes towards homosexuality.

U.S. Supported Corporations And Modern Imperialism: America's Takeover Of Hawaii, Lance D. Crafton

Young Historians Conference

In 1893, the constitutional monarchy of Hawaii was overthrown and replaced with a government backed by the United States, opening the door for America to claim Hawaii as a territory and later annex it as the 50^th state. The story of Hawaii illuminates the extent of U.S. influence abroad and reveals the true nature of how America began its 20th century imperialism. This paper explores the takeover of the islands as well as various American reactions to it, uncovering the social, political, and economic factors that shaped Hawaii’s future.

The Dichotomy Of Pudicitia, Amber L. Harvey

Young Historians Conference

The lives of women in the Roman Republic were incredibly restricted and controlled by their male counterparts, yet key counters to this restriction are often overlooked, mainly that of a woman’s pudicitia. Pudicitia was a defining moral quality that encompassed state, familial, sexual, and other duties, a woman held in society. These qualities, are shown in the mythical Rape of the Sabines, and allow female participation in the Conflict of the Orders and the defiance of the Vestal Virgins. These allowances are countered by aspects of pudicitia that restricted rights and participation, ultimately yielding a system that paradoxically encouraged …

Livia's Power In Ancient Rome, Tori L. Allen

Young Historians Conference

When one thinks of the ancient Roman heroes, Caesar and Augustus come to mind. We picture Roman men on the front lines in culture and society, while the women are kept back and oppressed. And while women definitely faced obstacles in ancient Rome, it didn't stop them from making an impact. This paper argues that Livia, wife of Roman emperor Augustus, was able to secretly manipulate politics in Rome as a mother and a wife, as seen in honorific statues, Ovid's poetry, and honorific titles.

Power Structure, Nathaniel Klein

Young Historians Conference

By today's standards morally reprehensible subjects are difficult to examine, however, from a historical perspective topics such as infanticide offer insight into individual behavior, therefore reflecting societal norms. This paper explores the practice of infanticide used during the course of the 7th century BCE to reinforce the power structures of the period. Infanticide was far more than a simple way to dispose of unwanted offspring; it was a tool that was used by ancient Greek societies to maintain systems of control and promote social values upon which society depended.

The Enigma Of The Spartan Woman, Jalena M. Post

Young Historians Conference

Active in both social and economic spheres, Spartan women possessed much more mobility than their counterparts in Athens. In the areas of education, the arts, land ownership, marriage, and family life, the women of Sparta enjoyed a large amount of sovereignty when compared to other ancient societies. The absence of Spartan men during almost constant times of war necessitated women taking on more responsibility than they would have otherwise, but to what extent? This paper strives to characterize the unique role of the women of Sparta during the classical period of Greek history, especially as in contrast to their Athenian …

25th Annual Young Historians Conference, Portland State University History Department, Portland State University Challenge Program

Young Historians Conference

This is the 2015 Young Historians Conference schedule and abstracts.

A View To Women’S Networks In The Arts In Portland: Building And Engaging An Audience For The Artist Rosemarie Beck, Jenna Barganski

Lyric Truth: Rosemarie Beck

Essay on building an audience for the Rosemarie Beck art exhibit and multidisciplinary symposium.

Historicizing Subjectivities: Antigone, Rosemarie Beck And A Lesbian New Yorker, Jamie P. Ross

Lyric Truth: Rosemarie Beck

Presentation examines Rosemarie Beck's development, as a woman and artist as part of the larger social/body politic of the time. Her sense of self as an individual, her individual acts, whether or not she participated in consciousness raising sessions and equal rights marches, perhaps are not as important as her historicized experiences; the creation of her subjectivity.

A Painter And Her Poet: Rosemarie Beck And Marcia Nardi, Patricia A. Schechter

Lyric Truth: Rosemarie Beck

Presentation focuses on the relationship between Rosemarie Beck (1923-2003) and the poet Marcia Nardi (1901-1990).

"Lyric Truth" Exhibit Catalogue, Sue Taylor, Nora Beck, Prudence F. Roberts, Patricia A. Schechter, Namita Gupta Wiggers

Lyric Truth: Rosemarie Beck

Catalogue published in connection with the exhibition "Lyric Truth: Paintings, Drawings, and Embroideries by Rosemarie Beck".