History Commons^™

The Cultural Significance Of Precious Stones In Early Modern England, Cassandra Auble

Department of History: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Sixteenth and seventeenth century sources reveal that precious stones served a number of important functions in Elizabethan and early Stuart society.  The beauty and rarity of certain precious stones made them ideal additions to fashion and dress of the day.  These stones also served political purposes when flaunted as examples of a country’s wealth, bestowed as favors, or even worn as a show of royal support.  Lapidaries and medical texts advised readers to use stones in myriad ways ranging from the subtle and common, to the bizarre and mystical.

Stones and gems are excellent tools for studying diverse aspects of …

Dean Of The Range: George Edward Lemmon, Open Range Cattle Ranching And The Development Of The Northern Great Plains, Nathan B. Sanderson

Department of History: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

George Edward Lemmon (1857-1945) lived a life full of significant achievements and played an integral role in the growth and settlement of the northern Great Plains.  A renowned cowboy and cattleman, Lemmon saddle-handled more cattle than any man who ever lived, bossed one of the nation’s largest roundups, operated an 865,000-acre lease on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation and later became an inaugural member of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame.  Part of his early success came as a result of trespassing—illegally grazing thousands of cattle—on the Great Sioux Reservation.  Due to his unparalleled cattle-handling skills and reputation as one …

Meatpacking And Immigration: Industrial Innovation And Community Change In Dakota County, Nebraska, 1960–2000, Dustin Kipp

Department of History: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Latino immigration to the Midwest during the twentieth century has received significant attention from historians, but most have focused on the early and middle decades of the century. The later decades of the twentieth century, when a significant new wave of Latino immigration brought many new arrivals to small rural communities have received less attention. This study examines the intersection of the restructuring of the meatpacking industry and Latino immigration to rural Midwestern communities from 1960 to 2000. Dakota County, Nebraska--home to the flagship operation of Iowa Beef Packers, Inc. (IBP) from 1964 until the company was sold to Tyson, …

Working Women In Choson Korea: An Exploration Of Women's Economic Activities In A Patriarchal Society, Michael J. Pettid

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

This paper examines the economic activities of women in Choson Korea in an attempt to uncover the realities of their lives in terms of economic contribution and support of the well-being of their households. Despite the prevailing rhetoric of the "Confucianization" of late Choson, it is the belief of this writer that such a situation probably did not apply strictly to rural society or in matters of the necessity of economic strength. Rather I will argue that the economic realities of late Choson and farm life in general valued the labor and contributions of all members of a household, and …

The Next Act In A Long Saga: Southern Sudan To Declare Independence On July 9, 2011, Sandra Popiden

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

The Collapse Of Yugoslavia And The Bosnian War: The Impact Of International Intervention In A Regional Conflict, Jeffrey Scott Passage

Master's Theses

This thesis examines the role of international intervention in the area formerly known as Yugoslavia during its collapse in the first half of the 1990s (1991-1995). The Cold War had just ended, and the United Nations (UN), NATO, and the nations they represented were reevaluating their roles in a world without competition between two superpowers. The collapse of Yugoslavia and ensuing civil war presented these international bodies with an opportunity to intervene and show that they were ready to take charge in future conflicts in pursuing and achieving peace. However, what followed revealed them to be short-sighted and ill-prepared for …

Charamicos: Bildungsroman Femenino O Aprendizaje Político A Través De La Memoria Histórica, Lucia M. Montas

The Coastal Review

In Latin America, the combination of history and fiction, especially during the last decades has allowed marginalized groups, specifically women, to contribute to the rewriting and reevaluation of their national history. Women writers in contemporary Dominican literature have been able to actively participate in this process after a long period of silence. Dominican author Angela Hernandez exemplifies this idea within contemporary Dominican narrative. In her novel Charamicos (2003), Hernandez reinterprets the Post Trujillo era from a feminist point of view. Thus, the purpose of this article is to analyze this novel as a depository of historical memory and construction of …

Nutrition And Stature: The Residents Of The Island Of Gotland, Sweden Killed In The Battle Of Wisby, 1361, Michelle A. Miller

Masters Theses

This research examines stature in order to assess the socio-economic status of Gotland, an island (and municipality) off the coast of Sweden, before the 1360's. Gotland was known as a wealthy and autonomous peasant republic although it was loosely ruled by the Swedish Crown. In 1361, the Danish Army laid siege on the seaport city of Wisby to obtain its riches. Three days after the battle, the approximately 1800 dead Gotlanders were tossed haphazardly into five common graves. Archaeological excavations took place from 1905-1930 by Bendt Thordeman, among others. The human remains were analyzed in 1937. Osteological analysis in the …

"Videbantur Gens Effera": Defining And Perceiving Peoples In The Chronicles Of Norman Italy, Jesse Hysell

Masters Theses

The goal of this project is to analyze the ways different cultural groups in Sicily and southern Italy were depicted in a set of historical texts associated with the Norman takeover of those regions in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. To achieve that aim, I consider social vocabulary applied to three distinct peoples (native Italians, Greeks, and Muslims) in five sources written by Amatus of Montecassino, Geoffrey Malaterra, William of Apulia, Alexander of Telese, and Hugo Falcandus. Although recent scholarship has posited that medieval identity was often felt through a "self versus other" or "Christian versus non-Christian" dichotomy, I have …

Considering Swiss Neutrality In World War One: Ideas, Successes, And Failures, Brian Wages

Swiss American Historical Society Review

At first glance, the Fifteenth Century Swiss ascetic Niklaus von Flue

and George Washington have only their distinguished military service

in common. Yet they share something far more important to contemporary

citizens of the United States and Switzerland. They were early

proponents of their respective nations' views on neutrality and vocal

advocates of avoiding foreign influences, alliances, and payments. For

international observers, Swiss neutrality is a universal constant and the

nation is quickly approaching two hundred years of uninterrupted neutrality.

Book Reviews, Kurt Winkler, Barry Maxfield, Barbaraella Frazier

Swiss American Historical Society Review

No abstract provided.

Henry Wirz And Andersonville: The Career Of The Most Controversial Swiss American, Albert Winkler

Swiss American Historical Society Review

While many Americans of Swiss descent have made valuable contributions

to the development of the United States, Henry Wirz has often

been viewed with disdain. He was the commander of the infamous Andersonville

prison where nearly 13,000 Union prisoners died during the

American Civil War, and he was one of the two men executed for war

crimes relating to that conflict. Despite his conviction in court, much

controversy surrounds his actions at Andersonville, and many writers

have either condemned or praised him. This paper will review the career

of Henry Wirz, examine his conduct at Andersonville, and analyze his

trial …

Full Issue

Swiss American Historical Society Review

No abstract provided.

A Position Of Strength: Arms Dealing As Diplomacy Under The Reagan Administration, William D. Watson

Masters Theses

My thesis is an examination of the Cold War during the 1980s, with a focus on arms dealing and diplomacy under President Ronald Reagan from 1981-1989. I chose to write about three specific case studies based on the unique intersections of American diplomatic goals in relation to geography, the sophistication of weapons technology involved, and geopolitical considerations. The purpose of this thesis is to explain why and how the Reagan administration was able to carry out three separate arms deals, and in turn, how those deals fit into the broader, global Cold War between the United States and the Soviet …

Lsuhsc Facilities Daily Updates: June 2011, Lsuhsc Property And Facilities Management

LSUHSC Facilities Daily Updates: 2011

LSUHSC Facilities Daily Updates from June 2011.

These updates describe damage and a timeline of repairs at the LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans campus due to Hurricane Katrina which made landfall August 29, 2005.

Lsuhsc Facilities Biweekly Update: June 2011, Lsuhsc Property And Facilities Management

LSUHSC Facilities Biweekly Updates: 2011

LSUHSC Facilities Biweekly Updates from June 3 and 17, 2011.

These updates describe damage and a timeline of repairs at the LSU Health Sciences Center - New Orleans campus due to Hurricane Katrina which made landfall August 29, 2005.

"...Never Forget What They Did Here": Memorial Day 2011, John M. Rudy

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

One of my pleasures on this holiday is to buy and place a flag on the monument to the 14th U.S. Regulars in the valley of death. Along the banks of Plum Run, the Regulars held back an onslaught from a pell-mell group of charging Confederates in what would be the final phase of the fight in the Wheatfield and Devil's Den area on July 2nd, 1863. As they retreated back across the swampy lowlands, Confederates hot on their heels, their own gunners on the slopes of the hill had no choice but to fire into the mangled mess of …

Hoffman, Mary Elizabeth - Relating To (Sc 667), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "additional files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 667. Anonymous, undated essay entitled “Incidents in the Life of Mrs. M. E. Hoffman of Cynthiana, Ky.” describing the Civil War activities of Mrs. Hoffman, a Confederate sympathizer. Includes a 1970s letter to Nancy Disher Baird giving additional information on Mrs. Hoffman’s actions during the Civil War.

Kaenzig, Charles Leslie, 1921-2006 (Sc 2455), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scans (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 2455. Correspondence regarding Charles L. Kaenzig of Versailles, Kentucky, an Air Force lieutenant shot down over Italy and held prisoner by the Germans. Includes notices to his father of his status, a letter to his father from the pilot of the downed aircraft, and letters for Kaenzig written to his parents and sister while waiting to be shipped home after his liberation.

Magoffin, Beriah, 1815-1885 - Letters To (Sc 821), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Fidning aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 821.  Facsimiles of two letters to Magoffin while he was governor of Kentucky. John E. Records, a Falmouth Democrat, writes of his reaction to the newly-founded Republican Party in his 31 March 1860 letter. Major General Leonidas Polk writes from Columbus 9 September 1861, telling  of the occupation of this Mississippi River town by Confederate troops. Also, photocopies of census records.

Arnett, Terry (Sc 2454), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 2454.  Letter, 23 February 1991, from Terry Arnett, serving in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield, to Allison Grimes, Bowling Green, Kentucky.  He sends greetings and writes briefly of the desert conditions.  Stationery includes Operation Desert Shielf crest and images of military activities.

Gladys Wallace Strayhorn

African American Funeral Programs

Funeral Program for Gladys Wallace Strayhorn on May 27, 2011 at Woodlawn Presbyterian Church

Activist Women's Voices Oral History Collection, 1995-2000 Finding Aid, Graduate Center Library, Cuny

Finding Aids

The Activist Women's Voices Oral History Project, funded by AT&T, the Ford Foundation, the Ms. Foundation for Education and Communication, and the New York Council for Humanities, is committed to documenting the voices of unheralded activist women in community-based organizations in New York City. The archive was established in 1995 under the direction of Professors Joyce Gelb and Patricia Laurence with the aim of creating linkages between activist women in the New York City community and student and faculty researchers at the City University of New York.

Mormon History Materials: Utah State University Special Collections & Archives, Cheryl D. Walters

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

The slideshow was created for the Mormon History Conference held in St. George, Utah May 26-29, 2011 at the request of Bradford Cole, Associate Director for Special Collections and Archives. I created the slideshow; he hosted it and answered questions on site.

Empathizing With The Slave; Empathizing With The Slave-Owner, John M. Rudy

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

Living inside of the world of the past is often the most difficult thing an interpreter can help her audience to do. But, in spite of its difficulty, it is the most necessary. The adage that before you insult a man, you must walk a mile in his shoes is correct. [excerpt]

Ferguson, Nora (Young), 1882-1969 - Collector (Sc 2453), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 2453. Miscellaneous marriage bonds (9) and minister's return (1) collected by Nora (Young) Ferguson. The bonds were given in Barren Butler, and Breckinridge counties in Kentucky. Some may have been given in Warren County, Kentucky.

Muhlenberg County, Kentucky Union Of The American Society Of Equity (Mss 370), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 270.  Minute books, account books and organizational papers of the Muhlenberg Union of the American Society of Equity, a farmers collective bargaining organization.  Also includes constitution and by-laws, stationery, and other printed ephemera associated with the organization.  The Muhlenberg Union was organized on 28 July 1905.

Thomas "Sonny Boy" Jones

African American Funeral Programs

Thomas--Sonny--Boy--Jones.pdf - Contains the funeral program for Thomas "Sonny Boy" Jones

Guthrie Family Papers (Sc 2452), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scans (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 2452. Civil War pension documents, chiefly affidavits describing his service, of William Guthrie, who served with the 13th Kentucky Cavalry; letter written to A. C. Guthrie in Farmington, Texas; and letter written to William Guthrie in Burkesville, Kentucky upon the death of A. C. Guthrie.

Electoral College (Sc 2451), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 2451.  Certification of George B. Hodge, James McKenzie, James M. Bigger, S. P. Love, R. S. Bevier, J. M. Atherton, Richard A. Jones, H. Cox, W. C. P. Breckinridge, Robert E. Little, A. L. Martin, and H. L. Stone, electors for Kentucky, as to the outcome of their votes for president and vice president of the United States, 1872.  Includes notice of certification for 1880 bearing the signatures of the electors only.