History Commons^™

Familiar Ecology: The Demonization Of Spirit Knowledge In Early Modern England And Its Ecological Ramifications, Ryan P. Mealiffe

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: During the English witch trials of the mid-sixteenth century to 1735, more was on trial than just the accused humans before the bar. Witch trials also threatened an entire mental landscape, the beings that inhabited it, and their relationships with both the accused and the general populace. This ecological ontology coalesced in the other party on trial: the intersectional helpers known as familiar spirits. Spirits animated the natural world, intermingled with flora and fauna, and impacted many aspects of everyday life, representing a keystone species in popular conceptions of nature in early modern England. The assumption of malevolence present …

Uranium Natives: Mining For The Cold War, Angela M. Wood

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: During the Cold War the quest for plutonium to produce more bombs and beat the Soviets was the mission for the Department of Energy. There was constant fear of an atomic bomb being dropped on the U.S. The search for uranium was on. People who owned mines, however, were more concerned with production than they were with safety. Unfortunately, because most of the uranium was on Indian lands, one of the biggest casualties of the race were the native communities who especially didn't understand the nature of what they were working with. Due to their traditional relationship with the …

Reforming Indiana's 1865 Education Law, David Sye

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

In 1865, near the end of the Civil War, the Indiana state legislature passed a school law that established a system of public schools, yet excluded black and other non-white children. Various attempts were made over the following years to amend this law and expand the school system to include black children. Governor Oliver Morton was a fierce proponent, but after he was elected the United States Senate to represent Indiana, this responsibility shifted to Lt. Governor Conrad Baker. While the general assembly struggled to pass a new law, communities across Indiana implemented their own solutions. In cities such as …

Interview With Aline Kamariza, Aline Kamariza, Ezra Schrader

Interviews

Transcript of interview and audio recording conducted with Aline Kamariza. Per the "Methodology" section, the transcript has been lightly edited for clarity. The interview begins at 00:06:17 in the audio recording.

This interview was recorded over Zoom and manually transcribed.

Can’T Bear It! Employing Culturally Sensitive Initiatives To Reduce Bear Bile Demand In Northern Vietnam, Alicia Ngo, Shannon Randolph

EnviroLab Asia

Over the past 30 years, the combination of over-hunting, habitat loss, and increased bear bile demand has caused significant declines in Asiatic black bear (aka moon bear; Ursus thibetanus) and sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) populations. In Eastern medicine, bear bile is extracted from the gallbladders of bears and is then used to treat a wide range of inflammatory, liver, and degenerative ailments. However, the use of bear bile has had significant impacts on bear populations. Given that communities in Northern Vietnam have a lengthy history of using bear bile and bear bile is easily accessible, merely advocating …

University Of Kentucky Student Life, Ruth E. Bryan

Library Presentations

This presentation by University Archivist Ruth E. Bryan for the University of Kentucky's Family Weekend 2.0--organized by the University of Kentucky Student Transitions and Family Program unit from April 9-11, 2021--provides an overview of the development of the University of Kentucky from its founding in 1865 through 2021. It then describes and illustrates student life and traditions from the 100th anniversary of the university in 1916 through the 150th anniversary in 2015. Topics include registration, residence life, commencement, and student body-wide events such as Arbor Day, May Day, the Little Kentucky Derby, building tagging, the freshman-sophomore flag rush and tug …

Larry Pierce

African American Funeral Programs

No abstract provided.

Practical Anarchism: The Makhnovist Movement In The Ukraine, 1917–1921, Zion G. Flores

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Anarchism was one of the most prominent revolutionary left-wing movements in 19th and 20th century Europe, even contending as a philosophy with Marxism in many socialist circles. However, anarchism is generally believed today to be unrealistic and impractical as a political ideology. When looking at the modern historical record though, this does not always seem to be the case. I plan to explore whether the Makhnovist movement in the Ukraine from 1917-1921 provides an exception to the idea that anarchist movements are never viable. This movement, guided in large part by anarcho-communist Nestor Makhno, was one of the first to …

Born And Bred In Blood: The Fall Of The Aztec Empire, Melina Arciniega

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

The fall of the Aztec Empire in 1521 was a surprising feat given the well-known, vast power, and fighting capabilities of the Aztec people. Many questions since then have arisen as to how such a mighty empire had so rapidly fallen. These theories hold implications that the Aztecs were victims to the incoming disease, famine, and domination inflicted by the Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortes. Alongside these proposals I suggest that by examining archaeological and historical evidence, the Aztec traditional practices were also responsible for its society’s collapse. By identifying the significance of the human sacrifices, the cultural, political, and economical …

Changes In The Relationship Between The Horus And Seth: Settling The Score, Gabrielle Goodwin

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

As can be seen in Ancient Egyptian mythology, the gods Horus and Set had a rocky relationship that was most often represented as bitter rivalry. They both contended for the throne left empty by Osiris after his death with Horus eventually emerging victorious. Rather than remaining static in narrative and character, this is a story consistently tweaked across the fabric of Ancient Egyptian history. The Horus and Set of the Archaic Period are very different gods from the Horus and Set of the Late Period though the base story remains the same. By looking at the material and visual culture …

Plague And Progress: An Analysis Of Giovanni Boccaccio’S Decameron And Reform During The Initial Outbreak Of The Black Death, Ben Hecko

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron is a collection of one hundred stories told by a group of people during the initial outbreak of the Black Death in Italy in 1348. Though the work has been interpreted as an escapist piece, this limits its overall value. Through the inclusion of the frame that surrounds the fictional tales, Boccaccio establishes the importance of the plague to the meaning of the work as a whole. Many of the stories that Boccaccio tells attack the immorality of those in positions of authority. These critiques provide a social commentary that addresses the failures of his society and …

Religious Language And The American Presidency, Shinjin Lee

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: The United States is not a theocratic county, yet the importance of, and the emphasis on, religion are a quintessential part of understanding American politics and society. This paper explores the way former presidents of the United States treated and spoke of religion(s) has changed during the history of the nation. In order to discover the role and impact of religion in American history I will analyze a selection of various types of writings of the presidents such as formal letters to Congress or the American people, inauguration remarks, official statements, and other speeches from as early as George …

The Significance Of Oomoto: Why Imperialization Of Japan Led To An Alternative Religion, Chancellor T. Jenniges

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: In 1852 Admiral Matthew Perry led an American fleet to Japan and persuaded the Japanese to modernize. Fearful of being colonized by the West, like the Chinese, the Japanese moved to westernize their own economy and society. As a result, they outlawed many historic customs. Japan began to westernize their customs and define religion. Three categories were established, religion, non-religion, and superstition. Any ideology or practice that no longer benefited their goals of westernization was deemed superstitious and removed from the narrative. However, these developments met opposition. One such opponent, Ueda Kisaburō, created an alternative religion called Oomoto in …

Cursing In Medieval England: ‘By God’S Bones’ And Other Obscenities And Expletives, Mary Sweeney

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: Many scholars who study letters, drama, and literature from late medieval and early modern England focus on political and social content, but recently linguists study this material using linguistics. For example, Melissa Mohr’s work on cursing has opened up new avenues of study. As useful as this is, it only takes up a small slice of English life and the usage of swear words. My research into the letters of elite and gentry men and women such as the Cely and Paston families, reveals how language both establishes social solidarity and disrupts it. I ask why these words were …

Charlemagne: Nuancing The Conventional Narrative, Rebecca Devereaux

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Charlemagne, one of the most famous figures in Western history, continues to attract the attention of contemporary scholars. Historian Chris Wickham argues in his book Medieval Europe, somewhat conventionally, that Charlemagne’s leadership should primarily be seen through his military efforts. However, historian Janet Nelson in her recent biography, King and Emperor: A New Life of Charlemagne, published in 2019 reveals a much more complex picture of Charlemagne that places much more emphasis on his Christian worldview and its impact on his life. My paper illustrates the challenge of writing a synthetic overview of such a large subject as Medieval Europe. …

After Aidan: Irish Peregrini And English Ethnogenesis From Aldhelm To Boniface, Jonathan R. Hayes

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

The last several decades have seen tremendous interest among Anglo-Saxonists in the points of contact and influence between Irish and Anglo-Saxon clergymen in the seventh and eighth centuries. Yet there has not been a comprehensive synthesis to capture this phenomenon. The present study seeks to consolidate and extend knowledge of Irish-English interactions from Aldhelm to the time of Boniface. Particular attention is given to the Irish practice of peregrinatio pro Christo as a nexus of English fascination. The lasting consequences of these contacts are evaluated, and it is proposed that the concept of the “Angli” as an ecclesiastical and transregional …

The Klondike Gold Rush And The Dead Horse Trail, Brian O'Riley

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: The Klondike Gold Rush is known in part for the hardships that men and women faced as they travelled the trails to Dawson City in the Yukon. One of the lesser-known aspects of this event is the tragedy that befell thousands of horses that were killed on the Chilkoot and White Pass Trails. The White pass trail would be given the moniker “The Dead Horse Trail.” With so many men trying to get thousands of pounds of goods over the mountain passes from the Alaskan seacoast towns of Skagway and Dyea, pack animals were crucial for the task. However, …

The Watchman: Charles Chauncy’S Defense Of The New England Clerical Establishment During The Great Awakening, Sydney E. Rue

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

The Great Awakening sparked social and religious controversies throughout the thirteen colonies. By 1740, two religious fractions had emerged, the New Lights and the Old Lights. As the Awakening grew in popularity, George Whitefield led gaggles of itinerant preachers and lay exhorters onto the streets, thus destabilizing the traditional parish structure. In a last-ditch effort to combat the growing influence of the New Lights, Charles Chauncy burst on to the scene with Seasonable Thoughts on the State of Religion in New England (1743). This research examines Seasonable Thoughts and how Chauncy’s book responded to societal pressures and attempted to change …

The Holodomor: The Trickle-Down Effect Of Political And Economic Choices, Patricia A. Mcmanigal

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: The choices made by political leaders do not merely affect those that hold office, rather there is a trickle-down effect that touches every life within their nation. The event known as the Holodomor was a Ukrainian famine during the 1930s. Stalin’s decisions were based upon impressions created during the Russian famine in the 1920s under Lenin’s leadership. Previous research supports the widely agreed upon determination that the famine was not a side effect of natural causes, but rather the direct result of Stalin’s collectivism. Furthermore, the U.N. declared the event to be genocide and not due to poorly directed …

The 'English Bath': English Sweating Sickness And The 1529 Continental Outbreak, Anika Esther Martin

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: Sudor Anglicus, or "English Sweating Sickness," was a peculiar disease which afflicted England during the Tudor period. First appearing in the late summer of 1485, Sweating Sickness quickly proved itself to be a terrifying killer. Those who contracted the Sweat were struck ill suddenly, often died within the first twenty-four hours, and suffered from a host of symptoms, the most visible of which being a raging fever and oppressive sweat. Between 1485 and 1551, five major outbreaks of the disease wracked the country, attracting the worried attention of those beyond England. In 1529, those anxieties were realized when a …

Sicut Regale: An Analysis Of The Sovereignty And Rule Of The Welsh Marcher Lords, Luke Lambert

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

The Welsh kingdoms originally retained their independence after the Norman conquest of England in 1066, but most Normans given fiefs along the Welsh borders gradually expanded into Wales. The result of this ambition was the Marcher Lordships. Warfare was commonplace and lasted until the last Welsh prince was subdued in 1282. Due to the importance of their defensive roles, Marcher lords received or seized authority generally reserved for the crown elsewhere in the realm. They presided over court cases and had their own law codes, often a mix of Norman and native Welsh law codes. Most Marcher Lords commanded sizeable …

The Manifestation Of Total War In The Mexican Revolution, Craig J. Verniest

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: The concept of total war is typically conceived of as the entirety of a nation’s or other belligerent’s resources and the spheres of non-combatant, civilian-centered life being drawn into the conflict. Total war also includes the methods of warfare being conducted with the intent of exhibiting complete destruction on an enemy’s forces and moral. Although total war in the Mexican Revolution is not typically, if ever, discussed in its historiography, I am arguing that the Mexican Revolution exhibited implementation of total war in its warfare, and therefore should be discussed in its historiography to similar degrees as that of …

Red, White, And Blue Tartan: Modern Scottish Cultural Preservation In The American West, Felicia Thompson Zaleski

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: From the small nation of Scotland has come a world of cultural ideas and preservation—some historically based and others fictional and romanticized. The historical and romanticized ideas of what Scottish culture is have come together to form the Scottish Heritage organizations and celebrations so common in the modern world, specifically the American west. The pinnacle moments of the Battle of Culloden Moor in 1746 to the end of the Acts of Proscription in the latter part of the 18th century stand as a basis for the need to preserve culture. Studying the history of dress, music, dance, and clans …

Parody, Performance, And Conspiracy In Early Eighteenth-Century France: The Subversive Court Of Louise Bénédicte De Bourbon, Daughter-In-Law Of The Sun King (1700–1718), Jordan Hallmark

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

This paper examines how the French princess Louise Bénédicte de Bourbon, duchesse du Maine (1676–1753), the wife of Louis XIV’s illegitimate son, the duc du Maine, established an exclusive court at her château de Sceaux beginning in the year 1700 that challenged the centralized cultural system of the French monarchical state. Located twenty kilometers away from the rigid and controlling political center of Versailles, the court of the duchesse du Maine subverted social norms by inventing and performing parodies of court protocols, chivalric orders, emblems, and other forms of monarchical imagery. In a time and place where women were both …

Cleopatra Vii: How Modernity Altered One Of Egypt’S Most Infamous Pharaohs, Isabeau Newbury

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: In the course of history, many people are fascinated by the “other” but this fascination stems from works that are not factual depictions of an event or person. If the personification of historical figures is continuously perpetuated in fictional works, how we interpret the evidence can then be affected by these works. This is especially true of the ancient women in power in Ancient Egypt, but specifically in the case of Cleopatra VII, who was the last Pharaoh of Egypt. This study is designed to look at how desire vs fact changes the narrative, and how we need to …

World War Ii And Racial Relations, Jared Kimball

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

The world has a long history of racial bias and discrimination. Many countries see racial equality as a primary concern that needs to be addressed. Countries including the United States, United Kingdom, and even India have made major leaps in the past century to address racial equality. This process was started by the leaders of nations actively involved in World War II. World War II was a war started by racial prejudice and changed mankind’s perceptions of race. In this essay I explain how World War II was a precursor for the American Civil Rights Movement and for worldwide change …

Before Menstruation: The Upholding And Downfall Of Child Marriage In India, Amanda Mills

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: This paper will cover the roots of the tradition of child marriage in India through the British colonial period all the way to the 1980s. This paper will attempt to dissect the economic, social, and philosophical reasonings for child marriage. Particular focus will be placed on the time of British colonial rule because that was a time of both exploitation and reform in child marriage laws. This paper will explore the language that surrounded the discourses on child marriage, from both the British colonists and the Indian detractors. This timeline will follow the legislative action that reformed child marriage …

Elmore V. Rice Et Al.: The Court Case That Defies A Narrative, Gerrit Sterk

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Studying and explaining Elmore v. Rice et al., a voting rights case that took place in 1947 in Columbia, South Carolina, provides an opportunity to enrich a new development in the historiography of the Civil Rights Movement. How this case was supported by Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP has been studied, but how it and similar early grassroots actions contributed to what some historians are now calling “the long civil rights movement” has not, one that began long before the Brown decision of 1954. Additionally, how this case emerged out of the grassroots political culture of Waverly, a middle-class Black …

The Sun Only Sets On Black Britons: Sexuality And The Notting Hill Riots, Victor Curiel

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Late into August 1958, a gang of white youth unleashed a catastrophic wave of targeted violence against Black migrants in the areas around Notting Hill and Nottingham. The event came to be known as the Notting Hill and Nottingham riots. The riots served as a watershed moment, allowing government members to capitalize on race as a problem and eventually limit Black entry into the country and validate unequal access to opportunities and support. However, the riots merely served as kindling to a destructive discourse of race relations already taking place, constructing a narrative that saw Black individuals as foreign, dangerous, …

The Kings Have Daddy Issues: Masculinity And Generational Kingship Of The Plantagenet Dynasty, Richard Merrell

Phi Alpha Theta Pacific Northwest Regional Conference

Abstract: Masculinity studies owes a great debt to sociologist R. W. Connell, whose ideas on hegemonic masculinity have created a rich and fruitful field of study. The application of masculinity studies in medieval history is a similarly new field, dominated by Marc Ormrod’s broadly focused studies of the times. My paper does two things: it narrows Ormrod’s focus while introducing a new element of inquiry into the intergenerational relationships that reveal learned masculinity and the creation of symbols of power in Medieval England. I will focus on King Edward III; Edward the Black Prince, and King Richard II to examine …