Cultural History Commons^™

A Terrible Tranquility: John Adams, Christian Stoicism, And The Architecture Of American Virtue, William E. Shook

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

This paper challenges the historiographical binary of a “secular” versus “Christian” American founding by examining the intellectual architecture of John Adams during his formative early years. It argues that Adams did not possess a static or fully articulated dogma but instead engaged in a dynamic, lifelong struggle to define virtue amid profound socio-political upheaval. To resolve the tension between the grandeur of Enlightenment liberalism, pagan classical ideals, and his own Christian faith, Adams forged a pressurized personal philosophy: a “Christian Stoicism.” Drawing on a close reading of his private Diary and Autobiography, this study demonstrates that his inherited Puritan …

America's Founding Theology, Michael Payne

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Building off of Mark David Hall's thesis that America had a Christian founding, this paper seeks to explore the theology of this Christian founding. While acknowledging that Enlightenment and English Common Law also influenced American founding thought, the paper seeks to look specifically at America's theological outlook. It concludes that American founding theology was overwhelmingly Reformed but with some key influences from the Baptist, Quaker, and even Catholic traditions. These influences can be found in the writings of the founders as well as in America's founding documents such as the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The point of the …

Fidelity And Fortitude: Dolley Madison’S Political Ideas Of The First Lady, Olivia Mares

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Dolley Madison helped create the modern idea of a First Lady taking political action and stances through her work to reelect her husband James, build a thriving city and capital for the nation to enjoy, and unite the new republic, further solidifying its place in history for decades. Dolley’s theory of the First Lady made her responsible for organizing, launching, and legitimizing James’ administration and the new capital while growing a sense of Americanness. She believed it was part of her public duty to encourage republicanism and work towards social solutions to make a cohesive government without threatening the current …

The Legacy And Influence Of The Gist Family On The Expansion And Independence Of The United States Of America, Alethea Kilgore

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The Gist family of 17th-century Maryland left a lasting legacy and impact on the development of Baltimore, Maryland, and the first known Anglican parishes in this city. Descendants of the Gist family also played significant roles in the Western expansion of British Colonial America, Indian relations, and the victory of the American Revolutionary War. This paper will include an overview of the history and genealogy of the Gist family, beginning with Christopher Gist Sr. (1650-1690), who immigrated from Wiltshire, England, to the Province of Maryland around 1679. This paper will focus on three descendants of the Gist family who made …

A Roller Coaster Ride With America’S Jefferson, Andrae Henderson

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

History’s pedestal stands as tall as mankind can imagine and the fall from such heights creates in us the adrenaline of the fall, the pain of impact, and worst of all the insecurities of an unsure footing in the world. According to some historians, few have fallen harder than Thomas Jefferson. Annette Gordon-Reed and Peter S. Onuf, two significant modern historians partnered to write, “There has been a reaction to these earlier portraits of Jefferson, and the pendulum appears to have swung all the way in the opposite direction. ‘Jefferson the God’ has given way to ‘Jefferson the Devil’.” Historiographical …

Rome Goes West: The Influence Of Classical Antiquity Upon The American Founding, Rebecca Felton

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

To the American founding generation, the history of classical antiquity—of Rome in particular—not only supplied a common vernacular capable of transcending geographical and social boundaries, but also imparted important lessons regarding statecraft and the destinies of nations. Over the course of the 1760s and 1770s, the founders increasingly regarded America as the inheritor of Roman imperium, politically, culturally, and even religiously. Thus, alongside British constitutionalism, Enlightenment philosophy, and Christian resistance theory, the memory of Rome contributed to the declaration of American independence from Great Britain.

A Crown In Death: An (Expanded) Dramaturgical Approach To The Trojan Women Of Euripides, Stephanie Lester

Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship

In the action-packed, visually-oriented market for modern media, some may assume a 2,400-year-old Greek tragedy to be slightly past its expiration date, especially if it features little to no action onstage like in Euripides’ The Trojan Women. However, it is important to remember that literature is lost when the world fails to cherish it, so if a text survives that long, it may be worth another cursory glance. In this case, that glance involved a full dramaturgical study featuring qualitative script analysis of multiple translations of The Trojan Women with related texts to explore context, themes, common literary devices, and …

The Tomb Of Andraemon And Colophonian Burial Culture, Emily Brophy

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The ancient city of Colophon is surrounded by extensive necropoleis from the Mycenaean, Geometric, and Classical periods of Greek history. Long before the necropoleis’ modern rediscovery, Pausanias described his encounter with the tomb of Andraemon in the 2nd century CE. Searching for Andraemon’s tomb using specific details from Pausanias’s Descriptions of Greece, as well as geographic and archaeological evidence, firmly places the tomb within a complex burial culture surrounding the site of ancient Colophon in modern-day Izmir, Turkey.

The Formation Of The American League In Baseball; Changes In American Society And Culture That Contributed To The Demand For More Baseball In The Late 19th Century, Shawn M. Smith

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The second professional major league (the American League) in baseball came about in response to the demand for more baseball entertainment due to the increased amount of leisure time Americans had in the late-19th century as society started the shift from an agricultural based lifestyle to a culture who worked predominantly in factory work.

The culture and society of the day changed drastically due to changing economic conditions of the time period. Due to monumental changes in industry, the vast majority of the population had shifted from working in an agrarian society to working in factories as a result of …

Resourcefulness And Changes In Wealthy Confederate Women’S Fashion During The American Civil War, Adaline Nolley

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

At the dawn of the American Civil War, women’s fashion had become increasingly extravagant, featuring intricate embroidered designs, folded skirts, and detailed bodices. In the American South, the image of the “southern belle” emerged during the antebellum period. The initial view of the southern belle was characterized by displays of wealth through clothing and décor choices. However, as the Civil War dragged on, battles and blockades caused shortages in goods in the South both from Northern industrial centers and European markets. The evolution of southern women’s fashions between the antebellum period and the end of the American Civil war demonstrates …

Women’S Fashion In The Civil War And Godey’S Lady’S Book’S Role In Its Dissemination, Julia Broughton

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The Civil War was a difficult time in America’s history, but in many ways, life continued as it always had. Women were still interested in fashion, and they still wanted to wear dresses that made them feel beautiful. They also wanted to keep up with trends and find creative ways to incorporate trends into their wardrobes. In the war period, fabric types, the typical dress silhouette, common trends, and fashion magazines all informed women’s fashion, as well as fashion’s function. One such magazine that played an important role as a disseminator of women’s fashion during the Civil War was the …

Come As You Are: The Rise And Fall Of The Grunge Movement And Its Implications On The Identity Of Seattle, Colin J. Wood

Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship

This paper evaluates the rise of the Grunge movement through Nirvana’s Nevermind album as a unique burst of culture through the city of Seattle. Culturally, in the late 20th century, Seattle found its identity in the area around it, though other American cities overshadowed its significance. Through music, figures such as Jack Endino and the iconic Kurt Cobain gave Seattle an unfathomable uplift within global culture. This paper argues that grunge culture emerged as a distinct facet of Seattleite identity, with elements like flannel clothing and thrifting playing pivotal roles in shaping the city's recognizable and esteemed cultural landscape. It …

“My Kingdom For A Horse!” The Development Of Equestrian Influence In Early Modern Europe, Jane Goode

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Humanity has always had a close relationship with horses, from using them for work to warfare to recreation. The era of early modern Europe is especially telling because of the transition of horsemanship underwent during that period. The horse has been used as a symbol of status and power that can be seen strongly throughout the culture of the 17th and 18th centuries with the development in breeding, the impact on different courts throughout Europe, and their elevation in art.

Samovars In The Snow: The Rise Of A Distinctively Russian Tea Culture, Abigail Coker

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

In the 18th Century, tea culture emerged in the Russia of Catherine the Great. Following the lead of the westernizing empress, Russians of the aristocracy adopted the refinement, which the spread across the empire. By the mid-19th Century, Russians from all social classes enjoyed tea not just as a drink but as a means of socializing and extending hospitality. Tea culture also manifested itself in new types of foods as well as cups and plates, as well other elements of broader Russian culture.

“And So My Soul Shall Rise”: Enslaved And Free African American Christianity Before Emancipation, Holly J. Lawson

Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship

The Christianity of enslaved and free African Americans in the years immediately following the first Great Awakening through the end of the Civil War (roughly 1750-1850) evidences a complex cultural fusion and a complicated theological depth. There were many different aspects of the religious and spiritual practices of these African American Christians, including preaching, baptism, ecstatic spiritual experiences, evangelism, violent and non-violent forms of resistance to slavery, and, possibly the most prevalent of all, music and singing. The hundreds of thousands of African people unwillingly brought to America brought with them their African heritage, but the survival of their African …

Galileo And The Church: An Ecological Perspective, Holly J. Lawson

Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship

The post-medieval church was surrounded by intense sociocultural factors, including the recent Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation. Although “the Galileo affair,” as it has been dubbed in the years since, is generally presented as a case example of the conflict between science and faith or religion, it is far more complex than these two issues alone. Galileo’s discoveries supporting the Copernican theory entered a complex interplay of factors, eventually leading to a highly pressurized encounter between Galileo and the Inquisition. Galileo’s indictment is a nuanced, poignant example of the rich cultural and contextual factors that drive clashes of religion …

Taking Dominion To End Dominion: The Mennonite Influence On The End Of Russian Serfdom, H. Michael Shultz Jr.

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Serfdom in Russia was abolished in 1861, only 76 years after the first Mennonites were invited into Russia by Catherine II. By examining the lifestyle of the Mennonites who settled in the agriculturally productive “New Russia” (modern-day Ukraine), as well as the impact that the Mennonites had on the Imperial family, peasantry, and government, it is evident that the Mennonites played a recognizable role in bringing about the abolition of serfdom across the empire.

The 1776 Report And The Historical Establishment: A Review, Joseph E. Esparza

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The Trump Administration’s 1776 Final Report was instantly condemned by nearly all professional historical organizations in the United States upon its public release. This review of the 1776 Final Report seeks to understand why the historical establishment so quickly dismissed it as irrelevant and dangerous. It sheds light on the academic context behind the report, and comments on the state of the historical establishment in the United States. This article also gives an honest review of the final report from an historical perspective. This review demonstrates that the 1776 Report was never intended as a comprehensive narrative of American history …

To Be Necessary: The Remarkable Life Of Mary Wollstonecraft, Elisabeth Phillips

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Although overshadowed by her daughter, Mary Shelley, in the public imagination, Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) stands as a significant figure in her time who left a significant legacy. Her writings advocating for women’s education, equal rights, and career opportunities established her as the progenitor of the modern women’s rights movement. Wollstonecraft’s ideas resonated in the era of the Atlantic world revolutions and laid the foundation for later advances of women in the Western world; therefore, it is important to study her contributions in the present.

Historical Revisionism: Revising Or Rewriting, Tyce Shank

Senior Honors Theses

Historical revisionism has long been a part of effective academic historiography. A constant re-analysis of the past and how previous historians came to their conclusions about it enable corrections to be made and new findings to be incorporated into modern and future historical metanarratives. While plentiful positive examples of this practice exist, in part because of an understanding of history as a discipline and how it is correctly and incorrectly represented in adaptations, notable poor and inappropriate examples of revisionism also exist. These rewrites are usually political and are often contested by political opponents and academics, but nevertheless persist. Understanding …

“Started By A Mouse” An Examination Into The Character Of Walt Disney, And The Company That He Built., Micah P. Bellamy

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Walt Disney's legacy reaches all over the world, which is a far stretch from his humble beginning delivering newspapers in Kansas City. This study will examine Walt Disney's life, starting with his humble beginnings on the farm, his early days as a cartoonist, to the rise of the Walt Disney Corporation. The examination will look at the man, Walt Disney, focusing on his upbringing and the various challenges that he faced throughout his life that shaped the leader that he would later become, and will reveal how, despite the adversities, obstacles, and challenges that Walt faced, and how they shaped …

Jus Gentium, Natural Law, And Grotius’ Treatise: The Impact Of International Law’S Classical Heritage On Today’S Enforcement Dilemma, Faith Chudkowski

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

No abstract provided.

Nothing New Under The Sun: Augustine And Cicero’S Visions Of How Human Nature Relates To Justice, Virtue, Biblical Wisdom, And The State, Faith Chudkowski

Helm's School of Government Conference - 2021-2024

Social issues today stand at the forefront of civil discourse, global injustice abounds, and the average citizen seems to be more invested in molding a better future than ever before. In the 2020 presidential election, nearly two-thirds of America voted, a percentage that has not been reached since 1900.[1] In recent years, social media has become a primary avenue for rallying support and spreading ideas that range from domestic policy to new notions of justice. Yet, where passionate debate has erupted, levels of polarization and division have risen as well. Where one finds genuine concern for the state of …

Diaries And Journals Of Pioneer Women And Their Significance, Haley Fury

Senior Honors Theses

Pioneer women who took the trails west and carved homes out of the wilderness often kept diaries or journals. In them, they recorded their everyday activities and their adventures. These diaries were often among the dearest possessions of the women who owned them. They are also some of the best primary sources that historians have and are used to reconstruct a picture of the lives of these women and their families. Furthermore, they hold great value for the ordinary Americans of today. This thesis will be examining how and why these diaries and journals hold such great significance.

Death And The Transformation Of Women’S Roles Surrounding Death: An Analysis Of Jacques-Louis David’S History Paintings, Miranda Boljat

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Jacques-Louis David is remembered today for his contributions to the world of Neoclassical art before the French Revolution, during the Revolution, and during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte. His body of work represents an impressive journey from his Rococo roots to his Neoclassical political works to his many different portraits of Napoleon. In comparing his pieces, an observer can track the development of a variety of themes. Specifically, it is possible to see the different ways David portrayed the event of death in his history paintings. From there, a researcher can clearly tie the different views of death to the …

Review Of Nancy F. Cott, The Bonds Of Womanhood: Woman’S Sphere In New England, 1780-1835, Merritt A. Morgan

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Historian Nancy Cott has produced an important work that explores the dialectic between the women’s work and their changing status in reference to the new rhetoric of democracy in the antebellum period. Cott shows us how women perceived themselves and what they said that she expects will lead to a new framework for the interpretation of the concept of womanhood.

“The Friendly And Flowing Savage, Who Is He?”: Manifest Destiny, Native American Stereotypes, And How American Print Culture Closed The Western Frontier, 1865-1890, Emily Parrow

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

This article examines how 19th Century American print culture shaped white American perceptions of Amerindians. Between the close of the Civil War and the Wounded Knee Massacre, the American press, Indian captivity narratives, and fictional accounts reflect diverse white perspectives on and attitudes towards Native Americans’ past and future in a continental United States.

The Spiritual Nature Of The Italian Renaissance, Kaitlyn Kenney

Senior Honors Theses

This study seeks to investigate the influence of faith in the emergence and development of the Italian Renaissance, in both the artwork and writing of the major artists and thinkers of the day, and the impact that new expressions of faith had on the viewing public. While the Renaissance is often labeled as a secular movement by modern scholars, this interpretation is largely due to the political motives of the Medici family who dominated Florence as the center of this artistic rebirth, on and off again throughout the period. On close examination, the philosophical and creative undercurrents of the movement …

Forging Insights: Indian Agency Blacksmiths Of The American Frontier, Adam G. Novey

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

Following the War of 1812, the United States government sought to more directly deal with the Native tribes in the American interior. The establishment of Indian agency blacksmith shops was one significant component of this endeavor. While it remains a virtually untouched topic in scholarship, the analysis of agency blacksmith services may reveal significant historical insights within topics as diverse as ethnic perception, material culture, frontier government practices, and language dynamics during a time of great upheaval. This case study of the blacksmith shop at the Fort Winnebago sub-agency in pre-state Wisconsin seeks to demonstrate the manner in which these …

Faith And Art: Anne Bradstreet’S Puritan Creativity, Sophia Farthing

Masters Theses

As one of Puritanism’s best-known Puritan writers, Anne Bradstreet is a popular topic for scholars exploring gender issues in a Puritan context. Bradstreet’s poetry has drawn attention to the possibility of Puritan theology as inspiration for art. However, misunderstanding of Puritan cultural complexity and cursory readings of Bradstreet’s texts have resulted in misrepresentations of Bradstreet’s interaction with Puritan culture and ideas. This thesis examines Bradstreet’s life and work, including the variety of supportive literary influences she experienced as a child. The historical value of Bradstreet’s texts is made clear by her poetic insight on political issues, history, and gender conflict, …