Political History Commons^™

An Interview With Dr. Theda Skocpol, Sarah Russell

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

No abstract provided.

Uneasy Waters: The Night Riders At Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee, 1908, Jama Mcmurtery Grove

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On October 19, 1908, night riders at Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee kidnapped and murdered Captain Quentin Rankin, an attorney and shareholder in the West Tennessee Land Company. The murder made national news, with coverage emphasizing the night riders' demand for fishing rights. In response, Governor Malcolm Patterson called out the militia to suppress the uprising and advocated for state acquisition of the lake as a means to prevent further violence. In the accepted historical narrative, the uprising at Reelfoot Lake represents an example of rural resistance to the threat that modernization posed to traditional access rights but ignores much of the …

Dual Intransigence: An Assessment Of The Us-Iran Conflict And Prospects For Rapprochement, Chad Lama

Master's Theses

In the months leading up to the 2012 Presidential Election, a number of Republican candidates that were vying for the nomination against the incumbent, Barack Obama, made sensational claims regarding the “Nuclear Iran Question”. This study discusses the issue of a nuclear Iran, what this means for regional stability, and what America’s options are in dealing with the Islamic Republic. Specifically the researcher addresses the consequences of a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, conducting a discourse analysis for the purposes of demonstrating the polarizing affect this issue has had on some of the leading scholars, theorists and practitioners. The central …

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 Most Recently Discovered Wild Beast”, Jenelle Tamio

History First-Year Seminar Research

This Political cartoon is labeled "The Most Recently Discovered Wild Beast.” This cartoon depicts Irish as jail bound hooligans. In this political cartoon simianization is used among the Irish-American. Simianization is the way cartoonists portray humans as having monkey like features.

“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 …

“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.

“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.

“The Day We Celebrate”, Tierra Washington

History First-Year Seminar Research

This cartoon was published in a New York newspaper, Harper’s Weekly on April 6, 1867, about March 17, 1867 celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. It shows the Irishmen having box shaped faces, to make them look alike to apes. The Irishmen are shown beating police and innocent citizens. Yet this cartoon showed how the Americans stereotyped the Irish-Americans.

“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.

“Be Just—Even To John Chinaman”, Prinz Esteban

History First-Year Seminar Research

Published in Judge Magazine on June 3, 1893 the “Be Just—Even to John Chinaman” cartoon is used to represent the harsh treatment felt by many Chinese immigrants as they entered into the United States with the Chinese Exclusion Act, which was renewed by the Geary Act in 1892. The cartoon displays a Chinese man as he is being forced out of “Miss Columbia's school.” The cartoon itself is full of irony as the other students in the class were also heavily discriminated against in American history.

“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.

“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.

“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 …

“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.

“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.

“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 …

“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.

“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.

“Colonists And Convicts”, Dakota Hoskins

History First-Year Seminar Research

The “Colonists and Convicts” cartoon debuted in the British magazine called Punch in October 1864. The cartoon brings to life the bickering that occurred between the Australian colonists and the British officers. It gives off the idea that the colonists were more annoyed with the officers than the convicts themselves. The rugged Australians were fed up with being forced fed the British rulings.

“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.

“The First Blow At The Chinese Question”, Carlos Harris

History First-Year Seminar Research

Published as the cover story of “The San Francisco Illustrated Wasp” on December 8, 1877, “The First Blow at the Chinese Question” depicts the struggle between the American work force and the Chinese migrants. In front of a store in the middle of China Town, a protestor for the American “Working Men’s Procession” is shown punching a regular Chinese migrant man in his face. Inside the store, stands an angry crowd of Chinese migrants; behind the protestor, is more men supporting his cause against the Chinese. At first glance, the cartoon is straight forward, but there is deeper symbolism within …

Unity, Freedom And Socialism: The Assads, The Ba’Ath And The Making Of Modern Syria, Judson C. Moiles

Grand Valley Journal of History

To many Westerners, the Middle East is thought of as a region torn apart from the inside by ethnic and religious strife. One incongruous case to this perception, however, is the longevity of the Assad family’s rule in Syria. Many scholars have tried to answer the question of how the Assads, members of the minority ‘Alawi community, which was, and is, considered by many Muslims to be heretical, could so wholly dominate the state and military infrastructure of Syria. This study aims to show how deep the roots of ‘Alawi military rule run, and how it can be found in …

Supporting Caste: The Origins Of Racism In Colonial Virginia, Patrick D. Anderson

Grand Valley Journal of History

In 17th century Virginia, lower class whites and blacks coordinated on multiple occasions to resist the power of the ruling class elites. By the late 19th century, white laborers viewed the newly freed slaves through racist precepts and the two groups clashed on a regular basis. The aim of this essay is to explain how the shift from racial solidarity to racial antagonism occurred. Racist ideology originated in the minds of the elites and they attempted to separate the restless lower class along racial lines, first, by legal reforms, second, by creating a separate class of enslaved blacks. Anti-black racism …

"Never Draw Unless You Mean To Shoot": Theodore Roosevelt's Frontier Diplomacy, Duane G. Jundt

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Battle For The Mind Of Europe: The Ideological Warfare Of Orwell, Stalin And Mussolini, Tim Zellinger

History

No abstract provided.

Unnecessary Evil: An Examination Of Abu Ghraib Torture Photographs As Postcolonial Resistance Rhetoric, Patrick Gerhardt Richey

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the rhetorical nature of visual artifacts in a postcolonial context. In order to examine the nature of visual artifacts as a form of resistance against static ideologies and prevailing power structures, the author uses both media and cultural artifacts created in response to photographs taken of abused prisoners at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib Correctional Facility. The dissertation adds to scholarly knowledge of communication by addressing the intersections of iconographic visual communication and postcolonial resistance rhetoric. The dissertation provides a scholarly review of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, as well as of literature explicating …

A Matter Of Scale: Assessing The Great Recession Against The Great Depression, Steven L. Danver

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

The Great Depression of the 1930s and the Great Recession of the late 2000s are compared using economic, social, and political measures to determine if the later economic downturn was as much of a bellwether event as its predecessor.

Decommissioning Orleans Parish Prison: A Campaign To Build A Safer New Orleans / One Local Policy Step To Dismantle The Prison Industrial Complex, Tara M. Echo

Capstone Collection

Today, nearly two and a half million people in the U.S. are living in cages, with New Orleans holding the highest per capita rate of incarceration. While we have consistently seen that building cages does not bring us any closer to actualizing safety, the sheriff and other city officials of New Orleans justify a financially profitable plan to create more cages-to warehouse more of the city's people-in the name of safety.

Using an abolitionist framework, this paper examines safety by differentiating between contributing factors of being secure and factors which create harm in our communities. By tracing these factors to …

States' Rights Apogee, 1760-1840, Ryan Setliff

Masters Theses

America's states' rights tradition has held much influence since the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1788. In late 1798, in response to the Federalist administration's adoption of the Alien and Sedition Acts, the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were formally adopted by the legislatures of Virginia and Kentucky respectively. These resolutions set a lasting precedent for state interposition and nullification. As well concurrence with these doctrines can be found in the Virginia Resolves of 1790, the constitutional debates of 1787-1790, and all throughout the colonial-revolutionary period of the 1760s to 1780s. In time, the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions would gain …