History   

Following the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, our Founding Fathers continued in session to draft a new form of government. They developed the Articles of Confederation and elected Samuel Huntington as the first President of the United States. For 12 years, our fledgling country was governed by these Articles. This class focuses on the drafting and governing under this flawed compact. Rarely does history chat much about this hiccup but we will in this two-hour course. The lessons learned by Washington, Madison and Hamilton helped them frame the U.S. Constitution which was adopted in 1788.

One way to discover how much we remember about American history is to examine some of the fascinating bits of trivia regarding the men who have held the nation's highest office. For example: Who said the business of America is business? How many presidents were generals of the army? How many presidents were married for than once? The answers to questions like these invite us to learn more about our American story.

In this two-hour class, Terry McAteer will lead you through our founding documents to better appreciate their magnificence. We’ll touch on the Declaration of Independence, Paine’s Common Sense, The Federalist Papers- 10 and #51 along with Washington’s Farewell Address.

The "Heil Hitler" salute was probably modeled on a unique American tradition begun in 1892 to salute the flag. Racial laws in the US were used as a model for Nazi race laws. American disinfection practices of immigrants crossing the Mexican border were adapted for German concentration camps. These practices invite reflection about our nation's heritage.

You will get to know in detail our 16th President-our greatest President-in the first 3 sessions of our class. I will conclude with a class on Lincoln in literature and film. I will assign at least one book on Lincoln to read for the Course. I have a lot of choices-more books have been written on him than any individual in U.S. History. I will conclude our class lectures with 2 classes on Civil War facts that will fascinate your friends and family.

This class examines music, media, and culture at a time of profound social upheaval. The intersection where they met in post-War America was pivotal, the effect they had on each other was unprecedented and altered them in ways that still impact society today. At its core is a classic struggle between art and commerce, innovation and orthodoxy, freedom and control. And it's only rock 'n' roll. We encounter musicians like Jimi, Janis, Jim Morrison, and others, tour (twice) with the Rolling Stones, examine the birth of underground radio, how it connected the musicians and the counterculture, and witness the birth of the Classic Era of Rock Music.

While the Civil War and the 20th century civil rights movement are widely known, the period following the war is not. This course will cover the major elements of Reconstruction involving racial injustice, white terrorism, and the government’s response during this post-Civil War era to better understand its successes, failures, and how it impacted the progress of civil rights.

This class explores the role of religion in shaping American politics and national identity from the colonial period to the present. The United States is rare among modern nations in its enduring reliance on religious language to define national purpose, with theological frameworks providing many of the basic assumptions underlying American notions of politics, power, and belonging. Beginning with Puritan covenant theology and ending with contemporary Christian nationalism, we examine how religious actors constructed the dominant narratives of America as a redeemer nation with a special role to play on the world stage. Through close reading of sermons, speeches, theological writings, and political rhetoric, we analyze how these narratives draw on literary forms like the jeremiad, prophecy, and apocalyptic vision. We also examine how those narratives of chosenness were contested over time by marginalized communities offering alternative visions rooted in different theological traditions and experiences of exclusion. Students will learn to identify the rhetorical strategies used to sacralize political power and to recognize how these contests over American identity continue to shape our present.

Stars of stage and screen served the American military. From World War II onward, they put aside their roles in entertainment to defend freedom. We'll learn about them and their work.

In honor of America's 250th anniversary, this course explores themes from Donald Fraser's The Emergence of One American Nation. We will examine the founding era and devote time to the Declaration of Independence - analyzing its enduring role as the American creed and its influence on national identity and unity.

This series will look at three of the most brilliant minds in recent world history: Henry Ford, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Steve Jobs. There is scant disagreement that these men changed not only millions of lives of their time but also the future lives in small ways and large. We’ll take a close look at what shaped them to become brilliant innovators, strategists, and, ultimately, successful salesmen while failing significantly and tragically as husbands, fathers, colleagues, bigots, and, in Ford’s case, an ardent antisemite.

A fun, lively, informative showcase and discussion of the most iconic and impactful ads of the past 100 years, including the cultural, socio-economic, and marketplace dynamics at that time for contextual relevance to understand why the ads were created. We'll also peek into the future of advertising and go behind the scenes to learn what it takes to create iconic ads. (It's not all Mad Men, but close.) You'll never look at advertising the same way again.

How long does it take for an empire to collapse? Is the collapse of the Soviet Empire truly complete? If so, what do these bloody conflicts, culminating in the war in Ukraine, on the borders of the former Soviet Union, mean? How can ordinary people survive when the empire collapses? And how are new cultural and economic systems emerging from the ruins of what is use-to-be an Empire? Alex Yarmolyuk lived at the turning point of these historical events in the USSR, and he will share his experiences and, together with you, try to answer the questions posed above.

How long does it take for an empire to collapse? Is the collapse of the Soviet Empire truly complete? If so, what do these bloody conflicts, culminating in the war in Ukraine, on the borders of the former Soviet Union, mean? How can ordinary people survive when the empire collapses? And how are new cultural and economic systems emerging from the ruins of what is use-to-be an Empire? Alex Yarmolyuk lived at the turning point of these historical events in the USSR, and he will share his experiences and, together with you, try to answer the questions posed above.

On our country’s 250th Anniversary, this course will be a great way to commemorate the key events that led to our independence. Using surprising details and stories, we will pinpoint the moment that began the Revolution in the minds of the colonists which led to many of the well-known events we will study including the Boston Tea Party, Lexington and Concord, signing the Declaration, Valley Forge, and several key battles.

The business of horse racing generates billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of jobs. We'll learn how horses are selected and trained, how racetracks supervise and monitor racing, famous horses, jockeys, trainers and owners, and traditions among some of America's famous tracks and races.

The White House has changed and evolved as the nation has changed. Each president has made "improvements" to the executive mansion but none as dramatic as those by President Trump. The current president has remodeled the West Wing, added two100 foot flag poles, transformed the Rose Garden, and is adding a 90,000 square food East Wing banquet hall.

This is a fun class to learn of our Founding Father Benjamin Franklin who lived an extraordinary life and who possessed a keen sense of wit. We will explore his life, his loves, his inventions, his sense of community and, of course, his wit.