History   

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.