Podcasts – Teaching American History

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/presidential-academy/Session+17+McPherson.mp3 Focus Why did the South secede? Why did secession lead to war? For a half century the northern, free states coexisted politically in the same nation with southern, slaveholding states. Why and how did that national structure fall apart in the 1850s? Was this breakdown inevitable, or could wiser political leadership have prevented it? Why did the election of Abraham Lincoln as president precipitate the secession of seven lower-South states? Why did both sides prefer war to compromise? Could this terrible war have been avoided? Could the positive results of the war (Union and freedom) have been achieved without war?   Readings James M. McPherson, "What Caused the Civil War?," North and South, IV (Nov. 2000), 12-22, and response to this article in subsequent issues of North and South. Hans L. Terfousse, The Causes of the Civil War, 91-125 (excerpts from Ramsdell, Potter and Current). Charles B. Dew, "Apostles of Secession," North and South, IV (April 2001), 24-38. The post Session 17: The Causes of the Civil War appeared first on Teaching American History.

The final session of the Foundation for Teaching the U.S. Constitution webinar took place on Tuesday, 27 October 2015, with Dr. Gordon Lloyd discussing the final Hearing Question and the challenges that face and are likely to face American Constitutional Democracy in the 21st Century. The post We The People Webinar session 6 appeared first on Teaching American History.

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/presidential-academy/Session+16+Guelzo.mp3 Focus Contrast Lincoln's understanding of the relation between public opinion and political rule with that of Stephen Douglas. What does Douglas mean by "diversity" and how does he use it to attack Lincoln's alleged doctrine of "uniformity"? Why does Douglas think Lincoln is wrong to criticize the Dred Scott opinion? How does Lincoln answer Douglas's charges? What does Lincoln mean by the "moral lights" of the community? In the second debate, how does Lincoln force Douglas into a quandary regarding popular sovereignty and support for the Dred Scott opinion? (See Douglas's argument about "unfriendly legislation.") In the seventh debate, what is Lincoln's understanding of the Founders' views regarding slavery? How does Lincoln show that the rhetoric of Douglas makes him a kind of abolitionist in practice?   Readings Fornieri, The Language of Liberty A House Divided (June 16, 1858) The Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858), 1st, 2nd, and 7th Debates Supplemental/Optional Readings: Fornieri, The Language of Liberty Speech in Reply to Douglas at Chicago (July 10, 1858) Speech in Reply to Douglas at Springfield (July 17, 1858) The Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858), Background, 251-61 The Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858), 3rd through 6th Debates The post Session 16: Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858 appeared first on Teaching American History.

Join Dr. Gordon Lloyd and a national audience of teachers for the fifth session in TAH.org and the Center for Civic Education's six-part webinar series, We The People: A Foundation for Teaching the Constitution.   The post We The People webinar session 5 appeared first on Teaching American History.

13 October 2015 saw the 4th session of the joint webinar series between TAH.org and the Center for Civic Education's We the People program, hosted by Dr. Gordon Lloyd. This session focused on the State Hearing questions from Unit 4, which leads off with "How have the values and principles embodied in the Constitution shaped American institutions and practices?" The post We The People Webinar: Session 4 appeared first on Teaching American History.

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/presidential-academy/Session+15+Guelzo.mp3 Focus What does Stephen Douglas mean by "popular sovereignty"? Why does Lincoln view the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 as a reversal of American policy towards domestic slavery? How does "indifference" about the spread of slavery amount to "covert real zeal" for its spread? How does Lincoln justify previous national compromises with slavery? What is Lincoln's definition of self-government and how does it inform his political rhetoric and policy proposals? What is Lincoln's definition of democracy? What role does Lincoln think the Declaration of Independence plays in contemporary political practice? Why does Lincoln advise against a Republican call for repeal of the fugitive slave law? What connection does Lincoln make between liberty, union, and the Constitution?   Readings Stephen A. Douglas, "Homecoming Speech at Chicago" (July 9, 1858) Fornieri, The Language of Liberty Eulogy on Henry Clay (July 6, 1852) Speech at Peoria, Illinois (October 16, 1854) Fragment: On Slavery [August 1, 1858?] Fragment: On Slavery [October 1, 1858?] Fragment: Notes for Speeches [October 1, 1858?] Letter to Henry L. Pierce and others (April 6, 1859) Letter to Jesse W. Fell (December 20, 1859) Fragment: The Constitution, the Declaration, and the Union [1860?] Letters to Salmon Portland Chase (June 9, 1859& June 20, 1859) Supplemental/Optional Readings Jaffa, Crisis of the House Divided, Epigrams, p. 15, and chaps. 3, 4 McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, chap. 6 The post Session 15: Lincoln Confronts Stephen Douglas’s Popular Sovereignty appeared first on Teaching American History.

A 75-minute discussion between scholars with a live teacher audience, this program explores the impact of several key US Supreme Court cases on the definition and limits of religious liberty in America, originally broadcast on 3 October 2015. Jeff Sikkenga (Ashland University) and Matthew Franck (Witherspoon Institute) will discuss three recent Supreme Court cases that dealt with religion: Burwell v. Hobby Lobby; Abercrombie and Fitch v. the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and Holt v. Hobbs. In the Hobby Lobby case the court ruled that closely-held for profit companies were exempt from provisions of the Affordable Care Act that violated the religious beliefs of the companies owners. The Court’s opinion may be found here. The Abercrombie case concerned the decision of Abercrombie and Fitch not to hire someone because they wore a head scarf, which violated the company’s dress code.  The court ruled that the job applicant did not have to specifically ask for the company to accommodate her religious practice (the head scarf) in order for the job applicant to be protected by Title VII’s prohibition on the basis of religion. The Court’s opinion may be found here. In Hobbs v. Holt, the Court ruled that prison authorities could not prevent an inmate from growing a beard for religious reasons because doing so violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.  The Court’s decision may be found here. Matthew J. Franck is the Director of the William E. and Carol G. Simon Center on Religion and the Constitution at the Witherspoon Institute, Princeton, New Jersey.  He is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Radford University, in Radford, Virginia, where he taught constitutional law, American politics, and political philosophy from 1989 to 2010, was Chairman of the  Department of Political Science from 1995 to 2010, and received the Radford University Foundation Award for Creative Scholarship in 2001.  He is also Visiting Lecturer in Politics at Princeton University. Jeffrey Sikkenga is professor of political science at Ashland University, adjunct fellow of the John M. Ashbrook Center and senior fellow in the Program on Constitutionalism and Democracy at the University of Virginia. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in political thought, the American Founding and American constitutional law. He is deeply interested in the relationship between politics and religion in liberal democracy and America in particular. This Webinar is the second in a series of three on Religion in American History and Politics.  The third will occur March 12, 2016.  David Tucker and Stephen Knott will discuss the views of Jefferson and Hamilton on religion and politics. The post Webinar: Religious Liberty and the Courts appeared first on Teaching American History.

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/presidential-academy/Session+14+Guelzo.mp3 Focus According to Garrison, what is wrong with gradual abolition of slavery? Does he think the Constitution is pro-freedom or pro-slavery? Why does Garrison not endorse political reform as the cure for the nation's ills? What is the key principle that Lincoln proposes for the "fusion" of various political interests into a new party? Contrast Lincoln's approach to eliminating slavery with Garrison's. What does Lincoln mean by comparing America to "a house divided against itself"? What is Frederick Douglass's view of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution? Does he view blacks in the United States as Americans? What do blacks in America need to flourish as human beings and as citizens? Why is Lincoln not an abolitionist?   Readings William Lloyd Garrison, Selections To the Public (January 1, 1831) On the Constitution and the Union (December 29, 1832) Declaration of National Anti-Slavery Convention (Dec. 14, 1833) Declaration of Sentiments by Peace Convention (Sept. 28, 1838) Address to the Slaves of the United States (June 2, 1843) The American Union (January 10, 1845) Dred Scott and Disunion (March 12, 1858) Southern Desperation (November 16, 1860) Frederick Douglass, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" (July 5, 1852) Frederick Douglass, "Speech on the Dred ScottDecision" (May 11, 1857) Fornieri, The Language of Liberty Protest on the Slavery Question (March 3, 1837) Letter to Owen Lovejoy (August 11, 1855) Letter to George Robertson (August 15, 1855) Letter to Joshua Speed (August 24, 1855) The Dred Scott Decision: Speech at Springfield, Illinois (June 26, 1857) Speech at a Republican banquet in Chicago (Dec. 10, 1856) Letter to Lyman Trumbull (December 28, 1857) Jaffa, Crisis of the House Divided, chap. 13 Supplemental/Optional Readings: Jaffa, Crisis of the House Divided, chaps. 7-8 Diana Schaub, "Frederick Douglass's Constitution" The post Session 14: Abolitionism and Constitutional Self-Government appeared first on Teaching American History.

Andrew Jackson was the focus of Saturday, October 10th's American Presidents webinar, moderated by Chris Burkett and featuring Jeremy Bailey and Jace Weaver as panelists, with a live teacher audience of over 80. Of particular interest was Jackson's balance between executive power and his support of states' rights - something that is often difficult to reconcile. During the discussion two books were mentioned as being particularly good resources for information about Jackson: Presidential Greatness, which has a chapter about Jackson; and Andrew Jackson, by Robert Remini. The post American Presidents: Andrew Jackson appeared first on Teaching American History.

In this third session of our joint webinar series with the Center for Civic Education, Dr. Gordon Lloyd discusses the relationship the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, and how the Civil War amendments and their impact over time have changed interpretations and understanding of the original document and American Founding. The post We The People Webinar: Session 3 appeared first on Teaching American History.

Session 2 of TAH.org and the Center for Civic Education's joint webinar series about the creation and meaning of the United States Constitution. In this 75-minute program, Dr. Gordon Lloyd discusses the actual framing of the Constitution, including his thoughts on the Articles of Confederation and their failures; the New Jersey and Virginia plans and their comparative merits; and the ratification debate.   The post We The People Webinar: Session 2 appeared first on Teaching American History.

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/presidential-academy/Session+13+Morel.mp3 Focus What is "reverence for the laws" and why does Lincoln think it is so important to "the perpetuation of our political institutions"? Who or what is the "towering genius" that poses the greatest threat to American self-government? What does Lincoln's criticism of "old school" temperance reformers suggest about the proper mode of political debate for a self-governing people? What role does Lincoln believe religion plays in a self-governing society?   Readings Fornieri, The Language of Liberty The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions: Address before the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois (January 27, 1838) Temperance Address (February 22, 1842 ) Religious Views: Letter to the Editor of the Illinois Gazette (August 11, 1846) The War with Mexico: Speech in the U.S. House of Representatives (January 12, 1848) Letter to Williamson Durley (October 3, 1845) Supplemental/Optional Readings: Jaffa, Crisis of the House Divided, chaps. 9, 10 McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, chap. 5 The post Session 13: The Rule of Law, Slavery, and the Future of Self-Government appeared first on Teaching American History.

This course consists of four session, each rooted in a video presentation by Dr. Lloyd in front of a teacher audience, focused on a specific topic and drawing from a selection of relevant documents. Each session's post includes a list of Scenes within the given Act, with dates listed within each Scene - this helps expand on the metaphor of the Constitutional Convention as a drama. Most every day includes a link to information about what happened on that day, mostly drawn from Madison's Debates, the most comprehensive and accurate record of the Convention. As you watch the video for each session, take notes on Dr. Lloyd's insights about the Convention, the contributions of different delegates, topics discussed, and decisions made. Then expand on your notes by going through the different documents linked from the post. This way, you'll learn directly from Dr. Lloyd, and you'll clearly see where his ideas are found in the documents. Scene 1: The Brearly Committee Report Sept. 1 The final push Sept. 3 Article XVI revisited Sept. 4 Brearly Committee reports 9 propositions Sept. 5 Brearly Committee reports 5 propositions Sept. 6 Brearly Committee and the Electoral College Sept. 7 Discussion on the Presidency Sept. 8 Treaties, Impeachment and Money Bills Sept. 10 Randolph articulates his difficulties Scene 2: The Committee of Style Report: A Preamble and 7 Articles Sept. 11 How about this and how about that? Sept. 12I s this different from Committee of Detail report? Scene 3: The Discussion of the Committee of Style Report Sept. 13 Last minute additions Sept. 14 The Necessary and Proper clause Sept. 15 How about a Second Convention? Scene 4: The Signing of the Constitution Sept. 17 Constitution signed The post The Constitutional Convention as a Four-Act Drama: Act 4 appeared first on Teaching American History.

On Tuesday, 22 SEP 15, TAH.org and the Center for Civic Education hosted a 72-minute webinar featuring Dr. Gordon Lloyd, who spoke about the historical and philosophical roots of the United States Constitution, and provided some ideas about how teachers can frame instruction about the document and the ideas set forth by it. You can watch the video archive below, and the the podcast is at the top of this post. One of the questions asked at the end of this program was about which philosophers or schools of thought most shaped the Founders and their views on politics. Dr. Lloyd suggested George H. Nash's Books and the Founding Fathers as a solid resource for learning about what the Founders read. Once all six episodes are completed we will build a single archive page on TAH.org for all program sessions and materials.   The post We The People Webinar: Session 1 appeared first on Teaching American History.

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/presidential-academy/Session+12+Morel+and+Guelzo.mp3 Focus In the face of modern-day critics from both the Right and the Left, does Lincoln still "belong to the ages"?   Readings Lerone Bennett, Forced into Glory, 5-21 Thomas DiLorenzo, The Real Abraham Lincoln, 257-279, 306-308 Fornieri, The Language of Liberty Fragments: On Slavery [July 1, 1854?] The Dred Scott Decision: Speech at Springfield, Illinois (June 26, 1857) Letter to H.L. Pierce and Others (April 6, 1859) Letter to J.N. Brown (October 18, 1858) The post Session 12: Lincoln and 21st-Century America appeared first on Teaching American History.