Lectures in History

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Free Speech Laws and Court Cases May 17, 2020

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University of Tennessee College of Law professor Glenn Harlan Reynolds teaches a class about free speech and the legal cases that have impacted the courts' interpretation of this part of the First Amendment.

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Early Cold War U.S. Politics and Economics May 10, 2020

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George Mason University professor Sam Lebovic taught a class about U.S. politics and economics of the early Cold War period of the late-1940s and 1950s. He argued that with extreme ideologies such as fascism and communism completely discredited or out of favor, a consensus formed in the U.S. around centrist political views to the point where the political parties were barely distinguishable. On the economic front, a belief in a “mixed economy” ruled, meaning a broad acceptance of some government involvement in the market.

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Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott May 03, 2020

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Wellesley College professor Brenna Greer debunked some of the myths about Rosa Parks and the 1955-56 Montgomery bus boycott. She addressed that Parks was not the first African American woman who refused to give up her seat and that the boycott had planning and precedent. She also explored with the class why a simplified version of this history has become so widespread.

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1890s Growing American Internationalism Apr 26, 2020

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Baylor University professor David Smith taught a class about the growth of the internationalist worldview in 1890s America. He argued that economic, moral and political impulses caused Americans to consider a larger role in the world for their nation. Smith then detailed the actions they took, such pursuing missionary work, arguing for the expansion of the navy, and searching for new economic markets.

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History of Abortion Legislation Apr 17, 2020

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La Sierra University professor Alicia Gutierrez-Romine taught a class about laws and policies regarding abortion. Starting in the 19th century, she tracked changes in medical practice and public opinion through court cases and newspaper coverage. She also described abortion restrictions, access to illegal abortions, costs, and health risks in different time periods and states.

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Principles of the U.S. Constitution Apr 12, 2020

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Grove City College president Paul McNulty taught a class about the development of the U.S. Constitution and what he believes are its main principles: republicanism, the separation of powers, and federalism. Mr. McNulty served as deputy attorney general in the George W. Bush administration from 2006 to 2007.

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African Americans, Emancipation, and Defining Freedom Apr 05, 2020

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Virginia Commonwealth University Professor Nicole Myers Turner taught a class on the lives of formerly enslaved African Americans following emancipation. She explained how they defined freedom for themselves while the federal government debated political and legal definitions. Professor Turner also discussed the important role of religious and educational institutions in newly freed African American communities.

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1918 Influenza Pandemic and Public Information Mar 29, 2020

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Stony Brook University Professor Nancy Tomes taught a class about the 1918 influenza pandemic and public information efforts in the United States to stop the spread of the disease. She described methods such as canceling public gatherings, social distancing, and propaganda about good hygiene, which are still implemented. This class was filmed on March 10, 2020, during the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. Professor Toms compared the symptoms, economic impact, and national response between 1918 and today.

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White House Myths Mar 22, 2020

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White House Historical Association historian and American University lecturer Matthew Costello taught a class on White House myths. He talked about the realities and legends behind often repeated stories such as the tunnel system, a gift alligator, how decorating traditions began, and Dolley Madison rescuing George Washington’s portrait.

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Economic Policies of the Confederacy Mar 15, 2020

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University of North Carolina at Pembroke professor Jamie Martinez taught a class about the Confederacy’s economic policies during the Civil War. She explained how a pre-war focus on cotton exports over food production combined with wartime farm labor disruptions led to food shortages and riots in the South in 1863. This, she said, forced the Confederate government into developing more nationalized policies for food production and resource allocation that ran counter to their constitution’s emphasis on a decentralized government.

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