My parents recently visited the Natural Bridge Wax Museum in Virginia. There were a number of famous and historic personalities portrayed, including Ben Franklin and other founders of the Republic, some indistinguishable frontiersmen and Native Americans, a security guard, and a postman. Oh, and they took a photo of the wax figure of Andrew Jackson, displayed … Continue reading Waxing Eloquent about Jackson
2010 Presidential Rankings
Siena Research Institute, housed at Siena College in Loudonville, New York, recently released its presidential expert poll. The SRI press release explains the methodology used: The Siena College Research Institute (SRI) Survey of U.S. Presidents is based on responses from 238 presidential scholars, historians and political scientists that responded via mail or web to an invitation … Continue reading 2010 Presidential Rankings
Biographies That Need Writing
In a 1997 essay entitled "American Political Biography," Robert V. Remini assessed the state of the field and found it wanting: "Old-fashioned political biographies of 'dead white males' that are 'character-driven narratives' seem to have little appeal for graduate students. . . . These biographies could be written by doctoral candidates and would add significantly to our … Continue reading Biographies That Need Writing
Award-Winning Jacksonian Books
While writing two historiographical essays on the Jackson period recently, I was struck by the number of those books that had won major literary prizes. To illustrate the recognition given to the period's scholarship, below is a list of major awards bestowed on Jacksonian-era books. Pulitzer Prizes in Biography or Autobiography: 2009: American Lion: Andrew … Continue reading Award-Winning Jacksonian Books
Abolitionism/Anti-abolitionism
I'm revising my earlier statement about the SHEAR program this year. I thought that there wouldn't be much of interest to me, but all of the panels that I attended were exceptionally well done and provoked much thought. Never underestimate those Early Republic historians! Two panels that I attended dealt with different aspects of abolitionism. … Continue reading Abolitionism/Anti-abolitionism
The Digital Republic
I attended a SHEAR session this morning dedicated to the "Digital Republic." The panelists discussed a number of different pedagogical tools to engage students in studying the Early Republic using new media technology. There was also quite a bit of conversation about the technological divide between what students are supposed to know and what they actually do … Continue reading The Digital Republic
Preview of the 2010 SHEAR conference
I'll be attending the annual SHEAR (Society for Historians of the Early American Republic) conference this weekend. This will be my sixth meeting to attend since I first presented as a graduate student in 2000 (2000, 2005, 2007-present). The program this year looks less appealing to me than in years past. That's not a knock … Continue reading Preview of the 2010 SHEAR conference
Why I’m Blogging
Calling me a Luddite would be kind. I was late to computers, late to cellphones, late to Facebook. MySpace passed me by completely, and I texted for the first time this past April. Venturing into the blogosphere, as I'm told it's called, is probably a choice I shouldn't even consider. Yet, I'm making a leap … Continue reading Why I’m Blogging
Jacksonian America: Society, Personality, and Politics 