The Hermitage has posted its newest podcast, "The Tennessee Constitutional Convention of 1796": In February 1796, deliberations wrapped up on Tennessee's first Constitutional Convention (which would be signed by President Washington on June 1). Tennessee State Librarian and Archivist Charles Sherrill talks about the nuances of the first Tennessee Constitution.
Early Republic Biographies That Need To Be Written
While I'm on break this week, I'm posting two of the blog posts that generated the most interest. Today's post is one of the first posts I wrote for the blog. It addresses the Early Republic individuals who still need a scholarly or an updated biography written about them. From 28 July 2010: In a … Continue reading Early Republic Biographies That Need To Be Written
Interview: Vol. 8 of Papers of Andrew Jackson
While I'm on break this week, I'm posting two of the blog posts that generated the most interest. Today's post is the interview with Laure-Eve Moss on the newest volume of the Papers of Andrew Jackson. From 1 November 2010: The eighth volume of The Papers of Andrew Jackson is scheduled for publication later this month. … Continue reading Interview: Vol. 8 of Papers of Andrew Jackson
What Do Professors Do All Week?
Last year, I wrote a two-part series describing what the life of a history professor involved for our department blog. Kansas State University English professor Philip Nel went even further, chronicling a week in his life. (Make sure you read each day's post.) I applaud him for making several important points, including these two: 1) … Continue reading What Do Professors Do All Week?
Looking for Papers of Cherokee Chief John Ross
I'm looking for copies of the two-volume Papers of Chief John Ross, edited by Gary Moulton. I've tried the normal websites and even asked our library staff to check with our vendors to see if it is for sale, but no luck. So, if you have copies that you would like to sell, have a great local … Continue reading Looking for Papers of Cherokee Chief John Ross
Definitive Edition of Joseph Smith Papers?
If I were looking for a published edition of Joseph Smith's papers, which edition should I choose? Any assistance that readers could give me would be greatly appreciated. Some background: Last weekend, I was looking to identify published editions of the Joseph Smith papers for library acquisition and discovered that there is an older edition … Continue reading Definitive Edition of Joseph Smith Papers?
Did Andrew Jackson Stay at the Black Horse Tavern?
A recent article in the Roanoke Times noted the restoration of the Black Horse Tavern in northern Roanoke County. Part of the reason for the restoration, according to the article, is that "[t]radition asserts that President Andrew Jackson occasionally stayed at the Black Horse Tavern in what is now North Roanoke County when he traveled … Continue reading Did Andrew Jackson Stay at the Black Horse Tavern?
Yay, Adams! Boo, Jackson!
Tony Petersen, editor-in-chief of the CSU Fresno Collegian, has given his opinion on some of the best and worst U.S. presidents. Petersen's favorite president is John Adams, who had a distinguished pre-presidential career but wasn't so great as chief executive, if you ask me. The XYZ Affair, the Quasi-War with France, and the Alien and … Continue reading Yay, Adams! Boo, Jackson!
William Henry Harrison Trending Upward
Since writing recently about William Henry Harrison, the 9th president has been showing up a lot in my life. There's a new "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too" t-shirt available from RetroCampaigns.com. My students also convinced me to look at the Drunk History website. One of the videos features Harrison (warning: if you're sensitive about drinking or … Continue reading William Henry Harrison Trending Upward
Teaching the Historical Methods Course
I'm currently teaching an historical methods seminar for several of our seniors, a course that will be repeated in the fall semester as we move it from senior year to sophomore year. I enjoy teaching the course because it allows me to help students understand how to practice history. I assigned the following books for the course: Conal Furay and … Continue reading Teaching the Historical Methods Course
Jacksonian America: Society, Personality, and Politics 