Americans in the Early Republic did some strange things. One of those was sending presidents blocks of cheese. Not 16-oz. blocks like you find in grocery stores today, but ones that weighed hundreds of pounds. For example, in 1801, a group of Cheshire, Massachusetts, women gave Thomas Jefferson a 1,200-lb. block of cheese "as 'a … Continue reading Andrew Jackson’s Mammoth Cheese
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Why I Believe in a Strict Academic Integrity Policy
What's old is new again. A decade ago, I was part of a campus community that was discussing academic integrity issues [1]. Today, I'm involved in a similar discussion on a different campus. This conversation has prompted me to revisit my philosophy on academic integrity, which was influenced by three factors: 1. My religious background. As … Continue reading Why I Believe in a Strict Academic Integrity Policy
New Film on the Battle of New Orleans
Would it be unprofessional for me to squee? Because I sure feel like it. According to this report, Andrew Jackson might finally return to the silver screen. With a planned budget of $60 million to $65 million, the independently financed "Andrew Jackson and the Battle for New Orleans" is being targeted for a possible 2016 … Continue reading New Film on the Battle of New Orleans
January 8th at Andrew Jackson’s Home
Yesterday was a great day at The Hermitage. Erin Adams deserves special praise for pulling off a huge event, but all of the Hermitage staff did a great job in handling the logistics of the crowds and the cold temperatures. Gene Smith kicked off the day with his talk on the free black and slave … Continue reading January 8th at Andrew Jackson’s Home
Commemorating the Bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans
The bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans is one of the only historical anniversaries that I've really been excited about in my lifetime. While the Civil War sesquicentennial has received a lot of publicity, the War of 1812 bicentennial has languished in the background. That's unfortunate, but at least in Nashville and New Orleans, … Continue reading Commemorating the Bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans
The Immortal Andrew Jackson and the Battle of New Orleans
I wrote this piece on the Battle of New Orleans for We're History, a new digital publication co-edited by Heather Cox Richardson and David Chappell. If you're familiar with the battle, then you might not learn much new, but if you need a brief primer on why 8 January 1815 was important, then this is for you.
The British Perspective on the Battle of New Orleans
This editorial brings up a perspective that is often ignored: What did the British think about the Battle of New Orleans? The writer, James Gill, makes the point that the British were involved in previous anniversaries, including descendants of Sir Edward Pakenham, the opposing British general who lost his life during the battle. But what about … Continue reading The British Perspective on the Battle of New Orleans
New Documentary on the Battle of New Orleans
Thursday marks the bicentennial of the Battle of New Orleans, so I'm running a series of posts commemorating the event this week. First up is a new documentary on the battle. It's straightforward, so don't expect Ken Burns. But I thought it was solid, and I learned some things about the military side. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp_3LyIt65g&feature=youtu.be
Jacksonian America: 2014 in Review
WordPress prepared a year-end report for this blog. It was a light year for me in terms of original content, but here are the highlights in case you are interested: Total blog views: 35,741 Most active month in views: March (4,801) Ten most-viewed posts (2014 posts in bold): Andrew Jackson's Profane Parrot (9,483) Debunking the Lincoln-Kennedy … Continue reading Jacksonian America: 2014 in Review
Was Andrew Johnson the Worst U.S. President?
The National Constitution Center asked that question yesterday, the anniversary of Johnson's birth in 1808. Nothing in the linked piece changed my mind. In fact, was there one decision that Johnson made while president that most would agree was a positive contribution? Nothing comes to mind, but I'm open to suggestions. As they say where … Continue reading Was Andrew Johnson the Worst U.S. President?
Jacksonian America: Society, Personality, and Politics 