Mark R. Cheathem Alexis de Tocqueville, Andrew Jackson, The Hermitage

The Hermitage’s Podcast Series: Commemorating Alexis de Tocqueville

This month's Hermitage podcast discusses one of my favorite Jacksonian-era individuals, Alexis de Tocqueville. July 29 marks the birth of Alexis de Tocqueville - a Frenchman who traveled to the United States and turned his observations on Democracy in America a landmark work. Join us as we talk to Dr. Aurelian Craiutu - Associate Professor … Continue reading The Hermitage’s Podcast Series: Commemorating Alexis de Tocqueville

Mark R. Cheathem Andrew Jackson, The Hermitage

The Hermitage’s Podcast Series: An Interview with Andrew Jackson VI

The March podcast from The Hermitage is an interview with Andrew Jackson VI. From meeting him on a couple of occasions, my impression of Judge Jackson is that he is a very friendly man who doesn't sugarcoat Jackson's faults. He also has a good sense of humor.

Mark R. Cheathem Civil War, Old South, Slavery, The Hermitage

Exhibit A: Why Studying History Is Important

Ed. note: In yesterday's blog post, Michael Lynch has reaction to the online comments about my TSLA opinion piece. I usually ignore the anonymous online comments left on websites, but Monday's Tennessean opinion piece on slavery at The Hermitage offers an illustration of why reading and studying history is so important. Sample comments (as originally … Continue reading Exhibit A: Why Studying History Is Important

Mark R. Cheathem Andrew Jackson, The Hermitage

The Hermitage: A Near Miss

I was very surprised to see a local news report last week that The Hermitage has been in serious financial trouble over the past year. The economic recession, combined with the Middle Tennessee flooding of last May, not only cut into attendance but also destroyed the climate control system used to keep the house and its … Continue reading The Hermitage: A Near Miss

Mark R. Cheathem Tennessee history, The Hermitage

The Hermitage’s Podcast Series: The Tennessee Constitutional Convention of 1796

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.

Mark R. Cheathem Andrew Jackson, Myers Brown, Nashville, The Hermitage

The Hermitage’s Podcast Series: Nashville, 1788

The Hermitage's October podcast, "Nashville: 1788," features Myers Brown, Curator of History & Extension Services at the Tennessee State Museum. He discusses what Nashville would have looked like when Andrew Jackson first arrived on the Middle Tennessee frontier.

Mark R. Cheathem American Revolution, Andrew Jackson, Battle of Hanging Rock, South Carolina, The Hermitage

The Hermitage’s Podcast Series: “The Battle of Hanging Rock”

The Hermitage premiered its podcast series this month. The first installment focuses on the 1780 Battle of Hanging Rock. Dr. Jane Landers of Vanderbilt University and Dr. Walter Edgar of the University of South Carolina are the two historians interviewed for this installment. I applaud The Hermitage for employing this type of medium to further … Continue reading The Hermitage’s Podcast Series: “The Battle of Hanging Rock”

Mark R. Cheathem Andrew Jackson, Slavery, The Hermitage

Summer 2010 Research

I, along with several other Cumberland faculty, had the privilege of receiving a university summer research grant. My grant proposal outlined a plan to look at Andrew Jackson's slave communities in Tennessee and Mississippi, particularly post-presidency. This research plan was intended to help me complete a biography, due next summer, that examines Jackson's southern identity. … Continue reading Summer 2010 Research