Was there a chance of co-existence?  That’s the big question that is asked when studying Indian-White relations during this period.  Was it profit that doomed the Native Americans?  Was it racism?  Was it a symptom of power, where technology provides an advantage from one side to another?  Let’s see. THE GOALS OF INDIAN POLICY (291)  [...]

How much does geography shape identity?  Consider that the early republic established many norms for the nation before the Civil War.  Technology, communication, transportation, jobs, homes, the land, relationships, and more were all established in this time of tremendous change. Where would you live if you could choose a particular region? THE NORTHEAST (284)  What [...]

1) Break free of a dependence on Europe, 2) clear the Great Lakes of British troops and 3) protect American interests on the high seas.  What’s the common factor in all of these objectives?  Is it defensive or offensive?  Does the US have similar goals in 2009? JEFFERSONIAN PRINCIPLES (276)  Your text states that one [...]

Ever wonder what it was like to live on a farm 200 years ago?  In many ways, you can see an example from the PBS website for their series called Colonial House.  Check it out.  What about Lewis and Clark?  There’s a good website here on their expedition.  Now, on to the analysis. THE JEFFERSONIAN [...]

Welcome to the swamp.  That’s basically the look of Washongton DC in the first few years.  This is the image of the beginning of the Jeffersoniam administration, but it was much more complicated than that.  The US was a growing nation.  Congress met in 8 different towns before this.  Now there was an official capitol.  [...]

Jefferson and Adams have been friends, colleagues, enemies and rivals over the many years of their lives.  That they die on the same day is one of the most remarkable coincidences of the American story.  It’s also uncanny that they both die on the 50th anniversary f the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  Odd.  [...]

What was the French Revolution and how did it influence Americans?  Did it change the history of our country or was it an international distraction? It was definitely bloody, and it definitely changed the world.  So did the revolution in Haiti, the first independent nation created by descendants of African slaves.  And finally, there were [...]

In the beginning of the nation, after the Constitutional Convention and and before Washington’s first administration, the people of the United States had lived through both glory and hardship.  As Dickens would write later, it was literally the best of times and the worst of times, all in one lifetime. Years from now, people would [...]

Three months in Philadelphia and some of the greatest minds of the age created a document known throughout history, but what was the real story.  That’s the line on the movie poster.  The truth lies hidden in Madison’s notes of those days as well as in the writings of others. What is the story between [...]

“I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical.” – Thomas Jefferson in a letter to James Madison, January 1787 “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants.”  [...]