The Words That Remade America
Source: The Atlantic
Historian Gary Wills discusses the significance of the Gettysburg Address.
Historic Figures
Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson and the War That Changed Poetry, Forever
Source: Smithsonian
In this blog entry, David Ward looks at the influence of the Civil War on poetry, specifically the works of Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson.
Compromise 1: Philadelphia Story
Source: American Heritage
Joseph Ellis, a Pulitzer Prize–winning historian, explores the issues of regional power and slavery that overshadowed the Constitutional Convention in 1789. Through hard bargaining, delegates such as Benjamin Franklin and James Madison drafted a Constitution that has endured for centuries. However, their compromises planted the seeds of the Civil War.
The Curious, and Continuing, Appeal of Mark Twain in China
Source: The New York Times
In most Chinese classrooms, students learned about Mark Twain, a famously American author. Twain’s satirical short story, “Running for Governor,” was used to reinforce anti-Western, anti-capitalist views. As you read this article, be sure to take a look at the short story referenced.
Address at the Conclusion of the Selma to Montgomery March
Source: Stanford University
Read or listen to one of the most important speeches by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I’ve Been Haunted by Anne Frank’s Memory for So Long
Source: The Guardian
After Anne Frank’s death, her father married the mother of Eva Schloss, who had gone into hiding with her family and survived a concentration camp. In this interview, Schloss talks about her experiences growing up as Anne Frank’s stepsister.
James I on the Divine Right of Kings
Source: The National Archives (UK)
King James I of England was a proponent of the divine right of kings: the idea that a king’s power came directly from God. This idea is key to several of Shakespeare’s plays, including Macbeth, and was delineated in a speech the king gave to Parliament in 1609. This site provides the original text, a transcript, and an audio recording.
The Real Story of Revere’s Ride
Source: The Paul Revere House
To learn more about Paul Revere’s famous ride, visit this site created by the Paul Revere Memorial Association. Read through the account of what really happened that night, check out the interactive map that tracks Revere’s journey, and read his own account of the events.
Auden’s Musée des Beaux Arts
Source: Harper's Magazine
Auden’s poem is only partly about the painting “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus.” In this article, Scott Horton discusses the other source for Auden’s images and provides historical context for both the poem and the art: Breughel’s “The Census at Bethlehem.”
The Red Tail Squadron: Honoring Tuskegee Airmen
Source: Commemorative Air Force Red Tail Squadron
The history of flight is full of bold actions taken by courageous people. Explore this site to learn about the Tuskegee Airmen, America’s first black military pilots and crew.