21L.704 Studies in Poetry: 20th Century Irish Poetry: The Shadow of W. B. Yeats (MIT)
William Butler Yeats occupies a dominant position in the lives and work of the Irish poets who followed him. We will explore some of that poetry, and consider how later poets, especially female poets, tried to come to grips with, or escape from, that dominance. As a seminar, the subject will place special emphasis on student involvement and control. I will ask you to submit one ten-twelve page essay, two shorter (five page) essays, and to accept the role of "leadoff person," perhaps more than on
21M.670 Traditions in American Concert Dance: Gender and Autobiography (MIT)
This course explores the forms, contents, and context of world traditions in dance that played a crucial role in shaping American concert dance. For example, we will identify dances from an African American vernacular tradition that were transferred from the social space to the concert stage. We will explore the artistic lives of such American dance artists as Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, and Alvin Ailey along with Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, George Balanchine, and Merce Cunningham as Amer
CMS.603 American Soap Operas (MIT)
The television landscape has changed drastically in the past few years; nowhere is this more prevalent than in the American daytime serial drama, one of the oldest forms of television content. This class examines the history of these "soap operas" and their audiences by focusing on the production, consumption, and media texts of soaps. The class will include discussions of what makes soap operas a unique form, the history of the genre, current experimentation with transmedia storytelling, the on
STS.036 Technology and Nature in American History (MIT)
This course considers how the visual and material world of "nature" has been reshaped by industrial practices, ideologies, and institutions, particularly in nineteenth- and twentieth-century America. Topics include land-use patterns; the changing shape of cities and farms; the redesign of water systems; the construction of roads, dams, bridges, irrigation systems; the creation of national parks; ideas about wilderness; and the role of nature in an industrial world. From small farms to suburbia,
21L.702 Studies in Fiction: Rethinking the American Masterpiece (MIT)
What has been said of Moby-Dick—that it's the greatest novel no one ever reads—could just as well be said of any number of American "classics" like The Scarlet Letter, Uncle Tom's Cabin, or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This course reconsiders a small number of nineteenth-century American novels by presenting each in a surprising context.
STS.011 American Science: Ethical Conflicts and Political Choices (MIT)
We will explore the changing political choices and ethical dilemmas of American scientists from the atomic scientists of World War II to biologists in the present wrestling with the questions raised by cloning and other biotechnologies. As well as asking how we would behave if confronted with the same choices, we will try to understand the choices scientists have made by seeing them in their historical and political contexts. Some of the topics covered include: the original development of nuclea
17.202 Graduate Seminar in American Politics II (MIT)
This is the second in a sequence of two field seminars in American politics intended for graduate students in political science, in preparation for taking the general examination in American politics. The material covered in this semester focuses on American political institutions. The readings covered here are not comprehensive, but it is sufficiently broad to give students an introduction to major empirical questions and theoretical approaches that guide the study of American political institu
African-American Soldiers in the Civil War
'This is a brief introduction to the history of slavery and the black soldiers who fought in the civil war. Abolitionists had been pressing to put blacks into battle since the first shots were fired. Congress authorized their recruitment in 1862.' (Well-done amateur video with many slides and text, but no narration.)
For Love Of Liberty, African-American Soldier; 1866 -1940, Part 1
This slide show has fascinating antique photos of Black American soldiers in the Civil War. Most of the written information included on the slides are very small, so the viewer may want to open the slide show to 'full screen'.
For Love Of Liberty; African-American Soldier, 1866-1940, Part 2
This slide show has antique photos of Black American soldiers in the Civil War. Most of the written information included on the slides are very small, so the viewer may want to open the slide show to 'full screen'.
Major Battles of the American Revolution
Video accompanied by text. "In 1774, as a response to the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament passed a series of acts, called the Coercive Acts. These acts crushed many of the chartered rights of colonial Massachusetts and infringed on the rights of the other colonies. Americans reacted with trade boycotts, and they also began to slowly unite and take political power into their own hands. Americans were not yet calling for independence, but formation of the First Continental Congress, combi
American Victory at Yorktown
A two pronged attack by French & American forces defeats General Cornwallis in Virginia. Two years later, the Treaty of Paris will officially end the war. This is an overview of that battle and the events that lead up to it. A good overview, but a map of Yorktown would be of benefit.
The American Revolution 1775 - 1783
The American Revolution 1775 - 1783. This video is map-based with narration.
The American Revolution 1775 part 1
Video shows how the American Revolution started and why it started.(Slides with narration)
The American Revolution 1775 part 2
The American Revolution 1775 part 2
The American Revolution
On April 19, 1775, the shot heard round the world was fired at the Battle of Lexington and Concord beginning America's Revolutionary War. In this video you will learn what lead to the war, and the things that happened as a result.
American Revolution: The World Turned Upside Down
(Episode 5 of the series Liberty, by PBS) When the war in the North was fought to a stalemate, Sir Henry
Clinton thought his troops could defeat the rebellion in the American
South. Perhaps, with people still loyal to the British Crown, the long
and costly war could finally end in Britain's favor.
After the fall of South Carolina, Clinton's strategy seemed to be
working very well. He sent Lord Cornwallis to complete the job. But
North American Alliances
By the mid-eighteenth century, the face of North America was changing. The British soldiers, officials, and colonists were moving west from the Atlantic coast and starting to cross into the Ohio River Valley. The Spanish occupied a vast region extending from the Gulf of California, across the desert, and along the Gulf Coast to Florida. The French settled primarily in New France, the area that would later become Canada.
The changes in North America were dramatic for the Native Americans.
Extinct Animals of the 20th Century
This video shows many animal species which have been declared extinct in the last century. Some famous examples are Passenger Pigeon, Thylacine, Honshu Wolf, Laughing Owl, and Tarpan. Slide show is set to music. Run time 04:53.
Black American History
This video gives a brief introduction to black history in America. It has still images with narration.
