Browse Exhibits (39 total)
The Second Great Awakening’s Influence on Social Reform Movements
The Second Great Awakening was a protestant religious movement in the United States that lasted from about 1795 to 1835. Its cause saw a great increase in membership in the Baptist and Methodist Christian churches by spreading the Christian faith through meetings across the country. My research through this project has been intended to understand how The Second Great Awakening served as a catalyst for significant social reform movements in early American history, fundamentally transforming colony life by fostering a sense of collective moral responsibility and empowering diverse groups, particularly women and marginalized communities, to challenge societal norms and advocate for change.
Examining the Second Great Awakening and its influence on various early American social reforms is important because it can help us understand to what extent religion shapes societal norms and values and drives social change. Audiences such as educators, students, and the public can benefit from this information because it allows them to have a greater understanding of the Second Great Awakening and the role it played in shaping current social issues. By exploring these connections, we can gain insights into the ways collective beliefs can mobilize communities, address social injustices, and influence the fabric of society.
Role of the Continental Navy and Privateers in the Revolutionary War
Everybody knows the Continental Army, and tales of their heroics at Saratoga, Trenton, Yorktown, and others. But fewer know of the battles at sea, where privateers and converted merchantmen did battle with British man-o-wars both along the American coast and along the English coast. Through this exhibit, I intend to show that the war at sea was just as crucial to the outcome of the war as the army was, and to show how the fledgling American navy attempted to stand up to the mighty Royal Navy.
From the very beginning, when Washington's army began to run low on supplies like gunpowder, a solution was to raid and capture British shipping, and the earliest expeditions of the Continental Navy were undertaken for this purpose, and to guarantee the safety of supply lines and American ports. Without these valuable missions, Washington might have run out of powder with which to fire his guns, ending the rebellion. By the end of the war, Washington was quoted as saying, "whatever efforts are made by the Land Armies, the Navy must have the casting vote in the present contest."1 However, many scholars have lessened, or ignored the impact of the Navy, and privateers in particular on the war.2 In order to construct a more wholistic view of the Revolutionary War, the sailors of the state navies, of the Continental Navy, and the countless privateering vessels, must be counted.
1 Nathan Miller, The US Navy: A History, (Naval History Press, 1997), pg. 13
2 Kylie Hulbert, The Untold War at Sea: America's Revolutionary Privateers, (Georgia University Press, 2022), pg. 11, 181
Newspaper Journalism During the Revolutionary War
Many are aware of the impacts social media has brought upon humans, but how did media impact humans in history? First delivered through speech and eventually developed through print, people were finally able to view media in word form. Newspapers were very common to have circulating throughout the American colonies in the mid to late 1700s.
On this site, you will find how newspaper journalism was used to inform, bring unity, as well as cause disruption to people’s previous viewpoints during the Revolutionary War. I will display the actual media shared during this time period and go into detail about the effects it had on the colonists.
The Enlightenment Influence on the American Revolution
Many people have previous interpretations of how the American Revolution came to be. Whether it be political, economic, or independence driven war, there was also a variety of different ideologies that helped spark this movement. We already know that the Enlightenment started in 1685 and this era was crucial for many new ideas including questioning traditional authority, challenging religion, and opposing power of monarchs. Key figures like John Locke, Adam Smith, and Montesquieu were at the root of the intellectual movement. They also happened to spark many new ways of thinking for key members of the American Revolution such as Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and James Madison. These three men were at the heart of the fight of freedom for the 13 colonies, but what many do not know is how much Locke, Smith, and Baron de Montesquieu inspired Jefferson, Franklin, and Madison to create this revolution.
The Federalist Papers
The federalist papers are one of the most revered and discussed papers in American history, every student taking history classes throughout their schooling discusses the federalist papers in great detail, analyzing their significance and insight into federalism and the ratification of the constitution. This exhibit works to discuss an overlooked aspect of the federalist papers, their actual influence during the time of ratification for the constitution. This exhibit focuses on analyzing what the federalist papers were advocating for, the strengths of the constitution as well as looking at anti-federalist responses to the federalist papers. The research intends to evaluate each side of the argument for the ratification of the constitution, then moves into looking at the constitution itself; what is included from these papers, how the topics discussed appear in the constitution, and how the papers helped ratification of the constitution. This research project aims to show the influence and effectiveness of the federalist papers themselves.
Early American's Perceptions of the Federal Government and How It Was Altered Due to the Whiskey Rebellion
The research I am conducting is in regard to the Whiskey Rebellion and how this Rebellion altered the perceptions of Early American’s view of the Newly Formed Government.
The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 was a significant historical event that took place during George Washington’s presidency. This Rebellion was a violent protest by Western Farmers that took place in Western Pennsylvania due to an imposed whiskey tax. The tax on liquor was set in place by the Federal Government to pay off debts that were a result of the American Revolution. The Whiskey Rebellion lasted three years (1791-1794) and came to an end when Washington led a militia of approximately 13,000 men to help put an end to the rebellion once and for all. Washington’s expectations were let down when he was met by very few men as most insurgents ran away from their troubles. Washington rounded up the men that he could - Ten men were tried for treason, and two men were convicted but forgiven by Washington himself. The Whiskey Rebels and members of Democratic-Republican clubs nationally viewed this Rebellion as a suppression of freedoms.
This exhibit showcases the negative reactions and voices of Early Americans opinions towards the Federal Government's involvement in the Whiskey Rebellion.
Influence of Shays' rebellion on constitutional creation
A small uprising known as Shay's rebellion had a larger impact on Americas governmental formation today than many think. This uprising was brought about by the current economic and citizen debt crisis but the effects long outlasted anything of that time. Throughout this exhibit, we will we be going over key peices of information that help us understand the vital role this played in our countries history.
Native American Contributions to the United States
The United States has always been closely connected to Native Americans, most notably in its earlier years. There are the stories of the famous interactions between Natives and Colonists, like Squanto and the Pilgrims, or Pocahontas and the Powhatans meeting John Smith and the colonists of Jamestown, and Sacagawea guiding Luis and Clark across the west. Along the coast of what would be the United States and Canada, there are numerous accounts of Natives and Colonists interacting, sharing ideas, weapons, technology, and much more. These are the major contributions many think of Natives when it comes to the origin of colonial and early American culture, but this only scrapes the surface of the impact Natives have had in shaping colonial and the early republic of the United States.