When it comes to foreign policy, Teddy Roosevelt’s doctrine was “speak softly but carry a big stick.” The problem for TR was that he was great with the big stick, but he never spoke softly in his life. A good example of this was that by 1907 Japan had emerged as a world power and … Continue reading Class Notes
Author: James Finck
Dr. James W. Finck was raised in the shadows of history in the great state of Virginia. Growing up it was difficult to travel too far without running into a monument or battlefield from the Revolutionary or Civil War. In this environment, Finck developed a love for studying the past and from his youth knew that he wanted to make it his life’s work. Finck received a B.A. from the College of William and Mary in Virginia. He then studied under James I. Robertson and William C. Davis at Virginia Tech, while earning a Master’s degree. Finally, he received his Ph.D. at the University of Arkansas, under the direction of Daniel Sutherland. For five years, Finck taught at the University of Texas-Pan American before accepting his current position as American Historian at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in 2011. At a small liberal arts institution, Finck considers himself a generalist in history, but his specialties are the Civil War and American Politics. Finck has established himself in Oklahoma with the creation of the Oklahoma Civil War Symposium, which has brought in leading Civil War scholars for the past eight years, and he has spoken at many venues around Oklahoma, especially working with the Honey Spring Battlefield. Finck is the author of Divided Loyalties: Kentucky’s Struggle for Armed Neutrality in the Civil War, as well as Images of America: Chickasha. Finck is also the author of the syndicated newspaper column “Historically Speaking.”
Hadestown
This article does not fit in with my traditional column, yet it does have a historical component and my editor felt that my Historically Speaking readers might enjoy it. With the traveling Broadway production "Hadestown" currently crossing the nation, I thought I would make a few comments about the show. Most of all, I loved … Continue reading Hadestown
Class Notes
On Feb 10, 1861 a note arrived at the home of Jefferson Davis informing him he had been elected president of the Confederate States. He was completely surprised as it was an office he had not wanted nor sought after. When he resigned his position as senator he was determined to stay out of politics … Continue reading Class Notes
Class Notes
Neither Teddy Roosevelt nor William Taft looked presidential the way we expect our presidents to look today. It is unfortunate that we have a model, but we do with the invention of TV. In 1912 Wilson will defeat both of them and he did have the look of a president. Wilson was also a good … Continue reading Class Notes
Class Notes
When Grant was given the assignment to capture Vicksburg, he started with a normal assault of the fortified city but realized that it was too well defended. Instead, he came up with a plan that showed he had the ability to strategize as well as anyone in the war. He split up his army while … Continue reading Class Notes
Political Trends
An article came out this week from conservative writer George Will in the Washington Post that called for President Joe Biden and V.P. Kamala Harris not to run in the next presidential election. Will, who has opposed Trump from the beginning, basically said that the Republicans might make the mistake of running a man who … Continue reading Political Trends
Class Notes
As a progressive president one of Teddy Roosevelt’s favorite activities was trust-busting. He wanted to give the American people a “fair deal” and part of that was eliminating monopolies that hurt consumers. Roosevelt would make enemies of some of his old friends such as JP Morgan especially after TR attacked and eventually broke up Northern … Continue reading Class Notes
Class Notes
General Ambrose Burnside is often considered one of the worst generals in the Civil War and for good reason. When he was put in command of the Army of the Potomac, he actually developed a brilliant plan, which if successful might have allowed him to take Richmond. In December, while the armies were camping, he … Continue reading Class Notes
Class Notes
In 1889, Americans reversed a 100-year-old policy of neutrality when they declared war on Spain after the February 15th sinking of the Battleship Maine. The sinking was blamed on the Spanish, even though later proved to be a boiler explosion. The Spanish American War would turn the U.S. into an imperial power as it took … Continue reading Class Notes
Class Notes
When it came to progressive reform, the reformers were often of two minds. There was the moral side and the scientific side. This was seen in the push for outlawing prostitution. The moral side was prostitution was wrong and that women who became prostitutes were clearly feeble minded who needed saving. Yet a major tenant … Continue reading Class Notes
Historically Speaking 