In the Election of 1876, the Democrat candidate Samuel Tilden was one vote shy of winning the Electoral College. The problem was that four states were not being counted because of electoral disputes. Three of those states were in the south, LA, SC and FL (why is it always Florida), and the Democrats had taken … 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.”
The Abortion Decision II
As I said in my last article, few decisions have been as controversial as the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade. As such I could not cover everything in one article. Last time I discussed the courts and politicians, but the new ruling has also set off the Internet warriors who have spewed their hatred … Continue reading The Abortion Decision II
Class Notes
There were several ways in which slaves could protest their enslavement. They could work slowly, pretend illness, break tools, burn down barns or homes, poison food, run away or finally they could revolt. While the consequences grew in severity as the protests did, all forms of protest had negative effects. Even if not caught, most … Continue reading Class Notes
Class Notes
After the death of Lincoln, Congress reasserted itself as top-dog and passed the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. In this amendment citizenship was defined as anyone born in the U.S. who is not subject to another jurisdiction. It imposed penalties on any state that denied citizens voting rights. Finally, it prohibited former Confederate leaders from … Continue reading Class Notes
Class Notes
With the death of Lincoln, Andrew Johnson took over the presidency at a time when the government was trying to establish a reconstruction policy. Lincoln and Congress had been debating different approaches to allowing the southern states full membership. Johnson, however, brought his own ideas to the argument. Everyone expected he would be hard on … Continue reading Class Notes
Class Notes
One of the key differences between the north and south before the Civil War was religion. An easy way to see this is that the North believed they were saved by works. As such, northerners needed to spread their beliefs and wanted to perfect society to bring on the Second Coming. The south, however, believed … Continue reading Class Notes
Class Notes
What confuses many today is that when the Republican Party was formed in 1854, it was the liberal party, while the Democrats were the conservatives. While today the parties have switched ideology, in both major parties there are divisions in the party as some are moderate, while others more radical in their liberalism or conservativism. … Continue reading Class Notes
The Abortion Decision
Few court cases have been as controversial in the United States as 1973's Roe v. Wade decision. It has become one of the major touchstones in American politics ever since. As controversial as it is, the fact that a shift in power on the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade has led to a … Continue reading The Abortion Decision
Lessons from France
As I am sitting on my balcony of a boat traveling down the Mosel River in Germany, passing picturesque villages founded before Christopher Columbus was even born, I am in awe of this place with its castles and massive churches. While I am having a dream vacation, I am also thinking upon what the history … Continue reading Lessons from France
Historical Travels-Why We are Free
One of my favorite stops during my time in Europe was at the American cemetery in Luxemburg. The cemetery was for fallen soldiers who fought in one of the toughest conflicts of the war, later known as the Battle of the Bulge. American troops became surrounded and were outnumbered and out supplied. It was fought … Continue reading Historical Travels-Why We are Free
