The southern colonies were not as large as the middle colonies, or as multicultural, but they were more diverse than the New England colonies. Most of the southern colonists were British, but there was a large group of Scots Irish migrated south. This group came to the Middle Colonies first. They traveled west and when … 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.”
Class Notes
When it came to government involvement in the Gilded Age, the only real way it helped promote the general welfare was to pass tariffs. Republicans believed they would help American industry and create more jobs, while Democrats wanted them lower because they hurt prices for consumers. While most Americans today have no idea what the … Continue reading Class Notes
Hypocrisy in Sports
To start, let me say something about myself. I love sports. I was a three-sport athlete in high school and I still love playing sports now (though badly). I love watching sports, both on TV and in person. I have a son on the high school baseball team and never thought I would enjoy watching … Continue reading Hypocrisy in Sports
Voting Rights-Redo
The most recent blocking of the Voting Rights Bill by the GOP we are again hearing how Republicans are trying to stop peoples right to vote. Instead of a new comment, I am posting an older article that covers this idea of is voting a right. Again, I am not saying if the Bill should … Continue reading Voting Rights-Redo
Class Notes
In 1770, there were twice as many people living in New England than in the Middle Colonies. However, by the time of the Revolution the Middle Colonies will have grown by 10 times and become the most populated region in British North America. Philadelphia will even become the second largest city in the British Empire … Continue reading Class Notes
Class Notes
With America still in a difficult situation in 1876, not being far removed from the Civil War and in the midst of Reconstruction, Grant put it out there that he was willing to run for a third term, so America could have stable leadership. The problem was the economy had taken a turn for the … Continue reading Class Notes
Class Notes
The Netherlands was different than other European nations in the 17th Century. Most nations were fighting religious wars while the Dutch allowed for religious freedom, the reason the Pilgrims went there originally. They practiced a form a democracy where each town was basically independent and would come together when needed under the House of Orange. … Continue reading Class Notes
Class Notes
Even though we associate the witch trials with the Puritans, witches were being tried in all thirteen colonies. The Puritans just did it better. There were also around 344 people accused of witchcraft in the colonies and about 80% of them were women. Of the males, most were accused because of association with a female … Continue reading Class Notes
Cultural Appropriation
In the current environment of race sensitivity, I think it is necessary to ask certain questions. I think the best way to move forward as a nation is to have a dialoged. With Halloween approaching I am reminded of a situation last year where children were criticized for dressing up as characters not of their … Continue reading Cultural Appropriation
Class Notes
Even though in the years after the Civil War the Republican Party dominated, they did begin to see few cracks in the 1872 election. Some of the liberal Republicans did not support Grant for a second term. They feared the corruption in the Grant administration and Republican corruption in the South with Reconstruction. These Republicans … Continue reading Class Notes
