Contends that the results of a survey of historians indicate a profession divided within itself. Maintains that cultural diversity was considered one of the "best" and "worst" attributes of contemporary U.S. society. Discusses the concept of progress and its current historical interpretations. (CFR)

Observes the changes in public education that occurred along the Wisconsin frontier. As the territory progressed, education changed from a winter-term only enterprise lead by male farmer/teachers to a full term lead by professionally trained women teachers. Identifies professionalization as the greatest influence on the feminization of teaching.…

Discusses social changes brought about in the United States as a result of the women's suffrage movement. Explains that groups marginalized by existing institutions must create alternative organizations if they are to be successful. Describes political innovations used by women's groups in the struggle for voting rights. (CFR)

The Farmers' Alliance was organized in Texas in 1877, and soon spread through the South and Midwest. Farmers formed cooperatives to combat the crop-lien system that bound them to furnishing merchants and to oppose differential railroad rates that hampered the shipment of their crops. As it grew, the alliance began to demand other land,…

E.W. Scripps's penny newspapers brought a new style of public service journalism to the Pacific Northwest's four largest cities--Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, and Portland--in the turbulent years of the Progressive movement from 1899 to 1912. Minimal investment, tight cost controls, and the idea that a small, condensed newspaper could be more popular…

This book tells the story of U.S. high schools in the 19th century. The volume analyzes the social changes and political debates that shaped these institutions--from 1921, when the first public high school was established in Massachusetts, to the 1880s, by which time a majority of secondary students in the North were enrolled in high schools. The…

Maintains that, as a historian, social critic, and moralist, Christopher Lasch was a powerful presence in U.S. intellectual life. Presents an interview with Lasch prior to his death in February 1994. Reports that Lasch believed that optimism is a kind of investment in the future whereas hope is the rejection of envy and resentment. (CFR)

Examines the Depression era Townsend Movement that pressed for old age pensions. Compares this movement with a model social movement to explore what facilitates the development of movements and what determines their success or failure. Concludes that the political mediation model explains successes as reinforced political action with strong member…

Maintains that, although slavery is a major topic in U.S. history, the geographical focus is primarily on the South. Discusses slavery and two slave revolts in colonial New York in the early 1700s. Includes descriptions of the slave revolts and two information tables. (CFR)

Discusses the furor created when Walt Disney Studios announced plans to develop a "historic amusement park" near the Manassas (Virginia) National Battlefield Park. Maintains that the public debate over the popular understanding of history reflects an ongoing tension between academic historians and the purveyors of popular history. (CFR)

Reports on a study of the treatment of family issues in 12 college-level U.S. history textbooks. Concludes that instructors who want to introduce serious discussions of families into a survey course must be prepared to offer additional readings, lecture material, and exercises beyond the textbook content. (CFR)

Reviews the "Encyclopedia of American Social History," a three-volume work that surveys historical scholarship in social history and lifestyles. Outlines the work's three historical categories: (1) lives of ordinary people; (2) experiences of everyday life; and (3) divisions and connections among social groups. (CFR)

Asserts that historians and other scholars have recognized the family as a pervasive influence on common culture. Maintains that historians of the American west have ignored families as an historical force. Discusses the significance of family structure and roles and argues that the family must take a prominent place in historian's work. (CFR)

Maintains that World War II brought profound social and economic change to the southern United States. Discusses the impact of a total war on demography, women in the work force, and the regional economy. Includes six photographs of wartime life in the South. (CFR)

Presents reactions to a survey of attitudes toward history, historiography, and instruction among contemporary historians. Contends that both museums and universities are undergoing fundamental transformations and that more communication between historians and museum curators is desirable. (CFR)