The Moral Vision of Atticus Finch

In To Kill a Mockingbird what does Atticus Finch’s relationship with the minor but important character Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose suggest about the quality of his moral vision?

NSC 68: America's Cold War Blueprint

NSC 68: America’s Cold War Blueprint

Why did the United States believe it had a responsibility to engage the Soviet Union in a cold war, and why was that war a global conflict?

The Marshall Plan

The Marshall Plan Speech: Rhetoric and Diplomacy

What challenges, both rhetorical and diplomatic, did Secretary of State George Marshall face when, on June 5, 1947, he delivered his speech, calling for a massive aid program to restore the economies of Europe that had been ravaged by World War II?

The Radio: Blessing or Curse? A 1929 Debate

How did the debate over commercial radio reflect American attitudes toward technological change in the 1920s?

The “Phenomenon of Lindbergh”

How did the instant celebrity of Charles Lindbergh after his 1927 transatlantic flight reflect Americans’ values in the Twenties?

The Airplane as a Symbol of Modernism

How did the airplane — with its marvel and mystery — symbolize modernism in the Twenties?

Progressivism in the Home

How did Progressive reforms affect the domestic lives of Americans?

Progressivism in the Factory

How did Americans define progress during the Progressive Era?

Jack London

“To Build a Fire”: An Environmentalist Interpretation

How can we read “To Build a Fire” as a cautionary tale about the exploitation of nature?