Being here on a drizzly day at providence college. Today i wanted to share with you, i think, a story and a moment in American History that is one of the, for me, more important moments of the late 19th and the early 20th century. It holds a lot of significance in this period of the guilded age and the progressive era. It also happens to be the subject of my new book so ive been living and breathing in this period and in this moment which again i think is very, very significant for 1916 or for the nation, in ways i will try to make clear. So what ill do today is kind of start by setting up the context of San Francisco in 1916, during this moment, during this sunshine, and then ill spend some time in really three parts talking about why its significant and why its important to American History and our story. But let me begin by kind of framing this story about this 1916 moment. Many of you have probably seen this character before, mark twain, of course the famous American Play write and
Suburbs . I cant hear you. Proud. Proud. Okay. Perhaps an unusual choice. Nicolas. Like being from nowhere. Like being from nowhere. Good. Other descriptions . Characterization . Safe. Safe. Good. As lechie points out. Cassidy. Utopia. A utopia. Emily . Family oriented. Family oriented. Nicolas, were you going to Say Something . No. Drew . I loved it. Okay. Good. I mean, some people u taupia, maybe this is a different generation. I thought people were going to say lame and boaring which is why i picked this very lame type face the. And i thought wed start with an image of contemporary suburbia which is this is an engagement shoot. A young couple who have taken to the suburban street for their you know people get married. They take engagement photos. And this was this went around the internet for a while. And lots of people including myself laughed at it. So whats so weird about that . Why does this image seem whats the disconnect . Allie . Usually engagement pictures are at like i dont
Suburbs . Okay. Almost all of you. And what kind of adjectives would you use to describe the suburbs . I cant hear you. Proud. Proud. Okay. Perhaps an unusual choice. Nicolas. Like being from nowhere. Like being from nowhere. Good. Other descriptions . Characterization . Safe. Safe. Good. As lechie points out. Cassidy. Utopia. A utopia. Emily . Family oriented. Family oriented. Nicolas, were you going to Say Something . No. Drew . I loved it. Okay. Good. I mean, some people u taupia, maybe this is a different generation. I thought people were going to say lame and boaring which is why i picked this very lame type face the. And i thought wed start with an image of contemporary suburbia which is this is an engagement shoot. A young couple who have taken to the suburban street for their you know people get married. They take engagement photos. And this was this went around the internet for a while. And lots of people including myself laughed at it. So whats so weird about that . Why does
His class is about an hour. So today, were talking about the suburbs. How many of you grew up in the suburbs . Okay. Almost all of you. And what kind of adjectives would you use to describe the suburbs . I cant hear you. Proud. Proud. Okay. Perhaps an unusual choice. Nicolas. Like being from nowhere. Like being from nowhere. Good. Other descriptions . Characterization . Safe. Safe. Good. As lechie points out. Cassidy. Utopia. A utopia. Emily . Family oriented. Family oriented. Nicolas, were you going to Say Something . No. Drew . I loved it. Okay. Good. I mean, some people u taupia, maybe this is a different generation. I thought people were going to say lame and boaring which is why i picked this very lame type face the. And i thought wed start with an image of contemporary suburbia which is this is an engagement shoot. A young couple who have taken to the suburban street for their you know people get married. They take engagement photos. And this was this went around the internet for
Create an alternative to urban living. His class is about an hour. How many of you grew up in the suburbs . Okay. Almost all of you. And what kind of adjectives would you use to describe the suburbs . I cant hear you. Proud. Proud. Okay. Perhaps an unusual choice. Nicolas. Like being from nowhere. Like being from nowhere. Good. Other descriptions . Characterization . Safe. Safe. Good. As lexie points out. Cassidy. Utopia. A utopia. Emily . Family oriented. Family oriented. Nicolas, were you going to Say Something . No. Drew . I loved it. Okay. Good. I mean, some people utopia, maybe this is a different generation. I thought people were going to say lame and boring which is why i picked this very lame type face. And i thought wed start with an image of contemporary suburbia which is this is an engagement shoot. A young couple who have taken to the suburban street for their you know people get married. They take engagement photos. And this was this went around the internet for a while. A