Maybe. Just so you know youre not on the wrong flight. Im brian balogh and ive been a cohost for backstory for over ten years now. Im going to introduce the panel and then were each going to say a few words about our quite different roles well, nathan and i have the same role. Hes trying to steal the 20th century from me and doing a pretty good job of it, but we all have relatively different roles and backstory. We are going to talk about that a little bit. And then we are going to open it up to your questions. Just for starters, this is not what it looks like behind the scenes at backstory. In fact, were rarely in the same place at the same time. I had to Google Nathan to see what he looked like, for instance, even though i talk to him every week. So introducing myself, im a professor at the university of virginia, i cohost backstory and i direct the National Fellowship program at the jefferson scholars foundation. My cohost nathan connolly, of course, is known to most of you as an ou
[laughter] it is a little daunting. I guess if you are looking at american politics from the beginning past the civil war talking about a paradox and a conflict and the. I tend to focus on is the early part of that arc and the improvisational nature because the nation was founded and the United States was a republic and what that means at that moment so we are not creating a monarchy but beyond that there is a ton of open ground. So in the early decade how it functions the tone of the government, how the nations would stand up what does it mean to be a republican in the ngworld of monarchy how do they get respect and equally what kind of nation will it be . So there is the broad ideological level so how democratic of a nation will this be . How is that land literally going to be arrested from other people . What kind of life of others not have it all . To have questionsin we are grappling with now questions about equity and equality those go back to the beginning of the republic and be
With a little daunting. You do the historian thing speak generally. I guess i think if they are looking at american politics, from the beginning straight through we can even go half of the several work, they areal talking the boat paradoxes and conflicts and improv. Tend to focust i on is the early part of the ark. His improvisational nature of that that really fascinates me more than anything else. The nation was founded and a world of monarchy. The United States is a republic. What that means was a super clear at the moment. People knew that they were trying to do something that wasnt that. Beyond that, theres a lot of open ground. There is a lot of improv in those early decades the boat what the nation is, how it functions, the tone of the government, how this nation is going to stand tough amongst the nation of the world and other kinds of nations. What does it mean to be a republic and a world of monarchy. How is this nation going to get any degree of respect and equally if not mo
The wrong flight. Im brian balogh and ive been a cohost for backstory for over ten years now. Im going to introduce the panel and then we are each going to say a few words about our quite different roles. Nathan and i have the same role, he is trying to steal the 20th century from me, doing a pretty good job of it, but we all have relatively different roles in backstory. I wanted to talk about that a little bit and then we are going to open it up to your questions. Just for starters, this is not what it looks like behind the scenes at backstory. In fact, were rarely in the same place at the same time. I had to Google Nathan to see what he looked like, for instance, even though i talk to him every week. So introducing myself, im a professor at the university of virginia, i cohost backstory and i direct the National Fellowship program at the jefferson scholars foundation. My cohost, nathan connelly, of course, is known to most of you as an outstanding scholar. He is the Herbert Herbert b
And the nation. In 1943, bill was born in brooklyn to nancy walsh and robert bennett. His lifelong appreciation for the power of knowledge began to take shape while a student in washington, d. C. From there, his educational path will lead him to williams massachusetts. The university of texas austin, where he earned his phd in philosophy. Eventually, harvard university, where he earned his law degree. Bill began to invest in the education of the next generation through teaching positions at the university of southern mississippi and boston university. He then joined the National Humanities center, where he championed philosophy, history, and the arts. He became the executive director of the institution in 1979. It was there he met elaine glover, the woman who would become his best friend and wife. In 1980 five, after he served four years as the National Endowment for the humanities, president Ronald Reagan appointed him secretary of education. This calling to Public Service resonated w