Undergird us. We want to look at the event that i think most people would agree is the most traumatic event of the last half century of American Life, the assassination of jfk. Even if we judge september 11 more consequential. At almost 50 years removed, is there anything new to be said about this grim episode . Surprisingly there is. Jim pearson argues in camelot and the cultural revolution that the trauma of his killing went beyond the nations grief and outrage and led to the d deformation of our political consensus. It was the catalyst for transformation of liberalism in the 1960 s and should be regarded as a key turning point of the end of americas long liberal tradition and the beginning of a new kind of liberalism that represents a repudiation of the older tradition. Whether this older tradition was too brittle because of its predecessors is a matter that the panel will take up. We have david brown and the author of a biography of Richard Hofstadter. Hofstadter is important becau
Of reconstruction. I would suggest that probably very few of you could pick these rebels out of the group. William sylvan died young, so there could be a reason why youd dont William Sylvis died very young, said there could be a reason why you dont recognize them. Red cloud yes, most of you recognize him. He won a war against the u. S. Government, and he had largely been written out of American History. And you might have a shot of recognizing Susan B Anthony or elizabeth caddy stanton. These are not faces that you would know if you think about reconstruction or you think about the reconstruction days. These are people you read about in your textbooks that you dont think about them in popular culture. Lets try this. The marlboro man has been recognized in every single country in the world, and i will talk more about the marble man marlboro man in a moment. The image that everybody in america and most people in the world recognize is the american cowboy. The american cowboy operates fro
Their symbol has far outweighed their numbers, and it was not a viable job. This hourlong talk was part of a symposium hosted by the vermont humanities council. This afternoon i am supposed to be talking about why cowboys mattered in the postwar years. They mattered more than anything else. I want to show you some images of reconstruction. I would suggest that probably very few of you could pick these rebels out of the group. William sylvis died very young said there could be a reason why you dont recognize them. Red cloud, yes, most of you recognize him. He was the most important indian in america at that time. If you came off a boat, you would have known who red cloud was. He won a war against the u. S. Government, and he had largely been written out of American History. And you might have a shot of recognizing susan b. Anthony or elizabeth caddy stanton. But you might not. These are not faces that you would know if you think about reconstruction or you think about the reconstruction
It is enormously significant that the cattle industry and the face of the cattle industry coincided with reconstruction after the civil war. That coincidence has been handed down to the present in our political channel and in the way that we understand american politics, and that is why the american cowboy remains such an incredibly potent image today in American Society. But start with that. We all know the civil war was about the north and south, right . Wrong, it was not about this north and south sides, it was between the north and south but it was about the west. There was the issue of slavery for the dakota territory since the beginning of slavery. It was not a problem until the Louisiana Purchase in 1863. The question with what to do with those western lands, first the Louisiana Purchase, which were divided by the missouri compromise, but that comes a new question in 1850. But then an extraordinary expedition with the land between the treaty of waterloo bay in 1846 treaty of gua
Counterbalance to the reconstruction dominance of the republican government. She also says that they are lasting symbolism for american culture, and far outweighs the actual numbers. This hourlong talk was part of a symposium hosted by the vermont humanities council. This afternoon, im supposed to talk about why cowboys mattered in the postwar years. They mattered more than perhaps anything else. As an example. Com i want to show you some images of reconstruction and ask you how many you know. I would suggest that probably very few of you could take rebels out of a group. Shortly after the civil war, he died, so you may not know one. How many of you would know red cloud . There you go. He was so important after civil war. He was the most important indian at the time. If you came off of boat from europe, within two weeks, you would know who red cloud was, however he has largely been written out of American History. You may have a shot at recommending to the b anthony but you may not. Th