Commonwealth Speakers:American Founders and Pioneers
A John Hall engraving of Benjamin West's "William Penn’s Treaty with the Indians." Credit: Library of Congress
William Penn, Our Forgotten Founding Father
William Penn's treaty with Native Americans set down the principle tenets of our democracy - equal treatment of races, religious understanding, just laws - a century before the Constitutional Convention, and inspired former U.S. Poet Laureate Daniel Hoffman's epic poem Brotherly Love. Hoffman will discuss the process of dramatizing Penn's joining the Quakers, which made possible his moral and political virtues, as well as how those virtues and ideals were betrayed by later settlers.
Daniel Hoffman, Ph.D., Poet Laureate of the U.S. (1973-1974), Swarthmore
Benjamin Franklin: Scientist, Humanist
Benjamin Franklin may be the best-known Pennsylvanian in history. In his own time, he was known throughout the colonies for his books and newspaper, his lending library, his fire-fighting company, and his work as postmaster general. He was also known and admired throughout Europe - but primarily as a scientist. Richard Rosen discusses Franklin's scientific ideas and how his reputation as a scientist aided his diplomatic work by gaining him access to some of the most powerful people of France and Britain. Requirements: Overhead projector and screen, CD/cassette player.
Richard L. Rosen, Ph.D., University Ombudsman and Associate Professor of History, Drexel University, Philadelphia
The Ends of the American Earth: The Revolutionary War on the Pennsylvania Frontier
The issues and concerns that motivated frontier people to action in the Revolutionary War were often different than those of the Atlantic coastal cities. Concerns over land and self-rule were paramount along the Susquehanna and Ohio watersheds, and the revolutionary experience on the frontier was one of struggle with the British, the natives, and fellow colonists. Historian Daniel Barr will show audiences how on the Pennsylvania frontier, principles of liberty and equality had widely varying meanings for a diverse and antagonistic population. Requirements: Screen and LCD projector.
Daniel P. Barr, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of History, Robert Morris University, Moon Township
Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?
The question of whether or not America was founded as a "Christian nation" has played an important part in the nation's political and social life in recent years. How religious were the founders? Were they truly devout Christians, as many claim today? Examining this question from an historical perspective, historian John Fea will investigate the religious convictions of the Founding Fathers and the relationship between Christianity and America's founding documents. Requirements: Screen and overhead projector. LCD projector preferred.
John Fea, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of American History, Messiah College, Grantham
The Battle of Bushy Run
The Battle of Bushy Run was a crucial event in Pontiac's War, and David Miller will explore the background causes of the war and the events that transpired therein, including the siege of Fort Pitt. Participants will learn the strategies and tactics used by both British forces and Native Americans in the battle near Bushy Run Station, and the various theories of the number of native combatants at the battle. Miller contextualizes the battle in terms of Pontiac's War, and Pontiac's War in terms of the early history of America. Requirements: Display table and screen.
David P. Miller, Director of Education, Bushy Run Battlefield, Harrison City
Horse Racing: America's First Spectator Sport
Horse racing isn't just the Kentucky Derby. Thoroughbred racing has a rich history, and Candace Perry, former Curator of Collections at the Kentucky Derby Museum, will explore the history of the sport in the United States. Special attention will be paid to the Triple Crown races, the fascinating history of Churchill Downs, and why horse racing was the first integrated sport in the United States. Requirements: Screen, TV/VCR. LCD projector or slide projector preferred.
Candace K. Perry, Curator of Collections, Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center, Pennsburg
Clash of Empires: The British, French and Indian War, 1754-1763
The conflict that Winston Churchill called the first world war began with a skirmish in western Pennsylvania. Historian Scott Stephenson, curator of the Heinz History Center's international traveling exhibition on the French and Indian War, explores this global conflict through its Pennsylvania roots in an illustrated talk featuring original artwork, objects and manuscripts from the period. Requirements: Screen.
R. Scott Stephenson, Ph.D., Curator, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania (resides in Wilmington, Delaware)
An Evening with the Baron
Performing as German immigrant Friedrich Wilhelm August Baron von Steuben, major general of the Continental Army, historian David Valuska explores the contribution of the baron to the United States military. In particular, participants will learn how the baron helped train the Continental Army at Valley Forge, introducing inspections, drills, and a drill manual which became the "bible" of the army for the next fifty years. In character, Valuska will answer audience questions about the condition of the army and the baron's contributions to the victory in the War for Independence. Requirements: Display table. Microphone preferred.
David L. Valuska, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Kutztown State University, Kutztown
Rachel Carson's Sense of Wonder
Writing for parents, Rachel Carson encouraged creative exploration as a way to understand the natural world. Her 1954 article "Teach Your Child to Wonder" reflected her own inquisitive nature and her Western Pennsylvania childhood. Eight years later, in her book Silent Spring, she defined a new and global comprehension of the effects of human action on all life on Earth. Vivienne Shaffer draws from Carson's ideas about creative inquiry to engage both children and adults in understanding the relevance of Silent Spring in the 21st Century. Requirements: Display table.
Vivienne A. Shaffer