Two Webinars This Week!

How Thanksgiving Became a Holiday: From the Wampanoag & Pilgrims to Washington & Lincoln

Party Wars: Jefferson vs. Adams, Hamilton vs. Burr,

& the Need for the 12th Amendment

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On Tuesday Nov. 29, from 12-1 pm ET, we will discuss the history of Thanksgiving & how it became a national holiday. Sharing this story will be historian Diana Muir Appelbaum, author of Thanksgiving: An American Holiday, An American History.


During our webinar, we’ll discuss why our understanding of the “First Thanksgiving” is complicated, Washington’s “Day of Publick Thanksgivin” to unite the nation, & why Lincoln sought an annual Thanksgiving while battlefields raged during the Civil War.

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The next installment of our Constitution Series is Thursday Dec. 1, from 12-1 pm ET featuring Yale professor and historian, Dr. Joanne Freeman, who will discuss the need for the 12th Amendment.


During our webinar, we'll discuss the Party Wars of the 1790s, the precedent set when Jefferson & Adams chose politics over friendship, & why Alexander Hamilton lobbied Congress in support of Jefferson, his rival, instead of Burr, whom he thought “wicked enough to scruple nothing.”

How Thanksgiving Became a Holiday:

From the Wampanoag & Pilgrims

to Washington & Lincoln


(Webinar) Tuesday, Nov. 29, from 12-1 pm ET

American lore says that Thanksgiving began in Plymouth Colony under a veil of friendship between the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians in 1621. While this event is steeped in our national history—and mythology—what many Americans do not know is that Thanksgiving was not recognized across the USA until 1789 under George Washington. Or that it would take nearly a century until Thanksgiving became an annual holiday during the Civil War. After traveling to visit your friends and family this holiday season, we encourage you to join us for a webinar about the history of Thanksgiving and how it became a national holiday. Sharing this story will be historian Diana Muir Appelbaum, the author of Thanksgiving: An American Holiday, An American History.

During our event, we’ll discuss the harvest days that predate Plymouth Colony and why our understanding of the “First Thanksgiving” is complicated. We’ll also discuss Washington’s “Day of Publick Thanksgivin” to unite the nation in its first year under the Constitution; and why Abraham Lincoln sought an annual Thanksgiving while battlefields raged during the Civil War. Finally, we’ll discuss the fascinating story of how Franklin D. Roosevelt changed the date of Thanksgiving to boost the economy during the Great Depression and the legacy of Thanksgiving today, our nation's most popular holiday.

Register Here!

Party Wars:

Jefferson vs. Adams, Hamilton vs. Burr,

and the Need for the 12th Amendment


(Webinar) Thursday, Dec. 1, from 12-1 pm ET

After the Election of 1796, President John Adams served in the White House while Vice President Thomas Jefferson retired to Monticello. Why? Then, during the Election of 1800, Congress had to break a tie between Jefferson and his own running-mate, Aaron Burr. Again, why? On December 1 the U.S. Capitol Historical Society continues our series on the Constitution by exploring the history—and necessity—of the 12th Amendment. Before its ratification, the presidential candidate who finished first, became president, while the candidate who finished second, became vice president. This not only led to divided cabinets, but a divided nation. More importantly, while the Founding Fathers agreed on independence, they didn't agree on what independence meant.


Our featured guest to share this history will be Yale professor, Dr. Joanne Freeman, whose recent book, Affairs of Honor: National Politics in the New Republic, won the Best Book award from the Society of Historians of the Early American Republic.

During our webinar, we'll discuss the Party Wars of the 1790s, the precedent set when Jefferson and Adams chose politics over friendship, and why Alexander Hamilton lobbied Congress in support of Jefferson, his rival, instead of Burr, whom he thought “wicked enough to scruple nothing.” Finally, we'll discuss how the politics of the late-18th century mirror our politics of today.

 

Dr. Freeman is the co-host of the popular history podcast, "Now & Then," and the author of The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War. A fellow of the Society of American Historians, Freeman won fellowships from the American Council of Learned Societies, the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers, the Dirksen Congressional Research Center, the American Historical Association, and the Library of Congress. She is a Distinguished Lecturer for the Organization of American Historians. The U.S. Capitol Historical Society is proud that she sits on our Council of Scholars.

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Here at USCHS, we see the incredible value in improving the next generation’s knowledge of American history. This #GivingTuesday, think about how your generosity can best transform your community. Civic education is key to a healthy democracy, which transforms communities all over the country! Through our #WeThePeople program, we show thousands of students how the Constitution is alive and well in Washington, D.C.! Show your support for #WeThePeople by donating to USCHS this #GivingTuesday!


You can learn more about the #WeThePeople program HERE!

DONATE HERE!

Victory or Death: How Washington

Saved America on Christmas Night


(Webinar) Tuesday, Dec. 20, from 12-1 pm ET

On Christmas night, 1776, George Washington led a harrowing mission across the Delaware to save the American cause for liberty. His soldiers' password was “Victory or Death.” Our featured guest to share this remarkable story will be Dr. David Hackett Fischer, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for his definitive history, Washington’s Crossing.

 

After America declared its independence, the “spirit of ‘76” soon subsided to the realities of war. The U.S. Army was undermanned and over-matched; and one horrific defeat followed another as a smallpox outbreak ravaged the American ranks. Morale waned, trust in Washington plunged, and nearly 5 of every 6 soldier's enlistments were set to expire. Without a show of strength—or even hope—the army would disband, leaving the revolution dead in its womb. It is in this context that Washington's men crossed the half-frozen Delaware against snow, sleet, and rain, in the dead of night, to rout the Hessians during “the times that try men’s souls.”

During our webinar, we will separate fact from fiction regarding one of the most important events in American history and discuss why U.S. troops feared the brutality of the Hessian mercenaries, Washington’s heartfelt plea that kept the U.S. Army intact, and his leadership that reignited the American flame of freedom in our nation's darkest hour.

 

Dr. Fischer is the Warren Professor of History emeritus at Brandeis University and the author of several books about America's founding, including Washington’s Crossing, Paul Revere's Ride, and his most recent work, African Founders: How Enslaved People Expanded American Ideals. In 2015, Dr. Fischer received the Pritzker Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing. In 2006, he was made an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Society of the Cincinnati. And in 1990, Dr. Fischer was awarded the Carnegie Prize as Massachusetts Professor of the Year. He received his A.B. from Princeton and his PhD from Johns Hopkins.

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Native Warrior: A Conversation with One

of the Last Living Navajo Code Talkers


Video Available!

On November 17, the U.S. Capitol Historical Society hosted a special webinar featuring hero and World War II and Korean War veteran, Lance Corporal Thomas Begay, one of three living Navajo Code Talkers. During our event to honor Veterans Day and National Native American Heritage Month, LCpl Begay—recipient of the Congressional Silver Medal—reflected on his service in the United States Marines during the Battles of Iwo Jima and Chosin Reservoir, the reception that he and his fellow Navajos received from fellow Americans, and why he believed then, just as he does now, “No matter what nationality. No matter what tribe. I think there’s one flag, one nation, one of us all.”

Our event also featured Hopi journalist, Patty Talahongva, who produced the documentary film, The Power of Words: Native Languages as Weapons of War, for the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. She detailed the history of Indian code talkers during the First and Second World Wars, their recruitment, training, and treatment in the U.S. Army, and why the details of their involvement remained hidden for decades.


Finally, we discussed how the Code Talkers transmitted more than 800 messages, without error, to help the Allies win the Battle of Iwo Jima and World War II; and the importance of honoring their sacrifice—and that of every veteran—so that America remains free.

Watch Video Here!

Watch Our Speaker's Documentary!


The Power of Words: Native Languages as Weapons of War

Watch Video Here!

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Makes it Possible!

Enjoying our webinars? How about our We the People video series? The Capitol Stories web feature? Our extensive (and growing) collection of online educational resources is made possible thanks to contributions from people who choose to make a gift of financial support. If your circumstances allow, please consider making a membership contribution to the USCHS today.


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