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| Who We Were, Where We've Been |
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Advances in technology have made me forget many basic processes. We needed to lift one end of a 500 gallon fuel tank. Rent or find a neighbor with a front loader? Then an older gentleman goes into his shed and brings out a big old lever. Two minutes later the job is done and I realized that basic intelligence is being bred out of us. |
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< Back to Table Of Contents
 | | 08-24-2017
American Woman in Transition, 1914, Part 3: Responsibilities of the Emancipated Woman
by Ellen Key
CONTAINS: As Ms. Keys discusses the freedoms of the future women, she asks her readers to think about how to manage [leadership] at home and in the work place. She also discusses where women need to advance in knowledge. She also assumes that women will advance humanity. "It is woman’s wisdom which the ancients worshiped. It is this wisdom which must be again respected and followed, in order that humanity may rise . . ."
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 | | 07-27-2017
American Woman in Transition, 1914, Part 2: A Changing Woman for a Changing World
by Ellen Key
CONTAINS: More and more, women are working . . . many choosing not to raise families. Ms. Keys describes new concepts of love and, while disagreeing with the term, "new morality," mentions that "Lust, idleness, the excitement of flirtation and sport cause the too hasty divorces, loose relations, and repeated trial marriages. . . " Ms. Key ends on a positive note about the future of women in society.
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 | | 06-29-2017
American Woman in Transition, 1914, Part 1: Woman’s Traditional Roles
by Ellen Key
CONTAINS: Shocking approach to woman's issues . . . Our distinguished feminist gives a simple definition of morals, then discusses traditional values and duties of women as well as her traits in different times and environments. Ms. Keys weaves historical roles into the topic of "Sexual Slavery," yet, not in a negative sense. WARNING: contains both, controversial conservative and progressive comments!
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 | | 03-28-2017
Our Nation on Edge: The Red Scare, Race Riots and the Ku-Klux Klan, 1919-20
by Fredrick Lewis Allen
CONTAINS: We emerged from the Great War a different Nation. There was violet labor unrest in previous times but now it was associated with communism. A few violent communist acts made big news and political sentiment was built-up to oppose anything communist. Meanwhile wartime industries changed the racial composition of the city . . . the Chicago race riots as well the re-invented Ku-Klux Klan highlighted new tensions. The twentieth century social conflict finally made its way to our nation.
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 | | 03-14-2017
Our New Appreciation of Leisure Activities, Late 1800’s
by Arthur Schlesinger
CONTAINS: A description of growing leisure activities in America . . . literature. arts of painting and sculpture, architecture, social organizations, entertainment venues of the circus, vaudeville, and comic opera and of course, sports. The literature section gives us background on the types of stories which were written, from Mark Twain's youth adventures to Stephen Crane's depictions of dark urban tragedy. Architecture is also described in an enlightening way.
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 | | 02-28-2017
Our New Growth of Knowledge, Late 1800’s
by Arthur Schlesinger
CONTAINS: Nicely crafted description of our renaissance in knowledge in terms of education institutions, bookstores and libraries, the Chautauqua, news print, magazines and even the inventions which made the changes possible. Schlesinger ties relevant and well-known names into the transition, greatly enhancing the reading experience. Article ends with a deep description of how the press changed us and how we changed the press.
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 | | 01-03-2017
American Corporations Grow Big & Powerful, Late 1800’s, Part 2: Labor Becomes Restless
by Arthur Schlesinger
CONTAINS: Our early attempts at unions had a variety of purposes, from reduced hours to the forming of jobs during recession. Our early attempts at unions had a variety of forms, from all encompassing to specific trades. Some were peaceful, others not. Our author illustrates this variety and the economic-political environment of the late 1800's. Samuel Gompers' A.F. of L. used a superior format and survived the 19th century.
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 | | 12-20-2016
American Corporations Grow Big & Powerful, Late 1800’s, Part 1: The Government Attempts Controls
by Arthur Schlesinger
CONTAINS: Entertaining version of the forming of "Big Business," it's players, it's economics, and it's [outside the law] practices. New, business control laws are passed but their ineffectiveness is well illustrated. The drama is played out with people like Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Carnegie and Armour and companies like Standard Oil, United States Steel and the railroads under the ownership of but few corporations.
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 | | 12-06-2016
Transformation to a Worldwide Economy, 1860-1900
by Chester Wright
CONTAINS: Author illustrates the growth of industry in Europe as well as the effects of efficient transportation and communications in world trade and effects on other nations. Article ends with "The United States retained an unusual degree of self-sufficiency, but its increasing share in the economic life of the world was making a policy of isolation less and less tenable; inevitably world problems beset it."
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 | | 11-22-2016
Poor Economics and Populist Unrest, 1890’s
by Arthur Schlesinger
CONTAINS: A real understanding of the fiery economic issues and political [non-solutions] of the 1890's. Author introduces our economic problems of the era through the eyes of struggling (and politically reacting) farmers but expands smoothly to unrest in city labor. We entered a big recession . . . we exited with luck.
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 | | 07-19-2016
American City Woman Part 1: A New Country - New Freedoms, Late 1800’s
by Arthur Schlesinger
CONTAINS: ". . . American woman reigned if she did not govern. She was in transition . . ." Author describes the [perceived] freedoms of women in the United States as well as those extended or limited by law. You'll see the flow of liberation in terms of self reliance and time outside the home plus suffrage and divorce laws.
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 | | 06-21-2016
We Exit Prosperity . . . In a Panic, Fall 1929
by Frederick Lewis Allen
CONTAINS: Fantastic framing of the intense drama of the stock market collapse followed by nicely structured reflection on its causes. You who bought stocks with loans and were forced to sell, perhaps losing your life's savings. The fall in consumption was amplified. The natural economics of decline then recovery were beyond reach.
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 | | 06-07-2016
A Look at Ourselves During the Last of Our 1920’s Prosperity, September 1929
by Frederick Lewis Allen
CONTAINS: Fun read: Tickling paragraphs describing our life at the end of 1920's prosperity . . . our news, entertainment, sports, skyscrapers, automobiles, new technologies and fashion. Mr. Allen blends in the background of ridiculously high stock prices, stocks bought with loans, and gives quotes of optimism for continued growth in stock market prices.
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 | | 05-24-2016
Our Growing Cities Grow New Social Issues, 1880-1890
by Arthur Schlesinger
CONTAINS: Nice variety of social phenomena created by crowded living. We find [classification] of neighborhoods from luxurious living to tenements. Problems with health and crime grew. "Hamilton and Market streets was known as 'lung block' because of the many deaths from tuberculosis" . . . "commission paid by criminals (to police) in Chicago was ten per cent of their earnings."
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 | | 05-10-2016
Many of Us Move To the City 1880-1890
by Arthur Schlesinger
CONTAINS: Entertaining, revealing story of the growth of our cities from both rural migration and immigration. Our 1930's author explains the change in rural passions economically and culturally. The broad spectrum of immigration is broken down between typical rural and city divisions among origins of immigrants. In big cities, neighborhoods change but hold the immigrants' ethnic origins.
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 | | 03-15-2016
Perhaps the Most Drastic Change to American Life: The War, 1917-18
by Preston William Slosson
CONTAINS: Our esteemed author paints a portrait of a drastically changed America: its young men conscripted, its women working, its industry refocused, its government ballooning with administration and regulation, its personal style of life . . . permanently changed.
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 | | 03-01-2016
Peace in the United States While Europe Was at War? 1914-1917
by Preston William Slosson
CONTAINS: Enjoyable presentation on our attitudes in various dimensions prior to our entry into "The Great War" in 1917. Who did we favor, Germany or Britain? What were our attitudes toward involvement in the war?. What were the economic considerations? What would bring us into the war?
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 | | 09-29-2015
We Die in Mass from "Consumption" (Tuberculosis) 1905
by Gordon Lindsay, Ph.G., B.S., M.D. Bellevue Medical College, NY
CONTAINS: One out of every ten of us died from Tuberculosis (1 in 7 in cities). Author angrily describes bad hygienic practices in cities and the article contains other interesting social aspects. The only cure was thought to be fresh dry air; if you are city bound sleep with you head out the window.
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 | | 07-07-2015
Evolution of Our Education System. Example: Missouri 1900
by Walter Williams
CONTAINS: Good feel for our school system and attendance up to 1900. Free education was state law but few went to High School at the time of this writing. Still, High Schools were expanding and Normal Schools were established to produce better teachers. Racial segregation was the norm and "colored" teachers were trained in a separate facility.
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 | | 04-28-2015
Changes in Our Religion plus the Church vs. Darwin, 1920’s
by Fredrick Lewis Allen
CONTAINS: Our great author, living through the period, gives thoughtful views of how religion and the church were changing in the United States after World War I. He then gives a unique presentation of the story about the Dayton, Tennessee trial against the teaching of Darwin’s theory of evolution.
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 | | 03-31-2015
Limits to Our Urban Migration; Transportation, Power, Water and Capital, 1815-50
by Edward Channing
CONTAINS: Nicely paced descriptions of the requirements for establishment and growth of towns and existing cities. Our famed author describes our early industries, employment habits and the infrastructure requirements of a successful city. New technologies of the early 1800’s allowed city people to live close to others.
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 | | 09-25-2014
Will We Make Television a Commercial Success? 1940
by Alfred H. Morton, V. P. Television, NBC
CONTAINS: Mr. Morton is candid about the dollars invested in producing the limited programming available to the public. Many pictures of the programs which may get you to spend $200 to $600 for a 5 inch to 12 inch television. Need viewers to get sponsors.
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 | | 07-03-2014
We Go From Depression into World War II
by Frederick Lewis Allen and Agnes Rogers
CONTAINS: Besides observing/accepting our persistent poor economy, we began to notice the trend in Europe. Even theatre and movies relayed the theme. Isolationists debated Interventionists but other more troubling organizations appeared on our soil. Finally came Pearl Harbor.
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 | | 06-19-2014
American Leisure and Entertainment Comes of Age, Late 1930s
by Frederick Lewis Allen, assembled by Agnes Rogers
CONTAINS: Sports, games, books and theater kept evolving but improved movies brought dramatic change to our entertainment. Radio gave a new variety of talk and game shows, and began a quickened transformation of music.
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 | | 05-08-2014
We Survive the Nosedive into The Great Depression, 1929-32
by Frederick Lewis Allen, assembled by Agnes Rogers
CONTAINS: Besides a pictorial montage of widespread depression emotion, our intrigue for the new talking movies, radio broadcasts of story and sports, and great new books is well presented … and of course, the invention of miniature golf.
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 | | 05-06-2014
American Women Possess New Freedoms, 1900-1925
by Preston William Slosson
CONTAINS: Great writing. Author places us in the changing lifestyle of the early 20th century. Our society is described in terms of work, play and growing technologies in the household.
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 | | 03-11-2014
The War is Over … Changing Politics and Social Unrest, 1919
by Frederick Lewis Allen, assembled by Agnes Rogers
CONTAINS: Picture book presentation. The “Great War” had large affects on our economy. Almost two million of us went on strike. Also, we had growing activism on many political issues.
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 | | 02-11-2014
Henry Ford Buys Out Ford Motor Company, 1919
by Keith Sward
CONTAINS: While Henry obtained majority control of Ford Motor Company in 1906, a few years later he [mentally] needed total ownership. We learn more about the conflict between Henry, his general manager and the Dodge brothers.
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 | | 12-19-2013
Won’t Happen Again? Our First Financial Crisis, 1819, 1837, 1857
by Chester W. Wright
CONTAINS: I’m sure that you all take financial downturns with a grain of salt …yeah right. We’ve been through so many. This really good article explains the building of the economy, the institutions and the problems which occur.
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 | | 07-23-2013
The Gangs of Chicago … 1920’s
by Fredrick Lewis Allen
CONTAINS: A great feel for the workings of the bootlegging Chicago gangs of the 1920’s followed by a description of racketeering practices which could affect anyone setting up a business.
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 | | 06-25-2013
Our Baby Nation Becomes a Strong Country
by Eugene Barker, Henry Commager & Walter Webb
CONTAINS: A simple review of our nation establishing itself … The new Constitution, the Supreme Court, settling west of Appalachia and the 1812 war with England.
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 | | 04-04-2013
The South in Black and White
by Preston William Slosson
CONTAINS: Racial relations and geographic trends. Written in 1930, the writing shows how historians of the time wrote about this important issue.
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 | | 02-19-2013
A Look at Our History of Immigration, 1946 Style
by Eugene Barker, Henry Commager and Walter Webb
CONTAINS: A nice, deep look into why we came, where and when we came and where we settled … then when and why we started to limit immigration.
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 | | 02-05-2013
Women are Out of Control, The 1920’s Revolution
by Fredrick Lewis Allen
CONTAINS: OH MY! … The younger generation runs wild. Movies, magazines and a faster post-war society brings short skirts, rayon, lip-sticks, smoking and drinking.
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 | | 11-01-2012
World War One is Over (1918) … Back to Normalcy?
by Fredrick Lewis Allen
CONTAINS: The family’s hardships caused by war are over and it's back to the good life but prohibition of alcohol and anti-communist actions highlight a changed society.
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