History & Politics   

Explore the "Lost Cause of the Confederacy," the debate about monuments and memorials, and the continued invocation of this toxic nostalgia in the culture wars of today.

World War II was the climactic event of the twentieth century and changed the face of warfare and the political and economic world forever. This class looks at the origins of the war, the decisive turning point battles, the factors that account for the Allied victory, and how the war still impacts our lives.

Explore today’s culture wars and their impact on our democratic principles. Three topics will be discussed: reasons fascism has become fashionable once again; America as a caste society or a class society; and modern political warfare using memes, digital warriors, and the internet.  

Note: Each topic is taken from the three different recommended texts listed below.

John, Abigail, John Quincy, Louisa Catherine, Charles Frances, and Henry Adams were pivotal figures in American history. This class will study this remarkable family and their contributions to our country and will also learn the foibles of the two who became United States Presidents. Use of the HBO series John Adams will dramatize the founding father's life.

Explore famous people throughout history who accomplished great things and likely would have accomplished a great deal more had they not died young.

Consider an in-depth study of this important piece of legislation. We’ll examine the intent behind the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), what it is and isn’t, and what led to its passage. Participants will explore related events that occurred during its tenure, the tensions and legal issues it provoked, and the realities of current service delivery to Native American children and families.

A little over one hundred years ago, an event took place that shaped the lives of many:  We had to live with the Red Menace for the next seventy years. Join this class to learn how the Bolsheviks overthrew the 300-year monarchy of the world's largest empire.

Starting with one of the biggest mysteries in history, which made the rise of the Tudor Dynasty possible, this class will consider the story of the Princes in the Tower and the new evidence that has just come out. We will then explore questions such as these: Was Anne of Cleves really ugly? What was the Dancing Plague? Did Mary Queen of Scots murder her husband? Who wrote Shakespeare’s plays? Was Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen, really a virgin? Looking at these stories will give insight into the Tudor Dynasty in a whole new way.