1776: NOT the Musical! with Dr. Ty Reese

This is a 4-meeting virtual class using the Zoom platform.

Thursdays, Sept 24, Oct 1, 8, 15, 6-7:30 pm Central time.

About this class: This class utilizes David McCullough's 1776 as a foundation for exploring the start of the American Revolution. The first class will examine the period from 1763 to 1775, known as the American Crisis, and the complex reasons why Independence became one solution to the evolving problems. The next section explores the Declaration of Independence including its ideological origins, its importance in 1776, and its legacy. The final two sections will examine the first year and a half of the war and will seek to answer the following: Why, on 19 April 1775, was there ‘A Shot Heard Around the World’? Why does it take over a year for Americans to declare their Independence? Who fought and joined the Continental Army? What were the challenges that the Americans faced? And finally, how does it quickly become a war of survival and attrition?

Skills Acquired: Historical Analysis, Contextual Thinking, Perspective Taking, Evidence-Based Reasoning, Interpretive Reading

Please note: This class will be held live on Zoom during the dates and time listed above. If you can’t attend a session or if the time doesn’t work for you, a password-protected course page will host video recordings for registered participants to watch at their convenience.

Instructor bio: Dr. Ty M. Reese is a Professor in the Department of History and American Indian Studies at the University of North Dakota. He is an early modernist [17th & 18th centuries] who studies the British Empire within the Atlantic World. This has allowed him to study everything from the American Revolution to the slave trade and the fur trade.