The West 1865-1896 (Fri Feb 1)
by Dr. H - February 1st, 2019
Today’s class looks at overlapping stories and cultures in the American West in the late 19th century. We will try to define the region (where does the West begin and end?) and map its human, geographic, and mythic landscapes.
To prepare for today, you read Chapter 15 up through page 504 and listened to to the 1-hour episode of the podcast This American Life, “Little War on the Prairie†(November 23, 2018) about the Dakota War of 1862 and how it’s been remembered — and selectively forgotten.
On Monday, Feb 4 we will engage in a Document Workshop about the Chapter 15 documents; here’s a worksheet to help you prepare ahead of time for the workshop. It was handed out in class but I’m also providing it as a Word doc you can download if you prefer to type your responses.
Speaking of mythmaking and memory on the American western prairie, this week I spotted an essay about the return of the “prairie dress” (a popular style in the 1980s) in women’s boho fashion. Lots to think about here….
