All upcoming American History programs

Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life is a beloved Christmas classic. Yet when the film was released in 1946, it was a box office flop, won no Academy Awards, and was largely forgotten—until it was rediscovered through endless airings on local TV stations beginning in the 1970s. Media historian Brian Rose examines the movie’s fascinating story.

Step back in time as Lynn O’Connell leads an exploration of how Christmases of yesteryear were celebrated in Alexandria, Virginia. As you walk through Old Town Alexandria, learn how John Carlyle, George Washington, and other city leaders of the 18th century marked the seasons and which new customs were brought to Alexandria in the 1880s and 1890s. Get the delicious details on the holiday feasts served at historic Gadsby’s Tavern in the 19th century, including George Washington’s favorite dish—and his rather boozy eggnog.

Philadelphia Art Museum curator David Barquist highlights the Arts and Crafts movement by focusing on Philadelphia artists who sought to correct what they saw as the poor quality of factory production by embracing the British Arts and Crafts movement's principles of handwork, simplicity in design, and what they called “truth to materials.” Despite their shared interest in Arts and Crafts principles, the artists created individual responses that were shaped in part by the size and organization of their workshops. (World Art History Certificate elective, ½ credit)

Led by regional historian Hayden Mathews, step into a world of elegance and holiday splendor in a journey through the historic Brandywine Valley, where the legacy of the du Pont family comes to life in grand estates filled with seasonal displays. Spanning Pennsylvania and Delaware, the region is home to some of the most opulent mansions and gardens in the country, each with a connection to the du Pont family, who shaped the cultural and economic landscape of the region and created a heritage of architecture, art, and horticulture.

During the early years of the Great Depression, Americans experienced economic decline on a scale that was without precedent in the nation’s history. Historian Edward O’Donnell explores the causes and impact of this era in an examination of the key aspects of President Roosevelt’s New Deal, including the philosophical and political ideas behind it.

As the Mexican Revolution drew to a close in 1920, Mexico’s new democratic government commissioned public murals depicting what the nation could look like. They were painted by many artists, most notably José Clemente Orozco, Diego Rivera, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Soon works by the three artists and others influenced by them appeared outside Mexico, too. Using the imagery and influences of works painted by Orozco, Siqueiros, and Rivera in the U.S., Walters Art Museum curator Ellen Hoobler explores how the ancient Americas and modern politics intertwined in 1930s and ‘40s public murals in the United States. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

The adoption of the U.S. Constitution and the start of the French Revolution—events that occurred in remarkable chronological parallel—were for much of the last two centuries seen as contrasting, but equally indisputable, pillars of modernity. Historian David Andress examines their shared, complex interaction with the continued growth of the British Empire and how far the political turning-points of this moment also hinged on shifts in technology, trade, and exploitation that had a global reach.

Step back in time as Lynn O’Connell leads an exploration of how Christmases of yesteryear were celebrated in Alexandria, Virginia. As you walk through Old Town Alexandria, learn how John Carlyle, George Washington, and other city leaders of the 18th century marked the seasons and which new customs were brought to Alexandria in the 1880s and 1890s. Get the delicious details on the holiday feasts served at historic Gadsby’s Tavern in the 19th century, including George Washington’s favorite dish—and his rather boozy eggnog.

Step back in time as Lynn O’Connell leads an exploration of how Christmases of yesteryear were celebrated in Alexandria, Virginia. As you walk through Old Town Alexandria, learn how John Carlyle, George Washington, and other city leaders of the 18th century marked the seasons and which new customs were brought to Alexandria in the 1880s and 1890s. Get the delicious details on the holiday feasts served at historic Gadsby’s Tavern in the 19th century, including George Washington’s favorite dish—and his rather boozy eggnog.

Bursting with big talent with big dreams, MGM in the 1940s and ’50s produced the most glorious string of musicals in film history: gems like On the Town, Singin’ in the Rain, An American in Paris, The Band Wagon, and Gigi. Grab a bowl of popcorn and join documentary filmmaker Sara Lukinson, who combines a lively lecture with an abundant sample of film clips that will have you singing in the rain. That’s entertainment!