Past Institutes

American Society During the Early Republic (2021 Online Institute)

From July 5–9, 2021, Humanities Texas held an online professional development institute for Texas teachers exploring diverse perspectives on American life during the years immediately following the American Revolution.

Curriculum

The institute curriculum aligned with TEKS standards for the state's middle school U.S. history curriculum, addressing various perspectives on life in America during the early years of the Republic.

Each faculty member led a two-hour session that included a lecture, Q&A, and a seminar on teaching with primary sources. Faculty addressed the following topics: the Constitution and the problem of democracy in the Early Republic; westward expansion; slavery and the limits of democracy; the role of women; and the creation of universal white manhood suffrage.

Like all Humanities Texas programs, the institute was content-based and teacher-centered, with an emphasis on teaching with primary sources and developing effective pedagogical strategies.

Faculty

The program faculty included Leslie Alexander (Arizona State University), Denver Brunsman (George Washington University), Lauren Duval (The University of Oklahoma), Brian Luskey (West Virginia University), and Michael Witgen (Columbia University).

Schedule

The schedule for the "American Society During the Early Republic" online institute can be viewed here.

Sponsors

The institute was made possible with major funding from the State of Texas, with ongoing support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.