One of the most versatile and multi-faceted films that an educator can use to illustrate urban America in the 1930s is "Great Guy," a relatively obscure film from 1936 directed by John G. Blystone and starring James Cagney and Mae Clarke. There are some simple practical considerations that make the film such a good fit for an American history or…

Interdisciplinary work across the humanities and social sciences is moving beyond analysis of any one nation in isolation and instead placing urgent questions in the larger matrix of the Americas as a hemisphere. But little attention has been given to the overarching methodological, institutional, and pedagogical issues resulting from the growth…

The benefits and limitations of an interdisciplinary course, combining sociology, history, and political science, on America in the 1960s are analyzed. Both structure and content of the course are discussed. (Author/RM)

In 1996, Maryland's Carroll Community College (CCC) participated in the American Association of Community Colleges' Exploring America's Communities, which works to strengthen the teaching and learning of American history, literature, and culture at U.S. community colleges. As part of its Action Plan, CCC set out to upgrade its American Studies…

American popular music -- ballads, folksongs, and mass media songs -- can be used in an American studies class to trace social history. This takes advantage of young people's loyalty to music and enlists their aural sensitivities in learning about the United States. (JH)

Explores the cultural legacy of the United States. Characterizes the society as one which promotes cohesiveness and political unity, yet emphasizes individual initiative. Provides a number of salient historical examples in making this point. (KO)

The legend of the gunfighter-lawman, frontier justice, and the extent of violence in western history are suggested as possible course content to make history more relevant and interesting. (DE)

Describes how one English teacher implemented a cross-curricular team-teaching method that combined instruction in American literature and history to create an American studies approach. Outlines how two teachers taught aspects of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." (HB)

Discusses an activity called "The Dating Game" that is based on Willa Cather's "My Antonia." Explains that students determine the year Jim Burden, one of the main characters, arrived in Nebraska, using historical events in the novel. Reports students learn about life in the plains and national events and trends in the 1880s.…

This article discusses how fiction can be used in college American history courses to explore the consciences of southerners before the Civil War. Among the books discussed are "Swallow Barn,""The Golden Christmas,""The Valley of Shenandoah,""The Kentuckian,""The Virginia Comedians,""The Master's House." (Author/RM)

A product of the 1974 Fifth Gulf Coast History and Humanities Conference, this compilation of 13 essays on American Indians of the South includes the following sections and titles: (1) Teaching the Indian Past in History Courses ("The Southeastern Indian Oral History Program at the University of Florida"; "Notes on the Literature of…

This program book contains progress reports for the colleges that participated in the American Association of Community Colleges' (AACC) Exploring America's Communities (EAC) project, which works to strengthen the teaching of American history, literature, and culture at the community college level. Parts 1, 2, and 3 describe the National…

Designed to accompany an audiovisual filmstrip series devoted to presenting a visual history of life in America, this guide contains an elementary school (grades 2-6) unit which traces the history of dress in America over the last century. Using authentic visuals including posters, paintings, advertising, documentary photography, movies, cartoons,…

Designed to accompany an audiovisual filmstrip series devoted to presenting a visual history of life in America, this guide helps secondary school teachers supplement social studies materials dealing with wars over the past 200 years. Using authentic visuals including paintings, drawings, engravings, posters, photographs, songsheets, and cartoons,…