Focuses on the career of Ken Burns, creator of historical documentaries for television and a popular historian. Examines his technique in creating documentaries, such as his use of style and the incorporation of biography. Discusses the differences between professional and popular history. (CMK)

States that when analyzing film and television, traditional methods utilized in historical analysis for formats, other than visual media, can be implemented. Outlines an approach that can be used when examining film and television and addresses the importance of studying film and television in history. (CMK)

Discusses the treatment of historical events within Hollywood (California) films. Addresses the idea of verisimilitude, or the true replication of history in all aspects. Examines films such as: "Pearl Harbor,""Park Row,""Verboten!,""October Sky," and "Thirteen Days," to demonstrate how films portray history. (CMK)

Provides an historiographic overview of the North American Spanish borderlands, focusing on changes and various topics, such as defending or attacking missionaries. Addresses what teachers can do who are in search of a point of entry into the borderlands literature. (CMK)

Addresses the history of Spanish-American missions, discussing the view of missions in church history, their role in the Spanish conquest, and the role and ideas of Herbert E. Bolton. Focuses on differences among Spanish borderlands missions, paying particular attention to the Florida missions. (CMK)

States that the National Council for History Education (NCHE) promotes interactions among its members and believes that history educators benefit from contact with others. Illustrates the connections between the NCHE and public history identifying workshops, conferences, and other ties having a public history focus. (CMK)

Focuses on the National Park Service's Teaching with Historic Places (TwHP) program that has more than one hundred classroom-ready lesson plans. Describes the standard format of the lesson, the flexibility inherent in the TwHP lesson plans, and the role of the Internet. (CMK)

Introduces a new column that focuses on successful strategies used by U.S. historians. Includes seven rules for effective history teaching: (1) teach with enthusiasm; (2) rely less on textbooks; (3) use secondary sources; (4) explore current topics; (5) use local history; (6) use music and film; and (7) become computer literate. (CMK)

Contends that, in the past several years, the field of western U.S. history has been more vibrant and visible. Maintains that Patricia Nelson Limerick and others revived the field. Concludes that a new approach provides a better appreciation about what did happen and what was mythical in U.S. western history. (CFR)

Focuses on the work and role of public historians and the National Council on Public History (NCPH) addressing specific topics such as the beginning of public history and NCPH, the impact of public history sites, activities to help teachers utilize resources of the public history community, and resources provided by NCPH. (CMK)

Explains that narrative history is usually the focus in history instruction but contends that argument-based history should be taught instead. Views argumentation as a means for engaging students actively in historical interpretation where the students can express the higher order thinking skills that interpretation entails. Provides examples of…

Maintains the enduring public fascination with the Civil War provides opportunities and dangers for history teachers. Reviews changes in historical interpretations of the Civil War. Asserts that recent scholarship suggests that both the South and North fought to preserve doomed social systems. (CFR)

Contends that the stereotype of political corruption and contention between the Republicans and Democrats remains the basis of many lesson plans on the Gilded Age. Offers a brief account of the origins of this conventional interpretation, its persistence for nearly a century, and the challenge to it by more recent scholars. (CMK)

Reviews the development of African-American history as a scholarly field within U.S. history. Presents four generations of black historians who have contributed to the development and current status of African-American history. Concludes with a discussion of needed additional research and a 22-item bibliography. (CFR)

Asserts that professors of U.S. history have an important stake in the publication of standards for teaching history in the public schools. Discusses the development of the standards and controversies that emerged. Concludes that college historians will benefit if the voluntary standards are implemented. (CFR)