Theses/Dissertations - History
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Item The slave code of Texas.(1929) Lockhart, W. E.Item The life of Governor Samuel Willis Tucker Lanham.(1930) Lanham, Martha AndersonIt is the purpose of this paper to give the career of S.W.T. Lanham showing the part he had during the periods of struggle and strife through which the United States passed during the years of his life, as soldier of the Confederacy in the War between the States, as pioneer on the western frontier of Texas, as teacher in a log cabin school house, as lawyer and District Attorney, as Congressman from a district of eighty-odd counties, and finally as Governor of Texas.Item Slavery in Texas(1933) Engelking, Johanna Rosa; Guittard, Francis G.; Baylor University.Item History of Baylor University.(1941-07) Williams, Earl FrancisThis thesis has been written for those who love Baylor University and wish to know the rich history of the "grand old school." The purpose has been to show the development of the institution from its beginning in the days of the Republic of Texas to the present-day Baylor University whose influence extends to many parts of the world. In tracing this history, it was necessary to show Texas as it was prior to the year 1845 and that in these early years of Texas, a movement for higher education was slowly but surely gathering force. Many prominent Baptists were the leaders in this movement, which led to the founding of Baylor University at Independence. This same desire to provide an opportunity for higher education led to the founding of the institution which was later to become Waco University and then Baylor University at Waco. Baylor University at Independence passed away, but there was left an influence that is still felt in the lives of the hundreds of students who continue to pass through the portals of Baylor University at Waco. An effort has been made to portray the life and spirit of Baylor University and to show how the ideals of these leaders who made Baylor University possible are still evident in the life and traditions of the institution and are molding the aims and ambitions of the students of Baylor of the present day. Thanks are due to R.A. Burleson, the son of Doctor Rufus C. Burleson; to Pat M. Neff, President of Baylor University and to others whose first hand information concerning Baylor University under Doctor Burleson has been helpful in writing this thesis.Item An historiographical appraisal of the writings of Nicolas M. Zernov.(1976) Barrett, Roby C.; Daniel, Wallace; Baylor University.Purpose of the Study; The purpose of this study is to place the writings of Nicolas M. Zernov in their proper relationship to Russian historical and protest literature, and to provide a synthesis of Zernov's numerous publications that deal with Russian history. With the exception of the family chronicle, no work on Zernov has been published, and the chronicle does not include an analysis of his writings or the place of those writings in any Russian literary tradition. Procedure: The author examined all of the available references, both primary and secondary, which pertained to Zernov and Russian historiography. The references included Zernov's writings, both articles and books, and an interview with Zernov at Oxford in March,1975. The works on Russian historiography came, primarily from the Staatsbibliothek, the library of the Seminarfuer Geschichte Osteuropas, the library of the Seminarfuer Slavische Philologie, and the Universitaetsbibliothek Muenchen, all of which are located in Munich, West Germany. Other libraries used included those at Baylor University, Southern Methodist University,and the University of Texas at Austin. The private collections of Dr. Wallace Daniel and myself were also researched. Findings: Zernov's approach to Russian history has been basically different from that of other Russian historians. For him, the historical narrative was the medium through which he presented a moral approach to politics and socia lrelationships. Using the social and political institutions of Kiev as the ideal, Zernov compared and criticized the subsequent periods of Russian history. Zernov's descriptions reflected his consistent criticism of Western secularism and his belief in the spiritual mission of Russian Orthodoxy. Such pronouncements place Zernov squarely within the protest tradition of Russian literature. Conclusion; Zernov's writings represented a marriage of the political traditions of Western democratic liberalism and the spiritualism of the Slavophiles and Russian Orthodoxy. Zernov gave a moral and ethical interpretation of the political and social institutions of Russian history. He called for the union of Russian Orthodox spirituality and morality and the democratic political institutions of the West.Item "Whose boy will die because you failed?" : Waco and McLennan County in 1942.(2006-09-28T21:52:18Z) Turner, Bradley T.; Parrish, T. Michael.; History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.This thesis analyzes the experiences and actions of Waco and McLennan County residents during 1942, the first full year of World War II. People living on the home front participated in the war effort in a variety of ways, each person accepting the government's claims that all Americans must make serious sacrifices in order to help win the war. This pervasive popular belief, however, was the result of a surge in government propaganda that characterized all sacrifices as crucial acts of great patriotism. Traditional race and gender roles wartime employment were temporarily challenged only because of a crippling labor shortage that plagued the nation and threatened to harm production. The federal government imposed a massive, haphazard, and largely unnecessary series of rationing programs to combat an alleged shortage of food, tires, gasoline, and other essential items. Vast salvage drives for scrap metal and rubber, as well as government war bond sales programs demanded positive responses from the public and prompted local organizations to commit to meeting difficult government quotas. It was a fearful time when rampant patriotism motivated the American public’s willing compliance, all for the sake of the federal government's main purpose of unifying the nation for victory.Item Land reform and the fall of the Roman Republic, 133-83 BC.(2006-10-26T19:04:46Z) Hanna, Michael.; Hamilton, J. S., 1955-; History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.This thesis follows the birth and growth of the land reform movement in Roman politics from the period of 133 - 83 BC. Beginning with Tiberius Gracchus in 133 and moving through the periods of leadership of Gaius Gracchus and Gaius Marius, the thesis will argue that land reform was a keynote issue over a fifty year period of Roman History, during which the land reform movement and its leaders effected great changes in procedures of governance at Rome, the military system of Rome, and Rome's relations to its Allies. As well, the thesis will argue that the land reform movement laid the foundation for the later deconstruction of the republican system at Rome.Item God's army: religious conservatives at the 1992 Republican National Convention.(2006-11-22T13:21:17Z) Ellis, Blake.; Hankins, Barry, 1956-; History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.Before 1992, religious conservatives had been an important voting bloc for Republican presidential candidates. They provided crucial monetary and organizational support, but they were often dissatisfied with their lack of prominence within the party. The 1992 Republican National Convention marked a turning point for both religious conservatives and the Republican Party. At that convention, the Christian Right demonstrated its power within the party by influencing the platform committee and the tenor of the convention. The convention demonstrated that religious conservatives were no longer outsiders in the party, but were instead important players. The convention marked a watershed event in modern American politics because it ensured the survival of the partnership between religious conservatives and the Republican Party.Item He was ours: Lyndon Baines Johnson and American identity.(2006-12-04T20:45:20Z) Briscoe, Dolph, IV.; Parrish, T. Michael.; History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.President Lyndon B. Johnson challenged his fellow citizens to build a Great Society based on traditional conceptions of American identity. Johnson's cultivation of a personal identity as a Texan, rather than a southerner, strengthened his determination to promote the Great Society as an American policy. A disciple of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal, Johnson targeted civil rights, poverty, education, healthcare, and the general quality of life in the Great Society's domestic programs. Such massive liberal reforms proved controversial and divisive. Likewise, the Vietnam War, which Johnson often compared to World War II, provoked divisions and questions over America's true identity and purpose, despite his promotion of the war as an effort to build the Great Society abroad. Those divisions and questions, mirroring the complexities of the 1960s, affect Americans today and burden Lyndon Johnson, the Great Society, and the Vietnam War with complex historical legacies.Item Saudi Arabia and the United States' plans for Middle East defense.(2006-12-05T20:36:14Z) Bowers, William J.; Gawrych, George Walter.; History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.The Dwight D. Eisenhower administration's Cold War concerns shaped the United States' policy in the Middle East during the 1950s. Relations with Saudi Arabia proved critical as the U.S. pursued its interests in the region. At first, the administration did not recognize the importance of Saudi Arabia and later it overevaluated the kingdom's significance. Saudi Arabia proved decisive in the politics of the region throughout Eisenhower's time in office. This study examines the U.S.-Saudi relationships, the environment in which it developed, and results that were derived from it. Primary sources, published and unpublished, as well as secondary sources in the form of monographs and periodicals were utilized in the research of this study.Item Kirvin and Streetman: a new history of the northwest section of Freestone County, 1900-1950.(2006-12-05T21:20:06Z) Capps, Erin Elizabeth.; Charlton, Thomas L. (Thomas Lee); History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.A social history of the northwest section of Freestone County, Texas, focusing mainly on the towns of Kirvin and Streetman, 1900–1950, reveals the developments, the tragedies, the stories, and the obvious themes running through these communities' histories. Kirvin and Streetman ultimately became quiet communities, with little to no activity, but they were once vibrant, active places full of people, businesses, and human life. By studying these communities, new insight emerges into how they were similar, different, and how they related to one another.Item Unwelcome orthodoxy: Anglican ascendancy, peculiar partnerships, and the conquering of Congregationalist contempt in eighteenth-century Connecticut.(2007-02-07T18:55:03Z) Reid, Jonathan M.; Kidd, Thomas S.; History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.Interpreting anew the ascendancy of the Church of England in eighteenth-century New England from the perspective of its own members is vital to transmitting a balanced history of the religious climate in the region at the time. The common belief that Anglicans sought to impose their religious ideals on New Englanders, while not completely inaccurate, does not address the fact that churchmen began working within the framework of New England society and, more specifically, Great Awakening religious culture to draw outsiders into their fold. By partnering with disenchanted Christians of many varieties and seeking to spread the Christian religion among Native Americans, Anglicans took the initiative to compete for souls in the marketplace of religious ideas. Leaders of the established churches in Massachusetts and Connecticut viewed Anglican growth with trepidation. The thought of seeing the intolerance of seventeenth-century England revived in their midst was almost too much to bear.Item The history of African Americans in Fort Worth, Texas, 1875-1980.(2007-12-04T19:55:19Z) Marvel, Heather M.; SoRelle, James M.; History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.African American urban histories in the United States typically focus on larger cities in the nation such as Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C. Despite the low amount of scholarly works looking at Texas cities, the Lone Star State was not a welcoming region for freedmen. This paper adds to the African American historical scholarship by discussing the black Fort Worth urban experience, focusing specifically from post Reconstruction to 1980. As the southern city grew during the late nineteenth century and into the twentieth century, African American residents faced similar prejudices and obstacles as other blacks in larger cities elsewhere in southern and northern regions. This is their story of overcoming these barriers and becoming an integrated part of Fort Worth culture.Item A power for good in the church: women’s organizations within the black Baptist church in Texas, 1880-1895.(2008-06-09T16:24:07Z) Pickens, E. Ann.; Kellison, Kimberly R.; History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.Black Baptist churches across the United States found themselves facing an unique opportunity at the end of the Civil War. One of the most frequent topics to be discussed was what role women should play, not only in the local churches but also in the regional Baptist associations. This thesis traces the question of women’s roles in the church from the debates and presentations in the early black Texas associations to the development a few years later of official women’s organization within the black Baptist churches. The thesis provides insight into why the women’s organizations developed within this small time frame formed a close relationship with missions organizations. Associational minutes as well as speeches are used to show the diversity of opinions present in the Texas churches at the close of the nineteenth century.Item Practicing primitive Christianity in a progressive world: a historical examination of two divisions within the Churches of Christ in America.(2008-06-11T15:37:22Z) Foreman, Jordan P.; Charlton, Thomas L. (Thomas Lee); History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.Since their birth in America, Churches of Christ have believed in and sought after the unity of all Christendom through the restoration of primitive, New Testament Christianity. Throughout its history, this group has divided over issues it believed were jeopardizing this objective of unity through restoration. These issues, often branded innovations by more traditionalist members, have led to several major wings within the Churches of Christ at large. This study examines two such issues effecting one of the most conservative of these wings: the break over the requisite number of cups in the communion service, and the still-recent split over the issue of divorce and remarriage. A close examination of these divisions brings to light much historical evidence indicating that these rifts had their genesis, not from any new biblical hermeneutic, but rather from the constant and graduated pressure placed on the church by an evolving and progressing society.Item Jezebel or servant of God?: how Julie Pennington-Russell became the first female pastor in Texas.(2008-10-01T16:35:42Z) Ramsour, Marly.; Kellison, Kimberly R.; History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.In 1998 Calvary Baptist Church, in Waco, Texas, appointed Julie Pennington-Russell: the first female Baptist pastor in Texas. This thesis will show the dynamic relationship between the conservative and moderate Baptist groups in Waco, and how each group responded to the question of whether women should be allowed in the pastorate. Many moderate Baptists in Waco came from the local Baylor University, which had a strong influence on the community. The appointment of the first female Baptist pastor in Texas came at a time when the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) was fully in control by fundamentalist leaders, who were against women pastors. The SBC had been controlled by moderates until the late 1970s when fundamentalist Baptists had taken control of the Convention. Pennington-Russell’s appointment shows that not all Baptists were conservative or agreed with the SBC’s interpretation of women in ministry.Item The Philippine Scouts and the practice of counter-insurgency in the Philippine-American War, 1899-1913.(2008-10-01T19:21:08Z) Parker, Matthew Austin, 1981-; Parrish, T. Michael.; History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.More than one-hundred years ago, the United States fought a counter-insurgency campaign in the Philippines similar to those currently being waged in Iraq and Afghanistan. Winning against a guerrilla opponent has been a challenging goal that requires allies from the population. Success in the Philippines demanded the U.S. Army develop methods of warfare now considered basic to modern counter-insurgency. How the Philippine Scouts’ applied these methods will be explored in this thesis. The Scouts comprised the first host-nation security force the United States formed to conduct counter-insurgency operations. The Scouts’ success in achieving security permitted the United States to gain control of the archipelago. The actions of the Philippine Scouts brought not only combat victories, but also insured political, social, and economic progress under a civil government. This type of progress, in a modern counter-insurgency scenario, allows the United States to transfer all governance and security responsibility to a host-nation.Item The military and administrative leadership of the Black Prince.(2008-10-28T16:39:33Z) Tidwell, Ashley K.; Hamilton, J. S., 1955-; History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales and Aquitaine (1330-1376), has been analyzed on many different levels for his military genius in battle during the Hundred Years War. Known as the Black Prince, Edward had an effective ruthlessness in battle that has made his military career and his chivalrous nature a subject of interest to historians. However, Edward was more than a military leader; he was a ruler. Becoming Prince of Aquitaine in 1362 after the Peace of Brétigny, Edward had to face a new role many have overlooked in his rather short lifetime: governor and leader of a foreign people. This role tends to be overlooked among the historical community, due in large part to the lack of primary documents. Regardless, this role was an important aspect of the prince’s life for it proved that the Black Prince had both successes and failures throughout his lifetime.Item Uncovered : the cover-up of the My Lai massacre.(2009-04-01T12:08:22Z) Sisson, Timothy.; Wallace, Patricia Ward, 1938-; History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.In the midst of a war that was being fought not on open battlefields but in dense jungles, an atrocious event occurred in the presence of soldiers of the United States military. Over five hundred Vietnamese civilians, the majority of whom were women and children, died at the hands of U.S. soldiers on March 16, 1968, in the hamlet of My Lai. The United States Army conducted its own investigation of the events within days. American troops, ranging from privates up through corporals and captains, knew of the event and what had occurred. For nearly a year the events were kept secret under a U.S. Army cover-up. Using the Peers Commission report, this study will show that the United States military intentionally covered-up the events at the My Lai hamlet of March 16, 1968, and how it was possible for an event of this magnitude to be kept secret.Item Guiana and the shadows of empire : colonial and cultural negotiations at the edge of the world.(2010-06-23T12:21:34Z) Hyles, Joshua R.; Francis, Keith Anthony.; History.; Baylor University. Dept. of History.Nowhere in the world can objective study of colonialism and its effects be more fruitful than in the Guianas, the region of three small states in northeastern South America. The purpose of this thesis is threefold. First, the history of these three Guianas, now known as Guyana, French Guiana, and Suriname, is considered briefly, emphasizing their similarities and regional homogeny when compared to other areas. Second, the study considers the administrative policies of each of the country’s colonizers, Britain, France, and the Netherlands, over the period from settlement to independence. Last, the thesis concentrates on current political and cultural situations in each country, linking these developments to the policies of imperial administrators in the previous decades. By doing so, this thesis hopes to show how an area that should have developed as a single polity could become a region of three very distinct cultures through the altering effects of colonialism.