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HomeEvents/CoursesThe Presence of the Past: History and Memory

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The Presence of the Past: History and Memory


 

How do we make sense of the past and what do we do with this as individuals and societies? Why do we need to find meaning in what we have lived through both personally and collectively? How are private memories and public commemorations created and how are they used? How do the stories of history — historical narratives — come to be and why? How do these narratives influence our outlooks and actions today? Who selects what to remember and why? What are their motivations? How do the issues of the present frame our views of the past? How do memories and meanings of the past change over time? What are the implications of not understanding the differences between actual historical events and our interpretations of them?

 

These are some of the questions we will be examining during the course, using specific case studies.

 

Week 1. Private and Public Experience: Introduction; the Ancient Shoemaker and the Boston Tea Party; Paul Revere’s Ride 

 

Week 2. Events and Interpretations: Remembering the Revolution, America’s Creation Story; Grandfathers, Grandsons

 

Week 3. The Dangers of Denial: Slavery in New England; the Complex Case of Thomas Jefferson; Gone with the Wind and the “Lost Cause” Narrative

 

Week 4. Changing and Challenging Meanings: the Énola Gay Controversy; Suffrage and Little Women; Maine’s 200th Birthday

 

Week 5. Inventing Traditions: The Shaping of Christmas and Other American Holidays 

 

Week 6. Landscapes of Memory: Monuments and Battlefields; Walden and Walden Pond; Memorializing 9/11; Your Own Sacred Sites

There will be no class on Feb. 14

    

Instructor Jayne Gordon is Vice-President of Coastal Senior College, and a member of the curriculum and activities committees. She has taught courses for CSC on Maine history and literature, and on the writers of her former hometown of Concord, MA. Jayne worked for decades as a public historian, educator, administrator, and consultant at numerous history museums and literary sites. Before retiring and moving to Damariscotta, she served as Director of Education and Public Programs at the Massachusetts Historical Society. 

 

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If you want to register and are not yet a member, Click here for New Member Signup

When:
Tuesday, January 17, 2023, 9:30 AM until Tuesday, February 28, 2023, 11:30 AM
Where:
on Zoom
Zoom link will be sent by email close to the start of the first class.

Additional Info:
Event Contact(s):
Jayne Gordon
Instructor
Category:
Winter 2023
Registration is closed - Event is full
Payment In Full In Advance Only
You must be an active CSC member to register for this course.
Cancellation Policy:
A member may cancel a course registration up to 3 days prior to the start of class and will receive a course credit that can be used for a future registration. No refunds will be given.
Capacity:
25
Available Slots:
Filled
$35.00