Teaching American History 2 Summer Institute now in session

June 25, 2007

History teachers from Fairfield City and Northwest Local school districts are teaming up with Miami Hamilton on campus this week for Teaching American History (TAH) Summer Institute 2007, a five-day program that will include a trip to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati.

TAH 2 Year 2 also will feature a lecture by Dr. Gary Schmidt, professor of English at Calvin College, at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 27, in the Harry T. Wilks Conference Center. Schmidt will discuss “Tasks & Responsibilities of the Historical Novelist.” The lecture is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.

The focus of TAH II Year 2 is Forging Freedom, 1775-1787. Miami Hamilton’s Department of History faculty, together with Fairfield and Northwest history teachers, will examine how the southern colonies answered the call of New England; the first Continental Congress’ attempt to preserve freedom, and the second Continental Congress’ discussion of the question of Independence.

Other topics include the survival and transformation of Washington’s troops at Valley Forge and the defining moment of early American history that it represented – the “forging” of an American consciousness, as well as the roles of Native American allies and African-American patriots in the American victory.

Featured documents include Patrick Henry’s speech, Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death?

In September 2005, the U.S. Department of Education’s TAH grant program awarded Miami Hamilton $995,093 to partner with the two school districts through the Michael J. Colligan History Project, The Lane Libraries and the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County to develop, document, evaluate and disseminate innovative models of professional development for teachers of American history over a three-year period.

The TAH grant program is funded by the No Child Left Behind Act. The goal of the program is to support programs that raise student achievement by improving teachers’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of American history.