History of Missouri HIST 353w - Resource Guide

Every generation rewrites history in order to make sense of the present. Was Columbus a hero or a villain? Once you incorporate the history of African Americans or of women or other groups into the American Revolution or the Civil War, the story changes. Daniel Boorstin, Eric Foner, James Horton, and Robert Royal discuss revised history, new history, and the rewriting of history.

Why History? dispels the myth that history is limited to the study of names, dates, and events from the distant past. Instead, it reveals how analyzing and interpreting history is an integral part of understanding the past, present, and future of human activity-including social, political, scientific, economic, and cultural endeavors.

This program provides a portrait of one of America’s foremost 19th-century painters, whose vivid work provides us with an unrivaled view of life along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The program also covers Bingham’s role as the creator of political genre painting.

From the 1991 series "Famous Americans of the 20th Century," produced by Hearst Entertainment and distributed by Questar Video, Inc.

This program from the Famous Authors series provides an overview of Mark Twain's life and work, starting with life in 19th-century Hannibal, Missouri, Twain's childhood home and a major influence on his writing, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain started writing as a newspaper employee in Hannibal, and he joined a militia group there early during the Civil War. He soon lost interest in the Southern cause, however, and moved west, getting familiar with the lifestyle of gold miners. Continuing to write stories and for papers, Twain gained a reputation for his wit and talent.

Painting America was his life’s work, and Thomas Hart Benton was at the apex of his career when he painted Social History of the State of Missouri. This program explores this, the most ambitious mural by America’s foremost muralist, and its depiction of Missouri’s history from pioneer days to the Depression era.