Amy Murrell Taylor, a professor in the Department of History at the University of Kentucky, has won her institution’s top teaching award. In this “Quick Clip” she discusses the impact of today’s political culture on her students.  She highlights the importance of studying history as a means of developing the critical reading skills essential to being an informed citizen in the twenty-first century.

Amy Murrell Taylor is a professor in the Department of History at the University of Kentucky. In this “Quick Clip” she describes an “incredible moment” in the research for her award-winning new book, Embattled Freedom: Journeys Through the Civil War’s Refugee Camps (2018). Her project was enriched by the use of newspaper databases which took her in an unexpected direction.

In this behind-the-scenes chat, Yale Professor Joanne B. Freeman discusses what first sparked her interest in Alexander Hamilton, why after decades of research this enigmatic founding father continues to fascinate her, and how she predicts “Hamilton Mania” will impact history. 

UCLA Professor Stephen Aron explains why his published research on Western U.S. history might require reinterpretation now that Readex has digitized the Territorial Papers of the United States. The comprehensive online edition not only dwarfs the amount of content previously available in print form, but also includes intentionally omitted materials.

University of Tennessee Professor Daniel Feller clarifies why the new digital edition of Territorial Papers of the United States may provide fresh understandings of the presidency of Andrew Jackson. Researchers previously relying on Clarence Carter’s small sample of selected documents will now have access to an enormous range of newly searchable materials.

Megan Kate Nelson, author of Ruin Nation: Destruction and the American Civil War, describes the unique value of the American Antiquarian Society's collection for Civil War research. Digital access to this collection is available from Readex.