Cultural Life hist204 sp08

History 204 Sp 08 | Political Life | Cultural Life | Economic Life

Culture and Society in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1876

Masculinity as Reflected by Dickinson Students

By 1876 a muscular male had replaced the eighteenth-century ideal of manliness of suitable stances and expressions. The Civil war changed the way masculinity was perceived and the way it was expressed. Athletics and a primitive demeanor shaped the way America viewed masculinity and the role suitable for men. For Dickinson College students in 1876 fraternity constitutions, orations and popular magazines such as Harpers dictated their role as rising men in American society.

To Learn More Click: Abby Hazen

German Immigration's Affect on Art

At the centennial, many people of German ancestry had well established ties to America. Most were not immigrants themselves, but instead were second, third, or even fourth generation Americans. Still, the German American community retained strong ties to their German heritage. German Fraktur, or highly decorative reords like baptismal or marriage certificates, is one exaple of such Cultural maintainence. Though Fraktur did change when Germans immigrated, it is still a prime example of culture melding which incorporated both German and American identity.

To Learn More Click: Lauren Wolfinger

The Depictions of Women in Carlisle, 1876

1876 was a transitional year for women. Although the Civil War itself did not change the status of women, the fast developing industry and its demands changed women’s roles from purely that of a housekeeper and mother to a factory worker, housekeeper, and mother. This changing perspective traveled quickly from city to city, but failed to reach small towns like Carlisle in 1876. In Carlisle, women were still dainty figures who were helpless except to bear children. Newspapers such as the American Volunteer reflect the opinion people had of women in 1876.

To learn more click: Margurite Berard