Tentative Schedule John and Abigail Adams July 22–28, 2012 Amherst College Instructor Joseph J. Ellis, Mount Holyoke College S
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Tentative Schedule John and Abigail Adams July 22–28, 2012 Amherst College Instructor Joseph J. Ellis, Mount Holyoke College Staff Linda Chesky Fernandes, Mount Holyoke College Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History Rosanne Lichatin, Master Teacher Guest Lecturers C. James Taylor, Editor, The Adams Papers Paul Staiti, Professor of Fine Arts, Mount Holyoke College Required Readings Joseph J. Ellis, First Family: Abigail and John Adams (Knopf, 2010), pbk. Margaret Hogan and C. James Taylor, eds., My Dearest Friend: Letters of John and Abigail Adams (Harvard, 2007), pbk. Optional Readings and Materials HBO miniseries John Adams, available for screening each evening in the living room of the dorm. Description We will focus on the lives and letters of John and Abigail Adams in an effort to understand their role in shaping the American Revolution and its role in shaping them. Our goal will be to recover their world in all its messy grandeur. On the one hand, that means accompanying them as they live through the run-up to the break with Great Britain, the turbulent war years, their diplomatic adventures in Paris and London, then the political struggles of the 1790s that culminated in John’s star-crossed presidency. On the other hand, it means watching them fall in love, raise four children, age together, and cope with the inevitable vicissitudes of life. Schedule All meals will be served in Valentine Dining Hall unless otherwise noted. Dining hall hours are as follows: Breakfast: 6:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Lunch: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Dinner: 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 22 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Arrival – Lipton Dormitory 32 College Street, Amherst, MA (Route 9) 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Reception and Dinner 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Introduction and Welcome from Seminar Coordinator Monday, July 23 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Lecture, Joseph J. Ellis, “What’s the Fuss about the Founders?” 10:15 a.m. – 10:35 a.m. Break 10:35 a.m. – 12:00 noon Discussion 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. Lunch 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Gilder Lehrman Session (Computer Lab Frost Library) 5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. Dinner 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Film: Join or Die (Lipton living room) Tuesday, July 24 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Lecture, Joseph J. Ellis, “Living the Revolution,” Readings: Dearest, 1–158. 10:15 a.m. – 10:35 a.m. Break 10:35 a.m. – 12:00 noon Discussion 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. Lunch 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Lecture and discussion, C. James Taylor, “The Adams Family Correspondence” 3:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Gilder Lehrman Session (Computer Lab Frost Library) 5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. Dinner 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Films: Independence, Don’t Tread on Me (Lipton living room) Wednesday, July 25 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast 9:30 a.m. Bus departs for Quincy (front of Converse Hall) 4:30 p.m. Bus returns from Quincy 5:30 p.m. Dinner 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Film: Reunion (Lipton living room) Thursday, July 26 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Lecture, Joseph J. Ellis, “Innocents Abroad,” Readings: Dearest, 159–352. 10:15 a.m. – 10:35 a.m. Break 10:35 a.m. – 12:00 noon Discussion 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. Lunch 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Lecture and discussion, Paul Staiti, “Adams and the Arts” 3:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Gilder Lehrman Session 5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. Dinner 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Film Unite or Die (Lipton living room) Friday, July 27 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Lecture, Joseph J. Ellis, “Domestic and Foreign Policies, 1790–1800,” Readings: Dearest, 353–479. 10:15 a.m. – 10:35 a.m. Break 10:35 a.m. – 12:00 noon Discussion 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. Lunch 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Teacher-led discussion, “Letters and Film as Sources” 3:15 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Best Practices Discussion 5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. Farewell Dinner 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Film: Unnecessary War. Also Peacefield, if the spirit moves. (Lipton living room) Saturday, July 28 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast and Check-Out .