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The West and the Shaping of America
In June 2007, Humanities Texas partnered with Texas Christian University, Texas Tech University, and the Amon Carter Museum to hold "The West and the Shaping of America," a pair of residential teacher institutes in Fort Worth (June 3–6) and Lubbock (June 10–13) exploring the history and culture of the American West.
Each day featured engaging lectures as well as dynamic, interdisciplinary seminars exploring regional and U.S. history and culture. Seminars focused on the use and interpretation of primary sources and aligned with the TEKS for Social Studies. Topics included indigenous peoples and cultures; western exploration and settlement; the frontier and manifest destiny; the Civil War and the West; mineral rushes and the environment; the artists’ West; the Dust Bowl; and the Western as an art form.
The Fort Worth institute included tours of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Headquarters. In Lubbock, institute participants toured both the Buddy Holly Center, the National Ranching Heritage Center, and the American Wind Power Center and Museum.
Teachers selected for this institute received housing, materials, a travel allowance, a stipend, and continuing professional development credit.
Sponsors and Partners
Humanities Texas, Texas Christian University, Texas Tech University, and the Amon Carter Museum sponsored "The West and the Shaping of America" with major funding from a We the People grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.