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Dwight D. Eisenhower and His Times led by Michael J. Birkner, Gettysburg College

$39.99 In Stock

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This course will examine the world Dwight Eisenhower helped shape and what role he played shaping it. Eisenhower’s career as a soldier, educator, and statesman will be examined, with primary attention focused on his popular and consequential presidency. Exploring how Ike responded to challenges and how his actions as president reflected his sensitivity to moral issues as well as the practical demands of politics, managing domestic affairs, and national security are central to this course. We will also attempt to evaluate the Eisenhower presidency in the context of the history of the modern presidency in order to make sound judgments about the validity of the popular presidential “ratings” systems.

COURSE CONTENT

  • Twelve lectures
  • Primary source readings to complement the lectures
  • A certificate of completion for 15 hours of professional development credit

Readings: The suggested readings for each session will be listed in the “Resources” link on the course site. You are not required to read or purchase any print materials. The quizzes are based on the lectures.

Course Access: After your purchase, you may access your course by signing into the Gilder Lehrman website and clicking on the My Courses link, which can be found under My Account in the navigation menu.

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LEAD SCHOLAR: Michael J. Birkner

Michael J. Birkner is professor of history at Gettysburg College, where he has taught since 1989. His scholarship focuses on aspects of nineteenth- and twentieth-century America. Birkner is recognized for his work on Dwight D. Eisenhower. He has published a biography of Eisenhower for middle-school students, an illustrated history of the Eisenhowers, a volume of first-hand accounts titled Encounters with Eisenhower (2015), and numerous scholarly and popular articles on aspects of Eisenhower presidency. He has been a consultant to the e-Eisenhower project of the Eisenhower Memorial Commission, to the current revamping of the Eisenhower Museum in Abilene, Kansas, and to the multi-part documentary on Eisenhower’s generalship and presidency produced by Starbright television. Birkner served twice on the Pulitzer Prize jury for History. From 2014 to 2016 he served as president of the Pennsylvania Historical Association.