A video offering an overview of causes and events of the Second World War was followed by a lecture on the Cold War. This covered the immediate post-war period when the Soviet Union and the Western powers were fearful of each other. The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Aid scheme intensified Soviet fears, while fear of the expansion of communism became the focus of the USA and the West. 

The division of Berlin - and the 1961 construction of the Berlin Wall - resulted in West Berlin being isolated in East Germany. In 1949, a communist government under Mao Zedong was established. After World War 2, Korea was split at the 38th parallel and then in 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea. The peace agreement in 1953 resulted in little change to the previous border.

In the USA, Joseph McCarthy fuelled fears about communism through his bullying behaviour during public  interrogations of American citizens and the destruction of the reputations and lives of many innocent people. He was ultimately condemned in 1954 for damaging the honour of the Senate. Dwight Eisenhower was elected president in 1952.

​Barb Rogers

Our August session commenced with a short video which offered a summary of the events, excesses and suffering that occurred during the 1920s. This was followed by a brief rundown of key aspects of the Great Depression and the presidential victory for Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936. Some excerpts from an historical text, "The Children of the Dust Bowl" by Jerry Stanley on the experiences of the "Okies" in California and the wonderful success of the Weedpatch School, were shared. 

We then progressed to a powerpoint presentation and lecture on the causes of World War 2 (briefly) and America's involvement after the bombing of Pearl Harbour in Hawaii on December 7th, 1941, described by FDR as "a date which will live in infamy." 

The next session will include an informative video on WW2 before beginning to investigate the events and motivations of the USA and the Soviet Union, in particular, during the protracted Cold War that culminated in the destruction of the Berlin Wall in 1989.


​Barb Rogers

The Roaring 1920s was a time of enormously rapid economic growth, within a political climate that subscribed to the view that "the business of America is business." Consumer spending, moviemaking, sports and jazz flourished.

The three presidents during this period, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover, allowed the country to march almost solely to the businessman's drum - until the collapse of the New York stock market in late 1929. President Hoover's modest federal measures, mainly in construction programs, did little to allay the massive impact of the Great Depression.

In 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected and he introduced the "New Deal," which sought to keep the banks solvent, ended Prohibition, launched big work programs and introduced the significant Social Security Act.

Next session, the group will look at the disturbing circumstances faced by the people of the Dust Bowl (Oklahoma panhandle and surrounds), many of whom journeyed to California [think of John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath], followed by an exploration of the causes of WW2 and the involvement of the USA.


​Barb Rogers

The causes of World War 1 were briefly covered, followed by a more comprehensive look at why the USA entered the war in 1917.

This included some insight into the presidency of Woodrow Wilson and was undertaken via a lecture and videos.

During the July session, we will cover the Roaring Twenties and begin analysing the causes and impact of the Great Depression in the USA.

Barbara Rogers

The Progressive Era in the USA, from the 1890s to the 1920s, saw an escalation of American business and new technologies, while also encouraging social reforms. Politically, direct election of US Senators was granted in 1913 and the national women's suffrage was ratified in 1920. In 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) was founded by both black and white leaders.

President Theodore Roosevelt's "square deal" saw the curtailing of the worst abuses of major corporations. He also was instrumental in the creation and expansion of national forests. Woodrow Wilson was elected in 1912 and with the outbreak of WW1 in 1914, domestic priorities began to fade. The USA entered the war in 1917.

Barbara Rogers

The Gilded Age in the USA, roughly from the 1870s to the 1890s, was an uncertain and transformative time with rapid industrialisation, economic boom, mass immigration, urbanisation, labour unrest, political corruption, etc, that created powerful monopolies, deep social unrest and inequality. The creation of the Populist Party aimed to shift economic and political power back toward ordinary Americans, while the rise of Theodore Roosevelt to the presidency in 1901 after the assassination of William McKinley  (the third president to be assassinated) brought fresh energy to the nation.
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On May 5th, the Progressive era and America's involvement in World War 1 will be covered, involving some discussion, short lectures and videos.

​Barb Rogers

​We began with a brief video offering an overview of the history of the USA, before continuing to learn about the difficult years of Reconstruction in the South after the Civil War and viewing a video on this topic.

The class listened to a brief account of the construction of the Central Pacific railroad from California and its connection to the Union Pacific railway in Utah in 1869, followed by information on the Indian Wars, in particular "Custer's Last Stand" at Little Bighorn River in Montana and the massacre at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota.

We then read two articles, one on the impact of the frontier on the development of the American character and the other on American aspirations for democracy.

Next session, after some information and a video on the Gilded Age, Populism and the era of Progressivism will be covered in a lead-up to the history of World War One.

Barbara Rogers

​The first session for 2026 began with an overview of the significant content that was covered in 2025. This review was intended to serve as revision for last year’s attendees, as well as provide a brief glimpse of the history of America - from early settlement to the end of the Civil War in 1865 - for newcomers.

The second part of the session focused on Reconstruction, an unsettled and unsatisfactory period after the war. Overall, this session involved a rather heavy load of information.

Our next meeting will include some videos, including one on the Reconstruction period; another look at the expansion into the West and its impact on the indigenous Indian tribes; some insight into the building of the trans-continental railroad; and further discussion about the shaping of the American character.

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Barbara Rogers

In 2026, the class will look at the impact of the expansion westwards, including construction of the railways, and the Reconstruction period, when the path towards reconciliation was not the smooth one that President Lincoln had optimistically envisaged..

We will then follow the progress of the USA into the twentieth century and beyond.. 

​Although helpful, it is not essential to have studied the early history of the United States, so new members will be welcome to join in 2026.


​Barbara Rogers

​The December session saw the completion of our study of the history of the United States of America from the early explorers to the end of the Civil War and the tragic assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in 1865.  The summary follows:  

The session began with a brief video on the effects of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which intensified moral and political divisions. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 opened the door to slavery in areas previously designated as free and resulted in violent clashes, especially in "Bleeding Kansas". The Supreme Court Dred Scott decision of 1857 outraged Northerners who saw it as a pro-Southern conspiracy to nationalise slavery. Sectional differences transformed into irreconcilable differences, setting the scene for the secession of eleven Southern states and the outbreak of civil war in 1861.

Due to Melbourne Cup Day, the next class will now be held on December 2nd at 2pm. The progress and outcomes of the Civil War, which ended in 1865, will be covered. The presidency of Abraham Lincoln began and ended during this period. A  brief look at the West again, including its impact on the development of the American character, plus a return to another interesting aspect of George Washington's career, will complete our studies for 2025.

​Barb Rogers

​To finalise our understanding of the personalities and policies of the first presidents, the group watched videos on John Adams and James Madison, the second and fourth presidents.

We proceeded to consider the extraordinary and often brutal westward expansion of the United States. From the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and the Lewis And Clark expedition to the Pacific Ocean from 1804 to 1806 (both of which occurred during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson) to 1848, the Union became a continental nation.

​The US and Britain signed the Oregon Treaty in 1846 and a bloody war with Mexico resulted in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848, which involved a US payment of $15 million for 500,000 square miles. Settlers and adventurers were imbued with the spirit of "manifest destiny".in their westward movement, while missionaries remained eager to convert the Indians in the western regions of America to Christianity.

The presidencies of James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson and James Polk received some attention and a video about Polk will be shown next month. We will also look at the transformation of California that emanated from the discovery of gold in 1848, and the crisis of the 1850s. The causes of the Civil War are becoming increasingly clear and will dominate our next sessions. 

Barbara Rogers

After completing our perusal of the debates about the formation and ratification of the nation's Constitution, the class briefly considered the probable intention of the Second Amendment, before moving on to learning about the key challenges and successes of the first four presidents. The duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr was also of interest.  A couple of videos supported our learning, while the other ones (now working) will begin our August session.

​An investigation of the expansion westward will be initiated on Tuesday, August 4th. Over a couple of sessions, this will include the forced Indian removal and Andrew Jackson's presidency, hardships faced by white pioneers, the gold rush in California and the building of the railroads.  

Barbara Rogers.

In the June session, we analysed the causes of the American Revolution, 1776-1783, assisted by a video clip that provided a good, though brief, summary. In small groups, participants discussed a couple of questions about what they had determined so far about "the American character" and whether they would have willingly joined the Patriots in the war against Britain. A selected extract about George Washington from Simon Winchester's The Men Who United the States revealed insights into Washington's visions for a future America connected from east to west by its rivers and man-made canals, as well as the actual expeditions he undertook in this endeavour. 

The class then commenced a study of post-revolutionary America. Firstly, a short video offered a quick look at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. This was followed by a lecture on the Articles of Confederation, the Constitutional Convention and the key debates about representation, slavery and federalism. James Madison, known as the Father of the Constitution and fourth president of the United States, is credited with the proposals to divide national government into executive, legislative and judicial branches and create a bicameral legislature. He also made recommendations about the number of representatives to be allowed from each state in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The next step is a brief explanation of the ratification process, including some exploration of the debates about federalism, such as factions and a representative republic versus stronger state governments. We will then review the presidencies of George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.


Barbara Rogers

​The May session started with an overview of The Seven Years' War, as it played out in America (called the French and Indian War), including a short video that also summarised key aspects of this global war in Europe (1756-63). Following this, we examined the ongoing frustrations experienced by many colonists that resulted in various protests - some violent but mostly quiet, orchestrated and effective - especially against the taxes imposed by the British government on American colonists.  Two significant incidents were the Boston Massacre in 1770 and the Boston Tea Party in 1773. 

Some excellent philosophical and political thinkers became prominent during this period, such as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, George Washington, Patrick Henry and Samuel Adams. Thomas Paine's pamphlet called Common Sense, which hinged on the idea that monarchy had never been God's will, was a potent force in moving people's thoughts from resistance to independence. The Declaration of Independence in 1776 included a lengthy list of grievances against the tyranny of King George 111 and sprouted from a number of influential ideologies. Finally, the Treaty of Paris, 1783  recognised the independence of America..

The next session, on June 2nd at 2pm, will discuss the considerable challenges faced by a new independent nation. Also, a glimpse into a less well-known ambition of Washington, and his endeavours relating to this, may give more insight into the humanity of a famous historical figure. 

​Barbara Rogers

In the third session on April 1st this year, we looked at the beginnings of a number of the first thirteen English colonies on the east coast of  northern America.

Particular attention was given to the Puritans in Massachusetts and how their beliefs created a very restricted and repressive lifestyle. We read and briefly discussed an article written in 1992 for Newsweek magazine about the Tercentenary anniversary of the Salem witch-hunts.

A couple of video clips illustrated some of what was covered: one was a short animated, map-based view of how and why England established colonies in America; while the second was a more comprehensive coverage of the first colonies and their struggles and growth.

In the next session on May 6th at 2pm, we will cover some of the developments in these early colonies and the key causes of the American War of Independence, including discussion of important figures and philosophies.


Barbara Rogers

In session two, we took a brief look at the discovery of the Americas and the exploration that ensued, especially by the Spanish, French and British. Focus was largely on why England wanted to establish colonies and the eastern coast where the first thirteen English colonies were established.
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On Tuesday April 1st, we will continue this examination and give some attention to the Salem witchcraft events and the lessons from this. Also, the impact of The Enlightenment on the colonies will be discussed.


​Barbara Rogers

In the introductory session of this study, we initially covered some fundamental elements of the study of history as a discipline.  Historians gather together known facts, similar to what journalists do, and then try to work out how and why things happened, why people acted or spoke in a certain way, and their impact.

Historical analysis can be influenced by a number of factors, including bias (conscious or unconscious), and we need to be mindful of this when we formulate our own understandings and opinions of events, actions and spoken words.

Excerpts from a Don Watson article were read and briefly discussed, providing food for thought as we learn more about what made USA and some of its current challenges.

A brief talk on very early Native Americans was followed by two short You Tube videos, the first about the Serpent Mound in Ohio, the second video gave an overview of the nation's history. 

​The next session (Tuesday March 4th at 2pm) will focus on the time of exploration and some events that occurred in the early colonies.  Some reference will be made to prominent individuals and influential ideas.

​Barbara Rogers

America has a fascinating history and remains a leading global force. Hollywood has thrived on this! This course aims to analyse the making of the USA and its apparent and gradual breaking down into disunity. Discussion may include what this means for Australia.

Convenor:  Barbara Rogers 0467 223 793
Time and Place:  1st Tuesday, 2 to 4pm, Room 1.