The 1920s were anything but quiet. From groundbreaking political reform to the roots of future global conflict, this decade redefined the world. Here’s what really happened, politically, socially, and culturally.
When the 1920s began, a devastating world war was still raging. As the decade concluded, a stock market crash in the United States catalyzed a decade-long depression that reverberated worldwide. In the years between, many other significant changes and events took place that would lay the groundwork for the state of the world as we know it today. Let’s look at the decade now and see how our modern world took shape during the 1920s.
In August 1920, Congress ratified the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, allowing women to vote in public elections for the first time. The amendment was spearheaded by suffragists, activists who fought for women’s right to vote.
World War I saw many women take jobs outside the home for the first time. These jobs traditionally belonged to men, but the war caused an employment shortage, and women stepped in to fill those roles. The ability to earn money gave many women their first taste of freedom, which many increasingly embraced and extended into modes of dress and public behavior previously considered taboo.
The Harlem Renaissance, begun late in the prior decade, hit its stride in the 1920s, lasted into the ‘30s, and saw Black Americans express themselves and project their own image through music, literature, film, and other art forms. Prior to this era, Blacks were almost universally depicted by white artists, and these depictions were often stereotyped at best or openly racist at worst.
By the 1920s, Black Americans in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, area had made progress toward financial independence and were in fact prospering in an area sometimes called “Black Wall Street.” The Greenwood District, as it was formally known, was an area of businesses and homes owned by Black residents.
In 1921, a still-disputed incident between a Black man and a white woman led to armed mobs in the streets, hundreds dead, the Greenwood District burned to the ground, and thousands of Black residents rounded up and placed in internment. For many years a historical footnote, the Tulsa Massacre has become more widely known in recent times.
In Italy, Benito Mussolini became the country’s youngest prime minister to date. Hirohito became emperor of Japan and would remain so until the late 1980s.
In Germany, Adolf Hitler became chairman of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party and later staged a failed coup. During his ensuing imprisonment, he began work on “Mein Kampf,” a manifesto in which he made his antisemitic ideas and ambitions for Germany known. As leaders of their respective countries, the three would later unite into what was known as the Axis powers during World War II.
A less popular and ultimately unsuccessful addition to the U.S. Constitution also took place in 1920. The 18th Amendment forbade the production, sale, and distribution of alcoholic beverages. During the 13 years of Prohibition, many people made their own liquor, and some opened secret clubs called speakeasies where liquor was served behind closed doors. Though the amendment was enacted with the intention of reducing crime rates, organized crime rose to prominence in the U.S. during Prohibition.
The first commercial radio station hit the airwaves in 1920, enabling families to tune in on user-friendly radio equipment. Prior to this, such equipment was more complex, and only a limited audience was able to listen. The first television set was introduced in 1927, but it would be another two decades or more before most people owned one.
The Roaring Twenties: Culture, Fashion, and Rebellion
What were the big hallmarks of the 1920s? Oh, just a few fan favorites:
But by the decade’s end, the stock market had crashed, the Great Depression had begun, and the Dust Bowl loomed just ahead. The party, it seems, wasn’t meant to last.Explore the 1920s in Our Online History Master’s Course
We’ve just summarized some of the monumental events and changes that took place in the 1920s. A selection of these and other events are explored more deeply in a UT Permian Basin course fittingly called The 1920s (HIST 6347).
Part of our Master of Arts in History program, this course examines historical literature related to the 1920s with a focus on gender, race, politics, and cultural shifts. See what else our degree program has to offer now!
Our online Master of Arts in History helps you understand the state of the world today through the lens of history. Each course is devoted to a specific epoch or event, such as the Industrial Revolution, the American Revolution, or World War I, providing in-depth perspectives across 16-week sessions.
If you’ve already earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, we invite you to expand your expertise with this graduate-level program. Consider the benefits:
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), those who’ve completed a master’s degree earn about 20% more than those whose highest education level is a bachelor’s degree. In addition, an MA in history will help you develop career-enhancing communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The U.S. Department of Labor and Forbes report that employers are seeking these skills among potential hires or in current employees competing for advancement into new positions.
Expand your knowledge of history and your professional potential with an MA in history. Apply now!
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States/The-United-States-from-1920-to-1945#ref613048
At the iron gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau, one of the most infamous extermination camps of Nazi Germany, the chilling phrase “Arbeit macht frei” (“Work sets you free”) still casts a haunting shadow. These deceptive words led into one of history’s darkest chapters. Beyond that gate, more than a million lives were brutally ended. Auschwitz-Birkenau was just…
On August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb—named “Little Boy”—over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later, “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki. Between 110,000 and 210,000 people died, either immediately from the blasts or later from radiation exposure. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki heralded the end of World War…
Thousands of years ago, as flowers bloomed and the weather warmed, villagers in what is now Europe gathered to celebrate the vernal equinox. Communities gathered in open clearings, the air filled with the rich scent of burning herbs and fresh, damp earth. They placed eggs—symbols of renewal—on altars, and the sight of a hare darting…
The Age of Johnson was an eighteenth-century period of English literature named for Samuel Johnson (1709-1784), an acclaimed poet, essayist, literary critic, lexicographer, and biographer. Also referred to as the Age of Sensibility, the Age of Johnson was nestled between the Augustan Age—distinguished by writers such as Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope—and the Romantic period, when Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Shelly, and William Wordsworth wrote their most celebrated works.
Why is an entire age of literature named after one man? We’ll find out through an examination of Johnson’s major accomplishments and distinguishing features as a writer.
The Life and Work of Samuel Johnson
For one who came to define an era, Johnson had a lot going against him. A man of imposing stature, he suffered from involuntary gesticulations that garnered him unwanted attention. He battled health issues for most of his years, beginning with a childhood bout of tuberculosis. Still, he managed to live to 75—a ripe old age even by modern standards. For what he accomplished during those 75 years, Johnson came to be considered one of the most consequential English writers of his or any age. Let’s look at a few highlights:
Johnson published countless essays, critiques, biographies, and works of fiction throughout his career. Through these, he demonstrated his willingness to challenge the political workings and foreign policies of his home country of England and others. He expressed dissenting views on war, colonialism, and slavery, and pleaded for compassionate treatment of criminals, the disadvantaged, native peoples, and even enemies of his own country.
It’s perhaps fitting that Johnson capped off a 50-year career by contributing prefaces and biographies for the multi-volume “The Lives of the Poets,” arguably his final work of note. A biography of Johnson, written after Johnson’s death by longtime friend James Boswell and drawn from many conversations the two had over the years, further illuminated Johnson’s personality, unique viewpoint, and work and brought greater attention to him in the 19th century and beyond.
Due in part to Boswell’s biography, Johnson became known for his aphorisms, some of which are still familiar today. For example:
“Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.”
Still other lesser-known examples illustrate his distinctive wit:
“No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money.”
“Marriage has many pains, but celibacy has no pleasures.”
Johnson’s writing style and contributions earned him the honor of being forever associated with the consequential era in which he lived. He’s also the namesake of a course featured as part of UT Permian Basin’s Bachelor of Arts in English program. ENGL 4335: The Age of Johnson explores the author’s works as well as those by some of his noted contemporaries, including Edmund Burke, Oliver Goldsmith, and David Hume. Let’s discuss our online BA in English program in greater detail so you can understand the breadth of its value.
Explore English Literature and More Online
Discover the intricacy of the English language through an exploration of fiction, drama, and poetry, including works from Age of Johnson writers. Our 100% online Bachelor of Arts in English offers an intensely rewarding, in-depth examination of the language and culture that helps you develop crucial life and career skills. Forbes reports that today’s employers are increasingly seeking these “soft” skills in their potential hires, including:
Beyond helping you develop key skills, our BA in English offers a strong foundation for a variety of careers and graduate studies in English. Our program is also an outstanding value in education, offering competitive tuition rates that most regionally accredited universities of our standing can’t match.
The Quality You Expect, With Convenience You Don’t
Our online BA in English program is based around the same robust curriculum we use on campus and led by the same renowned faculty who teach there, so it’s easy to see why it’s synonymous with high quality education. Further, our program’s asynchronous online format enables you to complete classwork at your own pace from just about anywhere in the world. There’s no better way to maintain your personal and professional duties while earning a respected university degree.
Revisit the Age of Johnson through our online BA in English program!
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Samuel-Johnson
https://www.infobloom.com/what-is-the-age-of-johnson.htm
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/augustan-age
https://literariness.org/2017/12/05/literary-criticism-of-samuel-johnson/
https://www.thoughtco.com/british-literary-periods-739034
https://www.theweek.co.uk/88442/samuel-johnson-eight-best-quotes-from-the-father-of-the-dictionary
From ancient Greece to modern America, feminist authors have used their words to rewrite history. Through poetry, fiction, and fearless essays, these word-wielding pioneers challenged patriarchy, inspired generations, and proved that literature can be a powerful tool for equality. (All in a day’s work for these trailblazing women.)
From sixth-century poet Sappho to 20th-century icon Maya Angelou, here are five famous feminist writers who changed not only the literary canonbut the course of culture itself.
Sappho was a poet and songwriter born in Greece in the sixth century B.C. She was considered the greatest lyric poet of her time in a world dominated by men, and known as “the Tenth Muse”: an ode to her unparalleled creativity.
Her works celebrated the sensuality of people of all genders and her fearless identification as a lesbian. Sappho’s life and work were considered scandalous until recent times. In the 11th century, the Church burned most of her poems and songs. Thankfully, some of her poetry survived, and its rediscovery opened the doors to many more generations of feminist literature.
Another famous feminist author, Mary Wollstonecraft, was an 18th-century English writer, advocate, and feminist philosopher. She produced critical works like, “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.” This particular piece asserted that women deserved the same educational, economic, and political rights as men.
Wollstonecraft’s revolutionary sentiment earned her a prominent place in feminist literature. She even influenced her own family to think ahead of their time: Her daughter Mary Shelley was the author of “Frankenstein,” a novel that would also change history.
“Sense and Sensibility” and “Pride and Prejudice” are literary classics still beloved by modern readers, and so is their novelist, Jane Austen. Her many books explored female characters that were independent and able to accomplish much on their own.
While their depiction may seem tame by modern standards, it was extraordinary in 19th-century England, which was governed by a patriarchal society with strict status quos. Her voice led the way for newer generations to address inequalities. Austen herself remained unmarried and chose to write books instead, also challenging 19th-century norms.
Virginia Woolf was an English novelist and modernist who explored stream of consciousness as a narrative device and pioneered the idea of women as emancipated individuals. One of her most striking works is “Orlando,” which explored the idea of gender fluidity.
Her essay “A Room of One’s Own” argued for female writers to have equal opportunities to express themselves artistically. This included the private physical space that creative thought often requires. While suffering from mental illness and the trauma caused by her sexual abuse, Woolf still managed to produce work that deeply explored the human condition and continues to inspire many readers today.
Maya Angelou was a 20th-century poet, screenwriter, and activist. Despite living in a time when African American women were deeply oppressed, she spoke out bravely through her work. Her famous autobiographical novels, such as “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” garnered national attention by addressing women’s issues during segregation, racial discrimination, and sexism.
Angelou went on to become the first African American female director in Hollywood, writing award-winning screenplays that addressed the oppression of women—especially women of color. She won the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010, four years before her death. In addition, her 1975 poem “Alone Together” rode a wave of popularity as a viral rallying cry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ready to dive deeper into some of the best feminist writers who shaped culture? Through UT Permian Basin’s online BA in English, you’ll explore everything from early feminist literature to contemporary creative writing. Learn from history’s greatest authors while developing your own unique voice.
At UTPB, our 100% online classes provide students with high-quality, cost-effective, and convenient education on par with our in-person classes. What’s more, you can enrich your knowledge of English language and culture from anywhere in the world!
Rated by U.S. News & World Report as having some of the best online bachelor’s programs, UT Permian Basin can provide you with a critical literary foundation that will allow you to successfully pursue an English master’s or doctoral degree.
Careers that students will be poised to pursue with our BA in English include:
Explore the timeless literature of historical greats and gain valuable knowledge and skills through our online classes. Join UT Permian Basin’s online BA in English program and start your journey today.
Sources:
https://americanliterature.com/feminist-literature-study-guide
https://www.worldhistory.org/Sappho_of_Lesbos
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1078268.pdf
https://www.toledolibrary.org/blog/jane-austens-hidden-feminism
https://squaderno.altervista.org/2018/01/15/virginia-woolf-the-pioneer-of-feminism
https://www.bl.uk/people/virginia-woolf
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/maya-angelou
At the iron gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau, one of the most infamous extermination camps of Nazi Germany, the chilling phrase “Arbeit macht frei” (“Work sets you free”) still casts a haunting shadow. These deceptive words led into one of history’s darkest chapters. Beyond that gate, more than a million lives were brutally ended. Auschwitz-Birkenau was just…
Are you fascinated by vampires, haunted houses, or the macabre? If you nodded at any of those horror tropes, chances are you’ve encountered (or at least heard of) Gothic literature. From the timeless terror of “Frankenstein” to modern-day Gothic thrills like “The Haunting of Hill House,” Gothic literature draws us into the creepy underbelly of…
What do virtual historical sites, AI-powered poetry analysis, and digital art galleries have in common? They’re all part of the growing world of digital humanities, where technology meets the study of human culture. From history and literature to art and beyond, digital tools are reshaping how we explore and connect with the past. Curious about…
For students in highly specialized academic fields, the professional path that begins after graduation is often clear-cut. Individuals who earn an accounting degree, for example, generally go on to become accountants. Other students, however, prefer a broader academic focus that spans several disciplines, making them a natural fit for studying humanities. Since the term humanities refers not to a profession but rather a broad range of social and cultural studies, the value of a degree in this subject may not be immediately clear. Let’s look now at what we mean by humanities, the essential skills a degree in humanities helps you develop, and the professions for which a humanities degree is most valuable.
The Meaning of Humanities
Humanities encompass a range of disciplines including language, philosophy, history, literature, music, and other arts. One purpose of a humanities degree is to equip students with a well-rounded knowledge of human culture that will enable them to better understand the world around them. A humanities degree also enables students to enjoy greater personal enrichment and build the skills needed to experience a more rewarding career.
The Degree Helps You Build Broadly Applicable Skills
Let’s discuss those skills for a moment. A humanities degree instills students with what are commonly called “soft skills,” which major companies and the U.S. Department of Labor agree are among the skills nearly all employers are seeking in job candidates—not just for entry-level jobs, but for leadership positions as well. These skills include:
Clearly, these skills—soft or not—can benefit nearly everyone, both personally and professionally. Through a carefully designed curriculum, a humanities degree can help students develop a broad set of these irreplaceable abilities.
The Degree Prepares You for Many Rewarding Careers
By developing a skillset so broadly applicable and marketable, humanities degree-holders are primed to pursue a variety of careers, including:
The Value of an Online Humanities Degree From UTPB
When you choose The University of Texas Permian Basin for your online Bachelor of Arts in Humanities, you’ll explore and consider some of the world’s most significant cultural works as you build the key skills that modern employers are seeking.
Our innovative online humanities degree program enables you to gear your studies toward the academic areas that most closely align with your passions. Rather than follow a fixed curriculum, you’ll work together with one of our faculty advisors to design an individualized study plan centered around a multidisciplinary theme, era, set of problems, specialization, or viewpoint. This is a unique configuration that you can’t experience by simply pursuing a major and a minor simultaneously. You’ll pick two to four areas of concentration from a list that includes art, English, Spanish, music, history, and communication, among others, for a total of 24 credit hours of specialized coursework.
In addition to this custom curriculum, our BA in humanities also offers a flexible learning experience through an asynchronous, fully online format that empowers you to complete coursework on your own schedule from virtually any location in the world. It’s the ideal way to earn a bachelor’s degree while fulfilling your professional and personal responsibilities. Need additional flexibility? You can begin your program at any of six annual start times. Once you begin, you’ll learn from the same renowned faculty who teach at the UT Permian Basin campus. When you graduate, you’ll receive the same respected degree as any campus-based student, with no indication that the program was completed online.
Can you see the value that our online Bachelor of Arts in Humanities program offers? Apply here or get more details about the program now.
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/humanities
For writers, narratives are often a synthesis of their real-life experiences and observations. While many writers have had struggles, be their personal tragedies, health issues, lack of acceptance, or economic disadvantages, African American writers have had a much steeper slope to climb. Slavery, racism, discrimination, segregation, and other forms of injustice have often created barriers that have kept Black works from reaching or being widely accepted by a public audience.
Fortunately, many notable African American writers have broken through and had their distinctive voices heard in ways that continue to reverberate to this day. Most have distinguished themselves in multiple ways. Let’s look at a few of these history-changing writers now.
As a girl in the mid-18th century, Phillis Wheatley was enslaved. Her “owners,” John and Susanna Wheatley, permitted her to learn to read and write alongside their daughters. At the age of 13, Phillis made history when her poem “On Messrs. Hussey and Coffin” was published in The Newport Mercury. The poem impressed many, though many more refused to believe a slave had written it. Recognizing an immense talent, the Wheatley family sought to have a book of Phillis’ work published. When they couldn’t find a willing publisher in the Colonies, they were able to secure a publisher in England. Her book “Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral” was published in 1773.
Born into slavery in Maryland, Frederick Douglass, pioneering author, orator, and abolitionist, escaped to New York around the age of 20 and began life as a free man. During his time as a slave, he essentially taught himself to read and write, with some help from other children. He would go on to use those skills to write three acclaimed autobiographies (the first published in 1845, some 18 years before the Emancipation Proclamation) and found the abolitionist publication The North Star. Known for many historical “firsts,” Douglass was also the first African American to become a U.S. marshal.
Also an escaped slave, Brown published an autobiography recounting his experience two years after Douglass’ first autobiography. Six years later, with the publication of “Clotel,” Brown made history by becoming the first African American to publish a novel.
Hughes, a poet, playwright, and novelist, made history pioneering the use of jazz rhythms in poetry beginning in the 1920s. He was a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance, during which African Americans sought to recreate and define their own image through literature, music, and the performing arts.
Born in Harlem amidst the Harlem Renaissance, essayist, novelist, poet, and playwright James Baldwin first made a name for himself with the 1953 novel “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” which explored controversial themes of race, sexuality, and religion. Successive works would venture more deeply into taboo topics including homosexuality and interracial relationships. Baldwin is perhaps best known for his essay collections, including “The Fire Next Time” and “Nobody Knows My Name,” through which he became known as a major voice on civil rights. His work on issues of race inspired Time magazine to do a feature story on Baldwin, in which the publication stated of him: “There is not another writer … who expresses with such poignancy and abrasiveness the dark realities of the racial ferment in North and South.” Baldwin famously stood alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during his “I Have a Dream” speech.
Maya Angelou was an acclaimed poet, civil rights activist, actress, and autobiographer. Perhaps the best-known and most influential of her autobiographies was “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” which has both been praised and banned for its realistic depiction of Angelou’s traumatic experiences growing up in a racist, male-dominated society. In 1993, Angelou made history by becoming the first African American woman to recite poetry at a presidential inauguration—that of Bill Clinton.
Morrison was a renowned author and editor. During the late 1960s, she became the first African American female editor at Random House, the noted publishing company. Author of the celebrated novel “Beloved,” Morrison again made history in 1993 as the first Black woman from any country to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Alice Walker is a civil rights activist and author known for the novel “The Color Purple,” which was also turned into an Academy Award-nominated film. She made history with the novel when she became the first African American woman to receive a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (1982). She also led the first university course dedicated exclusively to female African American writers while teaching at Brandeis University.
Meet History’s Writing Pioneers Through Our 100% Online Program
Our 100% online Bachelor of Arts in English offers an exploration of the form and intricacy of the English language via fiction, drama, and poetry, including the works of pioneering African American writers. In addition to offering a profoundly enriching connection with the English language and the individuals who exemplify English literature and culture, our program helps you hone your ability to:
According to The Wall Street Journal, these soft skills are in high demand in the professional world, with about 90% of surveyed executives stating that such skills are of equal or greater importance than technical skills, yet are scarce among job candidates. Our BA in English program prepares you for careers in fields including, but not limited to:
In addition, our program provides the groundwork for master’s and doctoral studies in English, should you wish to advance your education after completing your bachelor’s degree in English.
Quality, Affordability, and Convenience
Our online BA in English program offers exceptional quality and value, with competitive tuition rates and an asynchronous online format that gives you the freedom to learn on your own schedule, around your professional and personal commitments. What’s more, you can choose your own classroom, as our program is accessible from any location in the world with sufficient internet access.
Explore the works of the English language’s literary greats and gain valuable skills through our online BA in English!
History is a subject rooted in the past, but it’s also connected to today and tomorrow. It informs our present, showing us how we arrived at the nation and world we inhabit today. And, as a topic of study, it can also tell us where we might be headed as a society—or even as individuals. On a smaller, more personal scale, a graduate degree in history builds critical skills that enable you to excel in your current or future career.
Connecting With the Past
Just as an individual is shaped by their experiences, our society, and indeed our world, are shaped by the events that have happened throughout time. Understanding the conflicts, revolutions, traditions, and eras of progress and regression that have come before gives us deeper insight into humanity. Studying history also gives us a better understanding of and appreciation for the many communities who share the world with us.
Living in the Present
History provides important reference points for us as a society, illustrating mistakes that we should not make again and providing templates to follow when addressing contemporary problems. It can act as both a warning and a source of optimism.
Looking to the Future
In addition to an awareness of our historical origins and their influence on modern times, a formal study of history provides invaluable practical skills that will benefit you in many career paths and in your daily interactions. These skills include:
Most employers value and actively seek employees with the skills listed above, sometimes referred to as “soft skills.” A report from The Wall Street Journal, as quoted by Forbes, explains that more than 90% of business executives asserted that soft skills are as valuable as “hard skills” in a career. Further, nearly 90% of them said that finding candidates with the required soft skills was a challenge. Having these soft skills can provide you with a tremendous competitive advantage at hiring time—one of many compelling reasons to pursue a graduate history program.
Enhance Your Professional Future by Studying History With Us
If you’ve completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college, you may be ready to take the next step with an online Master of Arts in History from The University of Texas Permian Basin. As a graduate-level program, our MA in history takes a more nuanced, in-depth look at key topics than the survey-level courses offered in an undergraduate program. Through dedicated, single-topic courses, you’ll undertake a detailed exploration of eras and events including:
With a master’s degree in history under your belt, you’ll be primed to pursue doctoral-level studies or law school, as well as fulfilling leadership positions in education, management, government, and law enforcement. You could also seek a career as a historian, a rewarding research-intensive profession in which you’ll help preserve and occasionally even shine a new light on the past. Whatever career path you choose, here’s some encouraging news: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that master’s degree holders generally enjoy steadier employment and earn about 20% more than those whose highest level of education is a bachelor’s degree.
The Convenience and Quality of the Online Learning Format
UT Permian Basin makes earning a master’s degree in history convenient. Delivered in an asynchronous, 100% online format, our program enables you to complete coursework on a more flexible schedule from nearly anywhere in the world. This makes it possible to earn your degree around any professional and personal commitments you may have. Many students complete our program in as little as two years! No GRE is required for admission, and you can choose from thesis and non-thesis options, depending on your preference. The mode of delivery will not impact the quality of the curriculum and courses are taught by distinguished faculty who teach the MA in history program on campus.
History has lessons for us all. Learn them online as you elevate your professional potential with a master’s degree in history from UT Permian Basin.
Sources:
https://www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-and-archives/historical-archives/why-study-history-(1998)
https://www.historians.org/jobs-and-professional-development/career-resources/why-become-a-historian
https://ncph.org/what-is-public-history/about-the-field/
When people hear “liberal arts,” they often think of subjects like history or literature. In reality, a liberal arts education covers a wide variety of disciplines designed to develop critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills.
It’s rooted in a tradition that dates back centuries—but today, it’s a dynamic way to prepare for real-world careers across industries.
The term dates back to ancient times, first appearing in the works of the Roman philosopher Cicero. It stems from the Latin phrase liberales artes, meaning “education worthy of a free person.”
In ancient Greece and Rome, this education was focused on developing the mind, rather than training for a specific trade. According to scholars like Ernst Robert Curtius, these studies were valued because they weren’t solely about making money; they were about shaping independent thinkers.
Later, thinkers like Wilhelm von Humboldt emphasized that this type of education helps people adapt to various roles in life and work.
The seven liberal arts were once the backbone of education during the Middle Ages. They were split into two categories:
Originally, these subjects were believed to sharpen both the mind and character. Today, many of these disciplines are combined into broader fields. Modern liberal arts degrees also include subjects like:
Now, a liberal arts education is broader than ever, giving you the freedom to tailor your studies to your unique interests and career goals. Want to work in marketing but have a passion for psychology? Combine courses in communication and behavioral sciences to create a well-rounded foundation. Your opportunities in liberal arts are limited only by your imagination.
A good liberal arts education provides a solid foundation for a variety of important and rewarding careers, with broad skills that can add value to virtually any role. A Bachelor of Arts in Humanities encapsulates what a liberal arts education is all about.
Humanities is a multidisciplinary major that includes:
This degree also includes all the required core general education subjects of most degree programs, such as English, math, and life and physical sciences. It also incorporates culture (art, drama, music, humanities) as a key part of its curriculum.
A liberal arts degree doesn’t limit you to one path. In fact, it can open doors to many. Common roles include:
Plus, many liberal arts grads go on to pursue advanced degrees in law, business, or education.
The online Bachelor of Arts in Humanities program at The University of Texas Permian Basin can help you develop a variety of skills that will benefit you in your professional life and beyond, including:
At UT Permian Basin, we offer an immersive, affordable online BA in humanities program that gives you a greater amount of flexibility than many other available programs. Rather than adhere to a fully prearranged curriculum, you can follow your own.
Our online BA in humanities program enables you to choose up to two concentrations (a total of 24 credit hours of specialized coursework) that align with your personal areas of interest, including:
Some other university degree programs combine one major and one minor. At UT Permian Basin, however, faculty advisors work with you to create a truly individualized plan of study based on a multidisciplinary theme, set of problems, specialization, period, or perspective.
Experience the value of a liberal arts education for yourself with UT Permian Basin’s online Bachelor of Arts in Humanities program.
Sources:
https://archive.org/details/europeanliteratu0000curt/page/36/mode/2up
https://bighistory.de/Education/
https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/glossary/seven-liberal-arts
https://www.memoriapress.com/articles/what-are-the-liberal-arts/
A 2019 research report from the acclaimed Mellon Foundation addressed the overall value of humanities, stating that they’re “useful to society in the preservation and curation of culture” and also that the humanities “contribute to the maintenance and health of democracy via teaching skills of critical reasoning, debate, and evaluation of ideas.”
Being part of a culture gives us an innate sense of the history, customs, and values of our own social group, but this scope is often limited. In the context of education, humanities can help bridge this gap in cultural knowledge. The focus of an education in the humanities is not just on mastering a broad range of academic disciplines but on introducing students to humanities on the global scale. Humanities expand our understanding of different human cultures and enable us to understand ways in which they’re similar and ways in which they differ, in the present and historically, delivering a broader perspective on the world in which we live.
The humanities encompass the full range of human thought and creativity, including history, literature, languages, religion, philosophy, music, theatre, and all of the performing arts and visual arts. In a formal educational setting, students may gain foundational knowledge in all of these but also be given the chance to learn more about specific subjects which appeal to them. This does more than strengthen an individual’s ability to identify from which era a piece of music originates or which art movement a particular painting exemplifies. It instills them with marketable, transferrable skills that can help them in their professional lives and beyond.
As the publication NH Business Review states in an article titled “The business case for humanities education”: “The humanities are part of an interconnected whole that yields a broad, deep education fostering 21st century career readiness and the ability to work with others to respond better to day-to-day work responsibilities, as well as life’s broader needs and challenges.”
The truth is, studying humanities helps one develop skills that are beneficial in any role, in any field. Humanities studies are broad by design and the value of humanities in education is equally expansive. So, what humanities skills do employers seek? What kind of professions do humanities degree holders represent? What types of compensation do these roles offer?
The following skills—all introduced or strengthened through a humanities education—are among the skills and qualities today’s employers consistently value:
Recent U.S. Census Bureau data shows that graduates of bachelor’s degree programs in humanities commonly work in roles including management, office and administrative support, sales, business and financial operations, and the arts and media. That’s a fairly broad spectrum that doesn’t relegate degree holders to employment within one position or industry.
The same census data indicates that bachelor’s degree holders in the humanities earned an annual median compensation of $52,000. This amount is in clear contrast to the earnings of those with an associate degree or limited college experience, reported as $40,000 per year, and those with a high school diploma alone, reported as $34,000 per year.
The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online Bachelor of Arts in Humanities program can help you develop career-enhancing skills and join the many graduates who’ve recognized the value of humanities in education.
Our immersive, affordable online BA in humanities program offers students a tremendous amount of flexibility. As a student, you won’t be expected to follow a predetermined path. Instead, the program empowers you to choose up to two concentrations that align with your personal areas of interest, including art, communication, English, history, or music, for a total of 24 credits of specialized coursework in these areas. Our faculty advisors collaborate with you to establish an individualized plan of study with an interdisciplinary theme, period, set of problems, specialization, or perspective. Degree programs that combine one major and one minor don’t offer you the same experience.
UT Permian Basin’s online BA in humanities program is presented 100% online and allows you to finish assignments at your own pace, any time of day, from any location with internet access. Additionally, you can choose from six start dates a year. Courses are eight weeks in duration, which allows for an accelerated degree completion time. Each course is taught by the same renowned faculty who teach them in person at the UT Permian Basin campus. When you graduate, you’ll receive the same degree that campus-based students receive, with no mention of “online” on your diploma.
If you’re ready to experience the tremendous value of humanities for yourself, get started with our flexible, personalized online Bachelor of Arts in Humanities program.
Sources:
https://www.nhbr.com/the-business-case-for-humanities-education/
https://www.amacad.org/publication/state-humanities-2018-graduates-workforce-beyond
https://www.amacad.org/humanities-indicators/higher-education
https://www.amacad.org/humanities-indicators/workforce
More than 66,000 years ago, Neanderthals pressed their hands against the wall of a cave in what would later become Spain and splashed pigment on them. Their hand stencils have remained visible in the cave, known as the Cave of Maltravieso, to this day. Why did they do it? What were they trying to say? Were they trying to make a lasting mark for future generations to know they were there? We’ll probably never know.
Whatever the artists intended, their work has made an impression on subsequent generations since it was first discovered in 1951. The Cave of Maltravieso hand stencils are considered the first-known example of artistic expression on the planet. It’s noteworthy that these primitive images are still echoed by children in kindergarten classes, whose first artistic expressions are often tracing their own hands.
One of the oldest known examples of figurative art was found in caves in the Maros-Pangkep karst, located in Indonesia. There, various paintings depict animals and human-like figures interacting. One painting apparently shows an anoa, an animal similar to a water buffalo, being speared or roped by a group of human-like figures. These works reportedly date back to the Paleolithic era and are estimated to be nearly 44,000 years old.
Visual art has clearly come a long way from its simple beginnings as pigment hand stencils. As a subset of the humanities, which have grown over time to include the world’s languages, history, religions, philosophies, and performing arts, visual arts expanded over time, were formalized within education, and developed tremendous value to society and humankind.
Here we’ll examine some of the key eras during which the humanities developed and expanded, many of which were eons apart, and how the humanities came into importance in education and business in modern times. When did the formal study of humanities begin? Though an exact date isn’t known, we do know that one of the primary topics of study stems from ancient Greece.
Between the time of the Neanderthals and what we call ancient Greece, art found its way onto practical objects such as vases and bowls. Languages developed. Religions were born. Even then, works that would make an enduring impact in the humanities were being created.
The Odyssey and The Iliad, attributed to Homer, are some of the oldest surviving works of Western literature and are estimated to have been written in the eighth century B.C. They’re still widely read by secondary school and college students today. Homeric scholarship, the study of Homer’s works, is one of the oldest subjects in education. Around the time Homer’s epics were written, various forms of arts, crafts, and writing in Greece were flourishing, coinciding with expanded trade with other countries, which exposed people to more diverse cultural influences.
In the fifth century B.C., democracy thrived in Athens, and the city essentially became the world capital for philosophy, drama, literature, art, and architecture. The Parthenon and some of the other famed Greek monuments date from around this time.
The Renaissance (meaning “rebirth”) was a revival of Classical scholarship and heralded a renewed interest in the study of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, which in large part was a study of humanities. The Renaissance is said to have started in Italy as early as the 14th century B.C. and expanded throughout Europe in the following centuries. During this period, fine art in particular grew in importance, with many influential paintings and sculptures stemming from this time. Philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli, poet Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch), astronomer Galileo Galilei, and dramatist William Shakespeare are among the most notable names of this era.
The exploration of lands outside the known world also began in earnest in the Renaissance, bringing new influences into Western culture. New inventions that would prove critical to education and the humanities, such as the printing press, also emerged during this time.
Key to the rise of what later would formally be called the humanities was the development of humanism during the Renaissance. While philosophy and learning had previously been dominated by clerics, humanism (not to be confused with modern secular humanism) was started by secular (nonreligious) scholars and writers.
Humanism put the focus of art and other forms of expression on human nature and the human form. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, it empowered men to “break free from the mental strictures imposed by religious orthodoxy, to inspire free inquiry and criticism, and to inspire a new confidence in the possibilities of human thought and creations.” Over time, the idea of humanism came to denote the humanities as we understand and use the term today.
Flash forward to the United States in the 20th century. World War II had a detrimental effect on higher education in the country, with many college-aged individuals leaving or foregoing college for military service. Following the war, the U.S. made a concerted effort to help returning service members resume their studies. Furthermore, Congress completely revamped and expanded the higher education system through the enactment of a series of laws. Following this legislative overhaul, college-level education in humanities soared from the 1950s through the early 1970s, and it’s been enjoying its own type of renaissance in the 21st century as employers express demand for the skills that students of humanities develop.
The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online Bachelor of Arts in Humanities program can help you develop skills that will be valuable to you in any professional field, including:
Our engaging, affordable online BA in humanities program offers tremendous flexibility. As a student, you’ll follow your own path, choosing two concentrations that align with your personal areas of interest. Options include art, communication, English, history, and music. You’ll also complete your coursework 100% online, at your own pace, at a time and location that works best for you. Courses are eight weeks in duration, enabling you to complete your degree on an accelerated schedule, and you can choose from six start dates a year. All of our courses are taught by the same distinguished faculty members who teach them on the UT Permian Basin campus.
Keep the humanities alive and see how they can positively impact you, both in your personal and professional endeavors. An online Bachelor of Arts in Humanities program is the first step.
Sources:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cave-of-maltravieso
https://www.academia.edu/15790168/Pleistocene_cave_art_from_Sulawesi_Indonesia
https://www.britannica.com/event/Renaissance
https://www.britannica.com/topic/humanism
The humanities encompass the full range of human thought and creativity, including languages, religion, philosophy, and the broad spectrum of the arts (including the performing arts and the visual arts). Humanities education explores the commonalities and differences in self-expression that humans have exhibited through the ages and continue to demonstrate today. The humanities have always been and will continue to be the basis of human cultures and source of our perceptions of different cultures.
In the academic realm, a student may study any or all of the humanities as part of a formal degree program such as a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities. These programs expose students to diverse ideas from around the world, broadening their knowledge and developing their critical thinking abilities.
People from all walks of life, across philosophical and political perspectives, agree on the importance of the humanities. Famed “Star Wars” director George Lucas said this of the humanities: “The sciences are the ‘how,’ and the humanities are the ‘why’—why are we here, why do we believe in the things we believe in. I don’t think you can have the ‘how’ without the ‘why.’”
Former President Ronald Reagan believed that, “The arts and humanities teach us who we are and what we can be. They lie at the very core of the culture of which we’re a part.” J. Irwin Miller, famed industrialist and civil rights proponent, also spoke to the transformative nature of the humanities when he stated, “The calling of the humanities is to make us truly human in the best sense of the word.”
The broadly applicable skills that the humanities offer also directly benefit individuals in their personal and professional lives. As American philosopher and law professor Martha Nussbaum notes, “Business leaders love the humanities because they know that to innovate you need more than rote knowledge. You need a trained imagination.”
Humanities expand our knowledge of human cultures and help us understand what binds us together and what differentiates us from one another. In addition to these high-level insights, however, they also provide practical applications that can enhance your professional skillset and give you a competitive edge. By studying humanities in a formal university-level program, you can acquire transferrable, marketable skills and qualities that will be an asset to you in your professional pursuits. What will you learn in a humanities program? Examples include:
Employers want professionals who can come up with fresh approaches to solving problems, express themselves clearly, collaborate with others, and act in a responsible, ethical manner. These abilities are the foundation for nearly every career path, as well as many graduate-level programs. Equipped with these skills, you’ll be prepared to take on a diverse range of career paths, including:
The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online Bachelor of Arts in Humanities program goes beyond discussions of the world’s great works of art and philosophies. This immersive, affordable program empowers you with the key skills today’s employers value most.
Our BA in humanities program is unique in that, as a student, you’re not given a preset path to follow; the program enables you to choose concentrations based on your personal areas of interest. Our faculty advisors work with you to develop an individualized plan of study with an interdisciplinary theme, period, set of problems, specialization, or perspective that you can’t get by combining a major and minor in the traditional way. You’ll choose a minimum of two concentration areas in art, communication, English, history, or music, totaling 24 credits of specialized coursework in these areas.
Our program is flexible not only in terms of what topics you may study but in how you complete your degree. The 100% online format allows you to complete coursework anytime, at any location with internet access. You can choose from six start dates a year and enjoy condensed eight-week courses and an accelerated completion time. All courses are taught by the same esteemed faculty who teach on campus at UT Permian Basin. When you’re ready to graduate, you’ll receive the same valued degree that campus-based students receive.
Are you ready to learn more about the essential skills and flexibility our online Bachelor of Arts in Humanities program provides? Explore the benefits of humanities in more detail now.
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