[H-verkko] CFP: John Morton: Rediscovering a Finnish Founding Father of American Independence.

[agricola at utu.fi]

Agricolan Artikkelipyyntötietokantaan
( http://agricola.utu.fi/nyt/pyynnot/ )
on tullut seuraava ilmoitus:

“John Morton: Rediscovering a Finnish Founding Father of American
Independence.”

Call For Papers – Topics for Advisory Board Review

“John Morton: Rediscovering a Finnish Founding Father of American
Independence.” 

Date Submitted: August 18, 2008
Due Date for Papers: October 18, 2008
Advisory Board Meeting: November 10-12, 2008
Location:  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, National Constitution Center

Overview:
Although the American Revolution has received ample attention from
the academic community over the years, historians continually find
new and inventive ways to construct the narrative – agency and voice
given to a wider cast of historical actors.  Still, much of the work
on this era, as well as demand from casual consumers of popular
history, focuses on the founding fathers and their compelling
biographies.  Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin,
among other such personalities, remain the most ubiquitous subjects
of published work.  We should not forget, however, that alongside
these revolutionary heroes worked a number of more subdued, yet no
less capable statesmen.  One such neglected figure is John Morton,
Pennsylvania delegate to the Continental Congress and Speaker of the
Provincial Assembly.  We believe John Morton was a key player in the
momentous political events of 1776; in addition he was an
accomplished colonial legislator – active in the political culture of
southeastern Pennsylvania for most of his life.  

Unlike most other signers of the Declaration, John Morton’s ancestors
were not immigrants from the British Isles.  Morton was born to a
family descended from the first settlers to arrive in the Delaware
Valley, known then as New Sweden and home to many Finns.  In a nation
of immigrants, immigration history takes on vital importance, and the
life story of a non-British founding father seems especially
compelling.    
	
Unfortunately, there has been relatively little biographical work
done on John Morton, and treatment of the Finnish colonists of New
Sweden is generally done in the genealogical vein.  Our goal is to
bring these two largely unexplored and closely related topics
together in a productive and meaningful historical project.  

Papers:
This call for papers has two stages: for the November meeting we call
for abstracts of max. 500 words.  After that meeting, writers are
invited for actual papers. The abstracts should include a brief
summary of any previous work done on John Morton, or any previous
work that focused on events or political organs with which Morton was
associated – Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, Stamp Act Congress,
Continental Congress, etc.  The author should provide a general
description of the topic and focus of the proposed paper, including
what sources the author believes are available for further research. 
Of keen interest are proposals focusing on John Morton and his Finnish
heritage, his role and influence at the Continental Congress, and his
impact on the vote for independence. Then, in light of this proposed
work and a general knowledge of how scholarly projects progress,
offer opinion as to the best course of action in bringing about a
historical work on Morton, as well as the potential focus and form
research on such a project might take.  We encourage submissions from
a variety of disciplines and welcome any perspective on this topic. 

Submitted proposals will be distributed to members of an advisory
board scheduled to meet November 10-12, 2008.  This board consists of
U.S. and Finnish historians, genealogists, diplomats, and other
non-academic members with particular interest in this project.  They
will review these proposals and determine the subject matter of a
future academic conference to be held next year or potential
publication in the future.

The deadline for papers is October 15, 2008. 

Send submissions to:  

Chase Butera
Ware Family Office
125B Lancaster Ave 
Strasburg, PA 17579
Phone: (717) 405-8228
Fax: (717) 687-8561
cbutera at warefamilyoffice.com. 


------------------------------------------------------
Ilmoituksen lähetti: Auvo Kostiainen <aukosti at utu.fi>
Ilmoitus vanhentuu: 19.10.2008
Lisätietoja WWW-osoitteesta: Auvo Kostiainen p. 3335254 tai
040-5174313