The 1780s in Moore, Oklahoma

I spent the afternoon today with a group of history teachers in Moore, Oklahoma.  I had never heard of Moore before, but quickly learned that it is the home of country music superstar Toby Keith.

I conducted a Gilder-Lehrman workshop focused on America in the years between 1776 and 1789–the so called “critical period.” I talked a lot about historical thinking and how I wanted the teachers to understand the Constitution in its historical context.  I hope that they were able to see the eighteenth-century world that gave birth to this document.  Such a way of thinking forces us to imagine the Constitution as it was written in 1787 and not as a living document filled with amendments or even a Bill of Rights.

Thanks to Shirley Starkey and the rest of the educators in Moore for a great day.

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