• Baylor professor’s American history lecture televised nationally

    Earlier this semester, C-SPAN paid a little visit to campus. They were seeking out Dr. Julie Anne Sweet — a Baylor history professor, expert on colonial America, and one of students’ most beloved professors — to film a special feature for “American History TV.”

    “American History TV” covers the history of the United States from its founding through the late 20th century, airing Saturdays at 7 and 11 p.m. CT. The episode with Dr. Sweet, which was part of its “Lectures in History” program featuring major university professors, aired earlier this month. Below is a preview; you can watch it in its entirety here.

    Decked out in revolutionary period military gear, Sweet gave a lecture to her “American Revolution and the Constitution” class about the military history of late 18th-century America. She and her students discussed such questions as how a small, inexperienced army defeated the British forces, how that era’s method of war differed from other eras’ methods, and how much truth there is to the historical narrative of this time, which was primarily written by the winners and men in power. Sweet’s passion for the subject (and desire to pass that love on to the next generation of students) is palpable.

    “I think about that verse where we are admonished not to hide our light, or talent, under a bushel,” Sweet says. “My light, or talent, is to teach, and so I use my light to teach people about history, its stories and its lessons. I have to admit, though, there are times I would love to hide that light under a bushel, because it’s a lot of work to prepare all those lesson plans. In the end, I pray for guidance and assistance to do the best I can and know that He will show me the way.”

    Sic ’em, Dr. Sweet!