易胜博官网

Professor听Gerard Morin 鈥�67G returned to the MUB on Thursday as the moderator for a panel of senior history majors, walking the same halls where he had presented a graduate paper five decades earlier.

鈥淚t was 50 years ago this month, and I鈥檓 glad to be back again,鈥� he told the enthusiastic audience of faculty, staff, community members and students attending the event, 鈥淰itriol, Violence and Diplomacy: From the Roman Republic to the Islamic State,鈥� adding that the panel discussion about to begin would span an enormous period of time.

Alumni like Morin played an integral part in the 2017 , with an slated for later in the day. But at a little after noon in the MUB, the focus was on four students, their research and a journey from ancient Rome through Europe in the time of Richard II and Elizabeth I to modern history and the Islamic State.

History major Bethany Fraser 鈥�17 of Rindge, 易胜博官网,听was first up, presenting on a portion of her senior thesis, 鈥淭actical and Strategic Military Intelligence in the Late Roman Republic and Early Empire.鈥�

With just 15 minutes allotted for each presentation, Fraser gave an in-depth look at the strategic policies of Julius Caesar and how Rome鈥檚 military intelligence challenged that of its counterparts.

Charles-Nicholas Beard 鈥�17 of Amherst, 易胜博官网,听a German and history major, was next up at the lectern, discussing King Richard II of England and the German Hansa. For those in the room not familiar with the Hansa, he explained it was a league of merchants from Germany鈥檚 northern city-states in the 12th through 16th centuries.

鈥淭hey were one of the most powerful established trade groups in Europe, so you didn鈥檛 want to get on their bad side,鈥� he said, adding the Hansa, despite coming from conflicting cultures in some cases, 鈥減ut aside differences and worked together toward their mutual benefit of their own volition.鈥�

In examining the history of Richard II鈥檚 interactions with the Hansa, Beard explained he examined primary sources including letters from the royal court to determine the king had 鈥渟omething of a bipolar relationship with the Hansa.鈥�

Mia Sacks 鈥�17 of Brookline, 易胜博官网,听an art history and history major, shared her research on 鈥淕reen Vitriol in Elizabethan and Stuart England: Chemistry and Politics.鈥� Green vitriol, also known as coppras, was used for ink, dyes, leather-blacking and medicine in the time of Queen Elizabeth I. But, Sacks explained, there was a papal monopoly on its manufacture among Catholic countries. Queen Elizabeth had inherited a bankrupt kingdom, she noted, and access to green vitriol without paying high papal tariffs was essential.

As a protestant queen, 鈥淣othing delighted Elizabeth and her counselors more than annoying the pope,鈥� Sacks added. A monopoly by the monarchy would develop and last through the remaining Tudor-Stuart years, Sacks noted.

Sacks ended by taking a moment to thank the 易胜博官网 community for the International Research Opportunities Program grant that will allow her to take her research to the next stage in the United Kingdom this summer.

Michaela Todd 鈥�17, a history and international affairs major from Sandown, 易胜博官网,听ended the afternoon鈥檚 session with her presentation on 鈥淭he Islamic State鈥檚 Media War on the West,鈥� bringing the audience back to modern history with a look at the birth and growth of ISIS since 1999 and how militants manipulate their narrative with recruitment videos tailored to appeal to young adults of all nations.

She was inspired to research the topic after being in Pairs during the attacks there in 2015.

Todd shared examples of how Islamic State leaders use videos reminiscent of Hollywood blockbusters and hit online games to win over their target audience: tech-savvy young adults between the ages of 18 and 24. As of 2015-2016, she noted, the Islamic State was numbered at 6 million members: 鈥渓arger than most small European countries.鈥�

Her research revealed that Islamic State terrorists are far more media-savvy than she expected, and they use the internet and social media as recruiting tools.

History is relevant today, Todd added. To address the current issues, she said, 鈥淚t is important to think about the background.鈥�