National

From the Ethan Allen Homestead:

Historian Mary Donchez explores the impact Thomas Jefferson had on the development of the American maple sugar industry, starting with his trip to Vermont in 1791. The talk explores the evolution of the industry, including technological advances and the influence of the Civil War, and discusses Jefferson’s lasting ties with Vermont as he attempted to persuade the new country to substitute maple sugar for slave-produced cane sugar. Along the way, it will provide insight into Jefferson’s views on the American economy, its economic independence from Great Britain, and particularly race and slavery.

Mary Donchez is a resident of Newton, Massachusetts, whose first post-retirement project was to earn a Master’s degree at Harvard University’s Extension School. This talk is based on her thesis for that degree. Her undergraduate degree, in history, is from Boston College. She spent her professional life working as an editor at WB Saunders, Macmillan, and Little, Brown publishing companies before retiring from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care in 2011, where she worked as a project coordinator for patient disease management programs and as editor of the physician newsletter.

For more information: ethanallenhomestead.org

From the Ethan Allen Homestead:

Andrew R. Beaupré discusses how historical archaeology helps the understanding of transnational politics in the Lake Champlain and Richelieu River Valley during the 17th and 18th centuries.

For more information: ethanallenhomestead.org

From VICII:

Rising gas prices, Lack of Affordable Housing, Long Waits for Health Care, Blocked Supply Chains, Empty Food Shelves: What is Happening to the American Economy?

Join the Vermont Institute of Community and International Involvement and the People's Law School as we discuss the confusion and chaos in our economic system. As the mid-term elections dominate the news, Americans are facing increasing difficulties to adequately support their families and their lives. Worse, Americans are not receiving assurances from their leaders that this economic crisis will end any time soon or that our leaders have the ability or intelligence to educate us about the crisis or to lead us to any measure of well -being.

Jane Knodell, PhD and Professor of Economics at the University of Vermont leads the community discussion on this all important topic of our economy in crisis.

For more information: vicii.org

"Willard Sterne Randall discusses his new book, 'The Founders' Fortunes: How Money Shaped the American Revolution,' an illuminating financial history of the Founding Fathers, revealing how their personal finances shaped the Constitution and the new nation."

For more information: ethanallenhomestead.org