Shaping a Nation: History of America

 

Detailed Report of the Activity

 

The Department of English, under the Centre for Languages, organized a talk titled Shaping a Nation: History of America on October 7, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in the AG5 classroom. The talk was delivered by Mr. Sairaj Bhat, Assistant Professor of History, and was organized for the SYBA and TYBA students. A total of 30 students participated in the talk. 

The program commenced at 9:00 a.m. with an introduction of the guest by Shreya Morajkar, followed by a floral welcome extended by Hritvik Ajgaonkar. The event was smoothly conducted with Ms. Natasha Salgaonkar and Vivek Naik serving as the comperes for the program.

During the talk, Mr. Sairaj Bhat presented an insightful overview of the history of America. He began by discussing the early European settlers and their gradual establishment of colonies. He explained how the European colonization significantly impacted the Indigenous populations of America, leading to a drastic decline in their numbers due to disease, conflict, and displacement. Mr. Bhat also discussed the various social, political, and economic forces that shaped the development of America as a nation, highlighting key historical events like the American Revolution and the Civil War.

In addition, Mr. Bhat elaborated on the Indigenous people of America and their way of life. He showed pictures depicting their deep connection to nature and their harmonious existence with the environment. He highlighted how nature played a central role in their spiritual practices, explaining that many Indigenous communities followed a belief system called totemism. Totemism involved the worship of natural objects, animals, or plants, which were seen as sacred symbols representing their ancestors and spiritual guides.

The session concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Ms. Riya Sambrekar. The event was successfully coordinated by Ms. Siddhi Sangle, Assistant Professor of English, along with the active participation of students.