American history is replete with several legislators who guided this nation through troubled times. The first class focuses on the lives and careers of Benjamin Franklin and John Jay who negotiated the treaty of peace that ended the American Revolution. The second class examines the life of Henry Clay, a western state legislator, who, as a "war hawk" campaigned for a second war with Great Britain, and then authored the Missouri Compromise that postponed conflict between the North and the South for thirty years. The class will also review the life and career of Daniel Webster whose skills as Secretary of State improved relations with Great Britain and opened Asia to American goods. The final class will examine the life of Theodore Roosevelt, who won the Noble Peace Prize for ending the Russo/Japanese War, Woodrow Wilson who championed the League of Nations at the conclusion of World War I, and George Marshall, a military leader, who as a civilian rebuilt war-torn Europe with the innovative Marshall Plan.

Robert Smith was born in Nebraska and attended Nebraska University where he majored in history.  Bob has always had a love for history and a particular interest in military history as he comes from a military family.  Prior to his return to academia and advanced degrees Bob managed a family operated business where he learned management and organizational skills.  He returned to academia in 1998 attending Kansas State University receiving a Master of Arts in military history in 2004 and a Ph.D. in military history in December 2008.  Currently Bob is the Director of the Fort Riley Museum Complex, Fort Riley, Kansas.