"Up Pops The Monitor": The Battle Of Hampton Roads In Popular Culture

Summary

On March 9, 1862 in the placid waters of Hampton Roads in Virginia, the Union steam-battery Monitor met the Confederate ram Virginia (née Merrimack) in battle. Though this first clash of ironclads was technically a draw, it helped to usher in a new era in naval warfare. It also ushered in over 150 years of popular music, poetry, artwork, alcohol, clothing, sports teams, farm equipment, and home appliances inspired by the meeting of these two vessels. Interest in the Monitor in the 20th and 21st centuries has been further sustained by the public’s fascination with the archaeological remains of the ship. From polkas, to refrigerators, to Swedish speed metal, this presentation will explore the arc of the popular response to the battle of the ironclads—and the Monitor herself—from March 10, 1862 to today.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Enduring Expression of Historic Memory: The Role of Artistic Works in the Understanding, Protection, and Promotion of Cultural Resources   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2017

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 278