C-SPAN taped Carlton Basmajian's lecture on the history of the American metropolis in September. It will air Nov. 14. Photo by Christopher Gannon.
AMES, Iowa -- In the late 1700s and early 1800s, Americans pushed west, laying the groundwork for systematic land subdivision, property distribution and the planning of a nation of cities.
Iowa State University's Carlton Basmajian traces factors that shaped the development of the continent and created a system for property distribution and urban development in a lecture recorded in September for broadcast on C-SPAN's American History TV. The program will air at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, on C-SPAN3.
Basmajian, associate professor of community and regional planning and of urban design, presented the lecture, "It is Possible, albeit Difficult, to Plan at a Continental Scale," as part of the course, "The North American City." The introductory community and regional planning class examines the legacy of urban, regional, state and national spatial planning and its role in the development of American cities, from the colonial period to the present.
Basmajian's lecture covers concepts like early land ordinances, the power of the grid system, Andrew Gallatin and infrastructure investment, and the systematic documentation of the trans-Appalachian landscape.
Basmajian earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago, master’s from the Georgia Institute of Technology and doctorate from the University of Michigan. He is author of the book, "Atlanta Unbound: Enabling Sprawl Through Policy and Planning."
C-SPAN's American History TV features event coverage, lectures and discussions with teachers and historians every weekend on C-SPAN 3. Once the class debuts, the full video will be available to view online at http://www.c-span.org/video/?327998-1/northwest-ordinance. In addition, a podcast will be available after Nov. 19 at http://www.c-span.org/podcasts/ - lecturesInHistory .