History (HIST)
An introduction to various ways of reading and interpreting historical documents and to the major forms of historical writing. This course is intended to prepare students for advanced course work. HIST-200 must be taken prior to completing 13 credits in History.
Study of selected topic in History. May be repeated as topics change.
The evolution of Greek classical civilization from the Mycenaean origins through the Hellenistic age. The significance of the Polis is brought out by detailed examination of Athens and Sparta. Intellectual and cultural contributions of classical Greece.
A close reading of ancient and modern histories of the Roman Republic. The Roman Civil War and the rise and fall of Julius Caesar will be of particular interest.
The eighth-century Arab-Berber invasion and occupation of the Iberian Peninsula altered the religious and cultural borders of the European continent. This class examines the cultural and political effects of Islamic invasion and occupation in Iberia and investigates cross-cultural contact between Muslim Iberia and Christian Europe.
Europe and the Byzantine and Islamic worlds from the collapse of the Western Roman Empire to the discovery of America by Columbus. Feudalism, manorialism, the role of the Church, the rise of the nation state, growth of cities, revival of the economy, and the development of technology.
From the Renaissance and the print revolution, to war with Turks in the East and conquest of American natives in the West, and Reformation and religious war, the events of the 15th and 16th centuries laid the foundations of the modern western world.
This course will explore central themes of the period in European history known as the Enlightenment (1650-1800), such as race, gender, religious tolerance, materialism, and political engagement. Students will explore these themes in writing assignments and class presentations based on close readings of primary and secondary sources.
This course explores the history of Germany from 1870 to 1918, from national unification to defeat in WWI. Topics will include religious conflicts, German colonialism, the emergence of political parties, the changing place of women in modern German society, and the rise of anti-Semitism.
This course examines the origins, chief military developments, and fateful conclusion of the First World War. Topics include the motivations of the combatants, the course of the conflict within Europe and beyond its borders, and the post-war peace settlement.
Examines the Nazi rise to power during the Weimar Republic, the consolidation of totalitarian rule, the transformation of racial ideology into policy, Hitler's foreign policy as prelude to war, World War II, and the Holocaust. Cross-listed as: HGS-353.
Examines the experiences of native peoples of North America in the era of European invasion and imperialism from the pre-contact period through the development of Pan-Indian identity in Pontiac's War. Major themes include power relations, environmental impacts, gender, changes over time, responses to imperialism, and the persistence of native cultures.
Examines the causes of the conflicts of 1763 to 1783, the nature of the Revolution, the Confederation years, the establishment of the Constitution and changes to 1789.
Examines political, social, economic, and cultural developments as well as changes in material culture from the establishment of the federal government to the Compromise of 1850.
Examines the coming of the Civil War, the secession crisis, the war itself, and Reconstruction. Not open to freshmen without permission of instructor.
An examination of the history of the nineteenth and twentieth century eugenics movement in the United States and Europe. Efforts to improve humanity by selectively controlling or eliminating individuals deemed socially undesirable because of race or disability will be investigated by exploring science, legislation, and popular culture. Cross-listed as: HGS-373.
Examines a selected subject or theme in history at an intermediate level. May be repeated as subjects/themes change.
Study of a selected topic in History at an advanced level. May be repeated as topics change.
Discussion of problems and issues in History. May be repeated as seminar topics change.
Students research, organize, and write about historical materials in cooperation with historical societies, archives, museums, historical restoration projects, and other groups or agencies. The History Internship Committee, in consultation with the dean of Arts, Education, and Humanities, determines the credit value.
Intensive study of an issue, problem, or topic. Offered as independent study if proposed by the student or as directed study if designed by the faculty member. May be repeated to a total of 8 credits.