History

A survey of United States history beginning with precontact cultures, examining the varied colonial and native cultures, and tracing the political, economic, social, and cultural development of the United States, and concluding with Reconstruction.

(Normally offered each fall semester.)

A survey of United States history beginning with post-Civil War expansion into the trans-Mississippi West, tracing political, economic, social, and cultural development to the present, emphasizing the emergence of a dominantly urban-industrial society, the expanded role of government, increasing government in the lives of individuals, and the increasing involvement of the United States in the world.

(Normally offered each spring semester.)

A study of Western Civilization from the Ancient World through the era of the Reformation focusing on the history of Western religious beliefs. Through the reading of religious texts, students investigate the varying conceptions of God or the gods as well as the relationship of the divine to the physical universe and humanity. In the process, students will learn basic features of Western religion and how the circumstances of human existence and broader cultural forces have shaped religious belief in the West.

(Normally offered each fall semester.)

A chronological survey of Western Civilization from 1500 to the present, focusing on the literary record which exemplifies changing societies; artistic and literary styles; and philosophical, religious, and political patterns. The course will include a reexamination of Biblical texts in the Reformation, the revival and imitation of classical texts in the Renaissance, absolutism and its critics, the revolutionary and Romantic movements, ethnic minorities, colonialism, the crisis of Western thought in the twentieth century, and the impact of totalitarianism.

(Normally offered each spring semester.)

An examination of the Latin American experience from precontact and the earliest Spanish exploration and colonization. The course will examine the progress of Indian/Spanish, Church/State, Spanish/Portuguese/English/French and Spanish/English/United States relations from the mid-1400s into the 20th century. The dynamics of political, religious, and agrarian movements throughout the many Latin American nations will also be discussed, as will the historic trends behind current events in Latin America.

This course will investigate the influence of disease on historical development, and look at the issues involved in the historical study of disease in the past. Themes will include the following: early human settlement and disease, disease as an agent of change, the emergence of new diseases and patterns of pandemics, and changes in diseases over time. We will also consider how the historical record might inform our understanding of the threat of emergent diseases today.

This course is designed to introduce students to commonalities and differences among the countries of East Asia: China, Korea, and Japan. We explore the classical Chinese civilization to accommodate their own indigenous traditions. Our objective is to understand the dynamic process of invention and interpretation that have shaped the major social and cultural traditions of East Asia over the ages. Students are encouraged to draw on their knowledge of Western civilization and engage critically with East Asian ways of thinking about topics including governance and institutions, human nature and the relationship between the individual and society, and what constitutes an ethical way of life.

Gruff warriors, elegant courtiers, industrious peasants, urban sophisticates, and bold modernizers-these are just some of the characters we will encounter in this survey of premodern and modern Japanese history. In addition to weekly lectures on major narrative themes, we will analyze and discuss a wide variety of primary sources including early records of the Japanese people; official proclamations; the acerbic diary of a Heian courtier; tales of medieval samurai and the surprising autobiography of a warrior living in a time of peace; classics of premodern and modern Japanese literature; and an anthropologist's analysis of contemporary popular culture.

This course will focus on the history of Mexico through the study of many sub-themes including cultural identity, conquest, stereotypes, economic and political development, the role of the Catholic Church, gender, and political upheaval and reform. This course will rely upon lecture, class discussions based on assigned readings from our text and supplemental sources, reports, and videos to enhance student learning.

Prerequisite(s): HIST 110 Introduction to Latin America or permission of the instructor.

The nineteenth century was a pivotal era in the history of East Asia. China, Korea, and Japan responded to pressures at home and abroad in ways that left each country dramatically transformed by the beginning of the twentieth century. This seminar is intended as an introduction to the breadth and depth of the changes that took place in the three countries during this period, with particular emphasis on linkages across national borders. We will read a wide variety of scholarly studies and primary sources in translation as we examine topics including: the legacy of early modern political and cultural forms; encounters with Western imperial powers; the rise of nationalism; rebellions; and the emergence and regional consequences of Japanese imperialism.