History Courses
100-Level Courses
Courses at the 100 level, designed specifically for first-year students and sophomores, provide a broad introduction to African, American, Asian, Middle Eastern, Caribbean and Latin American, and European history.
103. Development of the United States, 1607-1877.
This course surveys the creation and development of American society from the European invasions and settlement of North America to the Reconstruction period at the close of the Civil War. While the course follows the chronological development of and changes in American society, it also considers, in some depth, the major ideas and social movements that gave shape to the nation through primary and secondary sources. Topics include Puritans, the American Revolution, slavery, the Great Awakening, federalism, sectionalism, the Civil War, and Reconstruction drawing on the racial and ethnic diversity of the American experience. Also offered through Native American Studies and Peace Studies. Fulfills HU requirement.
104. Development of the United States, 1877-Present.
The development of American society from the end of Reconstruction to the present. Emphasis is on the institutions, ideas, and movements that have shaped modern American society. Using both primary and secondary material, the course discusses the chronological development of and changes in American society as well as such topics as industrialization, urbanization, consumption and popular culture, the United States as a world power, the civil rights and women’s movements, the Vietnam War, Watergate, and the end of the Cold War. Also offered through Peace Studies.
105. Early Asian Civilizations.
An introduction to the history of Asia to 1800 CE. The course focuses on several themes, all turning around how cultures and societies evolve and develop in interaction with each other. We explore cultural encounters through trade, war and diplomacy, personal encounters between individuals of different cultures and the processes of cultural diffusion, and pay attention to geography and the critical use of primary documents. Also offered through Asian Studies and Peace Studies. Fulfills HU and DIV13 requirements.
106. Modern Asia.
This course examines the Asian region from 1650 to the present. We discuss the creation, dismantling, and continuing remnants of colonialism, World Wars I and II in the Asian context, the Cold War, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and recent economic development. The course begins with an overview of Asian geography, culture, and history. It is designed to introduce students to major events and issues of modern Asia and also to improve students’ skills in critical reading, writing, use of primary and secondary sources, and oral communication. Also offered through Asian Studies and Peace Studies.
107. Intro to Peace Studies.
(No Seniors) This course examines historical and recent examples of nonviolent efforts to respond to conflict, address social injustice and other forms of harm, and promote "positive peace." We'll study approaches recommended by historical and contemporary scholars and practitioners for constructively transforming conflicts from the interpersonal to the global levels. This entails, among other things, exploring relationships between inner and outer peace, people and their communities and governments, and humans and the environment. Other topics include religious beliefs, personal power, social identity and positionality in relation to others, group and inter-group dynamics, community activism, diplomacy, and animal welfare and rights. Fulfills HU Distribution and DIV13 Distribution.
- HIST-107/PEAC-102 is required for the minor in Peace Studies and must be completed to declare the minor and before completing other courses for the minor.
- Please note that PEAC-100/PHIL-120 and HIST-107/PEAC-102 cannot both count toward the minor in Peace Studies; only one of these courses can.
108. Introduction to African Studies.
This course serves as a broad, interdisciplinary introduction to the study of Africa. Course materials and readings are designed to give special emphasis to African initiatives and perspectives in shaping their own history. African interactions in a global context are emphasized to highlight issues such as the Atlantic slave trade and colonization. Other topics include cultural diversity, geography and environment, religious expression, and development. At the end of the course students will be able to see how Africans have participated in world historical events and explain the many forces that have shaped African societies over the past 500 years. Fulfills HU and DIV13 requirements. Also offered as AFS 101.
109. Introduction to European Studies.
This course is an introduction to the histories and cultures of what we now call Europe, with particular focus on the different ways inhabitants of the region have defined their identities, especially in relation to other groups (from the Greco-Roman idea of “civilization” and “barbarians” to the medieval vision of “Christendom” to the Cold War division between Eastern and Western Europe to the current European Union). We explore the geographical, social, and cultural worlds of Europeans in several historical moments and in the present, but do not survey the entire history of “western civilization.” The course will also consider how European culture and history relate to the history of the rest of the world. Fulfills HU and DIV13 requirements. Also offered through European Studies.
110. The Scientific Revolution.
This course covers the development of scientific thought in the period 1500 to 1725. It examines changing views of nature in the fields of anatomy and physiology, astronomy, and physics. Although the primary focus is on specific scientific developments, they are discussed in the context of concurrent social, economic, and religious changes. Also offered as PHYS 110 and through European Studies.
111. History of Funk (0.5 credits)
The History of Funk is a 0.5-unit course centered on the study of the R&B, Soul, and Funk music of the 1950s-1970s in both the immediate context of the Civil Rights revolution in the US, and in the broader context of the history and practice of the African musical diaspora. The course does not require musical training or ensemble participation; it will meet at several points during the semester with the SLU Funk ensemble, in order to experience musical work that echoes the performance aesthetics of the genres that we will study. Students will, in the form of essays and with the opportunity for more artistic assignment responses, investigate a music that became a voice and artistic reflection of a crucial moment and movement in American history.
115. Introduction to Caribbean and Latin American Studies.
This course is an introduction to the richness of Caribbean and Latin American cultures, the region’s turbulent history of conquest and colonization, the diversity of its peoples and history, and the challenges of its development. An important objective of the course is to examine our individual places in the histories of the Americas in comparative perspective. The course provides a framework for study on St. Lawrence’s Costa Rica or Trinidad programs. Also offered as CLAS 104.
160. Introduction to Middle East Studies.
This course is designed as an introduction to the history of the Middle East and to some of the ways in which historians have approached that history. Topics to be considered include the development of classical Islamic culture, the nature of the Sunni–Shii split, the role of non-Muslims in Islamicate societies, jihad, gender and sexuality, and the relationship of the Middle Eastern history to wider historical changes. No previous knowledge or background in Islam or Middle Eastern history is required or expected. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through Peace Studies.
3135. Indigenous Filmmakers v. Hollywood.
Indigenous Filmmakers v. Hollywood is a 100-level seminar open to all students. The most popular versions of Indigenous people are on screen. Moving pictures written, acted, produced and directed by White writers, producers, and actors consistently overwrote the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples. The "reelism" created by non-Indigenous artists became the standard by which Indigenous realism was measured. In this lecture course we will discuss film as a tool of Indigenous erasure and how Indigenous artists have been fighting back by creating their own cinema bringing their own struggles to both the big and small screens.
3142. Black New England.
Black New England: Racism and Resistance in the Northeast is a 100-level seminar open to all students. The history of Africans in America didn't begin with slavery nor did it reside exclusively in the American South. This course will explore the less well-known but parallel histories of African descended peoples in New England colonies/states including Massachusetts, Vermont, and the North Country of New York.
200-Level Courses
Courses at the 200-level are more temporally, geographically, and/or thematically focused than those at the 100-level. Most are appropriate for students at any level, with some exceptions as indicated in APR2. HIST 299 is intended only for sophomores and juniors.
203. Early Canada, 1534-1867.
After laying eyes upon the eastern coast of Canada in May 1534, the French explorer Jacques Cartier remarked that it resembled the “land that God gave to Cain.” Despite Cartier’s initial misgivings, Canada presented numerous opportunities to Europeans, as it had for the First Nations. For three centuries, the northern half of North America was an imperial domain of the French, and then of the British. In 1867, the Dominion of Canada was created, and the first steps toward the Canada that we know today were taken. This course explores the political, economic, social, and cultural life of Early Canada, from the age of European contact to Confederation. Also offered through Canadian Studies.
204. Modern Canada.
On July 1, 1867, the three British North American colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the United Province of Canada (early Québec and Ontario) joined to create the Dominion of Canada. From the time of Confederation to the end of the Great War, Canada remained in the shadow of Great Britain. In the period following the war, the dominion moved toward closer relations with the United States. It is between these two empires, one across the Atlantic Ocean, the other on the North American continent, that Canada’s evolution as a nation might be understood in the broadest sense. Yet, such an approach masks the internal forces that moved Canada from dominion status to one of the world’s most prolific international actors of the twentieth century. In this course, we will examine the “making” of modern Canada from Confederation to the end of the twentieth century by focusing upon the imperial and continental contexts, as well as domestic political, economic, social, and cultural factors. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through Canadian Studies.
205. Nineteenth-Century Europe.
An overview of the political, social, cultural, and intellectual history of Europe in the 19th century, from the French Revolution to the outbreak of the First World War. This era saw the disintegration of previous ways of understanding the world and the rise of new visions of cultural, social, and political organization. Movements including liberalism, nationalism, socialism, feminism, and imperialism sought to reshape the European landscape, while economic and scientific transformations altered Europeans’ experience and perception of the world. We consider a variety of texts, including novels, poetry, speeches, manifestos, visual art, and music. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through European Studies.
206. Twentieth-Century Europe.
An overview of the political, social, cultural, and intellectual history of Europe in the 20th century. Wars, economic upheavals, revolutions, and genocidal atrocities reshaped Europe in the first half of the century, radically altering the physical and psychic landscape. Feminism, socialism, communism, and fascism challenged the political system, while the intellectual and artistic avant-garde questioned basic assumptions of European culture. The Cold War, decolonization, and attempts to express a new European identity defined the second half of the century. We consider a variety of texts, including novels, poetry, speeches, art, and films. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through European Studies.
207. Civil War and Reconstruction.
This course addresses the social, political, and cultural issues surrounding the Civil War and the efforts to resolve them before, during, and after the war. While attention is paid to the military nature of the conflict, special emphasis is on social and political developments that shaped the Civil War and Reconstruction eras. Topics of study include the road to disunion; the dismantling of slavery; race relations before, during, and after the conflict; amendments to the constitution; and the construction of citizenship in the post-war era. Fulfills HU requirement.
208. Ottoman Empire and Early Modern Europe.
This course examines the rise and development of the Ottoman Empire from its origins in early 14th-century Anatolia to the end of the 18th century. In addition to tracing the development of political and military institutions, the course explores changing social relations, with particular attention to the role of women and non-Muslim populations in Ottoman society. A particular emphasis is the relation of the Ottoman Empire to wider global trends and its diplomatic, military, and cultural interactions with Europe. Fulfills HU requirement.
209. Medieval Europe
This introductory course examines the cultural and religious history of encounter and exchange in Europe between approximately AD 500 and 1500. This period from the Fall of Rome to the European exploration of the Americas is a diverse one thousand years of history that historians have called "medieval” from medium aevum, or “middle age” in Latin. We will focus on both the individual flashpoints and long-term processes of how Europe encountered diverse Christian, Jewish, pagan, and Muslim cultures, emerging empires, and trade networks both within and beyond its own borders, including topics such as the Crusades, barbarian hoards, Gothic architecture, the Black Death, and pilgrims’ badges. By studying historical events and individuals through material objects as well as primary documents in hands-on activities, students will understand the rich diversity of European society in the medieval period. Fulfills HU requirement.
210. Renaissance & Reformation
From the rebirth of classical culture in the Renaissance to the religious violence of the Reformation, early modern Europe witnessed a significant period of change in the three hundred years between c. 1500 and c. 1800. This course will focus on larger movements and themes in the religious, cultural, and political histories of Europe while also placing special emphasis on the material culture of global trade and cultural exchange between Europe and the world. Europeans traveled and consumed the globe with terrible consequences for indigenous peoples enslaved in the name of profit and religion. By studying these events, individuals, and material objects—such as the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, imitation porcelain in Mexico, the bones of Incan warriors, and the erudite letters and art of Renaissance women—we will understand how European society defined itself in relation to others in the tumultuous early modern period. Fulfills HU requirement.
211. Women in Modern Europe, 1750 to the Present.
This course surveys the roles of women in the political, economic, and social history of modern Europe. Beginning with the 18th century, the course traces the public and private activities of women and the changing cultural definitions of those activities up to the present. Topics include the Enlightenment, industrialization, revolutionary and wartime activities, feminist movements, and the rise of the welfare state. Fullfills HU. Also offered through European Studies.
213. Global Environmental History.
What myths and theories have various societies created about their natural environment? How have they understood their place in the natural order? How have they changed their environment and been changed by it? This course explores environmental history, focusing on how humans have interacted with nature over time. In environmental history, animals, plants, diseases and climate are actors as much as humans and human institutions. We examine case studies from around the world including Asia, Europe and North America in a variety of time periods from ancient to modern. Fulfills HU and EL requirements.
215. US Environmental History
A survey of major themes in U.S. environmental history between ca. 1500 to the end of the 20th century. These themes include how people have thought about the natural environment and how we have changed and been changed by the environment over the last few centuries. Along with a narrative textbook, we will use readings from primary documents and scholarly articles to look in depth at a smaller number of topics. These include studies on Native American peoples' relationship to the land, the ecology of Colonial New England, and comparative forms of agriculture from colonial to recent times, with a particular focus on farming in the Midwest. Fulfills HU and EL requirements.
222. Unplanned Republic 1607-1789
A topical survey of the political, cultural and economic developments during the colonial era leading to the creation of the United States. Particular attention is paid to interaction between European settlers, Native Americans and African Americans and the role this interaction played in shaping a distinctive American culture. Fulfills HU requirement.
223. Union in Crisis: US 1787-1877
What an exciting time in American history! A new republic, a democratic experiment, an opportunity to make America the beacon of freedom in the world. And yet, in this new republic were enslaved men and women, Native American men and women whose very right to exist was continually challenged, women who were legally, socially, and politically subordinate to men, and new immigrants arriving every day. How would this experiment in democracy fare? Why was it that in a matter of decades, the Union would come to civil war? We’ll read primary and secondary documents to answer these questions. Fulfills HU requirement.
224. The Gilded Age to the Great Depression, 1870s to 1930s
The name of the historical period known as "The Gilded Age" comes from a satirical novel of the same name (1873) by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley. In the authors' depiction, behind the sparkling wealth amassed during the Industrial Revolution lurked men's unbridled greed and political corruption. This course examines the social, cultural, and political history of the United States in the aftermath of the Civil War. Topics include industrialization and the urbanization and immigration that accompanied it, workers' collective efforts to improve their working conditions and compensation, westward expansion of the United States into the lands of Native Americans and others already there, the re-establishment of racial hierarchy in the post-slavery South, American imperialism in the Caribbean and Pacific, movements to reform politics and society, the woman suffrage movement, World War I, the 1920s, and the Great Depression.
226. The United States from World War II to the Present
Exploration and analysis of American society, culture, domestic politics, and foreign relations since World War II. This period encompasses the emergence of the Cold War and the construction of what President Dwight Eisenhower called "the military industrial complex"; the "Red Scare" in the United States and anticommunism in foreign relations; changes in the US and global economies; the "new" immigration; movements for racial and gender equality; transformations in attitudes about sexuality and disabilities; conservative reactions to social and cultural changes; the aftermath of the Cold War; the computer and internet revolutions; the increasing gulf between the wealthy and the rest of us; and the political and cultural wars we experience today.
229. Introduction to Native American History.
This course introduces students to key themes in the study of the history of indigenous peoples, focusing primarily on those peoples theme of Native peoples’ reactive adaptations to historical change. Fulfills HU and DIV13 requirements. Also offered through Native American Studies and Peace Studies.
230. The Middle East in the Nineteenth Century.
This course examines the “long 19th Century” in the Middle East, from the end of the eighteenth century to ca. 1920. In doing so, it will center on the chief questions of the era: European imperial intervention, nationalism, and the challenges of modernization. Key questions will include integration into world markets, the development of Islamic modernism, sectarianism and communal violence, and the changing status of women and non-Muslims. No previous knowledge of the Middle East is required or expected for this course. Fulfills HU requirement.
231. The Modern Middle East.
This course examines the history of the Middle East from the end of World War I to the present. The class addresses issues such as the development of national states, the rise of political Islam, changing understandings of gender and sexuality, the Arab-Israeli Conflict, oil, growing US involvement in the Middle East. A central focus of the class is understanding the contemporary Middle East in its historical context.
233. Colonial Latin America.
This course surveys the formation and historical development of colonial Latin America. We begin with initial encounters between indigenous peoples of the Americas and Iberians in the 15th century and end with Portugal and Spain’s loss of their mainland colonies in the Americas in the 1820s. Part of our task is to understand the dynamics of race, class, and gender in the colonial societies that developed from the violent collision of cultures during the conquest. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through Caribbean, Latin American, and Latino Studies and Peace Studies. Fulfills HU requirement.
234. Modern Latin America.
This course surveys the history and development of modern Latin America. We begin with a brief overview of the colonial and early national periods, but the main focus of the course is from 1870 to the present. Some of the issues that concern us include the historical roots of the human and cultural diversity of modern Latin America, the region’s relationships to a changing world economy, politics and human rights, and migration and diasporic cultures. Fulfills HU and DIV13 requirements. Also offered through Caribbean, Latin American, and Latino Studies and Peace Studies.
239. Imperial Spain.
This course considers Spain as both an agent and an object of colonization. Its chronological sweep is broad, from ancient times through the 19th century. The central portion of the course focuses on Spain at the height of its imperial power, from the mid-16th to the mid-17th centuries, with Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quijote (in a modern English translation) as an important source. Themes include religious, cultural and racial diversity in Spain and its empire, and the price of empire for Spanish development. Fulfills HU requirement.
243. Origins of U.S. Foreign Policy (Colonial Era to 1900).
Since its creation, the United States has been connected with the wider world through trade, immigration, territorial expansion, diplomacy, and war. This course examines the roots and characteristics of American foreign policy and foreign relations from colonial times through the nineteenth century, while giving attention to how domestic politics, public opinion, society, and culture responded to and shaped government policies and international relations. We also consider how ideas about race and gender influenced policies and relations with other nations; how the territorial expansion of the United States affected Native Americans; and how the peoples of other nations responded to U.S. policies. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through Peace Studies.
244. U.S. Foreign Relations 1900-1945.
A history of the development of U.S. foreign policy and relations, beginning with the war in the Philippines at the turn of the century, and continuing through the Second World War and the emergence of the Cold War. In addition to examining traditional diplomacy and economic relations, we consider how public opinion and assumptions about race, ethnicity, and gender influenced U.S. foreign policy and actions. We also examine international responses to U.S. government policies and actions and to the expansion of American culture abroad. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through Peace Studies.
246. The Cold War.
The United States and the Soviet Union were the rival superpowers in the Cold War, but European, African, Asian, and Latin American and Caribbean nations also were enmeshed in the conflict, sometimes in “hot” wars that killed hundreds of thousands of people and devastated communities and natural environments. In class lectures, discussions, and research-based presentations, this course explores answers to such questions as: What caused the Cold War, and could it have been avoided? How did the Cold War affect international and domestic politics, everyday life, and culture in various nations? Why did it finally end (or did it)? What are the legacies of the Cold War? Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through Peace Studies.
252. Conflict in Africa.
From discussions of Darfur, to genocide in Rwanda, conflict is often the center of contemporary discourse about Africa. But what do we mean by conflict in Africa? Is it as violent and widespread as the media portrays? This course uses case studies throughout the last two centuries of African history to examine broad social and political dimensions of conflict. Cases examine issues such as colonialism, ethnicity, generational tensions, and genocide from diverse perspectives. The course is primarily discussion based and will challenge students to develop their thoughts on issues through oral debates and writing assignments. No prerequisites are required. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered as AFS 252 and through Peace Studies.
253. Colonization & Resistance in the British Atlantic, 1500-1800.
Colonization & Resistance in the British Atlantic, 1500-1800 -In this course we examine the lives of the Indigenous, European, and African inhabitants of The British Atlantic World. A study of the British Atlantic World includes more than stereotypes of Puritans and witches. By focusing on the social, economic, and intellectual factors that comprised the early modern Britain, British America, and the British Caribbean we come to understand the influences that reach beyond this era as concepts and identities recognizable in the present day. Fulfills HU requirement.
254. History of Modern France, 1815 to the Present.
This course provides an upper-level survey of French history from the Restoration through the Fifth Republic. The legacy of the 1789 Revolution, the origins of the Dreyfus Affair, the Vichy Regime and the Resistance, de Beauvoir’s feminism, de Gaulle’s and Mitterand’s presidencies, the rise of the National Front, and the confrontation between Islam and republicanism are among many topics explored. The course includes cultural and social history as well as politics and foreign policy. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through European Studies.
256. Slavery and Freedom in the Americas.
This course surveys the genesis and dissolution of the transatlantic slave trade and the slave societies that created the demand for this trade in both North and South America and the Caribbean. The perspective is Atlantic in scope, trying to understand the impact of this forced migration on Africa and Africans and on American societies, defined as all of the Americas, not just the U.S. We also discuss some of the movements to abolish the slave trade and slavery itself, examining how the people involved defined freedom. Fulfills HU and DIV13 requirements. Also offered through African-American Studies, Caribbean, Latin American, and Latino Studies and Peace Studies.
263. African-American History to 1865.
A survey of the social, political, cultural, and economic history of African Americans from the 1600s to the end of the Civil War. Topics include the Atlantic slave trade, colonial and antebellum slavery, family life, resistance to slavery and African-Americans’ participation in the Civil War, and contributions to the building of the nation. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through African-American Studies.
264. African-American History, 1865-Present.
A survey of the social, political, cultural, and economic history of African-Americans from 1865 to the present day. Topics include Reconstruction, the implementation of segregation, the Harlem Renaissance, African-Americans’ participation in both World Wars and Vietnam, the civil rights movement, the black power movement, and activism in the 1980s and 1990s. Fulfills HU and DIV 13 requirements. Also offered through African-American Studies.
267. The Holocaust.
This course focuses on the development of the Holocaust from 1933 to 1945, with attention to the motives of its perpetrators and the experience of victims and bystanders. Topics include historical Christian anti-Judaism and the creation of modern anti-Semitism, legal exclusion of Jews from German life under the Nazis, ghettoization of Eastern European Jews, and the development of Nazi policy from ethnic cleansing to genocide. The course also explores the relationship between the genocide perpetrated against the Jews and Nazi persecution of other groups such as Slavs, Roma, and the disabled. Finally, we consider the Holocaust’s legacies for Jewish and German identity, and for understanding genocide broadly. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered as REL 267 and through European Studies and Peace Studies.
272. The New South.
A survey of the history of the Southern United States from Reconstruction to the present. The primary focus is on the political, economic, and social history of the South, although attention is paid to its cultural history, especially through an examination of stereotypes about the South. A major theme is the interrogation of the notion of Southern “distinctiveness,” how that notion has served the needs of the nation outside the South, and whether the South is still a culturally distinct region. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through African-American Studies.
273. Civil Rights Movement.
This course examines the civil rights movement from Brown v. Board of Education to the battles over Affirmative Action at the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities today. The course traces the ideological developments and struggles in the movement, especially as major protest activities spread outside the South to the North and West; it focuses on the events of the movement and on the disagreements over strategies, tactics, and goals among various civil rights organizations and leaders. The course uses a variety of texts to explore the movement, including memoirs, scholarly articles and monographs, Hollywood feature films, and documentaries. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through African-American Studies and Peace Studies.
280. History of Women in America (1600-1920).
This course examines the history of women in the United States in the context of broad social changes between 1600 and 1920. Political, social, legal, demographic, and economic changes all shaped and informed the experiences of women in the colonies and the United States; the course examines how women responded to these changes and how they worked to bring about changes that improved the circumstances of their lives. Gender relations, race relations, industrialization, immigration, and family structure provide focal points throughout the course. Fulfills HU and DIV13 requirement.
282. Modern Japan.
This course covers Japanese history from the Tokugawa to the present. Treatment is thematic, including the rise and fall of the Tokugawa, Japan’s encounter with the imperialist powers, Taisho democracy, World War II, and social/economic trends since that war. We will read novels, memoirs, and biographies, and use film as well. Students will write response papers on the readings, give oral presentations on research projects, and take turns leading discussion. Fulfills HU requirement.
286. Modern Iran.
This course examines the history of Iran in the modern era. After an overview of Iran under Safavid rule and the early Qajars, this course will focus on social, political, and cultural transformations in Iran from the late 19th century to the present. Topics of particular interest will include the question of “modernity,” the role of the ulema, the Constitutional and Islamic revolutions, the rise of political Islam, the role of Iran in regional politics, and issues of gender and sexuality. Classes will alternate between formal lectures and seminar-style discussions. The instructor assumes motivated students willing to work and to be challenged.
289. Independent Study.
Designed for the exploration in depth of a topic not covered by an existing course, an independent project requires a proposal designed with the faculty sponsor that is approved by the department chair the semester prior to its undertaking. Only one such course may count toward the major or minor.
292. Modern China.
This course covers three revolutions in modern Chinese history: 1) the rise of the Communist Party; 2) the Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976, using memoirs of Chinese who lived through that decade; 3) the “economic revolution” of the 1980s and 1990s in the context of the Pacific Rim region. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through Asian Studies and Peace Studies.
293. Public History.
History is an active process and much of historians’ research takes place in archives and libraries. In this course we explore the field of public history, which includes the collection, cataloging and dissemination of histories that takes place through public sites such as libraries, historical societies and museums. We also practice in the field with an examination of the histories of Canton, St. Lawrence County, and the North Country. The course introduces and utilizes various tools of the discipline of history, such as document analysis, critical reviews, and an understanding of historiography as we research and write local history. Part of the research into this second element of the course will take place through an internship at a local institution such as a historical society or museum. Fulfills HU requirement.
294. Medicine & Empire: Global Health in Historical Perspective.
Practices of healing and promoting health are embedded in broader social relations and provide a rich source of material for historical inquiry. In this course we examine the ways medicine and human health are shaped by relations of power and structures of inequality, paying particular attention to: (1) the roles played by medical practitioners and medical ideas in modern imperialism and in resistance to it; (2) the lasting effects of imperial and anti-imperial perspectives on the contemporary field of global health. Our focus will be on European colonial rule since the eighteenth century and its global legacies. Class materials will draw particularly on examples from sub-Saharan Africa. Counts toward the major and minor in Public Health. Fulfills DIV13 and HU requirements. Also offered through African Studies.
299. Seminar on Historical Research Methods.
This course, required for the major and the minor in history, is designed to offer students an opportunity to learn about and practice the tools of the historian’s craft while examining a particular topic in detail. The main focus is the “history of the history” of the particular topic, also known as historiography. While topics vary, the course proceeds in seminar fashion and entails extensive reading and writing assignments. Fulfills HU requirement. Prerequisite: a 100- or 200-level history course.
3000-3999. Special Topics in History.
The content of each course or section of these 200-level special topics courses varies and will be announced each semester.
300-Level Courses
Courses at the 300 level are discussion-based seminars that explore a focused topic in depth, utilizing a variety of tools of historical analysis. They generally include an expectation of student research. Students registering for 300-level courses must have at least one 100- or 200-level history course or permission of the instructor.
308. European Imperialisms.
The development, transformations, and decline of European imperialism with an emphasis on the 19th and 20th centuries. We focus on the ways that European constructions of gender and race influenced and were influenced by the encounters between colonizer and colonized. A partial list of topics includes the French in North and West Africa and Southeast Asia, the Dutch in the East Indies and Southern Africa, and the British in Ireland and India. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through African Studies, European Studies, and Peace Studies.
311. Nineteenth and Twentieth-Century Science.
This course examines a few of the major developments of the 19th and 20th centuries in some detail. Topics include evolution, genetics, and a synthesis of the two; the wave theory of light and special relativity; the discovery of the atomic and nuclear structure of matter; and the Manhattan Project. Also considered are the various ways historians of science go about constructing the stories they write as well as some of the historiographic issues they face. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered as Physics 311 and through European Studies.
321. Senegal in the World.
Senegalese culture and society emerged from the interactions of groups that circulated in, out, and back to the western-most section of Africa over centuries: indigenous fishing people, pastoralists, farmers and craftspeople; Arab traders and religious teachers; French colonial forces; West African soldiers and students among others. Today Senegalese citizens live, work, and move (sometimes at great risk) throughout the world. In this course, we will explore these encounters and their consequences with the goal of developing a more nuanced understanding of the complex society that is Senegal today. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through African Studies.
325. The Vietnam War.
In this seminar we will examine what Vietnamese call "the American War" (1950s to 1973), as well as key events preceding this, and the aftermath of the communists' victory in 1975. To understand what is more broadly considered "The Second Indochina War," it is necessary to learn about earlier Chinese, French, and Japanese efforts to control the region known as Indochina. Moreover, what Americans think of as "The Vietnam War" involved many nations, among them the People's Republic of China, the Soviet Union, South Korea, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand. We consider a variety of perspectives: those of Vietnamese communists, anti-communists, and “the people in the middle”; of other countries' supporters and opponents of the war, including policymakers, soldiers, and demonstrators; and of Laotians and Cambodians who also experienced war. We also examine how the war influenced American domestic politics, society, and culture—and continues to do so. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through Peace Studies.
331. Imagining the South.
“You should need a passport to come down here.” In 2002, a character in the movie Sweet Home Alabama used these words to characterize the South as a region so unlike the rest of the nation that it is better thought of as a foreign country. This course explores the various ways in which the South has been depicted by non-Southerners and Southerners alike. A variety of genres — historical texts, memoir, fiction, film, music — are used to interrogate the images of the South and to ask what national purposes these images have served and continue to serve. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through African-American Studies.
333. The Age of the American Revolution.
An in-depth examination of the causes, progress, and consequences of the American Revolution, including a summary of the constitutional, economic, and social development of the colonies to 1763; the alteration of British colonial policy after 1763 and the American response; internal unrest within the colonies; the development of a revolutionary movement culminating in the Declaration of Independence; the war to secure independence; and the Constitution of 1787. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through Native American Studies and Peace Studies.
335. Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and the Civil War. Description:
If we are truly to understand the impact of the war on American society, we must carefully consider the roles that Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass played in shaping the events of the day and how people understood them. This semester we'll examine the era of the Civil War from the perspectives of the President and Commander-in-Chief as well as the former slave who captured the world's attention as an ardent abolitionist and civil rights advocate. To better understand the era, we'll look at the letters, speeches, and writings of both men and explore the roles they played in their extraordinary times. Fulfills HU requirement.
340. Race, Ethnicity, and Baseball.
This course takes a historical and philosophical look at race and ethnic relations in the United States since the Civil War as reflected in the history of professional baseball both on and off the field. Throughout the course, we will devote our attention to epistemological and moral questions related to race and ethnicity. What is race or ethnicity? Do we have a moral obligation to eradicate discrimination based on race or ethnicity? Fulfills HU requirement.
352. Playing Indian: Native American Stereotypes in American History and Imagination.
When are Indians not Native Americans? When they are the stereotypes created as expressions of the cultural and historical hegemony of a predominantly non-Native society that obscures the diverse realities of the real people. Since the 15th century, when Native peoples were named “Indians” by a very confused explorer, Natives have been regarded as more historical objects than agents. We discuss the historical construction and use of “Indians” by colonists, modern (non-Native) Americans, and Native Americans themselves, and examine Indian stereotypes in the construction of the American ideal in history, art, film, literature, television, and music. Fulfills HU and DIV13 requirements. Also offered through Native American Studies.
365. Colloquium in American History.
Topics vary. Consult the semester course schedule for current offerings.
368. Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict.
This class explores the development of two competing nationalism movements, Israeli and Palestinian, from their roots in the 19th century to the present day. Beyond gaining an understanding of the development of “the conflict,” this course pays particular attention to the development of both Israeli and Palestinian identities and societies. Other key considerations are the interaction between politics and history and an examination of some of the key historiographical debates in the field, including the wars of 1948 and 1967, the peace process, and the “authenticity” of national constructions and nationalist claims. Texts include secondary and primary source readings, novels, and films. Fulfills HU requirement.
371. Eighteenth-Century Europe and the French Revolution.
This course examines the origins of the French Revolution in 18th-century Europe and the revolution itself. Topics include social, economic, and cultural as well as political questions; the consequences of the revolution for France, Europe, and the world up to 1815 are considered. The ever-changing historiography of the revolution provides the organizing principle for the course. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through European Studies and Peace Studies.
372. European Identities, 1700-2000.
This seminar examines the construction and transformation of European identity in the 19th and 20th centuries. The impact of the encounters between Europeans and non-Europeans on the culture and society of both old and new Europe is a particular focus. Beginning with the debates on national identity in the early 19th century and continuing with inter-European migration and colonial expansion, the course examines the developing relationship between European and colonial peoples that led to the establishment of significant immigrant communities in the West. The course concludes with an assessment of topics relevant to current European social and political concerns. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through European Studies.
373. Japan and the United States in World War II, 1931-1952.
In this course we examine the relationship between Japan and the United States in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. We discuss anti-war political activism in the U.S. and Japan, the internment of Japanese-Americans, the role of propaganda in both countries, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Allied occupation of Japan after the war. We work on writing and oral communication skills and discuss such concerns as how cultures understand and misunderstand each other. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through Peace Studies.
375. Colloquium in European History.
Topics vary; consult the semester course schedule for current offerings. Also offered through European Studies.
376. Colloquium in African History.
Topics vary; consult the semester course schedule for current offerings.
377. Colloquium in Asian History.
Topics vary; consult the semester course schedule for current offerings. Also offered through Asian Studies.
378. Colloquium in Caribbean and Latin American History.
Topics vary; consult the semester course schedule for current offerings. Also offered through Caribbean, Latin American, and Latino Studies.
379. Colloquium in Middle Eastern History.
Topics vary; consult the semester course schedule for current offerings.
382. Genocide in the Modern World.
The last two centuries have seen mass violence on a scale unprecedented in human history. Among the most horrifying forms this violence took was the attempt to systematically exterminate whole religious/ethnic/national groups, which Raphael Lemkin coined the term “genocide” to describe. In this course, we examine individual historical cases of genocide (including the colonial killings of indigenous peoples, the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, Khmer Rouge Cambodia, and the Rwandan genocide) and also consider theoretical approaches that seek to explain its causes and dynamics. We also survey the history of attempts to prevent genocide. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered through Peace Studies.
4029. You in Historical Context.
In this 300-level seminar we will study narratives that blend personal stories with historical events in various times and places. We'll also examine local, national, and global events and other historical aspects of the recent era in which students have lived. Each student will develop a multi-media research project to create a narrative of her/his/their own experiences, opportunities, and challenges in historical context. Pre-Requisite: One 100- or 200-level HIST course. Fulfills HU Distribution.
- Pre-requisite: Any 100 or 200 Level History Course - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
471-480. SYE: Senior Seminars.
Senior seminars, restricted to senior majors and minors, are normally limited to 10 students and require the production of a substantial research paper that includes original research. Successful completion of an SYE seminar course, an independent-study SYE, or honors thesis is required for the major. Topics vary; consult the semester course schedule for current offerings. Prerequisite: HIST 299.
471-472. SYE: Seminars in European History.
Also offered through European Studies.
473-474. SYE: Seminars in American History.
475-476. SYE: Seminars in Asian History.
Also offered through Asian Studies.
477-478. SYE: Seminars in Comparative History.
480. SYE: Seminar in Contemporary Africa.
From political strife to economic and social challenges, contemporary African issues current are often described as primordial conditions or products of recent political failures. However to understand Africa today, one must move beyond these simplistic explanations. This course will challenge students to use an interdisciplinary approach to examine how contemporary issues must be examined within a complex historical framework. As a research seminar a substantial portion of class time and assignments are devoted to producing a significant research paper. A background in history and African studies is strongly recommended. Fulfills HU requirement. Also offered as African Studies 480.
481, 482. Internships.
These courses provide an opportunity for qualified juniors and seniors to obtain credit for work at local, state, or national historical agencies, archives, or museums. Supervision is provided by the host agency. Responsibility for evaluating the experience rests with the history department faculty coordinator. The internship must be set up in the prior semester at the initiative of the student, in consultation with one faculty member and the chair. Prerequisite: permission of instructor and chair of the department.
489, 490. SYE: Independent Study.
To qualify, students must have a 3.2 GPA in the history department. Normally, students should have senior standing, with a major or minor in history. Applicants must demonstrate that the study they wish to pursue has serious intellectual merit and that their objectives cannot be accomplished within the framework of existing course offerings. This course must be set up in the prior semester. Prerequisite: permission of instructor and chair of the department.
498, 499. SYE: Honors Thesis.