Department of History

A study of ancient societies, from Sumer through imperial Rome, whose cultures contributed to the development of Western civilization. The course stresses the multiplicity of cultures that melded and conflicted in the ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean worlds, and looks to the origins of cultural symbols that appear and reappear in the emerging Western world.

A survey of world history from the fourteenth century to the present. The course treats the emergence of Europe as the dominant center of global economic change but provides extensive coverage of non-European civilizations and their response to global change as well.

A basic course designed for students wishing to supplement their knowledge of general American history, covering the period from the European backgrounds of colonization in the New World to 1865.

The social, economic, and political structure of Colonial America; the background and development of the American Revolution; and the interaction of social and political life during the Confederation, Constitutional, and Federalist periods. Prerequisite: One year in introductory sequence in history required.

A study of the thirty-five years of American history that followed the Civil War, with particular emphasis given to problems of reconstruction, the achievements and costs of industrialization, the economic and social problems confronting workers and farmers, and the major intellectual and cultural cross-currents of American life during the late nineteenth century. Prerequisite: One year in introductory sequence in history required.

Examines the private lives and public roles of women throughout American history, from colonial settlement to the present. Social attitudes and laws and policies affecting women are studied, as well as women's daily lives, experiences, and accomplishments. Attention is given to women of different races, classes, and ethnic backgrounds. Topics include women's right to vote; involvement in reform movements; family life; education; birth control and abortion; and economic activities. Prerequisite: One year in introductory sequence required.

This course uses American films of the 1930s and early-to-mid 1940s combined with appropriate readings to provide a richer understanding of the social and cultural history of the era. Films from a variety of genres—social protest/ topical exposés, melodramas, screwball comedies, musicals, historical romances, gangster films, and "film noir" detective films -- will present a wide array of themes reflecting the moods and preoccupations of the era. Prerequisite: One year in introductory sequence required.

An exploration of the cultural and political development of medieval Europe in the period 500-1500. Topics covered include the fall of Rome, kingship, feudalism, the medieval church, art and architecture, literary culture, and the realities of everyday life. Prerequisite: One year in introductory sequence in history required.

Russian political, social, economic, and cultural developments from the founding of the first eastern Slavic state, treating Kievan Rus', Muscovy, and the Imperial period from Peter the Great to Alexander II. Prerequisite: One year in introductory sequence in history required.

This course surveys Spanish and Portuguese America from the pre-Columbian era to independence. Topics include the origins and development of indigenous civilizations in Mesoamerica and the Andes, the process of European conquest and colonization, the formation of hybrid cultures, the consolidation of colonial regimes, the late colonial crises and reforms, and the struggle for independence.

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