Course Description
The following course descriptions are based on those that appear in the History section of the Undergraduate Catalog 2009-2010. Not all courses are offered every semester.
221-222 History of the United States (3,3) 221-Settlement to 1877. 222-1877 to present.
227-228 Honors: History of the United States (3,3) Consent of department required. Students will attend the appropriate 221-222 lectures and the designated honors discussion section.
241-242 Development of Western Civilization (3,3) Historical survey of the civilization of the western world. 241-Ancient world to 1715. 242-1715 to present. Writing-emphasis course.
247-248 Honors: Development of Western Civilization (3,3) Consent of department required. Writing-emphasis course. Students will attend the appropriate 241-242 lectures and the designated honors discussion section.
255-256 Introduction to Latin American Studies (3,3) Societies of Latin America with special emphasis on dominant culture patterns, social changes, and impact of nationalism. 255-Pre-Colonial and Colonial periods through Independence era. 256-Latter 19th century and the Modern period. Writing emphasis course. (Same as Latin American Studies 251-252.)
261-262 A History of World Civilization (3,3) Historical survey of world civilization. 261-Origins to 1500. 262-1500 to present. Writing-emphasis course.
267 Honors: A History of World Civilization (3) Students will attend the appropriate 261 lectures and the designated honors discussion section. Writing-emphasis course.
268 Honors: A History of World Civilization (3) Students will attend the appropriate 262 lectures and the designated honors discussion section. Writing-emphasis course.
301 History of Early Greece (3) See Classics 301
302 History of Classical Greece (3) See Classics 302
303 History of the Roman Republic (3) Roman history, 8th-century BC-27 BC. Origins of Rome, development of the Republican constitution, growth of Roman imperialism, Romans and Greeks, collapse of the Republic, and rise of Octavian. Writing-emphasis course. Same as Classics 303.
304 History of the Roman Empire (3)27 BC-AD 211. Age of Augustus, expansion of Roman citizenship, Flavian and Antonine dynasties, barbarians and Romans, the Second Sophistic, and the Severans. Writing-emphasis course. Same as Classics 304.
305 History of the Late Roman Empire (3) AD 197-491. The Severan empire and the 3rd-century crisis, Diocletian and Constantine, the Christian empire, rise of bureaucratic government, the development of barbarian kingdoms, the fall of the western empire, from Roman to Byzantine in the east. Writing-emphasis course. Same as Classics 305.
306 History of Hellenistic Greece (3) See Classics 306
307 Honors: Introduction/Historical Problems (3) Historical analysis, philosophy of history, principles and techniques of research emphasizing the roles of climates of opinion and frames of reference and the problems of evidence, interpretation and objectivity. Required of students working for honors in history. Prereq: Consent of the department.
312-313 Medieval History (3,3) 312-Early Middle Ages: 300-1100. Formation of medieval society and institutions. 313-Later Middle Ages 1100-1400. Height of medieval civilization, and its waning in the fourteenth century. (Same as Medieval Studies 312-313.)
314 Renaissance Europe (3) The period traditionally seen as a transition from the Middle Ages to the modern world. Interrelationship of cultural, social, economic, political and intellectual developments, with an emphasis upon historical interpretation.
315 Reformation Europe, 1500-1650 (3) The period during which Europe witnessed religious disunity, economic dislocation and insecurity, political centralization, intellectual skepticism, the origins of modern science, war and the witch craze. (Same as Religious Studies 315.)
316 Early Modern Europe, 1650-1800 (3) Dynamic conflict of a search for order in an age of revolutions, seen in the continued push for political centralization, the impact of the scientific revolution, the intellectual flowering known as the "Enlightenment'', and the English and French revolutions.
319 Modern Europe, 1750-1914 (3) Political, industrial and intellectual revolutions against traditions. Topics such as the modern population explosion, urbanization, the political emergence of the middle class and the masses, nationalism, imperialism, rationalism and Romanticism in social thought and politics. Writing-emphasis course.
320 Contemporary Europe, 1900-Present (3) The transformation from industrial to post-industrial society and the transformation of the European nation-state. Topics such as war and depression and the consequent political and social instability; totalitarian control; decolonization; the impact of Freud, Einstein and existentialism; welfare states; and the problems of European unification. Writing-emphasis course.
321 New Testament Origins (3) (Same as Religious Studies 321.)
322 Christian Thought (3) (Same as Religious Studies 322.)
323 Deviance and Persecution in the Christian West 1100-1700 (3) Emergence and shifts in movements of dissent; popular perceptions and ecclesiastical and civil policies and institutions designed to uncover and combat heretics, homosexuals, Jews, and "witches. Writing emphasis course.
324 Women in European History (3) Comparative analysis of the roles of women in Medieval, Renaissance, and Victorian Europe. Relationship between family structure, sexual attitudes, and the economic and political roles of women with an emphasis on autobiographical writings by women. Writing-emphasis course. Same as Women’s Studies 326.
325 Women in American History (3) Examines the experiences and perspectives of women in the U.S. from the pre-Columbian era through the end of the 20th century. Investigates how changing beliefs about gender identities have shaped public policy, social institutions, and business practices. Writing-emphasis course. Same as Women’s Studies 325.
330-331 History of England (3,3) 330-to 1688. 331-1689 to the present. Medieval state, church, and society; origins of Anglo-American law, the monarchy and parliamentary government, the Reformation, 17th Century revolutions, commercial, agricultural and industrial revolutions; class conflict, empire, the welfare state, world wars, economic crisis.
332 Europe in the Age of Total War, 1900-2000 (3) Highlights the role of modern, industrial “total war,” with its expanded destructive potential, in fundamentally reshaping Europe in the 20th century. Examines imperialist tensions, World War I, troubled interwar diplomacy, World War II, and the Cold War. Writing-emphasis course.
333 History of France (3) France since the Revolution, 1789 to present.
334 History of Modern Germany to 1815 (3) The First Reich's Fortune and Failure. The development of the German lands, from the medieval empire to its disintegration, through dynastic and religious realignments, to the Austrian-Prussian dualism in the time of Fredrick the Great and Maria Theresa, culminating with the end of the older order in the Age of Napoleon.
335 History of Modern Germany, 1800 to the Present (3) This upper-level course examines the history of modern Germany since 1800. It follows the development of German society, culture, and politics, devoting special attention to the vexed question of how German national identity has been defined and repeatedly recast over the course of the modern era. We will explore the roots of German political fragmentation at the start of the period, the impact of revolutionary ideas and the triumph of reactionary statesmen, the legacies of the failed 1848 revolution, unification in 1871 under Prussian leadership, the impact of World War I and defeat in 1918, the Weimar Republic, the rise to power of Hitler and the Nazis and their attempt to construct a German "racial state," culminating in the Holocaust and the Second World War, leaving Germans divided in the Cold War. After surveying German reunification after 1989, we will conclude by examing present-day German and attempts to embed this state in a wider European Union. To address these issues, our readings include significant historical monographs, primary sources, and contemporary documents. This lecture and discussion course requires a midterm, final, a series of shorter essays, and a longer term paper.
339 Modern Ireland, 1760-Present (3) Ireland's social, political, economic, and cultural history. Themes include: Ireland's status as England's first colony from the Norman period to Cromwell and beyond: peasant revolt, Catholic-Protestant antagonism: and nationalist revolutionary movements; the Famine; and Home Rule, Partition, and independence in the 20th century, with continuing sectarian tensions.
341 History of Russia (3) From the middle of the 19th century.
342 History of Nazi Germany (3) The coming to power of the Nazi party in Germany, origins of ideology, and the rise and fall of the Third Reich. Topics include foreign policy, social policy, World War II, Hitler’s brutal rule and racial programs, culminating in mass murder and genocide against the Jews of Europe. Writing-emphasis course.
343 History of Mexico (3) Survey of Mexican history from pre-Columbian period to the present. Highlights Mexico’s political, economic and social development under Spanish colonial rule, the emergence of the Mexican nation state after Independence, the Mexican Revolution, and the post-revolutionary period. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Latin American Studies 343.)
344 History of Brazil (3) History of Latin America’s largest nation. History of boom and bust economic cycles, slavery and the abolition of slavery, populism, military rule, and redemocratization. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Latin American Studies 344.)
345 Religion in the United States (3) (See Religious Studies 351.)
349 United States Military History, 1754 to the Present (3) The nation’s broad strategic aims and means used to attain them. Shifting strategy, tactics, and weaponry involved in wars. The relationship between American society and its armed forces. Writing-emphasis course.
(Same as Military Science and Leadership 349.)
350 Colonial America to 1763 (3) Social and cultural developments in the American colonies from the point of contact between Europeans and Native peoples through the mid-eighteenth century. Writing emphasis course.
351 The American Revolution, 1763-1789 (3) The growing estrangement of the Ameican colonies from the British Empire, the War for Independence, and the creation of a new American republic. Writing emphasis course.
352 The United States during the Jacksonian Era, 1815-1860 (3) An examination of the major economic and political developments in antebellum America within the framework of the struggle between nationalism and sectionalism.
353 The Civil War and Reconstruction Eras, 1860-1877 (3) An examination of the major political, economic, and social developments in the United States during the Civil War and Reconstruction eras.
354 United States, 1877-1933 (3) America's political, economic, and social development from the Gilded Age through the Great Depression.
355 United States, 1933 to the Present (3) American experience from Roosevelt's New Deal through World War II and the Cold War to present. Emphasizes domestic history but includes military and foreign policy.
356 The 1960s in America (3) The politics, social movements, and cultural rebellions of the 1960s. topics include race riots, anti-war protests, new art forms, Great Society legislation, the rise of neoconservatism, empowerment movements by people of color, Cold War brinksmanship in Cuba, and the escalation of ground and air wars in Vietnam. Writing-emphasis course.
359 History of the US Economy (3) Evolution of US economic institutions with particular emphasis on the financial system and banking, business organization, labor relations, and changing government policy. Writing emphasis course.
360-361 History of Latin America (3,3) 360-Colonialism and Independence, 1500-1825. 361-National Development, 1825 to present. (Same as Latin American Studies 360-361.) Writing-emphasis course.
369-370 History of the Middle East (3,3) 369-Rise and spread of Islamic civilization to the sixteenth century. 370-The Middle East from the sixteenth century to the present. Impact of the West and background of current problems in the area. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Judaic Studies 369-370.)
371-372 African History (3,3) 371-Survey of sub-Saharan Africa from 700-1700. State creation, trade, spread of Islam. 372-Dynamics of Africa's encounter with Europe from 1500 to the present. Slave trade, colonial, and independence eras. Writing emphasis course. (Same as African and African-American Studies 371-372)
375 Revolutions in Historical Perspective (3) Comparative history of major revolutions which transformed political, social, and economic structures and values, such as those in France, Russia, China, Mexico, and Iran. Contrasts and common patterns in their causes, phases and outcomes. Relations between leaders and masses. Major theories of revolution. Writing-emphasis course.
379 The African-American Experience from the Colonial Period to the Civil War (3) Impact of the African slave trade on the cultural, economic, and social development of the colonies. Slave culture, adaptation, and resistance. Freed black people. The formation of an African-American identity. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Africana Studies 376.)
380 The African-American Experience from the Civil War to the Present(3) Topics in 19th- and 20th- century African-American history. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Africana Studies 380.)
381 History of South Africa (3) South African history from the pre-colonial period through the apartheid and post-apartheid eras. Topics include African state formation and resistance to European colonization, the impact of industrialization, the evolution of modern resistance movements, and the first democratic elections in 1994. (Same as African-American Studies 381). Writing-emphasis course. Primary department is History.
382 Archaeology of the Biblical World (3) Introduces the archaeology and material culture of ancient Israel and the biblical world, from the Epi-Paleolithic Period (10,000 – 8,500 BCE) to the end of the Iron Age in the 6th century BCE. Cultural and social influences from the Mediterranean and Near East on ancient Israel will be emphasized along with important discoveries related to biblical history and literature. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Judaic Studies 382.)
383 History of Jewish Civilization I (3) Biblical-Talmudic periods (1200 BCE-600 CE). Origins of the Israelites, development of independent Israelite and Jewish states in the ancient Near East, rise of Jewish Diaspora communities, cultural convergences with Hellenism and early Christianity, and the development of Rabbinic Judaism. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Judaic Studies 383)
384 History of Jewish Civilization II (3) Medieval-present. The resiliency of Jewish civilization in the face of external pressures. Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jewry in medieval Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Jewish mysticism. Judaism’s encounter with modernity. Hasidism and the Haskala. The Reform movement and Zionism, the Holocaust, and the foundation of the State of Israel. Assimilation and the future of Judaism. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Judaic Studies 384)
385 Studies in World History (3) Variable content. Selected topics in world history involving analysis of two or more world cultures. May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours.
389 History of China (3) China to 1600. Surveys the history of Chinese society from the Neolithic Revolution to 1600. Governmental structure, social organization, economic and technological developments, religious practices, artistic, intellectual and literary traditions, and cross-cultural exchanges. Writing-emphasis course.
390 History of China (3) China since 1600. Highlights China’s transformation from a dynastic system to a modern nation state and examines the forces, internal and external, driving China toward a major revolution in the 20th century. Writing-emphasis course.
391 Chinese Intellectual History (3) Surveys the history of intellectual traditions in China through the present. Examines the formation and transformation of cultural values, the social and political roles of intellectuals, and interactions between elite and popular cultural patterns. Writing-emphasis course.
392 History of Japan (3) Japanese history from mythological origins to the postwar age with emphasis on politics and society. Topics include the influence of disease on society, Japanese feudalism, popular culture in the 1700s, the Meiji restoration, and Japanese militarism. Writing-emphasis course. Restriction: Students who have received credit for 365 may not receive credit for 392.
393 History of Modern Japan (3) Introduces the politics, culture and ideologies of modern Japan from 1800 to the 1990s. Investigates the process of Japan’s experience as a modern nation-state, with emphasis on the complex interplay between Japan’s participation in global modernity and its simultaneous assertion of cultural particularity. Writing-emphasis course.
395 The Crusades and Medieval Christian-Muslim Relations (3) The major Christian crusades in the Middle East and Spain, 1050 to 1500; their political and military history; and the larger context of the medieval religious, cultural, intellectual, and diplomatic confrontation between Christians and Muslims. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Judiac Studies 395.)
400 History and Archaeology of Mesopotamia (3) Mesopotamia (Assyria and Babylonia) from the 5th millennium to the Iron Age. Specific topics will include the development of village and state-level societies and the emergence of social and political institutions, literacy, imperialism, and intersocietal interaction. Writing-emphasis course.
407 Honors: Senior Paper (3) Bibliographic search, research and conceptual clarification for the senior paper. Required of students working for honors in history.
408 Honors: Senior Paper (3) Organization and writing of the senior honors thesis. Required of students working for honors in history. Grade of A or B required for honors credit.
429 Medieval Intellectual History (3) The evolution of thought in Europe from late antiquity to the advent of Humanism, especially connections between major thinkers and their social, economic, and professional contexts. Writing-emphasis course.
431 European Intellectual and Cultural History (3) Romanticism to Relativism, 1750-Present.
433 European Diplomatic History (3) Examines the diplomatic history of modern Europe, including the rise of the Great Powers and the “balance of power system”; challenges to the state system by Napoleon, the German empire, and Hitler; the creation of overseas empires, and the decline of European world power. Writing-emphasis course.
436 History of Gender and Sexuality in the U.S. (3) Topical examination of the role of gender and sexuality in American social and cultural history. Topics include marriage, sexual identity, reproductive rights, interracial sexual relations, courtship and dating. Writing-emphasis course.
440 War and Truth in America (3) Explores the relationship between the U.S. government and the press in times of war, with emphasis on the conflict between First Amendment rights and the demands of national security. Writing-emphasis course.
441 The American West (3) This course focuses on the West of history and myth. After a brief introduction to the region prior to significant American intervention, we explore the region from 1803 to the present, with an emphasis on the West's diverse ethnic cultures; its differing perceptions of water, land, and natural resource usage; its extractive economy and colonial status; and the controversy over the concentration of federal lands and federal land management policies.
442 Indian-White Relations in United States History (3) Dilemma of two cultures existing side by side; background and formulation of official Indian policy; undermining of policy by frontier circumstances; Indian wars and campaigns; present-day relationship. Writing-emphasis course.
444 History of the South - The New South from Reconstruction through the Second Reconstruction. (3)
449 History of Tennessee (3) Tennessee's history from the 18th century to the present.
450 History of U.S. Foreign Relations to World War II (3) Examines the ideology and practice of U.S. international relations from independence to entry into the Second World War.
452 The American Experience in World War II (3) Diplomacy and warfare in Europe and Asia and the impact of the war on American society.
464 The Spanish Conquest (3) The history of Iberian and Native American societies leading up to the Spanish Conquest of the Americas, the Conquest, and its aftermath. Spanish and indigenous primary accounts of the process of conquest as well as the cultural, religious, gender, epidemiological, and political impact on Spanish and native societies. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Latin American Studies 464.)
465 Gender and Sexuality in Early Latin America (3) Historical exploration of gender and sexuality in the social systems of pre-Colombian and colonial Latin America, with consideration of both indigenous and Spanish societies. Writing-emphasis course.(Same as Latin American Studies 466.)
469 Studies in African History (3) Significant issues in African history. Variable content. Writing-emphasis course. Repeatability:May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours.
470 Studies in British History (3) Variable content. Selected themes and issues in British history. May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours.
471 Studies in Western European History (3) Variable content. Particular aspects of Western European history such as witchcraft, revolutions, or nationalism. May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours.
472 Studies in Central European History (3) Variable content. May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours.
473 Studies in Eastern European History (3) Variable content. Selected aspects of Eastern European history, especially on Russian and Polish history. May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours.
474 Studies in Medieval and Early Modern European History (3) Variable content. Particular aspects of medieval and early modern Europe. May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours.
475 Studies in Latin American History (3) Variable content. Significant issues in Latin American history. May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Latin American Studies 475.)
476 Studies in Asian History (3) Variable content. Particular aspects of Middle Eastern and East Asian history such as modernization in the Middle East, Revolution in China, Japanese Feudalism, and others. May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours.
479 Studies in United States History (3) Variable content. Particular aspects of United States history. May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours.
482 Colloquium in History (3) Historical theme or problem; emphasis on questions and skills, with special reference to historical writing, including critical analysis of both primary and secondary sources. Recommended for seniors. Writing-emphasis course.
484 Studies in Jewish History (3) Significant topics in the study of Jewish civilization and culture, including the development of the synagogue, Judaism and ethnicity, and the history of Jerusalem. Variable content. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Judaic Studies 484.) May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours
485 Studies in Cross Cultural History (3) Variable content. Comparative analysis of specific historical issues or specific facets of the relationships between two or more cultures. May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours.
486 Studies in the Ancient Near East (3) History and archaeology of Egypt, Anatolia (Turkey), Cyprus, and Persia (Iran). The rise of social complexity and social boundaries in antiquity. Variable content. Writing-emphasis course. May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours.
490 Internship in the Center for the Study of War and Society (3) A structured field work experience in public history at a research center documenting modern U.S. military history, including special projects such as grant writing, interviewing, and archival processing. Prerequisite: Consent of the Director of the Center for the Study of War and Society. May be repeated. Maximum 6 hours.
491 Foreign Study (1-15)
492 Off-Campus Study (1-15)
493 Independent Study (1-15)
499 Senior Research Seminar (3) Historical writing based on original research in primary sources. Variable content. Required for all majors except history honors students. Writing-emphasis course.