Course Description
The following course descriptions are based on those that appear in the History section of the Undergraduate Catalog 2000-2001, supplemented by descriptions of several courses that are being offered as special topics or that were approved too late for inclusion in the catalog. These include History 373: Topics in History: The Rise and Fall of Nazi Germany; History 373: Topics in History: U.S. Environmental History; History 441: The American West; History 443: The Old South; and History 479: Studies in United States History: The Environmental History of Urban America. 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.
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.
310-311 The Ancient World (3,3) 310-Development of Athenian democracy: its successes and failures; polis crisis of the fourth century B.C.; emergence of hellenistic civilization. 311-Origins of Roman imperialism and its consequences: militarism, empire, socioeconomic changes, constitutional crises, emergence of military and political autocracy.
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.
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.
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.
340-341 History of Russia (3,3) 340-To the middle of the 19th century. 341-From the middle of the 19th century. (Same as Russian and East European Studies 340-341)
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 American 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.
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.
362-363 History of East Asia (3,3) 362-East Asia: History and Culture to 1600. Chiefly China and Japan; Korea and Vietnam also included. Confucianism, Buddhism, social structure, political tradition, and Japanese feudalism. Comparison and contrast with Western history and culture. 363-Modern East Asia since 1600. China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. Comparative modernization: Western impact, cultural transformation, communist movement, and Japan's militarism and postwar economic success. Writing-emphasis course.
364 History of China (3) Changes and continuities of the world's longest uninterrupted civilization with a quarter of the human race; similarities and differences between China and Western civilizations; Chinese revolutions in historical context. Writing-emphasis course.
365 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.
366 Ancient Near Eastern Civilization (3) Bronze and Iron Ages. Origin of civilization; institutional structures; imperialism, cuneiform traditions and their perpetuation. (Same as Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations 366.)
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)
373 Historical Issues (3) Variable content. Broad thematic issues in historical perspective. Lecture-discussion. Especially suitable of non-majors; also open to majors. May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours.
373 Topics in History: The Rise and Fall of Nazi Germany (3) This course examines the rise to power of the Nazi party in German, the disastrous consequences of Hitler's brutal and racist programs, and the ending of Nazi domination of Europe. The course traces important questions about the Nazi dictatorship: How deeply rooted were the origins of Nazi ideas in German and European culture? Was the Nazis' rise to power inevitable or the product of converging crises? What drove Hitler's aggressive foreign policy? Did the dictatorship rely more on terror or fanatical enthusiasm in the German population at large? How did the Nazis put into motion their racial plans and program of genocide against Europe's Jewish communities? How was Nazi German finally defeated? To address these issues, our ambitious course of readings includes significant historical monographs, primary sources, contemporary documents, and Primo Levi's memoir, Survival in Auschwitz. This lecture and discussion course will require a midterm, final, a series of shorter essays, and a longer term paper.
373 Topics in History: U.S. Environmental History (History 346 in future catalogs) This course examines the importance of land, water, and other resources to the American vision of opportunity and social progress, and the competition for control of these scarce resources between diverse cultures during the eras of colonial exploration, territorial expansion, industrialization, urbanization, conservation, and 20th-century regulation. The issues debated today -- included the tensions between local and national control, between laissez faire capitalism and social welfare regulation, between democratic action and corporate power, and between the romance of nature and its utility -- are long a part of the American story.
374 A History of Imperialism since 1850 (3) Relationships between the West and Africa, Asia, and Latin America since 1870 across a broad spectrum of critical issues. Includes economic interdependence and underdevelopment, ideologies in conflict with non-Western world views, and the search for individual identity in circumstances of cultural disruption. Writing-emphasis course.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
415 Western Economic Thought since the 18th Century (3) (Same as Economics 415.)
421 Comparative Studies in African and African-American Societies (3) (Same as African-American Studies 421.)
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.
430-431 European Intellectual and Cultural History (3,3) 430-Renaissance to Revolution, 1300-1789. 431-Romanticism to Relativism, 1750-Present.
432 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 432.)
439 Southeastern Indian History (3) Southeastern Indian history from the protohistoric period to the present. Interaction of Euroamerican, African-American, and Native-American peoples; warfare, slavery, resettlement and other policies from the American Revolution to twentieth-century problems such as tribal sovereignty and dependency. 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.
443 The Old South (3) This course will explore life and events in the American South from the colonial period to the end of the Civil War. The lectures and readings will cover a variety of topics, including myths and facts about southern society and culture, slavery and the strengthening of southern distinctiveness, and political events that eventually led to the creation of a separate southern nation in 1861. While political events will be an important part of the course, political decisions grow out of the needs and experiences of ordinary people. We will, therefore, be paying close attention to the experiences of whites, blacks, and native Americans, and men and women of all social classes, whose lives created a unique American society known as the Old South. During the course of the semester, students will take a midterm and a final and write two 4-5 page papers on topics of their choosing. Four additional books will explore selected topics in greater depth. There will be a quiz on each book.
444 History of the South - The New South from Reconstruction through the Second Reconstruction. (3)
445 The African-American Experience from the Colonial Period to the Present (3) Topics in 19th and 20th century African-American history, such as Pan-Africanism and the effect of education on the status of Blacks. (Same as African-American Studies 445.)
446 History of American Culture (3) Topical examination of the origins and development of America's cultural values, attitudes and beliefs from the formation of the nation to the present. Illustrative topics: creation of a national culture; Civil War as cultural conflict; challenge of cultural pluralism; rural versus urban values; cultural upheaval 1920s-30s; present nature of American culture. Writing-emphasis course.
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.
451 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, and relationship between American society and its armed forces. (Same as Military Science 430.)
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.
453 Women in American History (3) Approaches of 432 applied to American society. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Women's Studies 453.)
454 Cities and Urbanization in American History (3) Origins, growth, and influence of American cities in development of the nation, from colonial era to present. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Urban Studies 454.)
456 History of Sports in the United States (3) Development of sports and their significance in American life from colonial period to present. Emphasis on social, cultural, economic and political impact of both spectator and participatory sports in 20th century. (Same as American Studies 456.)
459 Jefferson's America, 1789-1815 (3) Nation-building in the United States from the Constitution to the War of 1812. Economic modernization, the new national government, the first political party system, foreign relations, the changing status of women, the growth of cities, and changing ideas about deference, class, and community. Writing emphasis course.
460 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 460.)
461 Cuban Revolution in Historical Perspective (3) Cuban history with major emphasis on Cuban Revolution and Cuban-U.S. relations. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Latin American Studies 461.)
462 History of Mexico (3) Pre-Columbian, colonial, national, and modern Mexican history, emphasizing the twentieth century's first true social revolution, the Mexican Revolution, and contemporary social and economic problems. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Latin American Studies 462.)
463 Modern Latin American History in Film (3) Major events and trends in Latin America since 1945 as represented in fictive films made by Latin Americans. Topics include economic development, the Cuban Revolution, and Authoritarianism. Writing-emphasis course. (Same as Latin American Studies 463.)
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.
479 Studies in United State History: The Environmental history of Urban American (History 455 in future catalogs) (3) Urbanization and environmental change come together in the revolution of the city's internal environment; the way in which the city influences the wider countryside; and the effect of this on the environmental transformation of that wider world. We focus on American cities which have strikingly different geographic and ecological settings and whose settlement and development occurred at different rates and different times, reflecting the influence of diverse human cultures. The city's constant tension between growth and environmental sustainability and the cultural construction and contingency of environmental knowledge are central themes.
480 Studies in African History (3) Variable content. Different areas of the continent and diverse aspects of the African experience such as African resistance movements, African political parties, the relationship of social and economic development under colonialism to social and economic conditions in modern African nations, and Apartheid and resistance in South Africa. May be repeated. Maximum 9 hours.
481 Studies in History (3) Variable content. Subject matter not covered in other courses. 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.
483 History of U.S. Foreign Relations Since WW II (3) Examines the ideology and practice of U.S. international relations since World War II.
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.
489 Oral Histories of War and Peace (3) Oral history methodologies and interviews with veterans and others who have shaped modern American military history. Special focus on World War II, the Korean War. History 451, U.S. Military History, is recommended but not required.
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)