History Courses

Number	Name	Units	Description
HIS 161	The Modern West	1	An examination of the history of modern society, emphasizing that of Western Europe and North America, but also attending to the West's relationship with the rest of the world. Partially satisfies the Modern Society LADR.
HIS 162	Modern Politics II: East Asia	1	Examines the shaping of modern politics and society in East Asia under the influence of Western political ideology and as a response to Western imperialism. Topics include the Opium War, the Meiji Restoration and colonialism in both Korea and Vietnam. Also explores the rise of nationalist movements and the search through wars and revolutions for civil society in modern East Asia. Partially satisfies the Modern Society LADR and satisfies the Other Cultures LADR.
HIS 163	Order and Change: The Modern West	1	Focuses on the historical causes and consequences of order and change in societies. Partially satisfies Modern Society LADR.
HIS 165	The Family and the Modern West	1	An examination of issues related to the family in the history of modern society. Focuses on Western Europe and North America but also attends to the relationship between the West and the rest of the world. Partially satisfies the Modern Society LADR.
HIS 215	The West: Ancient to Medieval	1	By studying European and American history in a global context and encouraging innovative comparative approaches, the three-course "core" sequence is designed to provide students with a broad geographical, cultural and historical context for evaluating and interpreting historical problems and to give a solid foundation for more advanced work not only in history, but also in other disciplines.
HIS 216	The West: Renaissance to 1800	1	By studying European and American history in a global context and encouraging innovative comparative approaches, the three-course "core" sequence is designed to provide students with a broad geographical, cultural and historical context for evaluating and interpreting historical problems and to give a solid foundation for more advanced work not only in history, but also in other disciplines.
HIS 217	The West: 1800 to the Present	1	By studying European and American history in a global context and encouraging innovative comparative approaches, the three-course "core" sequence is designed to provide students with a broad geographical, cultural and historical context for evaluating and interpreting historical problems and to give a solid foundation for more advanced work not only in history, but also in other disciplines.
HIS 218	Genres of History	1	This class examines history as a genre of writing. Students will select, examine, and critique examples of written history to ascertain what constitutes good style in historical writing, and will write historical essays with an eye towards developing a sense of style.
HIS 225	The History of the American Midwest	1	A survey of America's heartland from the time of European contact to the present, examining the history of European exploration of the region, European and Native American relations, immigration and settlement, territorial organization and statehood, economic development, and the creation and meaning of Midwestern regional identity. Offered alternate years.
HIS 226	Abraham Lincoln and American Dream	1	A course that uses biography, Abraham Lincoln's own words, and popular culture to examine the 16th president in historical context - as a product of the cultural and intellectual currents of 19th century American - and in America's collective memory, as an image and continuing symbol of national values and ideals. Offered alternate Spring Terms.
HIS 227	20th Century America & Your Family	1	An examination of twentieth-century American life, considering the intersection of national history and lived experience. Students will interview family members, using their own interviews and those of their colleagues to make historical arguments about national events and everyday life. Offered alternate Spring Terms.
HIS 229	American Women's History	1	A survey of American women's experiences from the colonial era to the present, giving special attention to the "public sphere" (including politics, the workplace, and the law).
HIS 230	American Military History 1600-1903	1	A survey of the American military history through the conclusion of the Philippines conquest, studying the military campaigns conducted by the Americans during this period. In addition to studying strategy, tactics, and weapons, issues such as the social composition of the armed forces, the influence of new technologies on warfare, the tension between "professional" and "citizen" soldiers, popular attitudes toward war and the military, and the effects of war on American society will be explored. Offered alternate years.
HIS 231	American Military Hist:1903-Present	1	A survey of the American military from 1903 to the present, studying the military campaigns conducted by the Americans during this period. In addition to studying strategy, tactics, and weapons, issues such as the social composition of the armed forces, the influence of new technologies on warfare, the tension between "professional" and "citizen" soldiers, popular attitudes toward war and the military, and the effects of war on American society will be explored. Offered alternate years.
HIS 234	Studies in American Cult. Hist	1	An examination of selected topics in the cultural history of the United States, exploring the ways popular culture, material culture, and everyday life have both reflected and influenced American society. Content may vary. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor.
HIS 241	Tsarist Russia	1	A survey of Russian history from the earliest times to the emancipation of the serfs in 1861. Offered alternate years.
HIS 242	The Soviet Union	1	A study of the events, developments, and personalities that led to the disintegration of tsarist Russia and the beginnings of a new society which has produced tremendous upheaval, millenarianism, intense hostility, and incredible brutality. Offered alternate years.
HIS 243	Tudor & Stuart England	1	An examination of the economic, social, political, and intellectual history of England during the reigns of the Tudor and Stuart monarchs. Offered alternate years.
HIS 244	Studies in Early Modern Europe	1	An examination of selected problems in the history of early modern Europe. Content may vary. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Offered alternate years during Spring Term.
HIS 251	Greek History	1	A survey of Greek history from the Aegean Bronze Age to the age of Alexander. Identical to Classics 251. Offered every third year.
HIS 252	Roman History	1	A survey of Roman history from the founding of the city to the fall of the Roman Empire. Identical to Classics 252. Offered alternate years.
HIS 253	Roman Games	1	Mass-entertainment by means of blood-sports, in the arena and the circus, was a prominent feature of Roman culture. This course will examine the social, religious, economic and political significance of the Roman games from a historical standpoint, including archaeological remains, artistic renderings and literary sources both pagan and Christian. Discussion will also touch on modern parallels and big-budget Hollywood films. All sources in English translation. Identical to Cla 253. No prerequisite. Offered alternate years during Spring Term.
HIS 264	The World Since 1945	1	A survey of events and developments throughout the world from the end of the Second World War to the present. Offered alternate years. Satisfies Other Cultures LADR.
HIS 265	Studies in World History:	1	An examination of selected topics and themes in world history. Content may vary. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Offered alternate years. Satisfies Other Cultures LADR.
HIS 266	History of China	1	An introduction to the history of China from ancient times through the modern era. Offered alternate years. Satisfies Other Cultures LADR.
HIS 267	History of Japan	1	An introduction to the history of Japan from the beginning of Japanese civilization through the modern era. Offered alternate years. Satisfies Other Cultures LADR.
HIS 268	History of Modern Science	1	This course examines the major developments in the formation of modern science from the 17th century to the present. It focuses on science as human creative endeavor and examines episodes of scientific discovery, debate, and controversy to generate consideration and discussion of such issues as the nature of scientific discovery and the relationship of scientific theories to their social and cultural contexts. Offered alternate years.
HIS 325	The Holocaust	1	An in-depth examination of the ideological underpinnings, implemenation, and legacy of the Nazi effort to exterminate every Jew in Europe. Offered alternate years.
HIS 330	History of American Thought	1	An examination of selected topics in the intellectual history of the United States, exploring the ways ideas have helped shape the meaning of the American experience. Content may vary. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Offered alternate years.
HIS 333	American Colonial History	1	The chronological survey of the European settlement of North America and the development of English colonies with special emphasis on the political, social, economic, and cultural developments. Offered alternate years.
HIS 334	New American Nation 1750-1815	1	The chronological survey of the American Revolution, the War of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the drafting and ratification of the Constitution, the establishment of the new government, and the presidencies of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison. Offered alternate years.
HIS 335	Form a More Perfect Union,1815-1877	1	The chronological survey of a critical period in U.S. history that witnessed national expansion and economic development, the rise of mass political parties and a celebration of democratic culture, movements for social reform, dispossession of Native Americans, slavery, sectional crises, the Civil War, and Reconstruction. Offered alternate years.
HIS 336	The Search for Order 1877-1945	1	The chronological survey of the period when the United States simultaneously became an urban industrial nation and a world power. Offered alternate years.
HIS 337	Modern America 1945-Present	1	The chronological survey of the history of the United States from the onset of the Cold War through its termination, and the profound social changes which marked the nation during those years. Offered alternate years.
HIS 344	The High Middle Ages	1	A study of European history from the 11th through the 13th centuries. Offered alternate years.
HIS 345	The Renaissance	1	A study of the history of the Renaissance, focusing on Italy from the 14th through the 16th centuries. Offered alternate years.
HIS 346	The Reformation	1	A study of European religious history during the period of the late Middle Ages and Reformation. Offered alternate years.
HIS 348	French Revolution & Napoleon	1	An in-depth examination of the turbulent 25-year period that dramatically reshaped concepts of politics, power, and social relations, polarized contemporary European society, and served as a model of change ever since. Offered alternate years.
HIS 349	Nazi Germany	1	A study of the forces and conditions which made it possible for the Hitler movement to seize power in Germany; of the policies pursued on behalf of and in opposition to National Socialism; of the war; and of the movement's legacies. Offered alternate years.
HIS 350	Florence of Dante & Petrarch	1	Studies in the history and literature of Florence in the 13th and 14th centuries. Taught in Florence during the Spring Term in alternate years. Identical to Eng 350. Permission of instructor is required.
HIS 351	Alexander & the Hellenistic World	1	Alexander the Great remains one of the most compelling figures in all of history, and after his death the Mediterranean world was never the same again. His successors carved up his vast empire between them, and the new hybrid civilization they created (known as Hellenistic or "Greek-ish") was still in place more than a century later when the Romans came along. This course is taught as a seminar and will cover a wide range of topics, including warfare, politics, society, culture and always the problem of evidence. No prerequisite, but students are encouraged to contact the instructor in advance. Offered every three years. Identical to Cla 351.
HIS 358	The British Empire	1	An examination of the development, maintenance, and dismantling of the British Empire from the late 18th century to the late 20th century. In addition to learning the narrative of the history of the British Empire, students will examine the reciprocal effects of imperialism on the social, intellectual and political experience of each of the cultures involved, with special emphasis on Britain, India, and the African continent. Offered alternate years.
HIS 362	Modern China	1	An examination of current scholarship on modern and contemporary China, focusing on topics such as the 1911 Revolution, the Communist Revolution, and the Cultural Revolution. Offered alternate years. Satisfies Other Cultures LADR.
HIS 364	Traditional China	1	An examination of social and intellectual changes in ancient China by studying Chinese texts (in translation). Offered alternate years. Satisfies Other Cultures LADR.
HIS 365	History of the Middle East	1	An introduction and examination of the history of the Middle East from pre-Islamic times to the modern era. Offered alternate years. Satisfies Other Cultures LADR.
HIS 366	Studies in Historiography	1	An examination of selected topics in the ancient world, emphasizing the history, philosophy, and methods of historical investigation. Content may vary. May be repeated for credit with the permission of the instructor. Offered alternate years. Identical to Cla 366.
HIS 367	China and Christianity	1	Explores the historical encounter between China and Christianity against the backdrop of the broader contacts between China and the West. Explores the role of late imperial and modern China and looks at how China's turmoil since the Opium War helped shape an emerging popular Christianity that is becoming a permanent part of the religious and cultural landscape of the country. Satisfies the Other Cultures LADR. Offered alternate years.
HIS 371	Historical Research	1	A seminar exploring historiographical traditions and methods of historical analysis. Intended for history majors in their junior year.