Department: History

Code Name Description
HIST 199 Elements of Historical Thinking Introduction to aims and methods of historical thinking. Through concentrated exploration of a particular historical issue, students develop their understanding of the nature and limits of historical evidence, various legitimate ways of approaching i...
HIST 200 Colonial America Survey of colonial history from earliest British settlements to the end of French and Indian War in 1763.
HIST 201 The American Revolution Study of the War of Independence and formation of the Republic, 1763-1788.
HIST 202 The Early American Republic An exploration of the history of the Early American Republic from the beginnings of the American Revolution through the Ware of 1812 and its aftermath. Examines the beginnings of the United States, with particular attention to the formation of govern...
HIST 203 Slavery and Freedom in Early America Explores the history of slavery and freedom in Early America, from the beginnings of the Atlantic slave trade to the eve of the Civil War. Pairs primary and secondary sources to ask how historians locate, interpret, and write about slaverys archive.
HIST 204 The Civil War and Reconstruction Examination of slavery, sectional controversy, secession, the war, and the political, economic, and social problems of Reconstruction.
HIST 205 Tobacco An examination of US, global, and local history through the lens of tobacco, one of the worlds most significant and revolutionary commodities.
HIST 206 African American Women’s History Through primary and secondary sources, the course will explore the experiences of African American women in the history of the United States as community members, leaders, organizers, and theorists from the 15th through the 20th century.
HIST 210 African American History Introduction to major questions, themes, and events in African American history to understand how African Americans impacted the past and present. We’ll move from the seventeenth century to the present, focusing on the perspectives and actions of Afr...
HIST 211 Supreme Court Cases of the 20th Century Cases decided by the US Supreme Court in the 20th century. Topic areas vary from semester to semester. Emphasizes thinking historically about courts and the law by focusing on the social, political, and cultural context in which cases are brought to...
HIST 212 Modern U.S. Social Movements Historical study of efforts by individuals to act collectively to change political, social, economic, and cultural systems in the modern US.
HIST 213 Lawrence v. Texas Examines the 2003 US Supreme Court decision that found laws criminalizing private consensual sodomy unconstitutional and the impact of historical scholarship in this landmark decision. In addition to an in-depth examination of the case, topics includ...
HIST 214 The Scottsboro Trials An examination, in its historical context, of a famous 1931 legal case in which nine Black teenagers were falsely accused of raping two white women in Scottsboro, Alabama.
HIST 215 United States in the Cold War Survey of the history of the United States since World War II in transnational perspective. Topics will include the Cold War, the interrelationship between foreign policy and domestic politics, American involvement in the developing world, migration,...
HIST 216 American Culture, 1945-2000 Survey of American ideas and culture since the Civil War. Topics will include the "social questions" of the 19th century; visions of the self and society; the role of science and expertise in American life; political debates over freedom and the mark...
HIST 217 Vietnam Wars Examines the twentieth-century wars that consumed Southeast Asia and remade nations and international politics. While emphasizing the American War (1964-1973) and its impact on US politics and foreign policy; also explores the multiple histories, per...
HIST 218 State and Society in Modern America Survey of United States political and social development in the twentieth century. Topics include immigration and ethnicity, the American labor movement, the New Deal, World War II, urban crises and suburbanization, the postwar civil rights movements...
HIST 219 Work in Twentieth-Century America Exploration of the connections between work and political, economic, and cultural life in America in the last century, addressing such questions as: How did the meaning of work change for Americans in the twentieth century? How did work generate prot...
HIST 220 Reagan's America Survey of United States political and social movements in the late twentieth century. Does not focus exclusively on Ronald Reagan himself but rather the time period, the development of new conservatism in America, and the political climate that led t...
HIST 221 Classical Greece Survey of Greek history from end of the Bronze Age through career of Philip II of Macedon.
HIST 222 Hellenistic Greece and Republican Rome Investigation of rise of the Roman hegemony in context of the Hellenistic Mediterranean. Special attention given to role of Hellenistic kings.
HIST 223 The Roman Empire Study of how the Romans and their Byzantine followers maintained an empire in the hostile atmosphere of the first five centuries of our era.
HIST 224 The Crusades An overview of the roots of the crusading movement; the ways in which the crusades brought three world cultures (the West, Byzantium, Islam) into contact and confrontation; the vitality of the crusading idea in Western Europe; and how crusades histor...
HIST 225 Medieval Italy Study of Italy from the formation of the communes to the first stirrings of the Renaissance. Emphasis on the development of the commercial economy, differential development between North and South, the emergence of a strong Papal State, and the cause...
HIST 227 The High Middle Ages Overview of some of the principal social, political, and cultural developments in Europe c. 1000-1300 with special attention to the increasing vitality of urban culture, the varying position of women, the formation of bureaucratic "states", and the e...
HIST 230 The Renaissance Overview of the culture, politics, economics, modern science, and overseas expansion of the Renaissance, especially in Italy.
HIST 232 British Business History Survey of British business history from the late eighteenth century until the present with an emphasis on intersections between business history and the histories of society, culture, and imperialism.
HIST 233 Reformation Europe Survey of the Protestant and Catholic reformations with emphasis on the social, political, and cultural implications of church reform.
HIST 236 Russian Empire, Soviet Union, and After Political, social, diplomatic, and cultural overview of the fate of the Russian Empire and Soviet Union from the Napoleonic Wars through the end of the Cold War with special focus on nationalism, socialism, Stalinism, and the fall of the USSR.
HIST 237 Witches, Heretics and Unbelievers Exploration of the history of popular belief, witchcraft, and the Enlightenment in early modern Europe, addressing such questions as: How did popular ideas about church reform shape the German Peasants War? How do we explain the rise and fall of the...
HIST 238 France: The Age of Absolutism, 1610-1780 Examination of the growth of the French state under the Bourbon monarchy and the centralizing policies of ministers Richelieu, Colbert and Fleury that saw the expansion of venal office holders and robe nobles as well as the critical counter voices of...
HIST 239 The French Revolution Examination of the social, political, economic and cultural aspects of the Revolution of 1789 in France with particular attention to ideas of liberty and equality and their implementation in the early and later, more radical, phases of revolution, en...
HIST 240 Human Rights and Revolution in the Atlantic World (1750-1850) This course examines the Western concept of Human Rights and how it emerged in an era of revolution. Born of philosophical inquiry, political debates, public protests, and mass uprisings, the claims of political and civil rights for marginalized peop...
HIST 241 Joan of Arc and Marie Antoinette Centers on the lives of two, French, female icons: Joan of Arc and Marie-Antoinette, as a window into the history of early modern women, gender and sexuality. The course also examines representations of these iconic female figures over the centuries...
HIST 242 Modern Germany Study of Prussia and Germany from 1848 to present. Emphasis on unification, political movements, Nazism, and origins and effects of World Wars I and II.
HIST 243 Nazi Germany An exploration of the rise and fall of the Nazi regime, World War II, and the Holocaust, emphasizing how Hitler’s rise to power impacted politics, economics, society, culture, and everyday life in Germany and across Europe. Topics include: the Nazis’...
HIST 244 Propaganda State An examination of the deployment of propaganda in peacetime and war across the span of the twentieth century through the investigation of a series of case studies and broader theoretical readings. Ultimately, the course attempts to offer a definition...
HIST 245 Stalins Terror Study of the USSRs experience with political repression and dictatorship under Stalin between 1917 and the height of the Great Terror in 1936-1938. Topics for investigation include ideology, propaganda, state violence and the most important schools o...
HIST 246 Russia in Revolution, 1905-1934 Examination of Russia in revolution from the attempts at reform in 1905, through the Bolshevik seizure of power in 1917 and the subsequent consolidation of power under Lenin and Stalin. Special emphasis on the nature of "revolution" and questions of...
HIST 247 Modern Ireland An exploration of the rising tides of industrial capitalism and humanitarianism, imperialism and anti-imperialism, nationalism and democracy in Europe between the French Revolution and the outbreak of the First World War. Particular attention will be...
HIST 248 Europe in Crisis, 1881-1949 A survey of the history of the first half of what is often called the long 20th century (1881-2001) from a variety of subdisciplinary perspectives: political history, social history, cultural history and diplomatic history. Case studies are also exam...
HIST 249 Twentieth-Century Europe We often associate the Cold War with propaganda, espionage, nuclear explosions, and the ideological clash between U.S.-style capitalism and Soviet-style communism. But to what extent did these global tensions actually impact the everyday lives of ord...
HIST 250 Modern East Asia: 1600-1960 Exploration of the journeys that China, Korea, and Japan took that have resulted in the shape of East Asia as we know it today, examining their long history of interconnection and philosophical, cultural, and political traditions and the different wa...
HIST 251 Chinese Revolutions Study of the several Chinese revolutions that together spanned the better part of the twentieth century and changed China in fundamental ways, with particular focus on the life and work of the main instigator of those revolutions, Mao Zedong.
HIST 252 China Modern: 1900-1940 Investigation of the period 1900-1940, during which many aspects of the modern Chinese state and society were established. Includes the emergence of Chinese national identity, Chinese vernacular, and the political ideologies that continue to define C...
HIST 253 Opium Wars The Opium War of 1839-1841 is the popular shorthand for the first Sino-British War, a pivotal event in modern Chinese history. It is the first war that the China fought with a Western power in the modern era and is commonly cited as the beginning of...
HIST 255 Meiji Japan: An Emperor and the World Named for Him Examination of the reign of the Meiji emperor (1868-1912), considered to be the period in which modern Japan emerges, as a loose unifying metaphor for the many radical shifts in Japanese society, politics, and culture that occurred in his time.
HIST 260 Colonial Latin America Exploration of the multiple meanings and impacts of the complex, cataclysmic and often times bloody encounter between conquering Iberians (people from Spain and Portugal), Africans and the indigenous people of the Americas and the development of Lati...
HIST 261 Modern Latin America Introductory survey of Latin American history from independence; focus on the quest for political stability, economic development, and social change.
HIST 262 The Making of Modern Brazil Study of how modern Brazil came to be with special attention to comparative issues in the study of slavery, race, gender, and ethnicity.
HIST 263 History of the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands Explores some of the many histories of the U.S.-Mexico border from 1846 to the contemporary era. Considers: What are borders and borderlands? How have they been created? How are borders artifacts of history and geography? How do borders change over t...
HIST 265 Gender and Sexuality in Latin American History Exploration of the socio-political, cultural and economic processes through which gender, sexuality, class, and ethnic/cultural dynamics are interconnected and constructed in Latin America from the colonial era to the contemporary period. Focus will...
HIST 270 Early Islamic World Introduction to the major institutions that evolved under the aegis of Islamic Civilization from the advent of Islam in the early seventh century C.E. through the Mongol invasion in 1258. Since "Islam" in this context encompasses an entire cultural c...
HIST 271 The Modern Middle East Survey of social, cultural, economic and political history of the Middle East from the late nineteenth century. Examines European imperialism, emergence of nationalism, decolonization, and rise of Islamic political movements.
HIST 272 The Ottoman Empire Survey of the history of Ottoman Turkish power from its origins as an obscure band of frontier warriors (ghazis), to its emergence as a world-empire and its eventual collapse in the aftermath of World War I.
HIST 273 The Great War in the Middle East Focusing on the Ottoman Empire, this is a social, cultural, and political history of the war and the mandate period from 1914-1922. Covers a range of topics, including the experiences of the common soldier, changing gender roles, the home front, publ...
HIST 280 Changing South Africa Uses primary and secondary sources to examine the past and the historiography of South Africa, focusing on South Africans practices of race, nationhood, and class. The class centers on South Africans construction and contestation of ideas of race, ci...
HIST 281 Africa, c. 1500 to c. 1900 Introduction to economic, social, political, and intellectual history of Africa from time of trans-Atlantic slave trade to colonial conquest.
HIST 282 Africa in the Twentieth Century Introduction to economic, social, political, and intellectual history of Africa from colonial period to present.
HIST 290 Britain and the World Survey of British history from the late eighteenth century to the present day, including Britains relationship with its empire and the wider world. Topics include social relations during industrialization, imperial crises in Jamaica and India, femini...
HIST 291 Histories of Public Health and Biomedicine in the Global South Historical examination of modern public health experiences, knowledge, and policy in the Global South. Using case studies from Africa, Asia and Latin America in the period from the late 1800s to the present, will examine what biomedicine and public h...
HIST 299 Special Topics: Periods and Regions First-time or one-time courses in regions and periods not covered or not yet covered in the history program.
HIST 300 Claiming the American Revolution This course considers changing interpretations of the American Revolution and its legacies over time, from 1783 to the present. We will begin by exploring key moments in which early Americans argued over the meaning of the war in the decades after it...
HIST 301 The Civil War in Film and Literature Comparison of historians' treatments of the Civil War with its portrayal in documentaries, feature films, and literature.
HIST 306 American Identities Thematic exploration of historical issues of identity development and construction in the twentieth-century United States, focusing on such questions as: What do historians mean by "identity"? How do they use categories like race, class, and gender t...
HIST 321 History of Work in Europe Historical study of the world of work in early modern and modern Europe. Focus on the nature of work itself, how it framed mentalities, created social classifications, informed economic thought, and shaped the political process. Topics include histor...
HIST 323 Gender and Sexuality in Europe Critiques the standard Great Man narrative of Modern European history through the lens of gender and sexuality, emphasizing the intersectionality of race, religion, and nationality. Works chronologically from 1750 to the present, exploring topics inc...
HIST 325 Food and Foodways: The History of food, Diet, and Taste in Europe and the Atlantic World, 1500-1900 Explores various historical approaches to the topic of food in Europe and the Americas. Introduces a variety of historical methods and theoretical frameworks that inform the history of food and foodways. Topics include New World foods and their adapt...
HIST 326 Communism An examination of the historical experience of the USSR or the Peoples Republic of China, this course approaches the historical and philosophical issues surrounding the modern communist experience via the work of nearly two dozen major thinkers. A co...
HIST 329 Brexit: A History Explores what it has meant to be British in the past two centuries as a way of shedding light on contemporary debates over Brexit.
HIST 341 History and Memory: WWII in East Asia Examination of the lingering controversies surrounding the history of WWII in East Asia. The focus is on the intersections of history and memory, and the politics of remembering and representing difficult historical events associated with the war. Is...
HIST 361 Madness and Society in the Modern Era Historiographical examination of such questions as: What is insanity? How do we define the normal and the pathological? Who in society is best suited to determine psychological health and sickness? Can there be sciences of the emotions and sexuality?...
HIST 370 Contending Visions of the Middle East Examination of major debates in the field of Modern Middle Eastern and Islamic History, exploring what the main approaches and their critiques are, how the field (especially recently) came to be polarized and politicized, and where more fruitful midd...
HIST 390 Food and Power in Africa and Asia How have people sought and fought power by managing the production, processing, distribution and consumption of food? This class will draw on case studies from premodern, colonial, and revolutionary contexts to explore how people in China, India, and...
HIST 391 Transnational Social Reform Exploration of the ideas, institutions, and social networks around which movements for transnational reform have been built. Students will examine the history of four movements for transnational social reform since the early 19th century: abolitionis...
HIST 392 Humanitarianism and Development Seminar examining how the categories of humanitarian, human rights, and development emerged; how they became integral to the work of nation states, multilateral institutions, and NGOs; and how they have shaped local politics and the lived experience...
HIST 395 The Historian's Workshop Introduction to various tools used by historians in their work. Topics covered might include: digital methods, the nature of the archive, quantitative methods, paleography, oral history, genealogy, cartographic investigation, and exhibition design.
HIST 398 Historiography Introduction to principles and practices of historical writing. Although some attention is paid to the history of historical writing since classical times, focus will be on contemporary modes of historical writing.
HIST 399 Special Topics: Focused Themes First-time or one-time colloquia on focused topics not covered or not yet covered in the history program.
HIST 400 Research Seminar for Majors Required seminar for majors taken in junior or senior year. Investigation of a topic of limited focus culminating in substantial paper based on common reading and individual research in primary and secondary materials. Topics and instructors vary. Se...
HIST 401 Directed Study Individually designed reading or research program conducted under faculty supervision.
HIST 402 Individual Internship Practical history-related work combined with some academic study.
HIST 406 Summer Undergraduate Research Documentation of the work of students who receive summer fellowships to conduct research [or produce a creative arts project] in the summer. The work must take place over a minimum of 6 weeks, the student must engage in the project full-time (at leas...
HIST 411 Honors Thesis Prospectus Preparation of research prospectus for honors research seminar under direction of appropriate faculty.
HIST 412 Honors Research Seminar Research and writing of honors thesis in history.
HIST 413 Honors Research Seminar Research and writing of honors thesis in history.