Description

In this course, we explore America’s history before permanent European settlement through the Civil War and Reconstruction. You will study broad themes such as concepts of citizenship and the nation, the role of Native Americans, politics, economic changes, territorial shifts, gender roles, religion, race, slavery, and intellectual and cultural patterns. We will focus on the various and competing definitions given by a wide variety of people to “America,” “freedom,” “citizen,” and “revolution.” What was America, and who counted as Americans? What rights, duties, and privileges came with being Americans? What did it mean to be excluded from this identity? What revolutions changed people’s lives, and how?