DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Spring 2008
HIST 105 C/H 1W. Pre Modern World
4.00 credits
Raffensperger, Christian
Prerequisite: None
The history of the pre modern world is fundamentally about the interconnectivity of the global system. In this class we will discuss kings, emperors, and philosophers from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas in addition to how the kingdoms and empires of the world interacted during this period. Key topics include the development of empire from Persia to China to Rome, the migrations of steppe peoples from Mongolia into Europe over the course of a thousand years, and the religious interactions (and their sometimes violent conflicts) in Eurasia and Africa that resulted in the spread of Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. In addition to discussing happenings within various kingdoms and fledgling states of the world, this class, specifically in lecture and discussion, is designed to look at how those kingdoms interacted with one another and what the consequences were—culturally, religiously, and economically. What was gained, and what lost? Writing intensive.
HIST 105 C/H 2W. Pre Modern WorldPrerequisite: None
Description same as HIST 105 C/H 1W.
HIST 106 C/H 1W. Modern World HistoryPrerequisite: None
Is the world modern? Where does the modern begin and where does it end? What assumptions are implied by defining our present as such? Beginning from 1400, this course will examine the historical development of various states throughout the world and the ways that regions and states embraced or rejected changing definitions of modernity. We will consider these questions from a global perspective (how states and regions interacted with each other from the fifteenth century) and from a regional perspective (how states responded internally to historical changes from the fifteenth century). In particular, we will examine European expansion from the fifteenth through the twentieth centuries and the subsequent attempt of Europe and the United States to define a new world order based upon international standards. We will then consider how this clashed with already existing inter-state systems throughout the world. Writing intensive. Required for Integrated Social Studies Major.
HIST 106 C/H 2W. Modern World HistoryPrerequisite: Freshmen only
Description same as HIST 106 C/H 1W. Required for Integrated Social Studies Major.
HIST 111H 1W Medieval Civilization
4 credits
Bosworth, Amy
The medieval millennium, perhaps more than any other era of history, was a time when personalities shaped and affected the course of history. This course will explore the social, cultural, political and economic changes through the lives of particular medieval people, including peasants, warriors, mystics, kings and saints. Through lectures, discussions, films, debates and readings, the important developments, accomplishments and failings of the medieval centuries will be brought to life. Course assessment will consist of essay exams, short quizzes and class participation. Writing intensive.
HIST 172C 1W. Africa Since 1500Prerequisite: Freshmen only
This course will examine how African political, cultural, religious, economic, and social institutions have responded to the penetration of outsiders over the last 500 years. These outsiders include European slave traders, missionaries, and colonizers as well as Arab traders and Islamic scholars. The impact of the slave trade and later European colonization will be explored in depth. Africans were not passive victims in their own history, and we will focus on how Africans responded to these challenges and struggled for their independence, and how these movements helped shape the fact of Post-Colonial Africa. It is this dynamic interplay between Africans and outsiders which has shaped the formation of modern Africa. Assessment will be based on discussions of the readings, four papers as well as a take-home midterm and final. Writing intensive. Supplemental instruction available.
HIST 201H. 1W: An Introduction to Public HistoryPrerequisite: None
Most adults get their history not from books or courses but from the various ways in which history is presented to the general public. This course introduces students to this field of public history through a focus on three subareas: the historical museum, historic preservation, and oral history. Each major unit will include a project that explores the history of Wittenberg and/or Springfield. We also will utilize the museum and archives of the Heritage Center of Clark County, as well as local government records. Books tentatively include Norman Tyler, Historic Preservation: An Introduction to Its History, Principles, and Practice (2/e); Donald A. Ritchie, Doing Oral History: A Practical Guide; and Richard Carley, The Visual Dictionary of American Domestic Architecture. Tests, projects, writing assignments. Writing intensive.
HIST 201H 2W. The United States since 1945Prerequisite: None
In 1945, as World War II ended, a new ideological conflict engulfed the world. The “Cold War” would dominate U.S. history and international relations for the next five decades. This class will explore how and why the Cold War began, and how it shaped U.S. foreign and domestic policy. We will assess U.S. relationships with other areas of the world as well as the important social, political and economic changes taking place at home in the post-war era. We will explore both broad questions (Why do we remember the 1950s as a time of domestic tranquility? How do we assess the social disruptions and activism of the 1960s?) and specific questions (What was Watergate? What happened during the Iranian Hostage crisis?) This class will give students the opportunity to examine recent U.S. history in detail, to place U.S. history in a larger global context, and to learn basic skills of historical analysis. The course will consist of lecture, class discussion and reading and writing assignments. Attendance is required. Students will be evaluated on their participation in class, and the timely completion of all reading and writing assignments. Writing intensive. Satisfies HIST 222 requirement for the Integrated Social Studies Major.
History 201H 3W Charlemagne and His World: The Early Middle Ages, c.750-950 CE
4 Credits
Bosworth, Amy
On December 25, 800 in the city of Rome and in the presence of the pope Charles the Great (Charlemagne), King of the Franks, became “Emperor of the Romans.” The story of Charles and his family -- today known collectively as the Carolingians -- has intrigued professional historians and the curious for centuries. And for good reason. Charles and his family dominated much of Western Europe politically for over a century. Their story is crucial to understanding the early Middle Ages and their legacy (intended and untended) still resonates today. Over the course of the semester students will be introduced to the political, social, cultural, economic, and religious history of medieval Europe between c.750-c.950. Topics covered will include the decline of the Merovingian kings, the Carolingian Renaissance, the role of women, the nature of kingship in the early Middle Ages, interactions between the Carolingians and the wider world (including England, the Byzantine Empire, and the Muslim world), warfare, and the Vikings. Students will be introduced to primary source documents from the period as well as recent scholarship and learn to critically analyze these materials both in writing and in-class discussions. Writing Intensive.
History 202C 1W: Hiroshima’s ShadowPrerequisite: Sophomore standing.
The course explores how historians write and interpret history by examining the historical memory of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan from 1945 to the present. In particular, through the historiographical concept of historical memory, we will consider how the understanding of the atomic bombings and the reasons for the bombings have changed over time in Japanese public discourse by focusing on primary and secondary sources written by Japanese scientists, artists, and literary figures from 1945 to the present. This course will engage students in the study of the diverse perspectives within Japan regarding the atomic bombing. In particular, the course will focus on differing atomic bomb narratives (for example, those of Korean victims of the bombing and current cancer victims that continue trace their illness to the atomic bombings) in Japan that have been often excluded from public memory and that struggle to survive in the face of erasure from the political center. The understanding of Japanese atomic bomb discourse will be deepened by also pursuing the changing historical memory of the atomic bombings in the United States, since the national narratives of the atomic bombing in the U.S. and Japan are often intertwined. Writing intensive.
HIST. 203H 1W. Negro LeaguesPrerequisite: Sophomore standing
The course will focus on the Negro Leagues that existed in the United States from the early 20th century until the late 1960s. We will also explore the experience of black baseball players both before and after the period of segregation in the United States. While it is essential that we come to grips with the broader political, social, and economic institutions that supported racial segregation, the main focus of this course is to expose the lives that black baseball players made for themselves. In exploring the lives of African-American baseball players, we will focus on an emerging culture and the evolution of race relations. Of particular interest will be the few successful Negro Leagues that operated from 1919 through the 1940s and the long process of breaking baseball's color barrier from 1946 through the 1960s. This course is designed to teach students the basic skills of researching and writing a historical paper. Assessment will be based on a book review, two take home exams, and the main component of the grade will be based on the research assignments and final paper. Writing intensive.
HIST 203H 2W: The Historian’s Craft: Fact and Fiction in The Da Vinci CodePrerequisite: Sophomore standing
Dan Brown’s novel, The Da Vinci Code, has stirred up a lot of controversy. What was so controversial? This course will examine the fact and fiction of The Da Vinci Code. Students will read primary sources and historical monographs relevant to the topics covered in the novel to determine what is “fact” and what is “fiction” in the novel. Specifically the course will examine the historical figure of Mary Magadalene, analyze the Gnostic Gospels, and understand the historical Knights Templar. The aim of the course is to help students determine what is the “real” history behind The Da Vinci Code.
This course is designed to teach students the basic skills in researching and writing a history paper. As a result, class time will be devoted to discussion of writing skills and research techniques. Production of a piece of historical research relevant to The Da Vinci Code will be the main criteria for assessment. Part of this assessment, however, will be assignments key to the production of a research paper, including a paper proposal, outline, bibliography, revised proposal, etc. In addition, students will be required to write analyses of primary and secondary sources and two written exams. Writing intensive. Available for credit toward the Pre-Modern and Ancient World Studies minor.
HIST 221H 1W: United States History IPrerequisite: None
Theses sections of U.S. History I approach the evolution of early American history from colonization through the Civil War as a conversation among different points of view. We will study the colonial, revolutionary, early national and Civil War periods, focusing on the contrasting interpretations of Howard Zinn and William Bennett. Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States: 1492 to the Present is a well-known “left-of-center” account of American history, while William J. Bennett’s recent America: The Last Best Hope, Volume I reflects the more “conservative” viewpoint of Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of Education. Writing intensive. Tests and papers. Required for the Integrated Social Studies Major.
HIST 221H 2W: United States History IPrerequisite: None
Description same as HIST 221H 1W.
HIST 230H 1W. African-American HistoryPrerequisite: None
This course will investigate Africa-American history by focusing on slavery and the struggle for equality after emancipation. The first part of the course will examine the institution of slavery, however, greater emphasis will be placed on the lives that slaves made for themselves. We will ask questions such as “how much control did slaves have over their own lives,” and “how did they resist servitude?” The second half of the course will dedicate itself to the study of the struggle for equality. This class will move beyond the political struggle and will explore the role that culture and an emerging and evolving identity played in shaping the quest for equality. Assessment will focus on the student’s ability to express ideas in take-home essay exams, papers, and oral presentation. Grading will be based on discussions of a variety of readings, 3-4 papers and a take-home midterm and final. Writing intensive.
HIST 252C 1W. Russia Since 1917Prerequisite: None
Russia in this period is fully enmeshed in European and world history. Over the course of this class we will see Russian troops in Paris and Soviet troops in Berlin, as well as Russian and Soviet activity throughout the world. Russia also goes through a series of dramatic changes in this period from the conservative reaction under Catherine’s son to cycles of reform and reaction throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. That cycle will spark multiple revolutions in 1905-6, and 1917, leading to the birth of the first socialist state. The history of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics will occupy most of our time, and we will discuss the building of socialism in one country, as well as the position of the Soviet Union in world affairs. Writing intensive.
HIST 301 1.1W. Topics: U.S. Diplomacy in AsiaPrerequisite: One course in history or permission of instructor
In an increasingly interdependent world it is important to understand the historical forces responsible for creating the current international climate and the relationships between the U.S. and the rest of the world. This 2-credit seminar will explore the U.S. and Asia in the twentieth century. Specifically, we will focus on the U.S. relationship with the Philippines, China, Korea and Vietnam. Class sessions will mix lecture with substantial discussion based on common readings (books, articles and documents). Attendance is required. Students will be evaluated on their participation in class and the timely completion of all reading and writing assignments. Writing intensive. This class meets for the first half of the semester.
HIST 301 1.2W. Topics: U.S. Diplomacy in Latin AmericaPrerequisite: One course in history or permission of instructor
In an increasingly interdependent world it is important to understand the historical forces responsible for creating the current international climate and the relationships between the U.S. and the rest of the world. This 2-credit seminar will explore the U.S. and Latin America in the twentieth century. Specifically, we will focus on the U.S. relationship with Mexico, the Caribbean (especially Cuba), Central America and Chile. Class sessions will mix lecture with substantial discussion based on common readings (books, articles and documents). Students will be evaluated on their participation in class and the timely completion of all reading and writing assignments. Writing intensive. Attendance is required. This class meets for the second half of the semester.
HIST 301 1W. Eurasian Nomads in the Ancient and Medieval WorldPrerequisite: One course in history or permission of instructor.
Eurasian nomads are part of a variety of histories and historiographies in China, Russia, India, the Middle East, and Europe. But in every one of those cases they primarily exist as an “other,” the “outsider” who raids the settled empire, the “barbarian” who ravages civilization. This class will attempt to change that perspective and focus on the nomads themselves as the actors. Over the course of the semester the class will acquire an understanding of nomadic society and traditions, as well as the various cultures involved in the regions and periods under consideration. They will do in-depth research on one particular steppe culture or people and present that material to the class, with the goal of helping to understand who these Eurasian nomad are, why they acted the way they did, and why history and historians traditionally portray them negatively. Writing intensive.
HIST 372 1W. Race in South Africa and the U. S.Prerequisite: One course in history or permission of instructor.
This course will compare the political, economic, and cultural motivations behind the construction of racially discriminatory systems in the United States and South Africa. White settlers in both the United States and South Africa turned to the exploitation of slave labor; why did they do this and how did they justify it? After the abolition of slavery each society developed new forms of institutional racism, Jim Crow and Apartheid. We will also devote a considerable amount of our attention to the responses of African-Americans and Black South Africans to these systems. In our analysis of their responses, we will explore why certain communities opted for violent and non-violent measures. We will also explore why some strategies for equality were successful for one group and not the other. This class will conclude with an examination of the state of race relations today. Class participation, short papers based on readings and a large research paper. Writing intensive.
HIST 390 1W. French RevolutionPrerequisite: HIST 202 C/H or permission of instructor.
Students will explore historical understandings of the French Revolution as they have developed over the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Students will assess the impact of and motivations for revolution, while deciphering the ways in which historians have changed in their interpretations of revolutionary factions, motivations, and outcomes. The class will look at political and ideological change from a French perspective, but it will also delve into the actions and reactions of others outside of France. Assessment will focus on the students' ability to express their ideas in thematic papers, discussion and oral presentations, and the course will ask students to assume a heavy reading load. As a class, we will explore major questions and themes using a variety of sources (texts, visual images, film) in order to gain an understanding of how historians interpret the past. Writing intensive.
HIST 411 1W. Senior SeminarPrerequisite: Senior history majors only and HIST 202, HIST 203, and HIST 390 and instructor’s permission
This capstone course employs a philosophical approach to the study of history, with a focus on methods of historical research and writing. Senior history majors will participate in class readings and discussions on the nature and study of history and will produce a major piece of original historical writing. All members of the class will also participate in an end-of-semester History 411 Conference at which they will present the results of their research to other history majors and history faculty. Writing intensive.
HIST 490. Independent StudyPrerequisite: Permission of instructor
HIST 491. Internship
1-4 credits
Staff
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
HIST 499. Senior Honor Thesis
0-8 credits
Staff
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
