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100. History on Trial. 1-2 cr. hrs. Guided by the faculty of the History Department, students will engage in the work of professional historians, including searching out available evidence, ascertaining the credibility and accuracy of this evidence and conclusions others have drawn from it, assessing personal and cultural biases affecting these conclusions, and presenting new conclusions both orally and in writing. The specific topic to be investigated each time the course is offered will be indicated in the course title (e.g. History on Trial: Great Villains in History). Prerequisites: None; open only to first year and sophomore students.
103. World History to 1600. 4 cr. hrs. Introduction to the study of history as a liberal art. Considers the development of civilization in the West (Greece, Rome, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Reformation), Asia, Africa, and the Western Hemisphere. Interrelationships in global history are treated. Fall Semester.
104. World History since 1600. 4 cr. hrs. Introduction to the content and methodology of modern history. Considers the development of absolute monarchy, the Enlightenment, the French and Industrial Revolutions, the rise of European nations as world powers, imperialism, nationalism, and independence in non-Western nations, modern intellectual trends, and the two World Wars and their aftermath. Spring semester.
121. The American Context to 1865 4 cr. hrs. A survey of North American social, political, and economic development from the earliest discoveries and initial European colonization down through the War for Southern Independence. Fall semester.
122. The American Context to Present 4 cr. hrs. A survey of the United States history from Reconstruction of the South after the Civil War to the present. Emphasis is placed on social, economic, and political developments. Spring semester.
202. Introductory History Colloquium: World History. 4 cr. hrs. This course will provide a stimulating opportunity for a select group of students to consider a topic that is limited geographically and chronologically (such as “Women in Western Europe,” or “Stalin’s Europe,” or “History of Science and Technology”). Students will read in primary and secondary sources.
204. Introductory History Colloquium: American History. 4 cr. hrs. For contours of course description see History 202.
223. History of England. 4 cr. hrs. A survey of the major themes, events, and people of English history from the 17th century to the present. This course introduces students to the work of historians as well as topics such as the impact of the Reformation, the English Civil War, the rise of parliament and party politics, England and the War for American Independence, the Industrial Revolution, Britain as an imperial power, the two World Wars, and the welfare state. Students who have taken the ID 282, “British Studies, ” at Harlaxton College, England, may not take HIS 223 for credit towards the history major.
224. Modern China. 2 cr. hrs. A consideration of the development of China from the late 19th century to the present. Gives particular attention to China’s attempts to modernize in reaction to Western and Japanese imperialism.
226. Modern Japan. 2 cr. hrs. A consideration of the development of Japan from the mid-19th century to the present. Gives particular attention to Japan’s attempts to modernize in reaction to Western imperialism.
228. Soviet Union. 4 cr. hrs. This course examines the Soviet Union from its emergence through its dissolution. Emphasis on internal developments and relations with the rest of the world from 1917 to 1991.
300. The United States, 1850-1877: Civil War and Reconstruction. 4 cr. hrs. A detailed account of the causes of the War for Southern Independence, the course of the war itself, and the process of reconstructing the states that formed the Confederacy. Emphasis is placed on the period’s historiography, upon social and political factors that propelled and grew out of the onrush of events, and upon major characters who played leading roles in the era.
301. Jacksonian America: The United States, 1820-1850. 4 cr. hrs. This course examines the often volatile three decades from the Missouri Compromise to the Compromise of 1850. Special emphasis is placed on the mounting sectional conflict that steadily drove the nation toward disunion, the major social, political, and economic issues that sustained that conflict, reform movements and national leadership.
305. The Rise of the City in the United States. 4 cr. hrs. A detailed examination of United States history from colonial times to the present with heavy emphasis on the city as the locus and focus of the American experience. Special problems adherent to city building and urban life will be analyzed as will the city’s continuing contributions to and dominance of American institutions and traditions.
306. American Westward Movement: A History of
American Frontier. 4 cr. hrs. The course examines the succession of American frontiers from the earliest days of New France and the Spanish Borderlands through the Anglo-American colonial frontier and the trans-Appalachian and trans-Mississippi Wests. Special emphasis is placed on the contributions of seemingly endless areas of free, or nearly free, land to the development of the “American character.”
312-313. Europe in the Middle Ages.
2 hrs. credit for 312; 2 hrs. credit for 313.
The course begins with the transformation of the Roman Empire into the Middle Ages, and ends with the transformation of medieval Europe into the Renaissance. Attention will be given to such topics as monasticism, the crusades, feudalism, manorialism, the rise of papal monarchy, church-state struggles, and Gothic and Romanesque art.
314-315. Renaissance and Reformation Europe
2 hrs. credit for 314; 2 hrs. credit for 315. This course considers the emergence of culture and thought in the context of such developments as the Black Death, the Turkish invasions of Europe, the voyages of discovery, and the dynastic and marital problems of such rulers as Henry VIII. Particular attention is given to the emergence of Christian humanism, the development of Renaissance art, the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic reform and reaction.
317. Early Modern Europe. 4 cr. hrs. This course is an advanced survey of Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, to 1815. Students will study topics such as the Wars of Religion, the rise of absolutism, Europe and the New World, the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment, and the French Revolution. There is usually a “focus” to this study, which may be either based in content, such as warfare through time, or methodological, such as historiography or biography. Recommended background: HIS 103, 104, or 223.
318. The Formation of Modern Europe. 4 cr. hrs. A detailed look at the development of Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries and the work of its historians. Considers such topics as the Industrial Revolution and its impact, the rise of nationalism, Bismarck and German unification, imperialism, the rise of middle class culture, the origins and impact of World War I, the emancipation of women, the Russian Revolution, the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany, World War II and its aftermath. Recommended background: HIS 103, 104, or 223.
320. Crime and Punishment. 4 cr. hrs. This course asks students to study and apply the content and methods of history, sociology, literature, and art history to the topic of criminal justice in eighteenth and nineteenth century England. This was a time and place of significant debate sparked by the Enlightenment rationalism and evangelical enthusiasm and of important reforms in law, policing and punishment that continue to influence current debate on these issues. Students will grapple with a variety of materials, including statistical studies of crime, social theories of deviance, literature such as the play “The Beggar’s Opera” and the fiction of Charles Dickens, and the paintings of William Hogarth, to gain an in-depth appreciation for the dilemmas of crime and punishment.
322. Hitler’s Germany 4 cr. hrs. A study of Germany and its impact on Europe between 1919 and 1945. Special attention given to such topics as the Versailles Peace Treaty, Hitler’s successful opportunism during the depression, the Führer’s acquisition of “total” power, western appeasement, World War II, the holocaust, and the Nuremberg trials. Considers both Hitler’s biography and the relationships between power and justice.
325. History of the Baptists. 2 cr. hrs. See course description for Religion 325.
330. Old Regime and Revolutionary France. 4 cr. hrs. This course examines 18th-century France, its political structure, social relations, and economic development. Then it considers the French Revolution—its origins, course, and impact. An in-depth look at one of Europe’s great 18th-century powers and one of the world’s classic revolutions. Recommended background: HIS 103, 104, or 223.
400. Senior Capstone Research Seminar 4 cr. hrs. This course is the senior seminar for history majors. Students will study a variety of historical methods and research techniques. They will then apply some of these methods, along with their writing skills, producing a research project/paper. The research project, required of all majors, is to be on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with the instructor. Students will present their findings in an oral presentation as well as the final written version. Offered only in the fall.
402. Readings in World History. 1-2 cr. hrs.
Independent readings under professorial supervision. Writing assignments required. Limited enrollments. Must have professor’s permission before enrolling. Offered every semester.
404. Readings in American History. 1-2 cr. hrs.
Independent readings under professorial supervision.Writing assignments required. Limited enrollments. Must have professor’s permission before enrolling. Offered every semester.
450. Seminar Topics in European History. 4 cr. hrs. This is an advanced seminar that will change topics from year to year. They will be limited geographically, chronologically, and by theme. One such topic will be “Law, Liberty, and Crime in England.” The course will emphasize reading, discussion, and writing.
480. History Internship. 1-6 cr. hrs. This internship is intended to give the student practical experience in positions which traditionally use professional historians (or undergraduate history majors). This would include closely supervised work at such places as museums, historical sites, and historical depositories. Usually taken during the summer. Consult the department chairman. Offered on demand.
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