HISU 101 United States History Survey I
A look at all the major themes from 1607 through the Civil War, including the founding of a new nation. American literature is given special consideration. Slavery, states rights, religion, and the beginning of the Westward movement are emphasized. This course may also be offered online. 3 credits.
HISU 103 United States History Survey II
Students study the basic issues of American life, culture, society, and economics from 1865 to the present, while considering the following questions: Who is the American? How have we evolved? And how do we balance the fundamental diversity that is quintessentially American with the need for a common core of beliefs and institutions? This course may also be offered online. 3 credits.
HISU 105 The Rise of World Civilizations I
The course covers world pre-history through the Middle Ages, emphasizing significant discoveries in paleontology, paleoanthropology, and archaeology, the earliest centers of civilization, the beginnings of civic culture in Asia and the Mediterranean world, the origins and impact of the great world religions, and the intellectual and artistic achievements of medieval India, China, and Japan, Europe, and pre-Columbian America. World physical and historical geography forms a major component of this course. 3 credits.
HISU 106 The Rise of World Civilizations II
This course presents diverse perspectives and personalities in modern world history by examining critical global themes, physical geography, and the rise of modern nationalism since 1500. The course examines politics and the economy of the world, religious diversity, technological change, ethnic and racial questions, feminist issues, and national-geographic reconfigurations since early modern times in a comparative, international context. Specifically, this course addresses major centers of modern civilization in Africa, Europe, the Far East, Latin America, and the Indian Subcontinent. 3 credits.
HISU 110 Western Civilization: From Mesopotamia to the Renaissance
A survey of Western civilization from its beginnings in the river valleys of the Tigris, the Euphrates, and the Nile to the intellectual and artistic glories of the Italian Renaissance. Particular attention is paid to the sweeping transformation in thought affected by the Greeks. 3 credits.
HISU 112 Western Civilization: From the Reformation to Modern Times
A survey of Western civilization from the Reformation to the political, social, and intellectual upheavals of the 20th century. Attention is focused on the rise and development of the ideas and attitudes which uniquely shaped the character of the West. 3 credits.
HISU 160 World Historical Geography
An introduction to physical, economic, and cultural geography in a historical context. Students explore the development of our knowledge of the world as a means of obtaining familiarity with the fundamentals of geography. 3 credits.
HISU 180 Modern Latin American History
Students examine the development of political institutions, social changes and interactions throughout the Americas, Latin American-United States relations, racial and cultural issues, and the question of economic development. 3 credits.
HISU 190 Modern Asian History
Students learn about the region with a third of the world's population, through examining the emergence of modern nation states, their relationship to the West, and involvement in 19th and 20th century movements and conflicts. 3 credits.
HISU 303 Constitutional Government
(Same as POSU 343) By examining the Federalist Papers, the Constitution, and case law, this course examines the growth of the national government, the changing nature of federalism, and other themes: What does the Constitution say about the separation of powers? Does it provide for three coequal branches of government? 3 credits.
HISU 304 The Ancient World
(Same as RELU 304) Students survey the history of the ancient Mediterranean world by examining the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine civilizations. The historical and artistic accomplishments of these ancient peoples are highlighted, with particular attention given to the development of religious thought and philosophical inquiry, archeological research, and museum studies. 3 credits.
HISU 306 The Middle Ages
(Same as RELU 306) Lords and ladies, peasants and popes, soldiers and saints—this course examines the history of the Middle Ages, 500–1500, through the themes and events that shaped the period. Students discuss feudalism, the development of scholastic theology, the launching of the Crusades, and the creations of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. 3 credits.
HISU 307 Germany and the Holocaust: From Antisemitism to Final Solution
(Same as RELU 307) An examination of the Holocaust within its context in the history of Germany and World War II. The origins of the Holocaust, the implementation of the Final Solution, resistance to the Nazis, and the legacy of the Holocaust will be studied with the experiences of survivors, members of the Resistance, and "righteous Gentiles." 3 credits.
HISU 308 Early Modern Europe
Humanism, religious fragmentation, state building, imperialism, secularization, and enlightenment—no period has been more important in the formation of the European character. In the age between the Italian Renaissance and the French Revolution, Europe emerged from the relative obscurity of the Middle Ages to become the world's dominant civilization. 3 credits.
HISU 310 Modern Europe
Building on the twin pillars of industrial revolution and technological innovation, Europeans in the 19th century greatly expanded their territorial control and cultural hegemony. In the 20th century, national rivalries and two world wars threatened this hegemony and undermined the power of the traditional European nation-state. This course traces the tumultuous history of Europe from the Congress of Vienna to the collapse of the Soviet Empire. 3 credits.
HISU 311 Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States
(Same as POSU 323) Students learn the history of Russia and the Soviet Union from the fall of the Romanov dynasty through the demise of the Soviet government and the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Ideas and ideologies, politics, economics, foreign affairs and the Cold War, and cultural and intellectual developments are emphasized. 3 credits.
HISU 312 History of Spain and Portugal
Students examine the history of the Iberian Peninsula from pre-historic times through the modern era. Topics include Roman Iberia, Visigothic Spain, Islamic and Catholic Spain in the Middle Ages, the "golden era" of Spanish culture, the Iberian empires, Spain's decline as a great power, the Spanish Civil War, Franco and Salazar, and contemporary Spanish and Portuguese society. Intellectual, social, and political developments in Spain and Portugal are emphasized. 3 credits.
HISU 313 The Renaissance and Reformation
(Same as HUMU 313) The modern Western sensibility has its main roots in the European Renaissance and Reformation . This course traces the origins of this "reactionary revolution" in the writings of the humanists and major reformers, the work of the early modern scientists and the artistic productions that reshaped human consciousness itself. 3 credits.
HISU 314 United States Business and Economic History
The changing roles of entrepreneurs, business, the financial structure, and government in the United States from Colonial times to the present, with an emphasis on the 20th century. Focus of the course is on individuals who substantially changed the way Americans lived by creating new products, new technology or new operating methods. 3 credits.
HISU 318 The Reformation
(Same as RELU 318) Students examine the events and ideas of the sixteenth-century Reformation. This course analyzes the transition from a medieval to a modern world view and the impact of the Reformation on education, politics, science, art, and the roles of men and women in society. 3 credits.
HISU 320 Witchcraft: Healers and Heretics
Students examine the history of the belief in magic and witchcraft in western culture from ancient times to the present day. Special attention will be given to the famous Salem witchcraft episode of 1692. Witchcraft in modern preliterate societies will be studied with an eye to the various theories that have been advanced to explain is existence. 3 credits.
HISU 323 The Western Legal Tradition
(Same as POSU 342) Law is a product of history, and an understanding of the law cannot be complete without an examination of its historical roots. This course surveys the history of Western law and legal institutions from the Code of Hammurabi to the American Revolution. Special attention will be focused on the rise and evolution of English common law. 3 credits.
HISU 324 Constitutional Rights
(Same as POSU 344) Students analyze the following questions and examine competing theories of civil rights and civil liberties. Did the founders really believe that the United States Congress should make no law abridging freedom of speech or of the press? What does the Constitution say about the rights of the criminal, and what does this mean for "victims' rights" movements? What is the constitutional right to abortion? 3 credits.
HISU 326 The African-American Historical Experience
Students trace the history of the African-American experience from the earliest days of slavery through emancipation, the rise of Jim Crow, the Civil Rights movement, and the modern era. 3 credits.
HISU 328 The Colonial Period in American History: A Strange Frontier
Students study the experience of individual Americans—Africans (enslaved and free), Native Americans, settlers from all over Europe, and the Europeans who attempted to rule them—alongside their political and religious ideas. How did this complicated group eventually unite to form a nation? 3 credits.
HISU 329 Experimental Topics in History
An examination of selected topics in History relevant to evolving areas in the field. Syllabi must be approved by the Division Chair and announced to the Curriculum and Academic Committee prior to being offered. May be repeated for credit provided that the course content is different each time. 3 credits.
HISU 330 America and Its Revolution: The Bonfires of Change
Students examine one of the most tumultuous times in American history and analyze and interpret the events that form the foundation, not only of our system of democracy, but much of our identity as Americans. This course may also be offered online. 3 credits.
HISU 331 The Trying Years—Union and Disunion: American History, 1789–1865
In this period a new nation was forged. America as a unique and sovereign nation grew and developed as the Constitution came into being, and American political parties formed. Subjects covered include Jefferson and Jackson democracy, westward expansion, economic growth, sectionalism, religious movements, the antislavery crusade, and the Civil War. 3 credits.
HISU 334 The Emergence of Modern America, 1865–1920: Robber Barons, Railroads, and Skyscrapers
Students study social, economic, and political developments, Reconstruction, the rise of big business, Populism, Progressivism, and the First World War. The roles of presidents during this time are emphasized and the themes of industrialization, immigration, and urbanization are examined. 3 credits.
HISU 336 Conflict and Change in America: 1920-1945
Covering the prosperity and cynicism of the Roaring Twenties, the poverty of the Great Depression and the New Deal response to it, the violence of the Second World War, this course examines and interprets the culture and politics that shaped this era. 3 credits.
HISU 337 World War II
A comprehensive review of the great mid-twentieth century catastrophe which consumed the world and forever altered history. The global nature of the war, its fundamentally racial nature, and the conflict of ideologies will be examined. Major topics will include the diplomatic and economic background, the roles of propaganda, of non-combatants, and the home fronts, as well as a wide ranging review of the military aspects. 3 credits.
HISU 338 America After the War, 1945-1960
Students examine this critical decade in American history that featured the rise of the Cold War and rock and roll and interpret its economy, politics, culture, and social structure. 3 credits.
HISU 339 The Twentieth Century
The great topic and themes of the century just past will be examined: the decline of European world power; the collapse of empires; the rise of super powers, world wars; the growth of democracy, communism, and fascism; the global economy; mass communication and the creation of celebrity; flight; unparalleled industrial and technological change; the advance of science; the Cold War. 3 credits.
HISU 340 American Diplomatic History and Foreign Policy
(Same as POSU 321) Students focus on the origin and development of United States foreign policy. Important areas of study include the role of ideology in foreign policy, economics and foreign affairs, isolationism, American dominance of the Western hemisphere, and the consequences of increasing international interdependence. Also considered are the influences of public opinion, the media, corporations, the Congress, the bureaucracy, and the presidency in shaping American policy. This course may also be offered online. 3 credits.
HISU 342 The History of Everyday Life in America: Cooking, Cleaning, Life and Death
History is not just something presidents and Supreme Court Justices make; rather, it is something that our ancestors lived in the past. This course takes an interpretive look at how many of our most basic rituals and activities have changed over the years and why, including such topics as childbirth and children's games. 3 credits.
HISU 345 History of Western Political Thought
Students trace the rise and transformation of Western political thought from the Greeks to the end of the 19th century and explore the nature of political reality as seen through the eyes of such seminal figures as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Machiavelli, Locke, Jefferson, Rousseau, Mill and Marx. 3 credits.
HISU 350 Topics in African and Asian History
Subject matter and time periods will vary, but the focus will be on one or more non Western countries. Topics such as Contemporary Africa, Peace and Conflict in the Middle East, and Race and Change in South Africa and the United States might be selected. Courses that treat different themes may be repeated for credit. 3 credits.
HISU 352 Chinese Civilization
A study of China from earliest times to the mid-1990s from five broad perspectives: the composition of the Chinese people; elite thought and behavior; family life; popular culture; and the economy. 3 credits.
HISU 355 History of the Vietnam Conflict
Plato wrote: "Only the dead have seen the end of war." This course is created to provide a well told story about the causes, main events and the impact of the Vietnam Conflict. Students will trace the events, decisions and results of America's involvement in Southeast Asia. Military, social, economic and political historical analysis of the era will be a key element in the research and assignments the students will produce. 3 credits.
HISU 356 Modern Germany: From Sarajevo to Stalingrad
Tracing Germany's entrance into the Great War to the Treaty of Versailles to the fragmented Weimar Republic to the Blitzkrieg and its consequences, this course examines the political, social, and intellectual history of Germany from World War I to the end of World War II. Special attention is given to the Holocaust and to roles of individuals in taking Germany down the path to two world wars. 3 credits.
HISU 364 The Old South: Frontier Fort to Cotton Mill
The most unique region in the United States, the South's role in American history from colonial times to the Civil War, is the subject of this course. Social, economic, cultural, and political factors will be examined in depth. Southern folklore and religion will be examined. 3 credits.
HISU 365 Topics in the Holocaust
(Same as RELU 365.) Students examine selected topics within the study of the history of the Holocaust, such as the role of doctors; persecution of non-Jewish groups, including homosexuals and gypsies; theologians and religion under Hitler; and the experiences and choices of perpetrators, victims, and bystanders. 3 credits.
HISU 368 Immigration in American History: The Newcomers
For more than two hundred years the crucial question of American society has been how we welcome newcomers. Students explore the history of immigrants to our shores from the earliest settlers to Irish immigrants, and the Southern and Eastern European waves at the turn of the century, with emphasis on modern immigration from Latin America and Asia. 3 credits.
HISU 372 California History
In this in-depth study of California from its discovery in 1542 to the present, students attempt to answer the question: How has the Golden State changed? The roles of mining, Indians, agriculture, high technology, Japanese/American relations, and the missions system are considered. 3 credits.
HISU 380 The American West: Miners, Cowhands, Homesteaders, and Gunslingers
This is the American legend. The five frontiers (fur, mining, cattle, farming, and technology) are examined in depth. The American frontier and the westward movement in the United States are the areas of emphasis. 3 credits.
HISU 388 Technology and Progress in Western Societies
This course challenges students to critically analyze technological change and Western ideas of progress from the Industrial Revolution to the Computer Age. The course emphasizes technology's role in economic development, political change, religious, social, and æsthetic values, technological utopianism, and the West's relationship with the non-Western world. 3 credits.
HISU 392 Pre-Columbian and Colonial Latin America
Students study the dramatic clash between two vastly different worlds beginning with the first aboriginal-European contacts with the Americas and continuing through the decimation of Latin American populations and the fusion of Iberian and American cultures. The course considers the overwhelming influence of this encounter in the shaping of New World ideas, customs, attitudes, and values. 3 credits.
HISU 394 The Americas: Politics and Diplomacy
This course examines the history of United States-Latin American relations including important areas of both cooperation and conflict. Beginning with the era of Latin American Independence, the course explores key incidents in hemispheric diplomacy with special emphasis on manifest destiny and imperialism, the Panama Canal, the Mexican and Cuban Revolutions, World War II and the Cold War, and the Latin American military dictatorships of the twentieth century. 3 credits.
HISU 396 Mexican History
Students cover the history of greater Mexico (including the northern borderlands) from the ancient Aztec and Mayan empires through the most recent economic and political upheavals. Mexican history is the product of cultural and social clashes between many groups: native people and Spanish colonists, revolutionaries and reactionaries, peasants and politicians. 3 credits.
HISU 397 Social Movements in the Sixties
(Same as SSCU 397/SOCU 397) Through film, literature, and oral history, we will take a fresh look at this controversial time in American history. Beyond protests, civil rights, Vietnam, sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll, there is the sociological question of how and when social movements arise, and how individuals within them rise to leadership roles. Social movements are a response to economic and demographic changes and they, in turn, make societal and cultural changes (or perhaps solidify them). Many of the characteristics of modern society that we take for granted -- for example, voting rights for women or organized labor -- have their origins in the struggles of organized social movements. Sociological theory and methods such as oral history provide a means to examine these issues. 3 credits.
HISU 499 Independent Study
Prerequisites: Instructor's approval and approval of petition. Directed readings and/or research designed to meet specific needs of superior upper division students. 1-3 credits.