introcopy

History

Faculty

Susan Farnsworth, Professor of History (Program Chair)
Mary Hayes, SND, Professor of History
Mary Lynn Rampolla, Associate Professor of History

Description

The history major is particularly flexible. Student may select an orientation suiting their own individual interests, supported by complementary courses in art, literature, the social sciences, theology, and philosophy.

The study of history is integral to a liberal education. Students acquire skills in interpretation and synthesis based on systematic inquiry and research, analysis of evidence, and the formation of critical judgment. They develop an informed perspective about the varieties and diversity of human experience and about their own inherited cultural traditions. They learn ways to study the past and to make connections between the past and the issues of the contemporary world. Through their investigation of human experience, they develop an understanding of institutions, ideas and values different from theirs, and, in turn, recognize and deepen their own values.

Training in history offers a foundation for many different careers. Broad reading, the development of critical perspective, the discipline of research, organizational ability, logical presentation of evidence and conclusions, intuitive insight, understanding of human natureall these prepare the student for a wide variety of pursuits including law, business, print and broadcast journalism, public relations, teaching, and museum education and curatorial work.

The History Program supports both a major and a minor in the Weekday Program only.

Prerequisites for History Courses

All history courses at the 200-level or above require the completion of a 100-level course as a prerequisite or permission of the instructor.

Major Requirements (34 credits)*

The following distribution of courses above the 100-level:

* History majors are advised to take at least two upper-division courses in a complementary discipline, such as art, literature, any one of the social sciences, theology, and philosophy.

Where applicable, interdisciplinary courses may also fulfill requirements for the major, for example: HUM 350 Medieval Moment and HUM 381 Victorian Studies.

Minor Requirements (18 credits)

The following distribution of courses above the 100-level:

Program Policies

Advanced Placement: A score of 4 or 5 on the AP examination is accepted for credit toward the degree. AP credit will not be accepted to replace the required curriculum and is not accepted for the major.
CLEP Policy: CLEP credit is not accepted for history major or minor requirements.
Grades in Major Courses: Students are required to earn a grade of "C" (2.0) or better in all courses counted to fulfill requirements for the major.
Pass/No Pass: With the exception of practica and internships, courses fulfilling a major requirement may not be taken pass/no pass.
Senior Assessment: Senior history majors are required to pass a written and an oral comprehensive examination, normally administered in the second week of the spring semester.
Study Abroad: To support their major, students are encouraged to study abroad, preferably in their junior year.
TELL Policy: TELL credits may count towards the major if the student is able to document active participation in an event, movement, or issue that has shaped contemporary history.
Transfer Credits: Students may apply transfer credits toward the major in history if the accepted courses parallel courses required for the major at Trinity. In all, transfer students must complete a minimum of 16 credits in history at Trinity, including a colloquium or seminar at the 400-level.

Course Descriptions

HIS 101 Trials of the Centuries 3 cr

Examines a fundamental historical problem – the relationship of the individual to his/her society – by focusing on a series of notorious trials. The trials studied in this course illustrate different areas of conflict between the behavior of individuals and the values of their societies.
FLC, Areas III and VI, Level 1

HIS 125 Medieval Foundations of Western Society 3 cr

Examines the structure, organization, and development of medieval life, thought, and institutions. Topics include the medieval vision of reality, rural life and the growth of towns, the development of political and religious institutions, and the expansion of the intellectual and cultural life of medieval Europe.
FLC, Area II and III, Level 1
Core, IV

HIS 126 Trends in Western Society 1815-1945 3 cr

Examines the political, economic, social, and intellectual developments since 1815, which have given form and shape to contemporary Western societies.
FLC, Area III, Level 1
Core, IV
HIS 127 Kings and Constitutions: Europe 1430-1815 3 cr

Explores the growth of the idea and the reality of the national state in Europe. Topics include medieval theories of monarchy, civic humanism and the growth of Italian city-states, the politics of the reformation, the wars of religion, 17th century absolutism and the growth of representative institutions, Enlightenment ideas of the state; the French Revolution and Napoleon.

HIS 130 Introduction to American Civilization 3 cr

Explores the major themes that have shaped the American experience from the Colonial period to World War I. Topics include the Age of Exploration and Discovery, the American Revolution, the causes of the Civil War, and industrialization and urbanization.
FLC, Area II and III, Level 1
Core, IV

HIS 131E One and Many: Themes & Issues in U.S. Culture 3 cr

Specially designed to meet the needs of first-semester ESL students. Introduces major themes in United States culture, with special emphasis on written and oral presentation of historical concepts, and development of fluency in the language of United States culture.
FLC, Area II, Level 1
Core, IV

HIS 132 20th Century United States 3 cr

Introduces the critical issues of 20th century United States including the transition to a post-industrial society, the challenge of the Civil Rights and feminist movements, the development of the modern welfare state, and the consequences of the United States' role as a global superpower.
FLC, Area III, Level 1
Core, IV

HIS 153 Introduction to World History: Africa, Asia, and the Middle East 3 cr

Compares the great cultures, religions, and political systems of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, focusing on their integration into the world order. Assesses the impact of European imperialism and the ongoing struggle to establish a contemporary national identity.
FLC, Area II and III, Level 1
Core, IV

HIS 199 Honors Seminar: The Historian as Detective 3 cr

Introduces students to the practice of the historian's craft as a form of detection and analysis. Students learn how to pose historical questions, find and evaluate evidence, "interrogate" documents and other historical "witnesses," and develop and support historical arguments. The course also investigates the ways in which history intersects with other disciplines, including political science, economics, literature, theology, and the natural sciences. By invitation.
FLC, Area II and III, Level 1

HIS 231 The Renaissance and Reformation 3 cr

Studies the political, social, and economic history of the major centers of the Italian Renaissance, the Northern Renaissance and Christian humanism, the scientific revolution, the relationship between humanism and reform, the continental and English Reformations, and popular culture in early modern Europe.

HIS 234 Kings, Commoners and Constitutions 3 cr

Examines religion and politics in the 17th century, the English constitutional conflicts and the triumph of the common law tradition, the mystique and reality of royal power in the court of France, the trend toward secularization of thought, and the growing role of commoners in political institutions.

HIS 236 American Colonial History 3 cr

Explores the cultural backgrounds, political institutions, and social movements of Colonial America from the Age of Exploration through the American Revolution; emphasizes the transition from the first to the third generation, the long-term causes of the American Revolution, and the development of "Republicanism" ideology.

HIS 240 United States Environmental History 3 cr

Explores the relationship between Americans and the natural environment, from the colonial era to the present. Topics to be considered are the agricultural and industrial economies; the development of consideration and wilderness protection movements; and the different meanings of the landscape for Native American, European-American, and African-American citizens.

HIS 243 Women in United States History 3 cr

Surveys women's experience in United States culture from the Colonial period to the present, with special emphasis on the 19th century debate on women's "proper sphere," the awakening of feminism in the 1880s, and the rebirth of the feminist movement in the 1960s and 1970s.
Prerequisites: One 100-level history course or equivalent
FLC, Area II and VI, Level 1

HIS 245 Women, Work, and Family in Medieval
and Early Modern Europe 3 cr

Examines the contrast between the images of women, both positive and negative, and the reality of women's lives in medieval and early modern Europe. Topics include women's role in the family, women's work, women and medicine, women's legal standing, life in the convent, the role of noble women, the education of women, and women's spirituality.
FLC, Area III, Level 1

HIS 254 Contemporary East Asia, 1945 to the Present 3 cr

Examines the emergence of China and Japan since World War II. Topics include revolution and growth of the People's Republic of China; the American occupation of Japan; Japanese economic recovery and development; and political, social, and cultural issues in China and Japan.
FLC, Area II, Level 2

HIS 255 Contemporary History of the Third World 3 cr

Looks at the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Beginning with the imperial penetration at the end of the 19th century, the course traces the rise of nationalism, the impact of the world wars, the process of decolonization, and the challenge of nation building in an age of global politics.
FLC, Area II and III, Level 2

HIS 257 Japan and the United States 3 cr

Explores the changing dynamics in the relationship between Japan and the United States, beginning in the mid-19th century. Topics include the emergence of Japan and the United States as world powers, the development of misunderstandings and tensions that culminated in the Pacific theater in World War II; the restoration of closer ties after 1945; and the economic, political and cultural characteristics that shape the contemporary connection between the two societies.

HIS 304 The Tudor Age 3 cr

Explores the social, political and cultural life of 16th century England. Topics include the rise of the Tudor state, the court of Henry VIII, the English Reformation, king and parliament, Shakespeare's London, the Elizabethan age and the question of female rule, Mary Queen of Scots, English colonial expansion, and science in the age of Elizabeth.

HIS 308 World War I in World History 3 cr

Explores the international impact of World War I, assessing its effects on international relations, its disruption of global economic forces, and its transformation of human beliefs and values. The course reviews the causes of the war, the experience of total war, and the challenges of peacemaking, with reference to the European, Middle Eastern, and African theaters of war.

HIS 309 World War II in World History 3 cr

Explores World War II as a defining event of 20th century world history. Focusing equally on the European and Pacific theaters of war, the course will trace the tensions that exploded into war and study the impact of technology, politics, economic resources, and ideology on the conduct of total war. The war's profound impact on the human spirit and its enduring legacy also will be assessed.

HIS 326 History of Science: Mapping the Known Universe 3 cr

Examines the relationship between Europeans' sense of self-identity and the way they depicted the larger world around them, focusing attention on geography, cosmology and astronomy, and physiology. Topics include reality and fantasy in medieval maps; Marco Polo's Travels and Columbus' Journal; the religious, philosophical, and social significance of the Copernican revolution; the "magical" view of the universe and the human body; and the mechanization of the world picture.
FLC, Area III and V, Level 2

HIS 328 Darwin and Darwinism: Race, Gender, and Power 3 cr

Examines the cultural and social factors in the development of Darwin's theory of evolution and its acceptance or rejection by members of the scientific community; explores the impact of Darwin's theory on non-scientific aspects of society, both in the 19th century and today.
FLC, Seminar 2

HIS 337 The United States, 1787–1865 3 cr

Studies the evolution of American political and constitutional institutions, emphasizing the presidency, the extraconstitutional emergence of political parties, and the political implications of economic policy. Chronological development highlights the Federalist achievement, Jeffersonian period, the Age of Jackson, and the causes leading to the Civil War.
FLC, Area III, Level 2

HIS 338 The United States Comes of Age: 1865–1941 3 cr

Studies the political and economic consequences of the evolution of the United States to an urbanized, industrialized society, the dilemmas of Reconstruction, the formation of a national economy, the politics of equilibrium from 1865-1896, the Progressive Movement, the New Deal, and the emergence of the United States as a world power.
FLC, Area III, Level 2

HIS 339 African American History 3 cr

Surveys African American history. Topics covered include the impact of slavery and the consequences of Reconstruction, with a major emphasis on the social and intellectual history of African-Americans since 1877.
FLC, Area II and III, Level 2

HIS 342 U.S. History from 1946–1988 3 cr

Studies World War II, the Cold War, McCarthyism, the Civil Rights movement, the Great Society, Vietnam, and Reaganism.

HIS 344A African American Women's History 3 cr

Explores the history of African American Women from the years of slavery to the present, emphasizing their influence in the creation of African American culture. Topics include the experience of African American women as workers, as individuals in their communities, as intellectuals, and as leaders in reform movements and political organizations.

HIS 356 Modern Africa 3 cr

Introduces the modern political, economic, and cultural experience of Africa. Topics include the 19th century scramble and partition, the indigenous response, the Colonial regimes, the emergence of the masses, the independence movements, and post-independence achievements and challenges.

HIS 358 The Modern Middle East 3 cr

Surveys the Middle Eastern world from the 15th to the 20th century. Topics include the Islamic heritage, imperialism and the growth of nationalism, the struggle for independence, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the tension between tradition and modernity.

HIS 363 Enlightenment and the French Revolution 3 cr

Examines the sources of Enlightenment thought, the influence of the Enlightenment on the French Revolution, the course of the Revolution in documents and eye-witness accounts, the role of peasants and artisans in the French Revolution, and Napoleonthe man and the legend.
FLC, Area III, Level 2
HIS 366 Europe, 1815–1914: The Age of Revolution and Reform 3 cr
Examines the great powers of the 19th centuryEngland, France, Germany, Austria, and Russiaas they achieved global, political, economic, and cultural dominance. Assesses the events, leaders, resources, and ideas that contributed to the establishment of Europe's far-reaching influence.
FLC, Area III, Level 2

HIS 369 Vietnam 3 cr

Examines the forces contributing to the impact of Vietnam on 20th century world history. Topics include the development of Vietnamese national identity, the role of France in Indochina, the phases of United States involvement in the region, and the postwar character of the Vietnamese state.
FLC, Area II, Level 2

HIS 390 Close Encounters: Islam, Judaism
and Christianity in the Middle Ages 3 cr

Explores the relationships between Christianity, Judaism and Islam in the Middle Ages. Topics include Arab and Christian histories of the Crusades, the reception of Arabic science and medicine by medieval universities, Christian-Jewish relationships in medieval towns, the roots of anti-Semitism, misrepresentations of Islam and Judaism in Christian literature, and early Christian travels to Asia.
FLC, Area II and III, Level 2

HIS 393 Women in United States History to 1900 3 cr

Explores women's experience in United States culture from the colonial period to 1900. Topics include the diversity of women's cultures and the impact of this diversity on family, work, and socialization; women's legal and political standing; and the conflicts among women exemplified in religious, ethnic, class and racial difference.
FLC, Area II and VI, Level 2

HIS 394 Women in the Twentieth Century United States 3 cr

Explores women's experiences in 20th century United States. Topics include the struggle for the suffrage, women's diverse responses to the Depression and World War II, women's role in the Civil Rights movement and the rebirth of feminism in the 1960's and 1970's.

HIS 430, 434 Colloquium 4 cr

Examines specialized topics in the United States history before 1941. Subjects for analysis are selected according to the interests of the students. Course fulfills the seminar requirement for history majors.

HIS 431 Social Landscapes in U.S. Culture 3 cr

Explores questions of identity, diversity and power in the United States in the 20th century, focusing on concerns about the meaning of "America." Through the examination of symbolic landscapes, the course will explore the ways social change challenges dominant ideologies.
FLC, Seminar II

HIS 466 Special Interest Seminr 3 cr

Provides an in-depth examination of specialized topics in history. In Fall 2001, the seminar focuses on the religious, cultural, political, and economic interactions of an expanding Europe with the larger world community during the late medieval and early modern periods. Subjects for analysis are selected according to the interests of the students; this course may fulfill the seminar requirement for history majors.

HIS 472 Colloquium 4 cr

Examines specialized topics in the United States since 1941. Possible subjects include World War II and the 1960s. Course fulfills the seminar requirement for history majors.

HIS 485 Age of Dictators: Europe 1914–1945 4 cr

Examines the transformation of the European order as a result of World War I and the peace of 1919; the rise of the dictatorships; Lenin and Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler; World War II. Seniors only or by invitation.

HIS 489 Practicum 3-4 cr

Provides students with the opportunity to pursue applied research at museum and federal and D.C. government agencies. To be eligible for placement, students must demonstrate research and writing skills; minimum of 104 on-site hours; pass/no pass; permission required.

HIS 497 Independent Research credits arranged

Allows students to pursue an independent research project under the direction of a faculty member. Only senior majors may enroll with permission of the program chair; formal written application must be submitted by the student to the program; preliminary discussion with individual professor.

HIS 499 Senior Thesis credits arranged

Allows students to pursue a senior thesis under the direction of a faculty member. Only senior majors may enroll with permission of the program chair. Formal written application and a proposal for research with bibliography must be submitted to the program chair by November 1. Check with program chair for requirements.
Prerequisite: History 497