Kurssin kuvaus

This course will introduce students to major developments in U.S. history from the colonial period to the present. Students will approach the different time periods through case-studies, with each class focusing on social, cultural, and political historical trends exemplified by the case. Students will both gain a broad understanding of the timeline of U.S. history and how to employ the historian’s toolbox in posing and answering critical questions: Is this event representative or exceptional in its historical period? What does this phenomenon tell us about the development of the U.S. as a nation and people? What do historical trends tell us about the present-day U.S. from transnational perspectives? The course is interactive by nature, focusing on source-based learning and supported by independent work the students will conduct outside of class. Throughout the semester, we will keep in mind that histories are written by people and that it is important to pay attention to the viewpoints from which they stem from.