19th Century US Culture & Society ((3 Credits))

Catalog description

This course is divided into two parts. In the first part the student will read and respond to several monographs that lay out the larger themes of 19th century US culture and society— the rise of labor; changes in the economy; race and slavery; territorial expansion; changes in the home; and industrialization. We will engage works by scholars such as Ronald Takaki, Nell Painter, David Roediger, Leo Marx, or Stephanie Coontz. In the second half of the study, the student will in consultation with the instructor, develop a research bibliography and produce a polished historical essay on a topic of their own choosing using the first readings as background and contextualization. This study is geared towards public historians, history teachers, historical novelists, and students who are interested in deepening their understanding of American society and culture through historical study.