U.S. History and Culture

Catalog description

Studying the past teaches students to be critical thinkers and, by applying these same approaches to the present, can help them have a better understanding of their current world. In addition, the methods of history teach students how to gather data, muster arguments, and organize their thoughts so that they can present them in a coherent argument either written or oral. A history course, therefore, is excellent preparation for entrance exams, college coursework, and any profession which requires the ability to read, write, and present oral arguments. This course looks at American history with a focus on freedom and how the definition of the concept and the application of its principles has modulated throughout the last 400 years. Case studies will cover significant events in the American experience with freedom and introduce how an historian approaches her craft, gathers her evidence, and presents her arguments. Students will gain practical experience with reading and writing through developing their own presentations of case studies.