The American West

Catalog description

This course examines the history of diverse groups that have resided in the American West since the sixteenth century--Native Americans, Spanish, Mexicans, and citizens of the United States. Topics include the role of the United States government in the conquest, economic development, and administration of the West; the legacy of that conquest for native and immigrant peoples; the formation of distinctive Western communities; contests for access to natural resources and wealth; and the idea of the mythic frontier in American culture. Students with a semester level of Freshman 1, Freshman 2 or Sophomore 1 may not enroll.