HIST 20-101: American Civilization to 1877
Dr. Stephen Nepa
This course traces the historical roots of the United States of America. Our narrative begins in the pre-Columbian era, charts the development of colonial agriculture and urban life, the competition of various empires over land and peoples, the origins of the transatlantic slave trade, Civil War and Reconstruction, and the expansion of imperial ambition. By 1776, the United States formed under promises of liberty, equality, property rights, and tolerance. But who would benefit? Who should rule? Industrialization, the consolidation of slavery, agricultural specialization, and expansion to the west, along with demands for reform and democracy, made these questions ever more vexed and led to a Civil War and a flawed attempt to reconstitute the Union by the turn of the twentieth century. Through use of art, music, literature, film, and other media, students will gain an understanding of the complexities of the American past.
HIST 21-001 and 011H American Civilization since 1877
Dr. David Ruth
In this class we explore major developments in American history since the late 1800s: industrialization and labor strife; the rise of the U.S. as a world power; mass immigration and efforts to restrict it; struggles over rights for racial minorities, women, and many others; multiple wars; the creation of a stronger, more active federal government and conservative efforts to limit it; astonishing changes in values, families, and daily life; and much more. To understand this infinitely complicated story, we repeatedly come back to a single key question: How have Americans understood, experienced, and struggled over the meanings of freedom?
HIST 21-002: American Civilization since 1877
Dr. Stephen Nepa
This course will highlight the themes in U.S. history from the end of the Civil War through the mid-Cold War and the Watergate affair. We will focus on the daily struggles of ordinary people as well as on the lives and thoughts of politicians and other public figures. We will look at who is included in America and who is excluded, and how the promises of America and the American dream change over time. We will also examine how America’s role around the world developed and changed in the years since 1877 – how the nation, if you will, exported versions of the American Dream. We will approach these topics through a mixture of lectures and class discussions and a variety of media sources including readings, film, art, photography, and music.
HIST 109: Introduction to U.S. Environmental History
Dr. Stephen Nepa
This course introduces environmental history not only as a field of study but also a multifaceted approach to understanding the American past. Beginning in the colonial period and extending through the post-WWII decades, we will examine topics such as cartography, wilderness preservation, industrialization and urbanization, armed conflicts, pollution, and the rise of the modern environmental movement. Through use of art, music, literature, film, and other media, students will gain an understanding of how the human and nonhuman worlds have shaped one another over nearly four centuries of American history.
HIST 112: Introduction to Public History
Dr. Nicholas Bonneau
“Public history describes the many and diverse ways in which history is put to work in the world. In this sense, it is history that is applied to real-world issues.”* This course focuses on the history of Eastern Pennsylvania, especially Philadelphia and Montgomery County, to introduce students to how public historians help people engage with the past outside academic classrooms, in historical sites, museums, and many other settings. We explore the broad world of the practicing historian and the diverse professional opportunities for learning and experimentation outside traditional academia. The course teaches theories of public history practice, education, interpretation, organizational management, finance, and other pillars of the craft with and for the masses. The course will consider both the past and future of the field. Students should find opportunities to encounter public history at work in the society around them. This may include interacting with practicing public historians through field trips and/or in class and presenting a modest public history case study in class.
* http://ncph.org/what-is-public-history/about-the-field/
HIST 124: History of Western Medicine
Dr. Juliet Larkin-Gilmore
Are you “sick” if your doctor gives you a diagnosis but you feel fine? Are you “healthy” if you feel sick but your doctor says your lab results are normal? Who decides when we are “healthy” and when we are “sick”—and how has that changed over time?
In HIST124, we will answer these and other questions about the history of medical practice in Europe and the United States. We will trace how one way of seeing the body (through a microscope) came to dominate over others and focus on the themes of diagnosis (when is someone “sick” and why?), treatment (how do we know they are "cured"?), and justice (how race & ethnicity, language, gender, sexuality, class, and disability affect access to healthcare). We will also explore who has benefitted and who has suffered under Western medical practices and why it matters that we understand the past. Topics will include Ancient Greek medicine, bloodletting, epidemics, antibiotics and vaccination, medical experimentation, and health activism.
HIST 161: The Battle of Gettysburg in American Historical Memory
Dr. Ted Zeman
In this course we will study not only the Battle of Gettysburg itself, but we will also look at how the memory of the battle has changed over the years in the remembrances of those who fought it, how historians have interpreted it, and how the movie Gettysburg has also shaped how people remember the battle. We will also look at how the battlefield itself has become a symbol for Americans over the years, and how it has engendered both hope and controversy in the 161 years since the battle.
HIST 179: Latin American History since 1820
Dr. Manuel Morales Fontanilla
HIST 179 - Latin American History Since 1820 is a survey class covering Modern Latin American history from the early nineteenth century until the present. The course focuses on significant political, social, cultural, environmental, and economic changes experienced in the region from a multi-sited perspective. Integrating debates on race, class, and gender, the class will focus on significant cultural groups and their contributions to the region’s history. In this class, students will expose themselves to primary sources (texts, images, songs, material culture) and contemporary historical, sociological, and anthropological literature focused on the topics pertinent to the class. Students will also use ‘Active Learning’ strategies to promote a diverse, tolerant, and collaborative class environment.
HIST 302W/HIST 460Y: China VR
Dr. Pierce Salguero
Have you ever wanted to travel to China? Are you interested in getting involved in real-world applications of historical research? Are you looking for a cool project for your portfolio or resumé?
Join us for a VR trip to China! This semester, we will build a virtual tour of some of the most exciting spots around the country. Students will conduct historical research about the sites, and will construct a virtual reality environment using 360° camera footage.
HIST 455: The History of Epidemics
Dr. Juliet Larkin-Gilmore
Words like “pre-pandemic,” “early-COVID,” and “post-COVID” now define our lives and recent pasts. While we can all agree that COVID has changed life on Earth, exactly what has changed and how—and what it all means—are still hotly debated. This course aims to make sense of our lived experiences of a pandemic within global history. It asks how people before us dealt with a horrifying, deadly, and unknown sickness. Through case studies of five previous epidemics and pandemics we will ask: What did people think caused them? How did they deal with mass suffering and death? How did they make meaning out of their loss?
HIST 447: Recent American History
Dr. David Ruth
This course explores major developments in American history since the end of World War II. We seek to understand how diverse Americans—activists, workers, voters, students, political leaders, and many others—reshaped American culture, society, politics, global roles, and daily life. How, we ask, does the recent history of the United States help us understand who we are and how we live today?
HIST 497-001: Special Topics: Revolution in Latin America
Dr. Manuel Morales Fontanilla
In HIST 497: Revolution in Latin America, we will examine the political, economic, and social causes and consequences of the Mexican, Cuban, Nicaraguan, and Bolivarian revolutions. Our focus will be on the geopolitical dimensions of these revolutionary movements and their significance at local, regional, and international levels. This approach will highlight the crucial role these Latin American revolutions played in shaping the region's modern history and underscore their profound impact on popular culture around the globe. We will engage with primary sources—such as texts, images, songs, and material culture—alongside contemporary historical literature relevant to our discussions. To foster a diverse, tolerant, and collaborative classroom environment, we will employ 'Active Learning' strategies throughout the course.
