HIST 354
AMERICAN SOCIAL HISTORY
HIST 354. American Social History (A)
Three hours lecture (3).
Prerequisite: Three hours of history at 100 level.
An intensive study of American life, customs, character, and social problems, from the colonial era through the mid-nineteenth century.
The course is arranged in a topical fashion and includes discussion of the following:
I. The Family
A. The Nuclear Family in Colonial America
B. The Companionate Family
II. Medicine and Health
A. Health Conditions in the New World
B. Medicine in Eighteenth-century Colonial America
C. Irregulars, Folk Medicine, and Self-Medication
III. Work
A. The Artisan Class
B. The Lowell System and the Rise of Machines
IV. Housing
A. The Social Meaning of Colonial Houses
B. The Rural Cottage in the New Nation
V. Raising Children
A. The Education of a Saint
B. The Social Meaning of Games in the Nineteenth Century
VI. Communications
A. The Reading Tastes of Colonial Americans
B. The Penny Press
VII. Consumption
A. The Itinerant Peddler
B. The Country Store
VIII. Gathering Places
A. The Colonial Coffeehouse
B. The Multifunctional Frontier Saloon
IX. Managing the Environment
A. Reshaping the American Wilderness
B. The Utopian Vision of the Urban Park Movement
X. Old Age
A. Aging in Colonial America
B. The Revolution in Age Relations
XI. Heroes
A. The American Moses
B. Heroes of the West and Their Social Meaning
Although the course would generally be classified as lecture, significant portions of class time are devoted to questions designed to stimulate critical thinking skills and the examination of primary documents which introduce students to the basic raw materials of historical study. In addition, regularly scheduled class periods are reserved for discussions on assigned readings and monographs. Students prepare written critical analyses as preparation for thoughtful discussions.
1. Students will be able to analyze the modes of everyday life in America.
2. Students will develop historical consciousness by comparing and contrasting primary sources.
3. Students will be able to think critically and demonstrate this skill through various modes of writing.
Student assessment may include in-class tests, written analyses of readings, comparisons of social life as revealed in selected fictional writings, term papers, class participation, and the final exam.
None.
Date Action Reviewed by
January 2005 Reviewed and Approved by Charles McClellan