History 364

HIST 364
American Slavery (US) (WI)

Catalog Entry

HIST 364
American Slavery (US) (WI)
Three hours lecture/discussion: (3)

Prerequisite: Three hours of History at the 100 level.
 
Provides an in-depth study and analysis of the institution of slavery as it developed in the United States. Particular focus will be placed on the institution from the perspective of the slaves themselves. Topics include the Atlantic Slave Trade, Origins of Slavery, Colonial Slave Systems, Proslavary Defense, Abolitionism, Slave Culture, Resistance, and Emancipation.

Note(s): Cultural or Behavioral Analysis designated course.

Detailed Description of Content of Course
•    Atlantic Slave Trade
•    Origins of Slavery in British North America
•    Colonial Slave Systems and Development
•    Slavery in a Revolutionary Age
•    Slavery during the Antebellum decades
•    Slave work
•    Slave culture
•    Pro-slavery vs. Abolitionist argument
•    Black Slaveowners
•    Emancipation


Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

HIST 364 utilizes a variety of pedagogical tools depending on the class makeup and the topic under discussion. Some of the instructional strategies applied include lecture, group and class discussions, multi-media presentations, student/class debates, and primary source analysis.


Goals and Objectives of the Course

Departmental Goals and Objectives:
1. Students will practice thinking critically and analytically about historical issues, acquire a broader knowledge and deeper understanding of pertinent historical events and processes, and cultivate a familiarity with the concepts of historical argument and interpretation.

2. Students will develop disciplinary research skills by designing strategies to locate and analyze primary and secondary source evidence, processing and organizing the resultant data, and composing proper citation and bibliographical entries.

3. Students will apply their critical thinking, research, and compositional skills to the creation and presentation of thesis driven essays that discuss, for example, historical social, economic, political, and/or cultural developments and that address issues such as the causes and consequences of historical change and continuity.


Course Goals and Objectives:
Upon completion of HIST 364, students will be able to identify, describe and discuss major themes of American Slavery including but not limited to:
•    the historical debate surrounding the origins of slavery in British North America
•    mechanics of the Atlantic Slave Trade
•    the institution of slavery as it developed differently in the Northern and Southern colonies
•    the effects of the American Revolution on the institution of slavery
•    the complex relationship between master and slave
•    knowledge and perspective of the depth of the slave culture and its complexity
•    the depth and variety of resistance
•    contemporary justifications for slavery and the rise of abolitionist sentiment


Assessment Measures

Knowledge and understanding of the material covered in this course will be measured using an array of assessment tools that may include, among other things, class attendance and participation, written examinations, formal writing assignments of various types, and informal writing assignments. All exercises are designed to expand the student's ability to evaluate historical events and to develop his or her ability to compose persuasive arguments.


Other Course Information

None


Review and Approval
September 2010 Reviewed and Approved by Sharon A. Roger Hepburn, Chair

04/2011

March 01, 2021