History

Courses

HIST1030: The World and The West I

Credits 3
Begins with the classical eras, both east and west (ca. 600 BC) and ends in about 1600. The course goal is twofold: to understand both the primary cultural heritages of the world and their growing interconnectedness, and to put the energy and distinctiveness of the Western tradition into perspective with other political worlds and religious world-views.

HIST1040: The World and The West II

Credits 3
Begins in 1600 and proceeds to the present, trying to understand and assess the parallel and increasing interactive developments in the West and other parts of the world. Colonial enterprises of many types interact with indigenous cultures and systems in what we now call "third world" areas. Nation-building with competitive empires affects Europe, Africa and Asia. Very different independence struggles punctuate 19th and 20th century history.

HIST1070: United States History Survey

Credits 3

A study of American history from European exploration to the present, with attention to the founding of the United States, the major developments and events, and the role of the citizen in U.S. history. This course is designed for the general student and will not meet major requirements for degrees in history.

HIST2030: United States History to 1877

Credits 3

An introduction to American history from the period of exploration and colonization to the conclusion of reconstruction. Major themes and events include the European settlement of North America, Native American responses to European development of colonial America, the war for American independence, nation-building in the Early Republic, the development of slavery, Western expansion, and the Civil War and reconstruction.

HIST2040: United States History since 1877

Credits 3

An introduction to American history from the conclusion of reconstruction to recent times. Major themes include Western expansion, industrialization and urbanization, imperialism, two world wars, American life between the wars, radicalism and revolt, and the post-Cold War world.

HIST3010: Recent America

Credits 3

An in-depth exploration of modern America from 1945 to the present emphasizing the political, economic, diplomatic, and social aspects of the period. The course will investigate the origins of the Cold War, McCarthyism, increasing presidential power, the U.S. and the Third World, the civil rights struggle, women's movement, student revolts, Vietnam, Watergate, and the New Right and post-Cold War America.

Prerequisites

HIST3020: Modern Europe (1800-Present)

Credits 3

An in-depth exploration of Europe from the political and industrial revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries through contemporary European society and culture, including 19th century "isms" (romanticism, liberalism, socialism, nationalism, imperialism) and world wars.

HIST3040: Medieval Europe

Credits 3
An examination into the rich world of medieval Europe between the collapse of the western Roman Empire and ending with the first stirrings of the Renaissance in the 14th century. The course will explore the preservation of learning and vibrant intellectual culture of monasteries, the political struggles of the Holy Roman Empire, the Anglo-Celtic enthusiasm for spirituality and education, the Islamic cities and cultural centers of Spain, the rich liturgy and culture of medieval Catholicism, and the lives of rulers like Charlemagne, Alfred the Great, and Otto the Great. The course culminates in the horrific catastrophe of the Bubonic Plague and the beginnings of recovery in the Renaissance.

HIST3050: Renaissance and Reformation

Credits 3
Beginning with seminal figures and movements in the pivotal 13th century, an exploration of the dynamic economic and cultural flourishing which underlies the long and exciting phenomenon we know best as the Renaissance. Reforms in several versions arise from that energy, culminating in profound changes in the Roman church as well as new long-lived configurations of faith and practice. Impacts upon and developments in political conceptions and practice complete the picture.

HIST3094: Special Topics in History

Credits 2 3
Offers a thematic approach to historical interpretation. The course may be conducted in a seminar format and may be repeated for credit by permission. Topics will vary.

HIST3260: America in the Age of Revolutions

Credits 3
This course explores American history in the context of the revolutionary Atlantic (1760-1848). Rather than seeing the various revolutions as discrete events, we will examine how they were entangled and part of the longer story of a revolutionary age. We will trace their ideological origins to an earlier English radicalism and consider how the American Revolution inspired cultural, political, and religious changes in the West. We will also consider how conceptions of liberty, republicanism, and self-governance expressed by revolutionaries in the Caribbean and Latin American revolutions shaped the intellectual and geopolitical landscape of the United States.

HIST3330: U.S. Foreign Policy

Credits 3
An in-depth examination of the factors influencing the U.S. as a participant in the international system, especially from the end of World War II to the present. Topics include U.S. foreign policy and ideology, domestic politics and interest groups, public opinion and the media, and historical events considered chronologically. (See POLS3330.)

HIST3440: History of Christianity in America

Credits 3
A study of American Christianity from the colonial period to the present. The course will focus on the varieties of religious experiences in historical context. Included will be such themes as Puritanism, the Great Awakenings, Christian utopias, the Social Gospel, Fundamentalism, and liberation theology. Emphasis will be placed on the mutual influence of religion and American culture.

HIST3490: Modern Africa

Credits 3
An exploratory survey of African history below the Sahara from the 18th century to the present. In addition to dealing with the extraordinary historiographic challenges, serious attention will be given to the impact of slaving operations, the persistence of tribal life and loyalties, the effects of colonial government, the movements to independence and the challenge of current situations.

HIST3580: Teaching Social Studies in the Secondary School

Credits 2
Strategies appropriate to this subject field, instructional materials and tools, curricular structure common to this subject in the secondary school. Field experience: 20-40 hours. (See EDUC3580.)
Prerequisites
Junior classification, Program admission required.

HIST3750: British and American Evangelicals

Credits 3
An exploration of evangelical Christianity as an essentially transatlantic spiritual phenomenon. This course will explore the core characteristics of evangelical Christianity as they developed from the mid-1700s up to the present day, and will trace evangelical Christianity's historical evolution through religious revival, social influence, political activity, and cultural conflict from its origins to the present secularizing age.

HIST3840: The Holocaust

Credits 3

The Holocaust was one of the seminal events of the twentieth century, and has had profound effects on the language and concepts that we use to describe atrocities, the way that we interpret history, and even the ways in which we remember and memorialize the past. To put it simply, the Holocaust was more than a singular tragedy in the middle of the twentieth century. It was much worse than so many other tragedies. It was a watershed that created a new lens for looking at the past, present, and future. In this course, we will study the events that make up the Holocaust, the deeper roots of antisemitism that made it possible, and how the Holocaust has been remembered, portrayed and memorialized. We will think not only about what happened, but about how to make sense of what happened—how to grapple with a history that seems to defy understanding. Fulfills a General Education Cultural Competency (CC) requirement.

HIST4100: Ideas that Made America

Credits 3

This course is an overview of American intellectual culture from the seventeenth century to the present. From Puritanism to Pragmatism to Postmodernism, we will study the major thinkers and trends that made America. (See POLS4100.)

HIST4970: Senior Thesis and Capstone

Credits 4
A two-part requirement for all history majors. The departmental component (Thesis) is an independent research paper of 25-30 pages, which includes demonstration of historical methods and the use of primary sources. It will be written under the supervision of the history faculty. The university component (Capstone) includes a careful evaluation of the fulfillment of the university outcomes in the growth and experience of the student while at NNU, in discussion and an extended paper of eight to ten pages.
Prerequisites
Senior standing