History (HIST)

HIST 403 - Introduction to Greek Civilization

Credits: 4

A broad historical exploration of Greek civilization. Topics include: architecture, art, law, literature, philosophy, poetry, politics, religion, society, warfare, and the Greek's legacy to the modern world. Open to all students. No prior knowledge of the ancient world assumed; all readings are in English. Ideal background for students of English, philosophy, history, Latin, Greek, the arts, music, modern languages.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Equivalent(s): CLAS 403, CLAS 405

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 404 - Introduction to Roman Civilization

Credits: 4

A broad historical exploration of Roman civilization. Topics include: architecture, art, law, literature, philosophy, poetry, politics, religion, society, warfare, and their legacy to the modern worlds. Open to all students. No prior knowledge of the ancient world assumed; all readings are in English. Ideal background for students of English, philosophy, history, Latin, Greek, the arts, music, modern languages.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Equivalent(s): CLAS 404, CLAS 406

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 405 - History of Early America

Credits: 4

America from the early era of European discovery through the American Civil War. Emphasizes the interaction of European, Native American, and African peoples; the separation of the English colonies from Great Britain; and the establishment and early history of the United States. Course meets the History major requirement for Group 1.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Equivalent(s): HIST 405H, HIST 405W

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 405W - History of Early America

Credits: 4

America from the early era of European discovery through the American Civil War. Emphasizes the interaction of European, Native American, and African peoples; the separation of the English colonies from Great Britain; and the establishment and early history of the United States. Course meets the History major requirement for Group 1.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HIST 405, HIST 405H

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 406 - History of the Modern United States

Credits: 4

History of the United States since the mid-19th century. Political, social, and economic developments as well as relationships of the modern U.S. with other countries. Course meets the History major requirement for Group 1.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Equivalent(s): HIST 406H, HIST 406W

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 410 - Historic Survey of American Civilization

Credits: 4

Topical survey, within broad chronological divisions, of the development of American civilization since 1600. Students may take the course up to two times as long as the topic for the two courses is different. Course meets the History major requirement for Group 1.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Equivalent(s): HIST 410H

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 421 - World History to the 16th Century

Credits: 4

The global experience of human communities with special emphasis on the development of the major civilizations and their interactions. Comparisons of social, cultural, religious, and political life and the emergence of distinctive and diverse human societies are examined. Course meets the History major requirement for Group III.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 422 - World History in the Modern Era

Credits: 4

Emergence of major global human interactions due to the growth of major civilizations. The global context for the rise of the modern West. The rise and decline of Western global domination and the emergence of new states and changing societies throughout the world. Course meets the History major requirement for Group III.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Equivalent(s): HIST 422H

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 425 - Foreign Cultures

Credits: 4

Introduces the culture of a particular nation or region; preparation for experiencing a foreign culture. Consult department for listing of topics. Course meets the History major requirement for Group II or III, depending on the topic.

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery)

Equivalent(s): HIST 425H, HIST 425W

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST #435 - Origins of European Society

Credits: 4

This course traces the contours of human experience in what has come to be called "Western Civilization," from its beginnings in the ancient Near East, Greece, and Rome, to the dawn of the modern global world in sixteenth-century Europe. Although topics will vary by instructor, all sections examine the myriad forms of social, political, religious, military, and economic organization that emerged in this rich tradition, Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Equivalent(s): HIST 435H, HIST 435W

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 435W - Origins of European Society

Credits: 4

This course traces the contours of human experience in what has come to be called "Western Civilization," from its beginnings in the ancient Near East, Greece, and Rome, to the dawn of the modern global world in sixteenth-century Europe. Although topics will vary by instructor, all sections examine the myriad forms of social, political, religious, military, and economic organization that emerged in this rich tradition, Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HIST #435, HIST 435H

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 436 - Europe and the Modern World

Credits: 4

The course focuses on major encounters between Europe and its Global rivals from the Age of the Revolution to the rise of modern terrorism. While the topics covered will vary by instructor, all sections address the rise of Democracy, the birth of Capitalism, the apocalyptic destruction of the two World Wars, and the emergence of a diverse multi-cultural Europe in the years following World War II. Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Equivalent(s): HIST 436H, HIST 436W

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 436W - Europe and the Modern World

Credits: 4

The course focuses on major encounters between Europe and its Global rivals from the Age of the Revolution to the rise of modern terrorism. While the topics covered will vary by instructor, all sections address the rise of Democracy, the birth of Capitalism, the apocalyptic destruction of the two World Wars, and the emergence of a diverse multi-cultural Europe in the years following World War II. Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): HIST 436, HIST 436H

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 437H - Honors/The Mad Among Us: A Global History of Mental Disorder

Credits: 4

Mental disorder is a universal and persistent condition in human history. Every society has struggled to make sense of it; every society has struggled to address it. But, what is mental disorder? Is it a disease? If so, of what? The body? The brain? The soul? Is it a chemical imbalance? Genetic destiny? Is it the wage of sin? The mark of the devil? The curse of a god? Or is it a social label or cultural construct - a name slapped on thought, feeling, or behavior that defies a society's definition of "normal?" This course seeks to answer these questions by exploring the great range of beliefs human societies, ancient to modern and from across the globe, have developed to identify and define mental disorder as well as the methods they have employed to treat or contain it.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Honors course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 440A - Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Struggle for Racial Justice

Credits: 4

This course examines Martin Luther King's life, philosophy, and career on the front lines of the civil rights movement. In our study of King as well as the larger black freedom struggle, we seek an understanding of how certain questions related to racial justice played out in American history. We focus on issues of civil disobedience, just and unjust laws, love and hate, violence and non-violence. Students will read many of King's famous writings such as the Letter from Birmingham Jail, as well as his lesser-known speeches - among them king's 1967 address denouncing the Vietnam War. More generally, this seminar introduces students to the rudiments of historical thinking and asks broader questions about the role of individuals in history and how social change happens. Course meets the History major requirement for Group I.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Honors course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 440B - Honors/Medicine, Society, Science, and the Law: Who Makes Your Health Care Decisions?

Credits: 4

Every person interacts with the health care system -- including you. In this class, students will study the interactions between law, society, science, and medicine to gain an understanding about how the American health care system developed and who has and does make decisions about health. Topics covered include vaccination, health care providers, discrimination, and epidemics. Course meets the History major requirement for Group I.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Honors course

Equivalent(s): HIST 604

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 440D - Honors/Citizens and Persons

Credits: 4

Definitions of citizenship have changed dramatically in the course of history. In this class, we will trace the evolution of expanding (and occasionally contracting) political and civil rights and responsibilities over time, with an emphasis on events in multicultural American nations and emphasizing how laws, social practices, unique historical contexts, and individuals’ understanding of self and other have mutually produced each other. The course is part of the Honors Symposium “Being Human” and will engage in an interdisciplinary conversation about personhood, humanity, rights and responsibilities, and dehumanization.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Honors course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 440E - Honors/Drugs and Addiction in World History

Credits: 4

As drug addiction rates in the US are reaching epidemic proportions, new solutions and perspectives are becoming increasingly important. This course teaches students how a variety of cultures, including the Aztecs, Maya, Vedic India, China, and Greco-Roman antiquity, confronted the problems of drug use and addiction in their own societies. By examining these phenomena through the lens of other culture's values, students will gain a valuable perspective by which to address these problems today.

Attributes: Honors course; World Cultures(Discovery)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 440F - Honors/Islam, Art, and the Past

Credits: 4

While the world is all too familiar with images of ISIS using explosives and frills to destroy ancient sites and artifacts in Iraq and Syria, there has been little attention given to the dynamic role of art within past and present Islamic societies. Yet, Islam has a rich and vibrant artistic tradition, one in which ancient civilizations played and continue to play a major role. This course introduces students to Islamic art and cultural heritage through a study of Islam’s engagement with past artistic traditions in the fields of architecture and the fine arts. It also addresses how the recent actions of ISIS have changed questions about cultural heritage and stewardship in the Middle East and the West. Finally, the course asks students what they can and should do to preserve cultural heritage.

Attributes: FinePerformingArts(Discovery); Honors course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 440G - Honors/Revolutions in Science

Credits: 4

In this course, we study several examples of scientific revolutions, and consider whether a general model applies to them all. How have ideas about the universe and human beings' place in it changed dramatically at certain points in history? Do scientific revolutions have a common structure? Do they have any connection to political or social revolutions? Are we living through a scientific or technological revolution? These are among the questions we will examine.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Honors course; Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 444D - Slavery and Society in Pre-Colonial Africa

Credits: 4

Examines the evolution and practice of the institution of slavery in Africa from the earliest times to the era of European colonialism. Using contemporary personal narratives by the slaves, the course examines specific historical contexts of various slave systems, continuity and change in the ideologies and practices of slavery, religion and slavery, race and slavery, gender and slavery, conditions of slaves, as well as the making and uses of slaves - as domestics, concubines, eunuchs, officials, soldiers, labor and capital. Using films, slide images, and a comparative approach, African slavery will be examined within the context of the early evolution of slavery in the Mediterranean and Islamic worlds as well as its later expressions in the Atlantic world of the Americas. Course meets the History major requirements for Group III.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 444H - Honors/From Beijing to Baghdad: Objects along the Silk Road

Credits: 4

The Silk Road, often characterized as the world's first great superhighway, played a vital role in spreading forms of art and in developing new technologies for their production. The peoples along the Silk Road traded luxury goods such as silk and jade as well as culinary and musical traditions. Through lectures, readings, films, and podcasts we will explore the trade links between East and West and the material objects traded along the way.

Attributes: FinePerformingArts(Discovery); Honors course; Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 444J - Honors/Global Citizenship: In Pursuit of Liberty

Credits: 4

What does it mean to be a global citizen? Are we? What are human rights? Are they universal? This honors discovery course will explore with the men and women who traveled and thought beyond the borders of their locality and their moment of time and who imagined themselves citizens of the world. We will start with early revolutions that traversed oceans and national borders. We'll read utopias that saw their world differently. In the end, we will investigate major global challenges of our own world. We will move backwards, but also forwards in history. We will read novels, and perform plays. We will listen to Beethoven and Berlioz, in class and discuss larger questions of our international community, from sustainability to diversity, as they echo through different disciplines. Course meets History major requirement for Group I or II.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Honors course; Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 483 - History of World Religions

Credits: 4

Introduces the religions of the world in terms of historical development, relationship to society, belief system, central texts, and ritual practices. Begins with the religions of small and tribal societies (e.g., African, Native American), moves through religions of complex societies (e.g., Hinduism), and then studies the various traditions that emanated from ancient revelations: Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and certain new forms of Christianity. Course meets History major requirement for Group III.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Equivalent(s): HIST 483W, RS 483, RS 483W

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 497 - Explorations in Historical Perspectives

Credits: 4

In-depth exploration of a particular historical question or topic: for example, the French Revolution, Chaucer's England, or the New Deal. Students should consult with the Department of History for a list of topics and instructors. Course meets the History major requirements for Group I, II, or III, depending on the topic.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Equivalent(s): HIST 497H, HIST 497W

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 498 - Explorations of Historical Perspectives

Credits: 4

In-depth exploration of a particular historical question or topic: for example, the French Revolution, Chaucer's England, or the New Deal. Students should consult with the Department of History for a list of topics and instructors. Course meets the History major requirements for Group I, II, or III, depending on the topic.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 500 - Introduction to Historical Thinking

Credits: 4

Basic skills essential to the study of history: critical reading of historical literature, improvement of written and oral analysis of historical material, and use of library resources. Intensive study of books and documents from varying historical fields and periods. Required of history majors; open to other interested students.

Attributes: Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 501 - Medieval Military History

Credits: 4

Western societies from the Roman Empire to the emerging nation states of early modern Europe spent an enormous proportion of their surplus wealth on war. This course introduces this crucial aspect of Western history and examines the period extending from the third century AD, to just before the extensive introduction into Europe of gunpowder weapons in the fifteenth century. Discussion of not only battlefield tactics and famous generals but also the effect that war had upon society as a whole and the economic ramifications of war, the Christianization of war, and the effect of war upon literature. Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 505 - African American History

Credits: 4

Explores the forced integration of the Atlantic World through the African slave trade and the development of creole cultures in America, and takes the story of Black Americans' "creative survival" and the evolution of African-American culture through the end of the Civil War. Course meets the History major requirements for Group I.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST #506 - African American History

Credits: 4

Experiences, aspirations, and contributions of black Americans from their ethnic origins in Africa to the present American crisis in race relations; comparative study of cultures and institutions. Reconstruction to the present. Course meets the History major requirements for Group I.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 509 - Law in American Life

Credits: 4

Investigates the role of law in American social, political, and economic life from the European settlements to the present. Traces the development of legal institutions, but focuses on the various functions of law (e.g., in structuring social relationships, allocating resources, defining governmental authority, expressing social and moral values, and as a mechanism for control). Course meets the History major requirements for Group I.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 511 - History of New Hampshire

Credits: 4

This course reconstructs the surprising past of the place we call New Hampshire. Beginning with the 17th -century encounter between English and Native people, it runs to the present. Literature, documents, photos and films provide access to New Hampshire's changing natural environment, its rural life, industrialization, politics and recent struggles. Course meets the History major requirements for Group I.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 515 - Game of Thrones: Power and Politics in Medieval and Renaissance Europe

Credits: 4

George R.R. Martin's popular medieval fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire better known from HBO's Game of Thrones brilliantly portrays the brutal dynastic wars that unfolded between noble houses for control of Westeros. But did you know that pre-modern European history was one of Martin's greatest inspirations? Join us as we explore a real "Game of Thrones", the gripping series of national and international struggles between actual noble European houses for supremacy from the eleventh through the sixteenth centuries that ultimately forged the modern European state system.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 520 - History of Animals

Credits: 4

Do animals have histories? Animals have created few if any written sources. Nevertheless, relationships between humans and animals have changed dramatically from the ancient past to the present day. Humans have shaped animal lives to serve many purposes; simultaneously, animals have served as agents of change in human history. Drawing on environmental, economic, social, and cultural history, this course will focus on the history of animals as pests, pets, producers, and products.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 521 - Origins of Modern Science

Credits: 4

Development of scientific ideas in Europe from the Renaissance through the Scientific Revolution to the Enlightenment. Topics include themes in the physical and biological sciences and their relations to cultural and social contexts. No special science background is required. Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 522 - Science in the Modern World

Credits: 4

Development of science, particularly in Europe and North America, from the 18th century to the present. Themes including Darwinism, the growth of modern physical and biological sciences and science in the contemporary world. No special science background is required. Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 532 - Modern Latin America

Credits: 4

Provides a broad overview of Latin America from the 18th century to the present. It examines the breakdown of colonial rules, the establishment of independent countries, the formation of viable nation states, the importance of geography, the roles of the different elements of society. Social, political, and economic changes and continuities emphasized to give a sense of the ambiguities of the historical process. Cultural differences illustrated with slides and music. The effects of elite rule and of United States interventions studied. Course meets the History major requirements for Group III.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 537 - Espionage and History

Credits: 4

Introduces the history and politics of espionage and intelligence organizations from the 20th century to the present. Special attention to intelligence work among the major powers in World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. Readings include autobiographical accounts and other primary sources as well as novels. Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 538 - Modern European War and Society: The Napoleonic Wars to World War II

Credits: 4

This course is organized around three conflicts: the Napoleonic Wars, World War I, and World War II. As we study them, we'll discuss the evolution and impact of total war in order to understand how societies work in wartime and how these conflicts have shaped Europe. In our exploration of each war, we examine a range of participants from international alliances to individual soldiers and to civilians involved in the conflict. Total war, by its nature, incorporates most elements of society, so we will spend time looking at the homefronts as well as the battlefronts. We will survey the conflicts as a whole, but also devote time to some special events or elements. For example, we will look at the battle of Somme during the portion of the course dedicated to World War I. We will also study some of the art that arose out of the conflict. The core of the class will be lectures, but we will engage in some discussion almost every day and there are some classes that will be dedicated to discussion. Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 540 - Foundations of Medieval History: 300-1300 CE

Credits: 4

Introduces the history of Western Europe from the end of the Roman Empire to the late twelfth century. Particular focus on the history of Christianity, social and economic structures, the role of women in medieval culture, and literacy and learning. Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 555 - The Vikings!

Credits: 4

The Vikings spread terror and destruction throughout Europe. They also developed remarkable art forms, cutting edge technology, constructed new cities and kingdoms, and explored the new world 500 years before Columbus. This course will explore the identities of these fierce warriors, intrepid explorers, and farmed poets. This course fulfills history category 2.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 560 - Modern Britain

Credits: 4

This course explores Great Britain from the American Revolution to the reign of Elizabeth II. We examine Britain's unparalleled Imperial power, the vibrancy of Victorian Culture, and the devastating impact of the two World Wars, which initiated Britain's post-war decline. During the Cold War, Britain rebuilt its position through cultural exports like rock-n'-roll music, royal pomp, and the mini-skirt, but has never fully recovered its status, despite its vibrant multi-cultural allure. Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 563 - Introduction to Russian Culture and Civilization

Credits: 4

Interdisciplinary course on the development of Russian culture from its origins through the end of the 19th century. Historical documents, literary works, ethnographic materials, films, slides of Russian art, and music. Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery)

Equivalent(s): RUSS 525

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 565 - Women in Modern Europe

Credits: 4

A social history of women in Europe from 1700 to the present. Examines the development of the "modern nuclear family," transformations in women's work during the industrial revolution, and women's political evolution from bread rioters to hearth tenders to petitioners. Sources include published diaries, historiographical studies, and novels. Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 566 - Comparative Revolutions: How to Make a Revolution in the World before Marx

Credits: 4

This course in HOW TO MAKE A REVOLUTION (if you lived more than 100 years ago) will ask why the Sea Beggars flooded Holland, the Levellers dug up the Commons, and Black Loyalists fled the independent Americans after their revolution. The class asks how slaves in Haiti defeated Napoleon's troops, utopian socialists built a railway around a cross at the center of Europe, and Marx rallied the workers of the world to unite. Course meets the History major requirements for Group II.

Attributes: World Cultures(Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 575 - Ancient Near East

Credits: 4

From the Neolithic revolution to the time of Alexander the Great. Rise of civilization; nature of human artistic and intellectual development in the earliest civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt; Judaism in its historical setting. Course meets the History major requirements for Group III.

Equivalent(s): CLAS 575

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 579 - History of China in Modern Times

Credits: 4

This course introduces students to major historical developments in China from 1600 to the end of the twentieth century. Major themes include: ethnicity, alien rule, political reforms and revolution, industrialization, interactions with the rest of the world (such as cross-cultural relations and military conflict), social and cultural transformation. Readings for the course are a combination of secondary and primary sources in translation, including scholarly articles, memoirs, biography, fictions, and journalist reports, most of which are landmark works indispensable for the study of modern Chinese history. Course meets the History major requirements for Group III.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 580 - History of Japan in Modern Times

Credits: 4

Surveys major historical changes in Japan from 1600 to the end of the 20th century. Topics include Tokugawa centralized feudalism, samurai class, Edo culture, foreign relations with Asian countries and the United States, wars, postwar reforms under American Occupation, and the rise of Japanese economic power. Sources include official documents, personal memoirs, literary works, films, as well as slides of ukiyo-e (woodblock paintings). Course meets the History major requirements for Group III.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 585 - Medieval Islam

Credits: 4

This course examines the origins and expansion of Islam and the development of the Muslim community from the time of Muhammad until the Islamic empires of the 16th century. We will address the associated geographies, artifacts, and legal formations associated with the medieval and early modern Islamic world. The course focuses on major developments in politics, religion, and the arts. Course meets the History major requirements for Group III.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 587 - History of Africa from the Earliest Times to 1870

Credits: 4

This survey course introduces students to the major landmarks in the making of African history and societies from the earliest times to 1870 AD. Beginning with the dual premises that Africa is the birthplace of both the human species as well as some of the oldest and most varied civilizations in the world, the course examines the early civilizations of both Egypt and the Nile Valley, the development and of the Swahili culture, the Sudanese and forest empires, religious beliefs and the moral order, gender and class, warfare and diplomacy, the advent and impact of Islam and Christianity, migrations and cultural formations in central and southern Africa, commerce, and encounters with Europe, slavery and the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, and the end of formal African independence. Films and other visuals are streamed to supplement the readings. Course meets the History major requirements for Group III.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 588 - History of Modern Africa: 1870 to the Present

Credits: 4

This survey course introduces students to the major forces and dynamics of change in the modern history of Africa, from the late 19th century to the present. The primary focus is on European imperialism and its aftermaths in Africa. Issues to be examined include: the scramble for and partition of Africa; resistance to colonization; the rise and fall of apartheid in Southern Africa; religion and society, music and culture, gender and sexuality, art and literature, pan-Africanism, military rule, HIV/AIDS, democratization, and nation building. Emphasis on African initiatives, and on an exploration of contemporary challenges and the major forces reshaping the history of this oldest, most diverse, and most fascinating continent. Feature films, drama skits, literary works, and guest lectures are utilized. Course meets the History major requirements for Group III.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 595 - Explorations

Credits: 1-4

See department listings for semester topic. Course meets History major requirement for Group I, II, or III depending on the topic.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 600 - Explorations

Credits: 4

Advanced explorations in one of the fields listed below: A) American History, B) European History, C) World History, D) Ancient History. Barring duplication of subject, may be repeated. Course meets History major requirement for Group I, II, or III depending on the topic.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

Special Fee: Yes

HIST 603 - European Conquest of North America

Credits: 4

European Conquest of America explores many of the major issues relating to the creation and development of colonial North America. We will focus particularly on the extraordinary heterogeneous mixture of peoples who lived in North America and the Caribbean, and on the complexity and consequences of their interactions. Throughout the semester we will continually evaluate arguments among historians about whether or not it makes sense to understand the colonial period in terms of a conquest, or whether Native Americans retained enough power and resistance throughout the colonial period to make such an interpretation inaccurate. Course meets History major requirement for Group I.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 605 - American Revolution, 1750-1800

Credits: 4

Examines the transformation of thirteen British colonies into the United States through the election of Thomas Jefferson as president in 1801. Topics include the revolution's origins, the social and political impact of war, the changing structure of the family, the role of religion, the drafting and ratification of the Constitution, and the revolution's consequences for Indians and African Americans. Course meets History major requirement for Group I.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 606 - History of the Early Republic

Credits: 4

Explores the histories of the people and institutions that transformed the new United States from a coastal republic of largely independent freeholders to a transcontinental democracy increasingly driven by class. Topics include slavery, the family, reform movements, and the formation of national identity. Course meets History major requirement for Group I.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 609 - Special Topics in American Legal History

Credits: 4

In-depth thematic exploration of law in American life. Topics include race and equality in America; community, pluralism, and American law; property, liberty, and law; gender and law. May be repeated for credit with instructor's permission. Consult department listings of topics. Course meets History major requirement for Group I.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 611 - Civil War Era

Credits: 4

Surveys the period from the presidency of Andrew Jackson to the end of the Reconstruction. Focuses on causes, course, and consequences of the Civil War. Topics include slavery in the Old South, antebellum reform movements, creation and breakdown of the Second Party System, social and economic (as well as military) events during the war and major developments during Reconstruction after the war. Course meets History major requirement for Group I.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 612 - Emergence of Industrial America

Credits: 4

Investigates the economic transformation of 19th-century America from a rural, agricultural society to an urban, industrial one. Explores the sweeping economic changes and focuses on such topics as change in work and leisure, westward expansion and its effects on Native Americans, shifts in gender roles, growth of a consumer culture, rise of the labor unions, Populism, immigration, reform and regulation movements, growth of American imperialism, and intellectual developments. Course meets History major requirement for Group I.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 613 - American Ways of War

Credits: 4

"Is there an American way of war?" This commonly asked question will be the focal point of the course. To answer that we will study the interactions of both war and society in the United States from the Civil War onwards, addressing such issues as the causes, courses, diplomacy, homefront, legacy, and the art of the great and small wars. Course meets the History major requirement for Group I.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 615 - The Rise of Modern United States, 1900-1945

Credits: 4

By 1900, the United States had emerged as the world's leading industrial power and leading destination for millions of immigrants and had begun to become a major player in world affairs. Americans enjoyed unprecedented prosperity and became eager consumers of new inventions and popular culture: cars, radios, jazz records, and the "motion pictures." But they also experienced the worst depression the country had ever known and struggled to make sense of a world that went to war twice within a generation. Women, African Americans, immigrants - all struggled to carve out their place in the new political order. By World War II, the United States assumed many of its "modern" characteristics. Using novels, movies, photographs, sporting events, political speeches and political debates, we will explore both the domestic and the international aspects of the development of modern U.S. Course meets the History requirements for Group I.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST #616 - United States Since World War II

Credits: 4

This course presents a framework for understanding American history from 1945 to the present. We explore major events and themes, beginning with the Cold War and the domestic anti-communism crusade, and continuing with the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and the women’s movement. In our study of national politics, we chart the rise of liberalism – focusing on the presidencies of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson – as well as the conservative response, punctuated by the "Reagan Revolution." We conclude with a brief study of the 21st century.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 618 - American Environmental History

Credits: 4

Examines how nature has been a factor in American history and how Americans have wrestled with the concepts of nature and culture. Topics include industrialization, evolution, conservationism, environmentalism, and environmental diplomacy. Course meets the History major requirement for Group I.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 619 - Foreign Relations of the United States

Credits: 4

The history of American diplomacy from the colonial era to the present, with the dividing point at 1900. The focus will be on both the foreign and domestic influences that shaped American diplomacy. Course meets the History major requirement for Group I.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 620 - Foreign Relations of the United States

Credits: 4

The history of American diplomacy from the colonial era to the present, with the dividing point at 1900. The focus will be on both the foreign and domestic influences that shaped American diplomacy. Course meets the History major requirement for Group I.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 621 - History of American Thought

Credits: 4

This course introduces the subfields of American intellectual and cultural history by assessing the ideas of some of the brightest minds that thought about life on the land we know of as the United States of America before the middle of the nineteenth century. This course surveys more than two centuries of thinkers and their connection to America's plural and evolving popular culture. Ultimately, this course seeks to answer the question: What is the history of American thought?.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 624 - Topics in Modern US History

Credits: 4

Advanced study of topics in U.S. history. Barring duplication of subject, may be repeated. Course meets the History major requirement for Group I.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 632 - Latin American History: Topics

Credits: 4

Topics vary (see department listing for current semester). Seminar entails reading, discussion, and research on literature and documents related to the selected topic. Provides students with the opportunity to do research under close direction. Course meets the History major requirement for Group III.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 633 - Medieval England 800-1300

Credits: 4

This course provides students with an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the history of medieval England from the beginning of the period of consolidation under the Wessex dynasty in the ninth-century through the end of the thirteenth century. In addition to obtaining a large corpus of information through the reading of a significant monographs dealing with England during this period, students will be challenged to develop the critical analytical skills necessary for the thorough understanding and practice of historical methodologies, with a particular focus on the practice of historical method in writing medieval history. Finally, students will be given the opportunity to improve their communications skills through extensive class discussions dealing with the scholarly works read for this course, and in writing assignments. Course meets the History major requirement for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 634 - Medieval Empires

Credits: 4

This course explores the political, economic, administrative, military, religious, and intellectual foundations of imperial rule in the Middle Ages with a particular focus on the Carolingian, German, and Byzantine Empires of the early and high Middle Ages. Course meets the History Major requirements for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST #640 - Holy War in the Holy Land: The Medieval Crusades

Credits: 4

Survey of the medieval military expeditions organized by Christians to secure the Holy Land during the 12th and 13th centuries. Topics considered include the formulation of a "just war" theory; political, intellectual, religious, and military interactions between Christians, Jews, and Muslims; the Crusader State of Jerusalem; and the histories of individual crusades. Course meets the History major requirement for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 641 - Europe after the Black Death

Credits: 4

Explores the dramatic changes that characterized Western Europe as it rebounded in the fifteenth through the seventeenth centuries from the ravages of the Black Death of 1348. Examines the social, political, and artistic developments in late medieval and Renaissance Italy before "crossing the Alps" to trace the expansion of Renaissance culture in Northern Europe. Topics include the humanist movement; new patterns of social organization; the revival of classical antiquity in the arts, architecture, religion, and political theory; the effects on European society of the encounter with the "New World"; shifting roles for men and women in early modern European societies; religious war and conflict. Course meets the History major requirement for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 642 - Saints, Sinners, and Heretics: Europe in the Age of Religious Reform

Credits: 4

Examines the history of Western Christendom from roughly 1400 to 1600, a period of tumultuous religious change throughout Europe. We begin in the Middle Ages where the seeds of religious division were sown. We then tackle Martin Luther's challenge to the Catholic church, trace the diffusion of his message throughout Europe, and address the Catholic response to the evangelizing movements that he inspired. Finally we investigate some of the regional varieties of Protestantism that developed in the latter half of the sixteenth century with a particular focus on Switzerland, Germany, England, Scotland, France, and the Netherlands. Course meets the History major requirement for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 654 - Topics in History of Science

Credits: 4

Advanced study of a selected topic in the history of European science since the Renaissance. Course meets the History major requirement for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 656 - Twentieth Century Europe

Credits: 4

The Twentieth Century began with European nations at the apex of their global power. It ended with their world dominance in ruins. Two World Wars, the rise of Nazism, and communist revolutions had left Europe in the shadow of the United States. Examining European history from the birth of the automobile to the fall of the Berlin Wall, we explore the political, social and cultural forces that made the twentieth century the bloodiest epoch in world history. Course meets the History requirement for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 662 - England in the Tudor and Stuart Periods

Credits: 4

England experienced great upheaval under the Tudor and Stuart dynasties. This course explores many of the key political, religious, social and economic changes that changed the face of England in the 16th and 17th centuries. We will study all of the Tudor and Stuart monarchs, and we will focus particularly on the following topics: Henry VIII, the English Reformation, Elizabeth I, Commons v. Nobility, the English Civil Wars and the execution of Charles I, the Restoration and the Glorious Revolution. Course meets the History requirement for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST #664 - Russia: Modernization through Soviet Empire

Credits: 4

The challenges of modernization, experience and legacy of Leninist and Stalinist revolutions. Soviet consolidation and decline through the Gorbachev era. Course meets the History requirement for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 665 - Themes in Women's History

Credits: 4

In-depth examination of a selected topic in women's history. Topics may include Women and Health, Women in Modern European Political Theory, Comparative History of Women and Revolution. See Time and Room Schedule of history department newsletter for the specific topic. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Course meets the History requirement for Group II.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 675 - History of Ancient Greece

Credits: 4

Discover the exciting, turbulent, and innovative world of the Greeks through their history, from the emergence of small cities in the archaic period to the empire of Alexander the Great. Special focus will be on the political, economic and social developments in the rise of the polis (city), the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, the rise of Macedon and Alexander the Great’s conquests. CLAS 403/HIST 403 is encouraged but not necessary.

Equivalent(s): CLAS 675

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 676 - Topics in Ancient Greek History

Credits: 4

Advanced historical study of a particular period or theme in ancient Greek history. May be repeated barring duplication of subject.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Equivalent(s): CLAS 676

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 677 - History of Ancient Rome

Credits: 4

Discover the fascinating and tumultuous history of the ancient Roman world, from its small beginnings in the early Republic to the high Empire, when Rome controlled the whole Mediterranean basin. Special focus will be on the political and economic conflicts between social classes, the Punic Wars, the fall of the Republic, its transformation into a monarchy, and the golden age of imperial rule. CLAS 404/HIST 404 is encouraged but not necessary.

Equivalent(s): CLAS 677

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST #678 - Topics in Ancient Roman History

Credits: 4

Advanced historical study of a particular period or theme in ancient Roman history. May be repeated barring duplication of subject.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Equivalent(s): CLAS 678

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 690 - Seminar: Historical Expl

Credits: 4

Seminar in one of the fields listed below: A) American History, B) Atlantic History, C) Canadian History, D) Latin American History, E) Medieval History, F) European History, G) History of Islam, H) Ancient History, I) East Asian History, J) African History, K) Middle Eastern History, L) Historiography, M) Russian History, N) World History, O) British History, P) New Hampshire History, Q) Historical Methodology, R) Irish History, S) History of Science, T) Maritime History, U) Museum Studies. Course meets the History requirements for Group I, II, or III, depending on the topic. May be repeated barring duplication of subject.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to unlimited times.

Equivalent(s): HIST 701

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 691 - Internship

Credits: 1-4

Supervised internship with a governmental agency, private corporation, philanthropic institution, library, archives, museum, historical society, or other institution seeking individuals interested in historical research.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Credit/Fail Grading

HIST 695 - Independent Study

Credits: 1-4

A) Early American History, B) American National History, C) Canada, D) Latin America, E) Medieval History, F) Early Modern Europe, G) Modern European History, H) Ancient History, I) East Asia, J) Near East and Africa, K) European Historiography, L) American Historiography, M) Russia, N) World History, O) English History, P) New Hampshire History, Q) Historical Methodology, R) Irish History, S) History of Science, T) Maritime, U) Museum Studies. For students showing a special aptitude in history who desire to study an area or subject for which no appropriate course is offered.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 698 - Internship in Museum Studies

Credits: 4

Supervised position with a museum, historical society, archive, or other history related site.

Grade Mode: Credit/Fail Grading

HIST 771 - Museum Studies

Credits: 4

Introduction to theory, methods, and practice of museum studies. Examination of various museum functions, as well as contemporary historical controversies. May be repeated with departmental approval.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 772 - Studies in Regional Material Culture

Credits: 4

Introduces the theory and methodology of material culture, that is, the study of history through the analysis of buildings, human-created landscapes, and artifacts made and used in the United States, particularly in New England. May be repeated for credit with permission of undergraduate adviser. Course meets the History major requirements for Group I.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 774 - Historiography

Credits: 4

Analysis of ancient and modern historians. Open to undergraduates with permission. (Not offered every year.)

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST #775 - Historical Methods

Credits: 4

Contemporary historical methods. Required of all entering Ph.D. candidates; open to undergraduate with permission. (Not offered every year.)

Equivalent(s): HIST 670

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 780 - Special Topics in Museum Studies/Material Culture

Credits: 4

Study of a selected topic related to museum studies or material culture. May be repeated for course credit with permission of the undergraduate adviser. Course meets the History major requirements for Group I.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to 3 times.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 797 - Colloquium

Credits: 4

Selected topics in American, European, and non-Western history. Required of history majors. Students must elect section in the department office at the time of registration. Course meets the History major requirements for Group I, II, or III, depending on the topic.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Prerequisite(s): HIST 500 with a minimum grade of D-.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HIST 799 - Senior Thesis

Credits: 4

Supervised research leading to the presentation of a major research paper. Permission of department chairperson required. May not be used as a substitute for the required senior colloquium.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading