On the Edge: The U.S. in the 20th Century, Horowitz and Carroll, eds.
Course Description:
History 110 is a survey of the major social, cultural, political, and economic
events of the twentieth century United States. The nation that stands on the
edge of the 21st century is a very different place than it was at the close of
the 19th century. This course will provide students an overview of the
historical changes that have shaped the nation, its peoples, and its
relationships with the rest of the world in the past 100 years.
The course consists of two components: lectures delivered by the professor and
small group discussion sections led by graduate student instructors. The
lectures, which meet twice weekly, will frame the overall concerns of the
course and place the weekly topics in context. In the discussion sections,
which meet once weekly, students will have an opportunity to discuss their
textbook readings, lecture information, and review for exams. In section, you
will also receive handouts and explanations for all assignments, and we have
also scheduled some time for you to work on, as well as share, your web-based
research project.
Course Objectives:
The stated objectives of this core curriculum course are as follows:
To help students develop:
(a) an understanding of the processes by which social experiences, cultural traditions,
ideologies, and politics interact in this nation;
(b) an understanding of the fundamental political vocabularies that have been and still are
employed by Americans in this century; and
(c) an understanding of how race, ethnicity, gender, and class define the variety of American
experiences and perspectives.
Student Learning Objectives:
There are multiple, linked, learning objectives in this course:
- To appreciate the complexities of the past.
- To make connections between the past and the present.
- To build a historical knowledge base of the 20th century United States.
- To identify and know major historical events, people, issues in this history.
- To identify and interpret the significance of these events, issues, and people.
- To understand the limits of "objectivity" as historical explanation.
- To do basic historical research.
- To write historically (interpretively).
- To gain essential critical reading, writing, and thinking skills.
