This course introduces students to the main currents of Latin American civilization from European conquest to the present, with special attention to the historical background of present controversies. Attention will be paid not only to such dramatic events as Conquest, Independence, and Revolution, but also to such long-term processes as state formation, rural-urban migration, industrialization, national identity, and changing gender roles. The historical roots of problems such as persistent poverty, racism, and political repression will be examined. The lectures and readings will emphasize both the continuity of the historical development of Latin America as well as the differences between diverse epochs and cultures. Our concentration will be on the political, socio-economic, and cultural life of the region throughout the past six centuries. Lectures will analyze the historical forces at work in a chronological order and focus on a variety of themes from race, class, gender, and the region’s relationship to its more powerful neighbors to the north.

This course focuses on the ways in which British monarchs have shaped political, social, economic, religious, and intellectual developments in Great Britain from the Romans to the present. Students will study historical, artistic, and literary portraits of Britain’s kings and queens, and view various media created about Britain’s Monarchs in order to gain a context for their reading. Students will also explore the Monarchy’s influence on the evolution of the English constitution over the millennia.

Special topics in history.

Special topic in history.

The Plantagenet dynasty reigned over a blood-soaked era of English history from the Norman Conquest to the cusp of the Wars of the Roses. In this course students will explore this turbulent period, from the anarchy of King Stephen’s reign to the usurpation of the Crown by Henry of Bolingbroke. Along the way, the class will be introduced to the adventures of Eleanor of Aquitaine; her sons, Richard the Lionheart and bad King John; the Black Prince; John of Gaunt; and Henry V, the hero of Agincourt. As their tales unfold, England will experience Magna Carta, revolting barons and peasants, the Black Death, and the Crusades; emerging from the dark ages to become a vibrant kingdom on an international stage with the rise of parliamentary democracy and the power of the common man.

A series of civil wars that took place in England during the fifteenth century, the Wars of the Roses were the historical inspiration for George R.R. Martin’s book series which became HBO’s mega hit “Game of Thrones.” This course will help to explain the causes of the wars, the outcomes of the fighting, and the subsequent impact on society. Students will be introduced to a number of fascinating personalities, including Edward IV, Warwick the Kingmaker, and the enigmatic Richard III, Sources for discussion will include, among others, The Croyland Chronicle and the famous Paston Letters. This course will also provide an opportunity to consider the importance of archaeological evidence, in the light of recent excavations at Bosworth, Towton, and Leicester.

This course surveys the political, social, economic, and cultural history of France from the origins of the French Revolution to the collapse of the First Empire in 1815. French society experienced more varied and radical changes during this period than at any other time in its history. These changes, expressed in ideas, inventions, and politics, went on to reshape the face of Europe.

The purpose of this course is to examine the place that rock ‘n’ roll has occupied in American culture. The central question is why a musical and cultural form once dismissed as a “passing fad” has been a very visible (and audible) part of our culture for over sixty years, despite considerable resistance.

Special topics in history.

Special topics in history. Course may be repeated up to unlimited credit hours.

Special topics in history.

Special topics in history.