History: US History to 1865

Survey of American history from the pre-Revolutionary period through the Civil War era.

Open to Degree and PACE students

This survey of US history will focus on the expansion of American territory from the first British colonial settlements through the US purchase of Alaska in 1867 and the integration—or reintegration, in the case of the Confederacy—of that territory into the culture and political, legal, and economic systems of the United States. We will investigate the processes by which the US government acquired territory and individuals acquired private property; how people already resident in the territories were affected; how people, goods, capital, and ideas traveled to and from the territories; what work was necessary to live in the physical environment of the territories and who did that work; and how effectively federal, state, and local governments operated in the territories; among other issues. We will also consider some territories that many Americans in this period hoped to include in the country, but which remained outside the United States, including Canada, Cuba, and a Central American canal route. Students will also build their skills in reading and analyzing historical documents (primary sources) and journal articles and other scholarly sources.

Regular attendance and note taking in class is important for achieving course learning objectives. In person attendance is required.

Four short review essays plus a mid term and final essay. All work is take-home, and there are no exams or pop-up quizzes etc.