HI 215 History of American Thought

 

HI 215 History of American Thought at Worcester State University

An introduction to the field of American intellectual history, engaging with ideas, intellectual movements and thinkers in the American past and present. The course will consider key concepts in American identity and thought, including democracy, equality, racial and gender justice, the American dream, American character, and national unity. How do ideas inform the American experience? Which ideas have particular traction in American thought? Can ideas even have a history? What is the role of “thought” in American history? What thinkers have made an indelible contribution to American intellectual life?

Prerequisites: HI 111 or 112 (US History 1 or 2) and EN 102 or EN 250
Credits: This is a 3-credit course.*

Next taught: Spring 2014 TR 10:00 – 11:15 Sullivan 108
Last taught: Spring 2010 (Syllabus PDF)

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Explain the development of, connections among and change over time of distinctive American intellectual movements and groups, thereby cultivating a more critical understanding of the United States experience
• Apply critical thinking and historical thinking skills to the study of American thought, using original works as the primary object of that study
• Explore the dynamic origins of intellectual diversity in American history, including ideological approaches to social problems and “big ideas” in American identity
• Develop and strengthen one’s own appreciation for the ideas of diverse groups and thinkers
• Demonstrate the ability to interpret cultural texts and
  identify their relevant intellectual contributions in historical context
• Employ effective oral and written communication, critical thinking skills, and teamwork to enhance your own learning and that of your peers in the seminar

If you are a History major or minor, this course is designed to help you begin to develop the six core skills of historical thinking, especially #3, 4 and 6:

1) Students will recall and explain historical events and facts of significance to their coursework, being able to set them in chronological order. Students will have a working sense of how history unfolded.

2) Students will set historical facts/events in broader context. They will have the “flavor of an era” and be able to connect facts together. Students will experience history as a flow, not as separate discrete “bits” of information.

3) Students will identify primary and secondary sources, and understand the scholarly uses of each. Students can analyze a given source using appropriate questions, methods and techniques. Students will gain information literacy with respect to both printed and online sources of historical information.

4) Students will frame questions for historical research and conduct a program of research inquiry, demonstrating strong and independent research skills.

5) Students will create original works of historical scholarship.

6) Students will reflect on their own learning process and become self-reliant and independent learners.

*By University definition:
Federal regulation defines a credit hour as an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutional established equivalence that reasonably approximates not less than –

(1) One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or

(2) At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.