History Courses
NOTE: Complete undergraduate and graduate catalogs can be found here.
HIST 103 (3)
Introduction to History: Intoxication and Addiction in American History
Contemporary commentators regard addiction as a biological and psychological condition, rooted in heredity, biochemistry and family dynamics. Yet, historians have argued that prior to 1800, there were no alcohol addicts, only Americans who overindulged in drink. In this course, we will examine evidence bearing on this radical thesis. By examining the experiences of Native Americans, native-born Protestants, and immigrant groups, we will also examine how women's concerns shaped 19th century movements to control the use of alcohol and the American society. Documents bering on the point of view of sufferers as well as professionals and reformers will be considered. Offered alternate years. IIIW, V HIST 105 (3)
Introduction to History: Doing Sweet Briar History
This course explores the realm of historical explanation using the Sweet Briar archives. Each step in historical construction will be illustrated by short projects: locating sources, determining their contexts, analyzing sources with reference to their use as historical evidence forming theory in response to evidence, and constructing narrative. Each student will combine these short projects to create a history on a topic of her choice. Offered alternate years. IIIW, V HIST 107 (3)
Introduction to History: Stalin and Hitler
An examination of the careers of Stalin and Hitler, with particular emphasis on that period (1933-1945) during which both were in power. Topics include each man's role as leader of his country, his ideology, and his domestic and foreign policies. Special attention will be paid to the Holocaust and to the related question of whether the Soviet experience of the Gulag is in any way comparable. Offered alternate years. IIIW, V HIST 108 (3)
Introduction to History: Modern Law and Medieval Past
The roots of many contemporary western legal concepts reach far back into the past. This seminar explores the development of such topics as punishment, "just war," the foundations of civil rights, legal "personhood," and the Judeo-Christian underpinnings of western jurisprudence. Readings encompass primary historical sources and modern documents. Student writing will include essays, briefs, and a legal history research paper. Offered alternate years. May toward the minor in law and society. be counted toward the minor in law and society. IIIW, V HIST 121 (3)
Early and Medieval Britain
This course surveys British history from antiquity to the War of the Roses. Topics include the early Celts and Britons; the Roman occupation; Christianization of the British Isles; Anglo-Saxon Britain, the Norman Conquest; and the development of the monarchy, Parliament and the common law. It also explores historicity of such popular subjects as the Arthurian tales. V1 HIST 127 (3)
English History, 1500-1689
A survey of English history under the Tudors and Stuarts, with some attention to Scotland and Ireland as well. The course will begin with an examination of early modern English society, including social relations in local communities and family structure, familial relationships and the position of women. Other topics include: Henry VIII's "break with Rome," the Protestant Reformation, assessment of Elizabeth's abilities as queen, the Civil Wars, Restoration politics and the world of Samuel Pepys. V1, V HIST 128 (3)
English History, 1689 to Pres
A survey of modern English history, including some attention to England's relations with Scotland and Ireland. Topics include industrialization and its impact, movements for social reform, the growth of parliamentary democracy, "Victorianism," Britain's changing international role, the impact of two world wars, the "Welfare State," the culture of the 60s, the Thatcher era and the changing social and political position of women. V1, V HIST 135 (3)
America, Origins to 1877
An exploration of the origins and development of the American nation from the colonial period through the end of Reconstruction. This course will inquire into the nature of colonial society, the meaning of the American Revolution and the emergence of a capitalist social order. Other topics include the rise of slavery and the origins and aftermath of the Civil War. V1 HIST 136 (3)
The United States, 1877 to the Present
The second half of the two-course sequence explores major developments and crises that have shaped American identity since 1877. Particular attention will be paid to the context and impact of industrialism, the history of race relations, anticommunism and the emergence of - and challenges to - a liberal political agenda V1 HIST 143 (3)
Med/Early Mdrn Eur 1100-1700
A survey of some major themes in European history between the 12th and 17th centuries. Topics will include knightly society and the code of chivalry; the growth of cities and urban culture and values; monarchy and state building; relations between church and state; Renaissance culture; traditional religion, the Reformation and the "Wars of Religions;" changing social and familial structures. V1 HIST 144 (3)
Modern Europe, 1700-2004
This survey of European political and diplomatic history covers the development of the absolutist state to the 2004 enlargement of the European Union. Though focusing on political history, it delves into European developments in economics, industrialization, social Darwinism, nationalism, Marxism, imperialism, fascism, communism, decolonization, genocide, and the welfare state. V1 HIST 206 (3)
Modern Israel
The Jewish national movement arose in 19th century Europe as a response to Enlightenment ideals. The growth of nation- states coupled with the spread of democratic ideologies prompted many Jews to experiment with various forms of social Utopia that eventually became the modern state of Israel. The study of contemporary sources will shed light on the origins of Zionist ideology, the role of women in the development of the kibbutz collective settlement and finally, the conflict between Israel and Arabs after the founding of the state in 1948. Offered alternate years. IIIW, V1,V HIST 209 (3)
Medieval and Early Modern Europe 1100-1700
A survey of some major themes in European history between the 12th and 17th centuries. Topics will include knightly society and the code of chivalry; the growth of cities and urban culture and values; monarchy and state building; relations between church and state; Renaissance culture; traditional religion, the Reformation and the "Wars of Religion;" and changing social and familial structures. V1 HIST 210 (3)
Europe, 1789-1989: From the French Revolution to the Collapse of Communism
This survey of European political and diplomatic history covers the development of the absolutist state to the 2004 enlargement of the European Union. Though focusing on political history, it delves into European developments in economics, industrialization, social Darwinism, nationalism, Marxism, imperialism, fascism, communism, decolonization, genocide, and the welfare state. V1 HIST 214 (3)
Building the Past
This course explores how humans built and tried to sustain large-scale settlements in the pre-industrial past. We will examine innovations in construction techniques, city planning, resource utilization, and the human impact on the natural environment. Case studies include Etruscan and Roman engineering, ancient Greek site planning, medieval "organic" cities, and Renaissance urban design. We will also consider how past urban designs may provide solutions for problems facing megacities of the future. Offered alternate years. IIIO, V HIST 216 (3)
Habsburg/Ottoman Emp 1246-1923
The Habsburg and Ottoman Empires are two entities that significantly shaped the courses of European and Middle Eastern history. This course explores the religious, political, social and economic relationships of the empires over the course of six and a half centuries with a focus on the last 200 years of their existence. We will discuss the rise and fall of the empires and their legacies on the shaping of modern Eastern European, Balkan, and Middle Eastern national movements and states. Offered every third year. V1, V HIST 221 (3)
Spirituality and Religious Institutions in U.S. History
Americans have long struggled to reconcile spiritual intensity with stable communal institutions. This course examines the historical development of this struggle, focusing in particular on its gendered dimensions and the formation of religious communities set apart from the mainstream of American life. We will also examine the impact of religious zeal on American political life and movements for social change, and inquire into the social and cultural forces behind the resurgence of fundamentalisms and the rise of therapeutic spiritual philosophies in the 20th century. IIIW, V1,V HIST 223 (3)
The Ancient World, 8000 BC to 300 AD
This course probes the origins, rise and characteristics of the civilizations that appeared in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Italy in the centuries from the Neolithic era to the rise of Christianity. The political, religious, economic, social, intellectual and artistic dimensions of these civilizations will be examined. We will also discuss the legacy of the ancient world for the modern West. This course may be counted toward the majors in Classical Studies. Offered alternate years. V1 HIST 224 (3)
The Medieval West, 400-1350
This course challenges the perception of the Middle Ages as the "Dark Ages" by introducing the cultural, political, intellectual, and religious complexity of the period from the fall of the Roman empire to the Black Death. While focusing geographically on Europe, north Africa, and the Near East, it also explores the medieval West in the context of sub-Saharan Africa and China. Offered alternate years. V1 HIST 225 (3)
The U.S. South
A survey of Southern history from the founding of Jamestown to the rise of the Sunbelt. Topics will include the plantation, slavery, white society, Civil War, Reconstruction, Redemption and the rise of Jim Crow. The course will conclude with the South's continuing efforts to deal with the legacies of its past. Offered alternate years. V1, V HIST 228 (3)
Women in America
Women's experiences and past identities in America have been shaped by household structure and economics, religion, cultural assumptions and access to public life, among other factors. This course examines the history of women in America as daughters, mothers, wives, workers, individuals, and public actors to account for changing patterns of experience, opportunity, and achievement. May be counted as a core course toward the minor in women and gender studies. V1, V HIST 234 (3)
Masculinity and Power in America
This course explores the changing ideals and activities defining American manhood from the colonial period through the present. We will inquire into the cultural and social forces that shaped the "male" public sphere in the 18th and 19th centuries. Other topics include the varied relations between male identity and work, home life and leisure, the emergence of sexuality as a key component of masculinity, and the impact of urbanization, immigration and race on ideals of manhood. Offered alternate years. IIIW, V1,V HIST 240 (3)
Gender, Sexuality and Family in Pre-modern Europe
This course explores gender and sexuality in Europe and the Mediterranean from late antiquity to the Industrial Revolution. It considers such topics as marriage and the family; "women's work;" the influence of law and religion on gender roles and sexuality; and early debates about the differences between the sexes. It also investigates the conflicting theoretical approaches to understanding gender difference, sex roles and sexual identity. This course may be counted as a core course toward the minor in Women and Gender Studies. Offered alternate years. IIIW, V1,V HIST 242 (3)
The U.S., 1877 to Present
The second half of the two-course sequence explores major developments, forces, and crises that have shaped American history since 1877. Particular attention will be paid to industrialism and immigration, the history of race relations, intensifying international engagement, and the emergence of, and challenges to a liberal political agenda. V1 HIST 245 (3)
Imperial and Soviet Russia
A study of major political, diplomatic, economic, and social developments from Kievian Rus to the fall of the tsarist state in 1917. Special emphasis will be placed on the expansion of Moscovy and Russian imperialism. Offered alternate years. HIST 246 (3)
The Soviet Union and Beyond
A study of major political, diplomatic, economic, and social developments from the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 to the presidency of Vladimir Putin. Special emphasis will be placed on the state's continued expansionism and Soviet imperialism, Stalinism and de-Stalinization, World War II, and the Cold War. Offered alternate years. HIST 248 (3)
19th and 20th Cen Nationalism
While nationalism has often played a legitimate and constructive role in political life, it has all too often been the source of intolerance, hatred, war, atrocity, and genocide. This course provides an opportunity for a close examination of the phenomenon of nationalism from its emergence in Revolutionary France to the end of the 20th century. It begins with an examination of some of the theories of nationalism and discussion of the relationship of nationalism to religion, language and culture, ethnicity and regionalism. The core of the course is a series of case studies. Offered every third year. HIST 251 (3)
The Idea of Race
Race is a relatively new idea in Western civilization, and the course will trace its creation in 18th century Europe as a response to the African slave trade, through the 19th century's growth of "race science" and Imperialism, and into 20th century versions in such diverse movements as Fascism and anti-colonialism. Although the course focuses on Western Europe, some mention will be made of North America. IIIW, V1,V HIST 258 (3)
History of Crime and Punishment in the West
This course surveys the foundations and development of Western criminal law, penal institutions and criminal jurisprudence from antiquity to the modern world. Patterns of criminality and enforcement, attempts at controlling crime and philosophies regarding crime and punishement will be explored. We will also examine current debates on such controversial issues as viiolence, the death penalty and the prosecution of "crimes against humanity." No knowledge of statistics or data analysis is assumed. Students will learn the necessary techniques and skills in the course. This course may be counted as an adjunct course toward the minor in Law and Society. IIIQ, V1,V HIST 261 (1)
Directed Study
Selected topics pursued by individual students or small groups of students under supervision of a member of the department. HIST 264 (3)
Studies in 20th-Century Nationalism
While nationalism has often played a legitimate and constructive role in political life, it has all too often been the source of intolerance, hatred, war, atrocity and genocide. This course provides an opportunity for a close examination of the phenomenon of nationalism in the 20th century. It begins with an examination of some of the theories of nationalism and discussion of the relationship of nationalism to religious belief, language and culture, demographic trends, ethnicity and regionalism. The core of the course is a series of case studies. Offered alternate years. V5 HIST 269 (3)
Africa in World Affairs
An introduction to modern Africa from 1880 to the present that concentrates on the experience of colonial rule and its relation to the rise of national movements that led to the creation of independent states in the 1960s. Special emphasis will be placed on economic and political developments during the period of independence that affect Africa's international relations. V4, V HIST 272 (3)
Pre-Colonial African History
An introduction to the development of African political culture from the 10th to 19th centuries. After studying the historical foundations of local institutions, the course will focus on the formation of states before and during the period of the slave trade until about 1860. Emphasis on contemporary historical sources. V4, V HIST 308 (3)
Encounters, Conquest and European Expansion, 1350-1650
This course probes the economics, scientific and territorial expansions that both fuelled and resulted from the "rebirth" of western Europe during the early modern era. Topics include Columbus's voyages to the New World; the Portuguese slave trade in Africa; Italian and Ottoman commercial rivalries in the Mediterranean; Spanish, British and French colonization of the Americas; and Europe's scientific responses to the new and strange environments being mapped and explored. IIIW, V HIST 312 (3)
Virginia: History and Memory
Virginia has occupied a central if contested position in the cultural memory of Americans. This research seminar explores key dimensions of Virginia's distinctive history, including its economic structure, race relations, and political culture. Through case studies of historical memorials, museums, and other sites of remembrance we will analyze the politics and social construction of collective memories of Virginia. Students will develop and present their own research projects, drawing on the rich public historical, printed, and archival resources available in Central Virginia. Offered every third year. This course may not be taken on a P/CR/NC grading option. IIIO HIST 315 (3)
Illness and Healing in America
This course inquires into the religious, medical and cultural forces shaping the experiences of illness and healing in America. Key topics include Puritan modes of suffering, medial pluralism in the 19th century, the rise and fall of "nervousness" and other diagnoses, the medicalization of behavior once thought immoral and the popularization of psychology in the 20th century. The course pays particular attention to historical shifts in the relations between sufferer, community and healer and how such shifts affect understandings of health and illness. Offered alternate years. This course cannot be taken on a P/CR/NC grading option. IIIO HIST 319 (3)
E Eur/Balkans in 19th/20th Cen
Eastern Europe and the Balkans were traditional European borderlands for centuries. Due to the regions' positions between expanding and contracting empires, they have been the "playground" of the Great Powers for the last three centuries. This course examines these struggles and the various reactions of the indigenous populations to the competing empires from the late 18th to the 21st centuries. Offered every three years. IIIW, V1,V HIST 321 (3)
Studies in Medieval History
The millennium separating antiquity and the Renaissance witnessed the rise of Western Christianity and capitalism, the "invention" of romantic love, the development of Islamic science and the Black Death. Topics will alternate: "Early Middle Ages of Dark Ages?", "High Medieval Renaissance(s)"; "Medieval Iberia"; "The Disastrous Fourteenth Century." Offered alternate years. Course may be repeated for credit when the topic is different. IIIW, V HIST 322 (3)
Renaissance and Reformation
The course will explore the social and cultural context of Renaissance and Reformation thought as well as the ideas and ideals of humanist intellectuals and religious reformers. The study of Renaissance Italy will include such topics as the family, sex and marriage, crime and criminal justice and social structure and politics in the city states as well as humanism and art. The Reformation section will examine traditional Catholicism and popular beliefs, as well as the ideals and goals of Protestant and Catholic reformers, and will assess the reformers' achievements. The focus of the course may be either Renaissance or Reformation. Offered alternate years. V5 HIST 330 (3)
History of European Union
The idea of a united Europe is not new. However, the only peaceful attempt to achieve unity occurred after WWII. This course critically examines how and why the organization evolved from a limited customs union and trade agreement in 1952 to one with a major role on the international political and economic stage today. V1, V HIST 336 (3)
Civil War, Reconstruction and the New South
This course examines the causes and consequences of the Civil War and the Reconstruction of the South and its effects on white and black Americans. We will pay particular attention to debates over the proper interpretation of these events and the role played by them in national memory. As part of the requirements for the course, students will conduct archive-based research on topics relevant to the course and to the research needs of the Legacy Museum of African American History in Lynchburg, Virginia. This course may not be taken on a P/CR/NC grading option. Offered every third year. HIST 339 (3)
Slavery and Emancipation in America
This course explores the rise, development and abolition of slavery in North America. We will consider the distinctive characteristics of American slavery and of master-slave relations, the development of regional slave cultures, and the impact of the internal slave trade. We will also consider changes in African American experience following emancipation. As part of the requirements for the course, students will pursue research in local and regional archives culminating in a project that serves the needs of local historical institutions. This course may not be taken on a P/CR/NC grading option. Offered every third year. HIST 344 (3)
Genocide/Ethn Cleansing 20th C
The question of genocide and ethnic cleansing has been the primary focus for those concerned with human rights and preventing these horrific events. This course will explore a number of genocidal events in the 20th century with a particular focus on the Holocaust. We will delve into issues that deal not only with the experiences of the victims, but also with those of the perpetrators to understand how and why they acted in such a barbaric manner. Offered every third year. IIIW, V1,V HIST 348 (3)
19th and 20th Cen Nationalism
While nationalism has often played a legitimate and constructive role in political life, it has all too often been the source of intolerance, hatred, war, atrocity and genocide. This course provides an opportunity for a close examination of the phonomenon of nationalism from its emergence in Revolutionary France to the end of the 20th century. It begins with an examination of some of the theories of nationalism and discussion of the relationship of nationalism to religion, language and culture, ethnicity and regionalism. The core of the course is a series of case studies. Offered every third year. HIST 355 (3)
War and Society in Modern Europe
The study of war will illustrate connections between social organization, technology and values in various periods in early modern and modern Europe. The course will conclude with an historical view of military thinking during the age of nuclear weapons. Offered alternate years. HIST 358 (3)
The Cold War as History
This historiography course presents a number of major works by historians and political scientists. The students will learn the narrative history of the Cold War, will examine works by various Cold War scholars, and will analyze some of the major debates in Cold War historiography. Offered alternate years. IIIW, V HIST 361 (1)
Special Study
Special topics pursued by students individually or in small groups under supervision of a member of the department. HIST 373 (3)
Making African History
By evaluating introductory African history textbooks in light of recent scholarship, the course will treat the variety of ways that historians construct a view of history. We will compare textbooks with regard to selected topics and then survey recent research in academic journals to show how fresh research and novel questions change our views of African history. HIST 377 (1)
Internship
HIST 452 (3)
Senior Seminar
The seminar will deal with the question "What is history?" Primarily this will involve an examination of some of the best works of historians in the last few years. It also will consider ways in which people organize, analyze and interpret past experience. IIIO HIST 461 (1)
Independent Study
Research on a topic determined in advance by a student and her advisor. HIST 470 (3)
Junior Honors Research
HIST 472 (3)
Senior Honors Thesis
HIST 508 (3)
European Expansion, 1350-1650
This seminar examines Western Europe's economic and territorial expansions during the early modern era. Topics include the Portuguese slave trade in Africa; Italian and Ottoman commercial rivalries; Spanish, British, and French colonization of the Americas; and Europe's scientific responses to the new world. Students will complete all required and supplemental readings, lead discussion sessions, and make in-class presentations of assigned primary documents. Offered alternate years. HIST 661 (3)
Independent Study
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