HSY2995

Dissent, Revolution and Freedom: Inventing America to 1850

(ART)

Liz Kent and Mark Peel

6 points + 2-3 hours of lectures and tutorials per week + Semester Two + Clayton

Synopsis: The unit provides an overview of the main themes and events in the history of the United States before 1850 and detailed examinations of particular events and issues in American history. It focuses on the America invented by a series of revolutions and on the revolutionary ideas and enthusiasms that produced and sustained them. The unit is broken into three parts. Part One traces the history of American colonies to 1850, laying the groundwork of events and themes, in Part Two students participate in one of several conventions which reconstruct and examine key historical debates and Part Three provides detailed case studies of recent themes such as indigenous societies and slave cultre.

Assessment: Source criticism exercise (500 words): 10% + Class test (1 hour): 20% + Collaborative project report (500 words): 20% + Research essay (2500 words): 50%