Learning Outcomes
Critical Thinking and Reading
Students will be able to…
Interpret the role of art, literature, music, and other texts in representing, critiquing, and influencing the culture of a given historical moment;
Analyze the chronological relationships of causality and consequence among historical events;
Analyze a variety of primary sources through close reading—exploring questions of authorship, audience, purpose, and context—to determine historical and cultural significance and to identify gaps in the archive;
Evaluate the claims of secondary sources—in conversation with evidence from primary sources—to understand historical contexts, shifting interpretations, and individual positionalities.
Communication
Writing
Students will be able to…
Construct thesis statements and organize essays that synthesize, evaluate, and substantiate arguments about course texts and ideas;
Demonstrate understanding of primary and secondary sources by using evidence to evaluate claims about relevant source texts;
Construct sequenced and logical persuasive arguments across genres and for a variety of audiences;
Give, receive, and incorporate feedback at all stages of the writing process, from brainstorming to final revisions.
Speaking and Listening
Students will…
Engage in class discussions by listening actively and using textual evidence to make meaningful connections;
Deliver presentations that organize, articulate, and present ideas with clarity, insight, and an awareness of audience.
Civic Engagement
This course gives students the tools to navigate the tensions between the aspirations of a democratic, pluralistic society and the realities of unequal power structures in both historical and contemporary America. This approach includes both the recognition and valuing of difference—different beliefs, different backgrounds, different stories, different perspectives—and the effort to find common humanity. In keeping with the independent, critical thinking skills fostered by the design of this course, students examine a wide range of texts and artifacts to construct their own nuanced understandings of the complexities of the past and the present.
Students will be able to…
Analyze foundational and subsequent documents of American history and culture to understand how these documents live up to or fail to live up to the promises of democracy;
Practice a recognition and appreciation of difference and the seeking of common ground in day-to-day classroom activities through both collaboration and respectful debate;
Develop an awareness of the possibilities and processes for engaging in local, state, and national communities.