HIS-10047 - 'Empire of Liberty': Enslavement and Emancipation in American History
Coordinator: David Ballantyne Tel: +44 1782 7 34409
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 4
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733147

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

In this module you will address a range of topics in the history of the United States from the late colonial period to the turn of the twentieth century. You will employ a diversity of social, economic, political, and cultural perspectives, and will develop the historical tools for more detailed investigation of the United States. Race is a key theme throughout this module and you will study enslavement, emancipation, disenfranchisement and segregation. Another major theme is westward expansion and its connections to the coming of the Civil War. You will also encounter the activism of women and African Americans, and how social reform movements shaped national developments.

Aims
To introduce students to key themes in the history of the United States from the late colonial period to about 1900; to develop skills in historical analysis in preparation for advanced level work; to develop transferable analytic, organizational and communication skills.

Intended Learning Outcomes

demonstrate knowledge of U.S. history, including awareness of basic chronology, of major social, economic political and cultural trends, and of key individuals who have shaped American development: 1,2
work collaboratively and independently to synthesize and communicate ideas and arguments: 1,2
investigate and evaluate the use of primary and secondary sources in historical analysis: 1,2
assess and evaluate relevant historical debates and issues: 1,2

Study hours

12 x 1-hour lectures; 12 x 1-hour workshops; 12 x 1-hour seminars; 62 hours lecture and seminar preparation; 12 hours group presentation preparation; 40 hours essay preparation

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Group Presentation weighted 25%
Group presentation


2: Essay weighted 75%
1,500-word essay