History Courses

HIST 111         

World History  I: The Ancient World to 1500 (3)

A study of the ancient Middle Eastern, Asian, Med iterranean, and European civilizations from the Paleol ithic period to the Age of European Discovery. A liberal arts approach will be utilized that incorporates a comparative examination of the pol itical, intellectual, social, and cultural contributions of each period and culture. Introduces students to historical analysis and cr itical thinking skills. Meets General Education World History requirement. Offered each semester.

HIST 112         

World History II: The Modern World (3)

Examines major world civilizations from the Age of Discovery to the present. Special attention will be given to the Industrial Revolution, rise of nationalism and imperialism, the major world wars, communist revolutions, the Cold War, and the various ethno-religious tensions in the post-Cold War era. A liberal arts approach will be utilized that incorporates a comparative examination of the pol itical, intellectual, social, and cultural contributions of each period and culture. Introduces students to historical analysis and cr itical thinking skills. Meets General Education World History requirement.  Offered each semester.

HIST 211         

American History I: Colonial Era to the Civil War (3)

Surveys the major cultural, pol itical, economic, social, and religious themes in American history from the pre-Columbian era through the era of Reconstruction. Special attention will be given to the development of colonial societies, the formation of American pol itical inst itutions, the structure of slavery, the growth of reform movements, the conflicts that provoked the Civil War, and the changes brought about by that war. Offered each semester.

HIST 212         

American History II: Gilded Age to the Present (3)

This course surveys the major cultural, pol itical, economic, social, and religious themes in American history from the Gilded Age to the present. Special attention will be given to industrialization, pol itical reform, twentieth-century wars, women’s rights, civil rights, the Cold War, and cultural conflicts. Offered each semester.

HIST 321         

The Civil War and Reconstruction (3)

This course examines the causes, course, and impact of the Civil War and Reconstruction. It studies the sectional divisions, the motivations of ordinary people who fought in the war, mil itary strategies, pol itical activ ities, and the ways that African Americans affected the causes, course, and purposes of the war. It examines how Reconstruction shaped sectional differences, economic structures, race relations, pol itical issues, and cultural ideals. Finally, the course looks at how the history of the Civil War itself has been wr itten, including the differences between popular and academic histories, the meanings that various people attach to the war, and how the Civil War functions today in the memories of many Americans. Prerequis ite: HIST 211 or 212. Offered Fall 2006 and alternate Fall semesters.

HIST 323

Friends Her itage (3)

A study of the origins of Friends, the early evangelistic and missionary movements, quietism, schisms, revivals, and modernization. Attention will be given to the place of Evangelical Friends Church-Eastern Region in the history of Friends. Prerequis ites: HIST 111 or 112, and 211 or 212. Cross-listed w ith THEO 323. Offered Fall 2006 and alternate Fall semesters.

HIST 324         

Medieval Europe (3)

A study of the emergence of Europe, the Byzantine Empire, the Islamic Caliphate after the Fall of the Roman Empire in the West. Pol itical, social, economic, and cultural developments are examined. Special attention is given to Christian ity in the Middle Ages, including religious thought, practices, and the development of monasticism and the papacy. Prerequis ite: HIST 111 or 112. Offered Fall 2006 and alternate Fall semesters.

HIST 330

History of the Early Republic: 1790-1850 (3)

This course traces the efforts to construct a new culture for the Un it ed States during the Early   Republic .  It examines the attempts to form a national ident it y amidst a diverse population, the emergence of democratization, the restructuring of religion (particularly evangelicalism), the impact a new market economy, the challenges posed by Irish immigration, the rise of Romanticism, and the inherent contradiction between the slave system and a country founded on ideals of liberty.  Particular attention will be given to various Christian perspectives on the significance of these developments.  Meets General Education requirement for American Cultures and Inst it utions.  Offered each Spring.

HIST 341

African History (3)

This course surveys the history of sub-Saharan Africa from the ancient kingdoms to the present day. This course includes the development of African kingdoms, trad itional African inst itutions, the Atlantic slave trade, colonialism, missionaries and African Christians, nationalism, apartheid in South Africa, and recent African states. Prerequis ite: HIST 111 or 112. Offered Spring 2008 and alternate Spring semesters.

HIST 351

History of Modern China (3)

A focus upon trad itional China ending w ith the fall of the Manchu Dynasty in 1912, the struggle between the Nationalists and Communists for pol itical control, the consolidation of Marxist power and recent crosscurrents of reform and repression. Prerequis ite: HIST 111 or 112. Offered Spring 2009 and alternate Spring semesters.

HIST 358         (3)

History and Politics of East Asia: China and Japan

In the last quarter of the 20th Century, the nations of East Asia – China, Japan, North and South Korea, and Taiwan – emerged as major pol itical and economic players on the global stage.  The course surveys the history and cultural trad itions of East Asia, w ith particular emphasis on China and Japan, focusing on the trad itions of both imperial China and the shogunates of Japan, the rise of nationalism in post-Qing China and post-Tokugawa Japan, revolution and modernization, recurring tensions between China and its East Asian neighbors, the rise of the “tiger economies,” and an introduction to East Asian culture from feng shui to manga. Prerequis ite: HIST 111 or 112.  Meets General Education requirement for Global Connections.  Offered each Fall.

HIST 356                     

History and Politics of the Modern Middle East  (3)

An overview of the modern Middle East, focusing on the historical roots of conflict, the formation of modern states, the Arab-Israeli conflict, economic development issues, pol itical Islam, and the role of women. Prerequis ites: HIST 111 or 112 or permission of instructor. Offered Spring 2008 and each Spring thereafter.

HIST 357         

Islam and the West (3)

A history of Western-Islamic interaction from the Crusades to the present. This course focuses on the historical development of Western views of and responses to Islam. Emphasis will be placed on the history of Christian-Muslim intellectual and cultural exchanges, Christian apologetics and missions, and the role of Islam in the development of Western ideas concerning just war and tolerance. Prerequis ite: HIST 111 or 112. Offered Fall 2006 and alternate Fall semesters.

HIST 360          (3)

Classical Greece and Rome

A study of Greece and Rome from the Bronze Age through the Fall of the Roman Empire in the West. Pol itical, intellectual, and cultural developments will be studied. Emphasis is placed on the emergence of the Greek c ity-state; the cultural and pol itical achievements of Classical Greece and Rome; Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic world; and the rise and decline of Roman powers. Prerequis ite: HIST 111 or 112. Offered Fall 2007 and alternate Fall semesters.

HIST 362           (3)

Ohio History and Government

The study of Ohio’s history and government will provide the students w ith an up-close look at the society w ith which they live and work. There will be an examination of all levels of government from the state down to the local un it. Prerequis ite: HIST 211 or 212. Offered each Fall.          

HIST 366    (3)

History of World Missions

This course surveys the history of the Christian missionary movement from the time of the early church to the present. Historical topics include missionary movements in “barbarian” Europe, colonial Latin America, and global efforts in the 19th and 20th centuries. Special attention will be given to issues of culture and author ity that have emerged in the transmission of fa ith, as well as the implications of the recent shift of the center of Christian ity from the northern to the southern half of the globe. Cross-listed w ith THEO 366. Offered Spring 2007 and alternate Spring semesters.

HIST 381         

History of Latin America (3)

A survey of the cultural, pol itical, economic, social, and religious forces that have shaped Latin America from its pre-Columbian era to the present. Special attention is given to pre-Columbian cultures, cross-cultural encounters, the relationship between religion and society, inequ ities of wealth, U.S./Latin American relations, and Hispanic immigration to the U.S. Prerequis ite: HIST 111 or 112. Offered Fall 2007 and alternate Fall semesters.

HIST 435         

Early Modern Europe: Renaissance and Reformation (3)

A study of pol itical, cultural, and religious aspects of the period from the late Middle Ages to the seventeenth century (1300-1700), w ith particular emphasis on the Italian Renaissance and the Protestant Reformation. Topics include late medieval reform movements, the Renaissance in northern and southern Europe, the development of various branches of Protestantism, the Catholic Reformation, and the Age of Religious Wars. Prerequis ite: HIST 111 or 112. Offered Spring 2009 and alternate Spring semesters.

HIST 436         

Modern Europe: The Enlightenment to the Present (3)

A history of Europe from the eighteenth century to the present. Pol itical, social, and intellectual developments are examined. Particular attention is paid to the Enlightenment; the French Revolution and Napoleonic Age; the rise of industrialization, liberalism, nationalism, nation-building, and imperialism in the eighteenth century; and the major events of the twentieth century, including the two world wars, total itarianism, the Holocaust, the Cold War, and the fall of communism in Europe. Prerequis ite: HIST 111 or 112. Offered Spring 2008 and alternate Spring semesters.

HIST 441         

American Religious History (3)

This course examines the emergence and development of diverse religious trad itions in American history, including Pur itans, Quakers, evangelicals, Catholics, Jews, and others. By studying the beliefs and practices of ordinary people, it examines how religion has embedded itself in popular American culture. Attention will be given to the relationship between popular religious movements and the American cultural establishment. Prerequis ite: HIST 211 or 212. Offered Spring 2007 and alternate Spring semesters.

HIST 442         

Philosophy and Writing of History (3)

A study of the nature and development of history as a discipline, of various philosophies of history, and of historiographical principles and methods. Includes a research component in which students are required to collect, analyze, and interpret historical data. Required of all history majors and recommended to social studies teaching majors w ith a concentration in history. Prerequis ites: HIST 111 or 112, and 211or 212, and junior or senior standing. Offered each Spring beginning Spring 2008.

HIST 445         

Women in American History (3)

This course studies the significance of women in diverse areas of American society, from the colonial era to the present. While some attention will be given to notable individuals, emphasis will be placed on the role that women have played in all aspects of American life, including social structures, religion, pol itics, the economy, and cultural developments. Prerequis ite: HIST 211 or 212. Offered Fall 2007 and alternate Fall semesters.

HIST 450

Advanced Topics (1-3)

An opportun ity for the superior student to pursue, under supervision, an area of special interest e ither on his/her own in itiative or in a seminar group. Open to juniors or seniors who are majors in this area and who have completed or are taking regularly scheduled courses. Enrollment by permission of the Department Chair.

HIST 455

U.S. Since 1945 (3)

This study examines the pol itical, economic, and cultural developments of the Un ited Statessince World War II. Topics include the development of the Cold War, American culture in the 1950s, the Civil Rights movement, the Korean and Vietnam wars, cultural changes of the 1960s, Watergate, and the Reagan era. Prerequis ite: HIST 211 or 212. Offered Spring 2008 and alternate Spring semesters.

HIST 461    (3)

History of World Religions

A study of the history of the main religions of the world, w ith particular emphasis on Indigenous Religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto, Judaism, Islam, and Ba’hai. This course will focus on the most important beliefs and practices of each religious trad ition. Students will learn about the founders and key individuals as well as examine portions of the sacred text(s) of several major religious trad itions. Experiencing sacred music and places of worship of the world’s major religions will enable the development of a deepened understanding of other religions. Also emphasized will be cross-cultural engagement and a Christian response to interaction w ith adherents of other religions. Cross-listed w ith THEO 461. Offered Fall 2007 and alternate Fall semesters.

 
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