Course Description In order to understand the United States in the twenty-first century, one must first comprehend the historical debates and forces that have shaped the country. Our nation's motto is "E Pluribus Unum:" "Out of many, one." This slogan eloquently summarizes one of the main threads in U.S. History and Government. Americans are a people whose descendents have come from all corners of the globe, albeit under very different circumstances. Throughout its history, the United States has struggled to create a coherent sense of national identity out of the racial, ethnic, religious, and regional diversity of the nation. This quest for unity was one of the most pressing problems facing the infant republic as it attempted to forge one nation out of thirteen different colonies. Similarly the issues of race and sectionalism strained the United States to the breaking point during the Civil War. These debates have continued through the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and beyond. More recent political disputes underscore the continuing nature of this dilemma. This course is designed to provide students with a basic overview of the general trajectory of American history. We will explore several deep historical questions including the unity/diversity theme. The primary purpose of the class is to use the study of U.S. History and Government to help students hone their reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. Course Throughlines In this course students will focus on finding their own answers to the following questions:
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09.07.10
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