79-704 Proseminar in U.S. History
12 units, Carnegie Mellon University
This course introduces doctoral students to U.S. historiography covering the 17th through 20th centuries. Our pacing will split those 400 years roughly equally that is, 7 weeks on topics before 1800, and 8 weeks on topics since 1800. We will read both classic and recent works, arranged chronologically by period covered, to grapple with problems of both synthesis and coverage in scholarship and teaching. Thematic units will include colonial development, the ideology of the American Revolution, the growth of capitalism, the experience of slavery and coming of the Civil War, the growth of the state, and the rise of mass culture and mass politics. Required readings each week beginning with the first session will include one scholarly book or two short ones, in rare instances and three or more scholarly articles. Assignments will include 1 completing all readings and notetaking every week, prior to class 2 handing in notes on readings every week we will discuss a prescribed format on the first day of class 3 writing five short essays 4 leading or coleading two class discussions 5 taking a final, closedbook exam with one question, similar to those given on doctoral exams. For information on the History Department Graduate Program see httpswww.cmu.edudietrichhistorygraduateaboutindex.html.
Prerequisites: none listed
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