Course Offerings: History

This full year course prepares students to take the Advanced Placement Examination in American Government and is concerned with the nature of the American political system, its development over the past two hundred years, and how it works today. The goal of the course is to increase understanding of the mechanisms of American politics and to enhance the students' ability to study political behavior. Controversial issues in contemporary politics and public policy are also discussed. Classes follow a discussion format, and evaluation is based on class participation, debates, quizzes, period tests, and short papers. Students are expected to take the Advanced Placement Examination. Open to students who have completed U.S. History or the Atlantic Community sequence, with department approval.

The AP course in Comparative Government introduces students to the ways in which political scientists evaluate political life in all its variety. Beginning with a basic introduction to political theory, the course will then examine and compare the political history and governments of China, Great Britain, Mexico, Russia, Iran and Nigeria. After studying political theory, students can then see how these theories manifest themselves in practice. Whether it be elections, policy making, or power structures, students will take abstract ideas and see them put into action. They will also see how increased global connectedness has affected the traditional nation-state and ideas of sovereignty. In addition to preparing for the AP exam, students will learn about political history and current events in the six nations they study and will be asked to perform deeper research into one of the countries of their choosing. Open to students who have completed U.S. History or the Atlantic Community sequence, with department approval.

Approaches to History considers the relationship between the individual and society from ancient times to the early modern era, largely but not exclusively in the West.  As the title suggests, the course encourages students to view history through different lenses, whether ideological, social, political, or economic.  Students will also develop historians' skills. Critical reading, evidence-based essay writing, and primary source analysis are emphasized while students analyze ancient Greece and Rome in the fall.  As the year progresses, evidence from research is included in the writing process, and students engage in Harkness discussions and formal debates.  Meanwhile, regions studied include the Near East and Europe, with comparative glimpses of China.  Students finish the year with a greater appreciation for the relevance and excitement of historical study and also with the skills and historical perspective needed to succeed in higher-level Taft history courses. 

From the first European conquests to the NATO alliance, peoples on both sides of the Atlantic have shared a common history. This first year of the Atlantic Community sequence probes the significant ideas, events, individuals, and forces that have contributed to Europe's and America's interrelationship and interdependence from the 15th century to 1865. Students develop critical reading, discussion, and persuasive writing skills. They also undertake a short research paper. Evaluation is based on quizzes, class discussion, essays, debate and oral arguments, a research project, and two semester examinations. Students taking this course must also take the Atlantic Community II (HI370). Successful completion of the two-year sequence fulfills the U.S. History requirement, and those students with outstanding records and departmental recommendation may take the AP Examination in U.S. History during their Upper-mid year. Students should not take this course if they hope to take the one-year course, AP U.S. History (HI830).

Looking back from the early 21st century, we might ask: “What are the historical roots of today’s diverse yet interconnected global civilization?” This course aspires to answer that question. After reviewing the ancient roots of four of the world's major civilizations – China, South Asia, Western Europe, and the Islamic Middle East – students explore the increasingly interconnected patterns of world history since the 15th century. The course moves quickly, covering the early modern period in the fall, the 19th century in the winter, and the 20th and 21st centuries in the spring. Topics include global empires and trade systems, industrialization, imperialism, the world wars, anti-colonial struggles, and globalization. Students will develop the skills of an historian: analyzing primary sources; reading texts critically; researching print and electronic sources; participating in discourse with peers; and writing persuasive historical essays with the precision, evidence, and consistency needed to be convincing. Assessments also include debates, oral presentations, a mini-research paper, and two semester examinations. Open to Middlers.

This course examines the history of the United States from the colonial era through the Vietnam War, with a particular emphasis on the evolving definition of liberty. The curriculum relies heavily on primary source materials, encouraging students to explore the nation’s history through the voices of its people. To support the document-based focus of the course, United States History utilizes a thematic approach that calls for meaningful critical analysis, interpretative thinking and inclusive class discussion. United States History is a writing-intensive course where students develop their skills through a variety of assignments including quizzes, in-class essays, document based questions, a research project and a cumulative semester exam. Students will also participate in debates, oral presentations and group projects. This course fulfills the U.S. History requirement and is normally taken during the Upper-middler year.

This second half of the two-year Atlantic Community sequence explores modern Europe and America from 1865 to the present. Thematic units probe the significant ideas, events, individuals, and forces that have contributed to Europe's and America's interrelationship and interdependence. Peer-to-peer discussions develop active participation and listening, while intensive writing assignments and frequent re-writes sharpen persuasive writing skills. Research techniques are introduced incrementally, throughout the year, culminating with an independent research project in the spring. Evaluation is based on quizzes, class discussion, essays, debate and oral arguments, a research project, and two semester examinations. Prerequisite: HI220, The Atlantic Community I. Completion of this two-year sequence fulfills the U.S. History requirement. Upper-middlers with outstanding records and departmental approval may take the AP Examination in United States History, though outside study is required. Students wishing to take the one-year course, Advanced Placement American History, HI830, should not take the Atlantic Community sequence.

This course explores the history of The Second World War from the Japanese invasion of China through the dropping of the Atomic bomb and American victory in the Pacific. The curriculum relies on a variety of sources, including a comprehensive text, three historical narratives, and numerous articles and primary documents. Designed specifically to challenge Seniors in a seminar setting, classroom discussion is critical to the students’ experience and success. The course material not only provides students the opportunity to survey the history of this great conflict, but it also allows for an examination of key themes and the scholarship surrounding specific events and episodes. This is a writing intensive course, and students will submit a number of short analytical essays as well as one longer research paper. Daily homework reading and précis will play an important role in the course, and students will be required to participate in class on a regular basis. Open to Seniors and Upper Middlers who have completed U.S. History or the Atlantic Community sequence.

This course will provide students with the opportunity to examine in great detail one of the most important world events in the last fifty years: the conflict in Vietnam. Specific topics such as the life of the “grunt” and turmoil on the home front will be explored, as well as larger questions about the nature of war itself in the second half of the twentieth century. In an effort to answer questions about the war as it really was, versus that seen in popular literature and film, the group will consider a broad selection of media, as well as a variety of historical texts and essays. Documentaries and motion pictures to be studied include: Hearts and Minds, The Hanoi Hilton, The Green Berets, Apocalypse Now, Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Born on the 4th of July, Casualties of War, and others. Works read will include, but are not limited to, excerpts from: Philip Caputo’s, A Rumor of War, Truong Nhu Tang’s, A Vietcong Memoir, Tim O’Brien’s, The Things They Carried, Robert Mason’s, Chickenhawk, Michael Herr’s, Dispatches, Stanley Karnow’s, Vietnam: A History, and a selection of essays from, Major Problems in the History of the Vietnam War. Designed specifically to challenge seniors in a seminar setting, classroom discussion will be critical to the students’ experience and success. A writing intensive course, there will be a number of short analytical essays, as well as one longer research paper. Finally, students will be assessed regularly through short précis of their homework reading. Open to students who have completed U.S. History or the Atlantic Community sequence.

Why the "Arab Uprising" in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and much of the Middle East? Why has the price of gas skyrocketed? How are the these events connected to Islamism? Colonialism? Petro-Politics? and 9/11? What lies at the root of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Why the anti-American sentiment? This course aims to provide the students with a background and understanding of the complex issues that surround the Middle East today. We will begin with the late Ottoman Empire and close with a look at the "Jasmine Revolution" in Tunisia and the events thereafter. Topics will include: the challenge from Europe; the impact of colonialism; the rise of nationalism; the Israeli and Palestinian conflict; the politics of oil; the Gulf Wars; and the war on terror. Sources will include historical surveys, primary source documents, and films.

The course will focus on the African-American Civil Rights Movement and the leadership contributions of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, John Lewis, Julian Bond, Thurgood Marshall, and Stokeley Carmichael.  In the process, the course will also examine the relationships of Malcolm X, Robert Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, J. Edgar Hoover and the American government to this movement.  The “Eyes on the Prize” documentary will be featured along with the music and culture of the entire period.  Students will also examine how social icons of the era, such as Muhammad Ali, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and others influenced the movement.  Finally, the class will contrast the leadership impact of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Barack Obama on American history and the American psyche.

This is an opportunity for an individual or a small group of students to work with a member of the Department on a project in which they share a common interest. Open to Upper Middlers and Seniors with the permission of the Department Head and the Dean of Academic Affairs.

This is an opportunity for an individual or a small group of students to work with a member of the Department on a project in which they share a common interest. Open to Upper Middlers and Seniors with the permission of the Department Head and the Dean of Academic Affairs. See page 2 for the application process and deadlines.

Post-graduates and seniors who have taken little History at Taft are required to take this one-semester course (or HI612). Students will learn the basics of historical inquiry and research. Then each student will compose a research paper that takes and defends a position on a topic of his/her own choosing but with substantial teacher guidance and oversight.

Post-graduates and seniors who have taken little History at Taft are required to take this one-semester course (or HI611). Students will learn the basics of historical inquiry and research. Then each student will compose a research paper that takes and defends a position on a topic of his/her own choosing but with substantial teacher guidance and oversight.

This survey of U.S. history resembles an introductory undergraduate course. The readings are drawn from many sources, including a basic text and documentary and interpretive materials. The course is chronological and covers the major currents of political, social, intellectual, economic, and diplomatic history. A major goal is to develop analytical and interpretive skills, both orally and in writing, with further emphasis on critical reading and writing. Evaluation is based upon quizzes, announced period assessments, short papers, specialized writing assignments and projects, a major research paper, and cumulative semester examinations. The course prepares students for the Advanced Placement Examination in American History. Students who sign up for this course will complete a lengthy reading assignment on colonial American history over the summer. The first assessment, a four-page paper, is based on this reading, and will be due upon students’ arrival in the fall. Open to Upper-middlers and Seniors with approval of the Department.

The course prepares students to take the Advanced Placement Examination in European History. The course begins around 1500 and traces the development of government, culture, and society up to the present. Evaluation is based on period assessments, two short research papers designed to answer sample A.P. essay questions, class participation, and a final examination in the first semester. Open to Upper-middlers and Seniors with the approval of the Department.