History

HIST 101: Ancient Warfare

This seminar examines the social and political role of warfare in ancient Greek and Roman history. Students investigate the concepts of war and peace by considering the role of the soldier within society, details of tactics and logistics, and the impact of warfare on both combatants and non-combatants alike. The seminar uses primary sources to examine these themes. Offered periodically. Also counts toward ancient studies and classics majors.

HIST 111: History of Witchcraft in Europe

Students investigate notions of witchcraft, magic and the supernatural in Europe from the medieval period to today, survey beliefs and practices around the globe, and dive deep in the 17th century witch trials in early modern England. In addition to studying instructor-provided case studies, students prepare a "teach-in" day in pairs on a topic of their choosing, participate in a trial simulation, and examine written and visual primary sources. Offered annually in fall semester.

HIST 121: The Making of Modern Russia

This course explores the origins of the modern Russian empire. Using primary sources including chronicles, folktales, legal codes, letters, and religious icons, students consider Russia's development from a loose collection of princedoms into a powerful, multi-ethnic empire spanning 11 time zones. Topics include the impact of geography and climate, the Orthodox religion, Mongol rule, gender roles, the rise of autocracy, and social rebellion. Offered periodically. Also counts toward gender and sexuality studies major and concentration.

HIST 126: Peoples of Colonial Latin America

This course examines Latin America's colonial history from 1492 to 1898. We will examine the history of Spanish, Portuguese and French imperialism in the region through the eyes of the people who lived it: indigenous commoners and nobles, enslaved and freed people, women and children, scientists and entrepreneurs. With a specific focus on the history of human interaction with the region's diverse ecologies and the development of capitalism, on colonial law and the history of race and gender, we will ask how colonial society took shape, how these empires sustained themselves and why they eventually collapsed. Students will gain an appreciation for Latin America's central role in the modern history of global interconnection and understand how the specific dynamics of imperialism established the foundation for Latin America's postcolonial history. Also counts toward Latin American studies major and concentration.

HIST 142: Hamilton: An American History Course

This course investigates the origins of the early U.S. republic through the life of its first Secretary of Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. In addition to key events in Hamilton's life, it explores a wide range of topics including life in the British Caribbean, the American Revolution, and Hamilton's role in forging partisan politics. Utilizing newspapers, pamphlets, and other writings from the time, students gain a first-hand look at the issues that defined the era. The course culminates with reflections of Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit Broadway musical and its contemporary relevance. Offered periodically.

HIST 151: Slavery in African History

This course introduces students to the historical forces leading to and scholarly debates about slavery in African history. Students examine the nature and development of domestic slavery to the 19th century as well as the slave trade systems across the Saharan Desert and the Atlantic Ocean. Students "do history" using primary sources to retrieve the African voices and agency in discussions of the slave trade and debate themes such as ethnicity, kinship, state formation, and colonialism. Offered annually. Also counts toward Africa and the African Diaspora concentration.
Prerequisite: first-year student standing.

HIST 165: Slavery in the Americas

This seminar, using only eyewitness accounts, examines African slavery in the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Typical readings include the narrative of Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs' autobiography, and the writings of slave-holders like Mary Chesnut. Topics include the slave trade, the origins of African-American culture, women and slavery, and the origins of the Civil War. The course concludes with an examination of the process of emancipation. Offered periodically. Also counts toward race and ethnic studies major and Africa and the African Diaspora and race and ethnic studies concentrations.

HIST 181: Civil Rights and Black Power

Students examine the overthrow of American segregation through several decades of agitation for civil rights. This seminar focuses primarily on the South, though students also discuss northern race relations. Primary accounts from the era constitute the assigned readings. Among the topics covered are the segregated South, Martin Luther King and his critics, the Black Power movement, and the rise of white backlash politics. Offered periodically. Also counts toward race and ethnic studies major and Africa and the African Diaspora and race and ethnic studies concentrations.

HIST 182: America Since 1945

This seminar examines American society since 1945. The main focus is social history. Topics include the impact of the Cold War, migration to the suburbs, post-industrial society, the culture of the 1950s, civil rights, the Vietnam War, the student movement, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. Sources include novels, essays, magazine stories, films, and documentaries. Offered annually. Also counts toward gender and sexuality studies major and media studies and gender and sexuality studies concentrations.

HIST 188: Topical Seminar

Selected topics in historical studies, depending on instructor. Offered periodically.

HIST 189: Topical Seminar

Selected topics in historical studies, depending on instructor. Offered periodically.

HIST 191: Colonialism & Europe: 1492-Present

This course surveys European history and culture since the Reformation. Topics include the impact of Protestantism, the development of nation-states, the Enlightenment, revolutionary ideas and experiences, the Napoleonic era, imperialism, mass political movements, and global warfare. Through original texts, historical studies, and literature, students explore relations among religions, states and societies and understandings of liberty and reason, natural environments, family life, and gender roles. Offered annually. Also counts toward gender and sexuality studies major and concentration.

HIST 193: Modern Latin America

An overview of the evolution of Latin American societies since 1750, this course examines the consequences of independence, 19th-century economic imperialism, and 20th-century transitions to more urbanized, industrialized ways of life. Students examine major Latin American nations and compare their revolutionary and counter-revolutionary trajectories toward the establishment of authoritarian states. Languages Across the Curriculum (LAC) course is often available in Spanish. Offered periodically. Also counts toward Latin American studies major and concentration.

HIST 195: Global: 1500-Present

This survey course challenges students to break out of their European protective shields and "imaginings" and to think globally, while appreciating the contributions of other civilizations that have had such a telling impact on the modern world. Through a rigorous analysis of a list of primary sources and assigned reading, the course examines the significant political, religious, social and economic developments of humankind, and strives for the global perspective. Some historical processes, as one historian aptly stated, are best studied on a global, rather than a single perspective. Offered annually. Also counts toward international relations concentration.

HIST 198: American History to 1865

This course examines the development of American culture and society from the Columbian encounter through the Civil War. Topics include the interaction of Europeans, Africans, and indigenous peoples in early America; the social development of the British colonies; the evolution of American slavery; the Revolution and the Constitution; industrialization, expansion, and reform in the 19th century; and the Civil War. Offered annually.

HIST 199: American History Since 1865

As they study the development of American institutions and society from the Civil War to the present, students examine economic, social, and political themes with a special emphasis on changing interpretations. Major topics are Reconstruction, urbanization, populism, progressivism, depression, New Deal, foreign relations, civil rights, social reform, equality for women, and other recent trends. Offered annually.

HIST 201: Methods Seminar: Ancient History

This course explores topics in ancient history, designed to emphasize active skills of critical reading, textual and contextual analysis, historiographical argument, and historical writing. Recent topics have included "Ancient Greece" and "Ancient Near East." Primarily for history majors; others by permission of instructor. Offered periodically. Also counts toward ancient studies and classics majors.

HIST 203: Ancient: Greece

This course is a history of Western civilization's primary cultures, Ancient Greece from the Bronze Age through the "Golden Age" of classical Greece and the empire of Alexander the Great. Offered periodically. Also counts toward ancient studies, classics, and Greek majors.

HIST 204: Ancient: Rome

This course is a survey of Mediterranean civilization from the early history of Italy through the Roman Republic and Empire. Language Across the Curriculum (LAC) course periodically available in Latin. Offered annually. Also counts toward ancient studies, classics, and Latin majors.

HIST 210: Methods Seminar: European History

This course explores topics in European history, designed to emphasize active skills of critical reading, textual and contextual analysis, historiographical argument, and historical writing. Recent topics have included "Restoration Britain" and "France in World War II." Primarily for history majors; others by permission of instructor. May be repeated if topic is different. Offered most years.

HIST 211: Vikings: Past and Present

This course begins by offering a historical survey of the Viking expansion with a particular emphasis on primary written sources, including Eddaic poetry, Sagas of Icelanders and King's sagas (including material on St. Olaf). The second half conversely is focused on contemporary accounts (including literature, comic books and films), both Nordic and English/American, that rework this historical heritage in the present day. Offered annually. Also counts toward medieval studies major and Nordic studies concentration.

HIST 222: Modern Scandinavia

This course offers a survey of modern Scandinavian history from the period of the Protestant Reformation to the present with special attention to recent developments. Offered annually. Also counts toward Norwegian major and business and management studies and Nordic studies concentrations.

HIST 225: The Journey North: Migrations To, From, & Within Norway (study abroad)

This course examines migrations into, out of, and around Norway over time. By examining the push and pull factors for immigration and emigration, and the challenges this creates for indigenous and minority groups, students gain an understanding of the interconnection of migrant experiences over time and geographical location. Students examine land taking of settler colonialism of Norwegian migrations both within Norway and Norwegian-America.
Prerequisite: FYS and WRR.

HIST 231: People and Power in Soviet Russia

This course begins with the Communist revolution of 1917 and traces the growth of the Soviet Union under Lenin, Stalin, and their successors. Students analyze the "crisis" of the Soviet system in order to explain why the last of the European empires collapsed in 1991. Language Across the Curriculum (LAC) course periodically available in Russian. Offered alternate years. Also counts toward Russian area studies and women's and gender studies majors, and business and management studies and women's and gender studies concentrations.

HIST 233: Sexualities & Empire

Students interrogate the systems and experiences of sex and sexuality and its intersection with empires from the eighteenth century to the twenty-first. By examining primary sources, engaging with secondary sources, and producing original research, students develop an understanding of sex practices and ideas about sex in the past and the systems of oppression and categorization that shaped relations between the colonized and colonizers. Offered alternate years in spring semester.

HIST 239: Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Modern Europe

Students analyze women's experience and notions of gender in Europe since 1700. Themes include the definition of domestic ideology from the Enlightenment through industrialization to the Victorian period, gendering citizenship in the nation-state, the impact of science and technology on women's lives and bodies, the development of feminism(s), and women and gender in socialist and fascist regimes. Offered periodically. Counts toward gender and sexuality studies major and concentration.

HIST 274: Love & Sex in Modern Irish History (study abroad)

This course introduces students to the urban and rural landscapes of two Irelands - the Free State/Republic, and Northern Ireland - through histories of love and sex from 1884 to 2018. Students consider histories of marriage, prostitution, same-sex desire, and bodily autonomy, and how the built and imagined environment shaped possibilities, dangers, and everyday experiences of love and sex. The course culminates in original research projects utilizing the archives only accessible by visiting Ireland.

HIST 240: Methods Seminar: Histories of Africa, Asia, and Latin America

This course explores topics in the history of Africa, Asia, or Latin America, designed to emphasize active skills of critical reading, textual and contextual analysis, historiographical argument, and historical writing. Recent topics have included "American Empire: A Cultural History of US-Latin America Relations" and "Imperialism and Nationalism in Southeast Asia." Primarily for history majors; others by permission of instructor. Offered periodically. Also counts toward business and management studies concentration.

HIST 250: China: Past and Present

This course introduces the history of ancient and imperial China beginning with the earliest historical records through the 19th century. In this broad sweep of history, students engage with works of literature, philosophy, religion, medicine, the arts, and political statecraft in English translation. Rather than focusing solely on political history and dynastic change, this course also explores the cultural and social lives of ordinary people as a central theme. Offered annually during fall semester. Also counts toward Asian studies and Chinese majors and Asian studies concentration.

HIST 251: Revolutionary China

This course explores China across the tumultuous 20th century. Beginning from Qing late imperial China (mid-1800s-1911) through the reform period of the 1980s, students discuss the schools of thought that changed daily life in revolutionary China: fascism, nationalism, anarchism, feminism, socialism, and communism. Through close readings of primary sources in English translation, students investigate what constitutes revolution as a theory and practice in modern China, and how a revolution begins, continues, declines, and rekindles. Offered annually. Also counts toward Asian studies and Chinese majors and Asian studies and business and management studies concentrations.

HIST 253: Modern Japan

This survey of modern Japan from 1800 to the present examines the political transformation of the Meiji Restoration, the industrial revolution and social and cultural change, the rise and fall of party government, militarism and Japanese expansionism in World War II, the American occupation, and postwar social, political, economic, and cultural developments. Offered alternate years. Also counts toward Asian studies and Japanese majors and Asian studies and business and management studies concentrations.

HIST 257: Human Rights in Latin America

This course traces the history of human rights, politics, and ideas in Latin America. Students examine strategies which people have used to claim rights, ask how people developed ideas of "the human" in the colonial era, examine how independence problematized the idea of universal rights, and watch the development of human rights politics in the twentieth century. Students critically examine human rights and challenges to their realization across the region. Offered annually in the spring. Also counts toward the Latin American studies concentration.

HIST 291: Introduction to African History

The course explores how people view Africa and the contested discourse on the meaning of "Africa" with special emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. Through lectures, discussion, and analysis of primary sources, students examine Africa's past in terms of material and social change; how the ordinary and the privileged made their world; economic and religious revolutions; responses to colonial encroachment and rule; and independence. No prior study of Africa necessary. Offered annually. Also counts toward Africa and the African Diaspora concentration.

HIST 292: Muslim Societies in Sub-Saharan Africa

This seminar introduces students to the nature and development of Muslim societies in sub-Saharan Africa, from the earliest times to the present. Students also explore questions of authenticity and "historical truth" as they examine current debates on themes such as patterns of Islamization, "African Islam," and Islam in Africa. Other themes include the invention of Muslim identities, expansion of Sufism, women in Islam, Islamic education, Islam and colonialism, as well as revivalism in Islam. Offered annually. Also counts toward Africa and the African Diaspora concentration.

HIST 270: Major Seminar: American History

This course explores topics in American history, designed to emphasize active skills of critical reading, textual and contextual analysis, historiographical argument, and historical writing. Recent topics have included "Franklin's America," "Women and Slavery," "American Family in Historical Perspective," and "Work in America." Primarily for history majors; others by permission of instructor. May be repeated if topic is different. Offered most years.

HIST 271: In their own words: Literature by Immigrants in Minnesota

In this course, students read creative works written by immigrants to Minnesota, from nineteenth century arrivals from Nordic countries to contemporary works that reflect the diversity of recent immigrants to this state. Historical studies of immigration to Minnesota contextualize literary works. In this discussion-based course, students problematize the idea of a unifying "immigrant experience," and instead explore how creative works render visible the unique challenges immigrants, and their communities, face. Offered periodically in the spring. Also counts toward the Nordic studies major and concentration.
Prerequisite: WRIT 120, WRIT 111, or equivalent.

HIST 272: Women in America

This course surveys women's experience in American life from the colonial period to the present. Students examine the changing economic, social, and legal status of women, society's attitudes toward women, and the growth of feminism. Offered periodically. Also counts toward gender and sexuality studies major and family studies and gender and sexuality studies concentrations.

HIST 277: African-American History

This course examines African-Americans' role in U. S. society from African origins to the present. Students explore the African heritage, the experience of slavery, segregation, and the rise of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. The course pays particular attention to the issue of black nationalism as a force in American life. Offered periodically. Also counts toward race and ethnic studies major and Africa and the African Diaspora and race and ethnic studies concentrations.

HIST 282: Topics in Native American History

Spanning at least twelve thousand years and involving more than five hundred indigenous nations the history of Native America is complex and diverse. This course focuses on significant themes, time periods, or geographical regions, with emphasis on the Native peoples within the modern-day continental United States. Examples include "The Trail of Tears," "The West Before Lewis and Clark," and "Pontiac's America." May be repeated if topic is different. Offered periodically. Also counts toward race and ethnic studies major and concentration.

HIST 283: Colonial Encounters in North America

This course examines the process of colonization in North America, emphasizing cultural encounters and the emergence of differential power relations between Indigenous, European, and African-descended peoples. It begins with an examination of Native American communities, and their creative responses to European colonization during two centuries of contact. It likewise explores the transatlantic slave trade, urban and plantation slavery, the emergence of African-American culture that formed in response to these historical experiences, and other related topics.

HIST 288: America in the Civil War and Reconstruction Era

In this course on the impact of the Civil War era on American society and politics, students focus on slavery, emancipation, and race relations. We also address the impact of industrialization on northern society, encompassing immigration and nativism, the westward movement, and the dispossession of Native Americans. The course situates the dramatic political and military events of the era in the wider evolution of American life. Offered annually. Also counts toward race and ethnic studies major and Africa and the African diaspora and race and ethnic studies concentrations.

HIST 248: Digital Storytelling: Podcasting History

This course explores a public-facing format for historical storytelling: podcasting. Students are trained in assessing podcasts as public history, then develop podcasting episode topics, conduct historical research, practice "writing for the ear", learn how to optimize sound recording and edit audio, and engage in peer review and iterative writing and audio editing processes. For the final project, students work together to produce a podcast of their own, from concept to final product.

HIST 249: Genealogy and History Workshop

Who are my ancestors and how did they live? This family history workshop enables students to explore their roots and place their ancestors' experiences in historical context. Working primarily with online databases, students construct genealogies and employ archival sources to tell richer stories about family history of marriage and child rearing, migration, and work, while situating them within contemporary social and political contexts. Students communicate their findings by writing a family narrative or by composing an ArcGIS Story Map.

HIST 280: Intro to Public History

Students explore the theory and practice of Public History as they learn to identify and interpret history for the public. Using readings, workshops, site visits, and individual and collaborative projects, students explore how ownership and funding influence decisions regarding what is preserved; how the past informs the present; how the present may oppose the past; and how cultures engage in remembering their pasts in ways consistent with the common good. Offered annually.
Prerequisite: history major or permission of instructor.

HIST 294: Academic Internship

HIST 298: Independent Study

HIST 299: Topics in History

This course offers selected surveys in historical studies. Topics depend on instructor. Recent topics have included "Women in Early America," "U.S.-Latin American Relations," and "Doing Public History." May be repeated if topic is different. Offered periodically.

HIST 370: Research Seminar: American History

This seminar covers varying topics in American history, depending upon the instructor. Recent topics have included "Lincoln and his America," "The American Revolution," and "19th-Century American Political Culture." May be repeated if topic is different. Offered most years.

HIST 375: Problems of Contemporary America

This course examines American life, politics, and foreign policy from the Cold War to the present. Using a variety of readings, students explore some of the contradictions of modernity and the transformation of America into a post-industrial society. Offered periodically.
Prerequisite: HIST 199 recommended.

HIST 393: Digital History

New capabilities in digitization have radically changed the way people understand and interact with history. In this seminar, students survey new digital tools in data visualization, curation, and presentation available to the historian. They experiment with these tools to craft compelling scholarly arguments which can be showcased online for historians and non-historians alike. Students produce a major digital research project using historical documents from online archives and St. Olaf College Archives and Libraries Special Collections. Offered in alternate years.

HIST 394: Academic Internship

HIST 395: Oral History Seminar

The seminar focuses on the theory and practice of oral history. Students learn to conduct, transcribe and incorporate interviews in projects. Students interrogate conceptual issues - the interview as narrative, memory, identity, connections, motivations, and the silences inherent in oral history - and how these relate to gender, religion, and class in multiple global settings. Students learn such practical techniques as how to probe social masks, evaluate oral evidence, and the legalities of releasing interviews. Offered annually. Also counts toward Africa and the African Diaspora concentration.

HIST 396: Directed Undergraduate Research

This course provides a comprehensive research opportunity, including an introduction to relevant background material, technical instruction, identification of a meaningful project, and data collection. The topic is determined by the faculty member in charge of the course and may relate to their research interests. Offered based on department decision. May be offered as a 1.00 credit course or .50 credit course.
Prerequisite: determined by individual instructor.

HIST 398: Independent Research