HISTORY

 

The following two classes are available for U.S. history credit.  Students should take U.S. history by their junior years at the latest.  It is best to take these sequences in chronological order.

 

AMERICAN AFFAIRS III: Nothing To Fear . . .                          

Siobhan Cute

Students taking this class will become active historians.  A historian is not a memorizer of irrelevant facts but a researcher, questioner, debater and analyst.  In this class students will research crucial turning points in American history using both first hand accounts by people who were there and later analyses by historians who studied them.  After reading about these events, we will write and debate about them, always considering the forum - executive, legislative or judicial - that made these decisions. A constant focus will be on understanding how our government makes decisions.  This trimester will cover the twentieth century.  We will focus on three major topics: capitalism vs. socialism (including Marx, Robber Barons, labor unions, Progressives and the Great Depression), isolationism vs. interventionism in foreign policy (including the two world wars and the Cold War), and protest (including the Civil Rights Movement, the women's movement and the anti-war movement).   This is a great class for those of you concerned about the essay, reading comprehension and U.S. History sections of the competency exam because we'll be working on those skills.  Students will read many first person accounts of events as well as substantial portions from Howard Zinn's book and competing histories of this period.  We will watch excerpts from the video series The Century and Eyes On The Prize (about the Civil Rights Movement).  Careful work and good attendance will lead to credit.  Punctuality of students and assignments are vital.  In addition to an essay, there will be three quizzes that can get you excused from the final exam.

 

DESIGNING AMERICA III:  THE 20TH CENTURY          

Erin Victoria Egan
                                                                                                                                               
As we continue this yearlong US History course, we will focus on the 20th Century.  We will look at the major events that have shaped the past century.  We will begin by taking a hard look at the continuing industrial revolution in America.  After the Civil War, industrialization in the United States touched all facets of American life.  We will see how immigration and the development of the urban landscape shifted focus away from the farm.  We will also look at how this shift influences the rise of political and labor movements. Other topics for examination this trimester will include the Progressive Era, the Depression, two World Wars, the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War.  With luck and diligence, we will look at the US involvement in Vietnam.  Emphasis will be placed on examining the struggle of the individual coping with the rapid political, economic and cultural changes of the 20th Century. We will watch excerpts from The Century, The American Experience and The Cold War. In order to earn credit for this course, students should be prepared to complete reading and writing assignments, participate in class discussions and debates and complete the mid-term and final exams. 

Students may elect to take this class for Honors credit. Honors candidates will complete specialized exams and must earn a minimum of 85, do additional readings of a more historiographic nature and research and present an oral report on a relevant topic of their choosing. If you are interested, sign up for Designing America Honors when enrolling. You cannot switch into it after the first week of the trimester. Earning honors will improve your evaluations and transcript as well as your knowledge of U.S. history.

 

 

BRITISH LITERATURE VI: “The Horror, The Horror”                            

Cary Honig

See English section for complete description.  Fewer essays are required for students taking this class for history credit.

 

AMERICAN LITERATURE                                                                        

Siobhan Cute

See English section for complete description.

 

EXAMINING BELIEF III: The Search For The Historical Jesus

Cary Honig

For a full description, please see the English section.

 

HISTORY  VS. HOLLYWOOD                                              

Erin Victoria Egan

Borrowing an interesting premise from the History Channel, this course will continue to examine the way history is recorded, discussed and commented upon in various Hollywood films.  This course continues this trimester with a look at films that explore the idea of the American culture and identity.  We will look at how we define American culture, how we define ourselves and how films reflect our differing definition of American culture. Films chosen demonstrate examples of these topics and will give the class the opportunity to analyze and discuss the films for content and factual information.  We will also look for examples of how the time in which the film was made influenced the depiction of historic events and the reasons these choices were made by producers and directors. Films being considered for this trimester include Ragtime, Singing in the Rain, The Best Years of Our Lives and Godfather II. We will also look at the new inventions of television and advertising and their influence on the shaping of American society.

I must now strongly warn you about the nature of this course.  As course requirements for credit, each student will be expected to maintain a notebook, be prepared to do background reading and research, be actively involved in all discussions and complete written assignments, which will include a final research paper and presentation to the class.  This class is for students who have already completed US History and/or other upper level history courses.  This course is about being actively engaged in the pursuit of historical truth and accuracy through research and the analysis of a variety of primary and secondary resources. 

 

DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HISTORY                         

Erin Victoria Egan

Having looked at the history of food and of medicine, this trimester course will attempt to fill in your history background by studying specific subjects in depth.  All of history is open for discussion, and the class will choose the curriculum for the trimester. Students should prepare for the first week of the trimester by writing a list of potential topics for the class. Students will participate in class discussions, individual and group research projects and may be called upon to make presentations to the class.  An open mind and an inquisitive nature are needed to make this course interesting and challenging.  In addition to the above, excellent attendance, notebook maintenance and the timely completion of reading and written assignments will also be required for credit in this course.

 

ANTHROPOLOGY                                                                

Siobhan Ritchie Cute

Because Rhode Island and Providence, in particular, represent such amazing diversity, our surroundings serve as a natural laboratory for an introductory course on the study of cultures.  As aspiring anthropologists, we will travel with open eyes to different places where we can learn about human behavior, beliefs and societal organization.  We will also analyze readings and films. 

The theme for this first trimester of Anthropology will be coming of age.  We will examine our own culture’s views and rituals before taking a virtual trip around the world, comparing and contrasting the many and varied ways that people commemorate birth. 

Each student will be responsible for maintaining a class journal, completing an individual project and collaborating on a final group project.  This trimester of Anthropology is open to new students as well as those who took Anthropology already this year.

 

RENAISSANCE, REFORMATION AND REVOLUTION           

Erin Victoria Egan

In the third course of the Western Civilization series, we will continue to explore the development of modern Europe.  We will continue with the Renaissance, when the ancient world is rediscovered and helps to generate not only great movements in art but also the exploration of the world and the final stages in the development of Modern Europe.  We will see how the Roman Catholic Church loses its influence in the lives of ordinary people and nations.  Finally, we will look at how the expression and demand for individual rights, spurred on by the rediscovery of the ideal of man in art and religion and the changing nature of politics, affects modern governments and the development of the “new world.” Participation is a key element in the quest for credit.  Excellent attendance, notebook maintenance and the timely completion of reading and written assignments will also be required for credit in this course.