HIS 511: Historical & Political Inquiry

In this course, students explore the different approaches, methods, and source material of historical, political, and social research, interpretation, and writing. The first part of the course works with students on the importance and uses of historiography and differing modes of historical and political inquiry, and is focused on NCSS theme II, Time, Continuity, and Change. The middle part of the course focuses on United States history from 1765 to 1835 as seen through the lenses of four NCSS themes: Theme I, Culture, especially political culture, provides a concept and approach for comparing republicanism and liberalism in the founding period. Theme X, Civic Ideals and Civic Practices allow a closer look at constitution-making and state-building, beginning with the Albany Congress, and including the Declaration of Independence, the first state constitutions, and the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. Theme III, People, Places, and Environments (or geography), by drawing on the work of Meinig, introduces another dimension of many of the same processes' of imperial centralization, nation-building, and federalism. This part of the course concludes with a look at the stage of economic development (Theme VII, Production, Distribution, and Consumption) beginning in the early 1800s, including and thebuilding of the Erie Canal, and exploring the relationships between economics, the law, and public policy, drawing on the work of Hurst and others. The final part of the course, focusing on Theme VI, Power, Authority, and Governance, examines this extended period as a foundation for broader civic concepts and issues, such as ? power and authority, constitutions and constitutionalism, democracy and republicanism, governmental powers and individual rights, the role of the citizen in participation and representation, civil society, and the public policy-making process.