History

History courses strive to build an understanding of and an appreciation for civilizations of the past and present.

We create a sense of what it must have been like to think, feel, and act in those civilizations; and to develop the student’s ability to analyze and to think critically about the social, cultural, economic, and political threads woven into the fabric of a civilization.

Courses combine lectures and discussions; requirements include essays, research papers, oral reports and group projects.

Three year-long history courses are required for graduation. These courses are World Civilizations, Western Civilization, and United States History, normally taken in the freshman, sophomore, and junior years respectively. In addition, the History Department offers a number of history and humanities electives for juniors and seniors. 

World Civilizations serves as the department’s introductory course and, as such, trains students in certain skills basic to the study of history. These include taking lecture notes; outlining, researching and writing a term paper; writing essays; and making effective oral presentations. The course content focuses upon the current condition, the culture, the geography, and the historic evolution of representative countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.

This course studies the evolution of Western civilization from the ancient Mediterranean to the present. It focuses upon the major trends and themes of political, economic, social, and cultural development. Classes consist of lectures and group discussions. Readings include primary sources as well as texts.

This course provides a survey of the political, social, economic, and cultural development of the United States from pre-European contact through the present. Themes include immigration and the making of a nation; the emergence of national identity; the challenges of diversity; slavery and its legacies; shifting demographic and economic tides; the nation’s role on the global stage; and the shifting boundaries of “community” and the meaning of citizenship. Sources include a textbook, movies, audio and video clips, photographs, political cartoons, and a wide range of written primary sources.

To allow students to pursue in-depth study in areas of their own chosen interests, the department offers a series of semester-long seminars in historical and interdisciplinary topics. The subjects of these seminars change from year to year, responding to the evolving interests of the faculty and students and to the events of the world. 

Fall 2012 Seminars

Economics

Economics is an inescapable part of our everyday lives. Will a rise in oil prices affect your plans for a cross-country road trip this summer? Will the economy recover in time for you to get a good job after graduating from college? This yearlong course will explore topics such as how prices are determined, the impact of government policies on the economy, unemployment, inflation, and international trade, and the causes of the “Great Recession.” This course also includes an in-depth analysis of the Stock Market. In the place of a traditional term paper, students will manage a $100,000 virtual portfolio. Will you become a titan of Wall Street or will you lose it all? (Please note: Economics is now a yearlong class. Students who sign up for this class will be taking Econ in both the fall and spring semesters.

Case Studies in Environmental History

Environmental history is a developing strand of historical inquiry. A truly multidisciplinary field, it seeks to expand our conception of the actions and actors that comprise history. Just as social history became a way of telling stories from the bottom up, environmental history now strives to take some of the anthropocentrism out of that proposition by encouraging historians to include the earth as a dynamic system that plays a role in every human drama. This class is not a survey. Instead, we will look at cases and issues to foster a broader methodology for seeing history. Students will help to select the cases we study; every student will be charged to lead a segment of the class.

Linguistics
Language is, as far as we know, unique to the human species. It builds our societies, defines our consciousness, identifies our culture, and even influences our perceptions of reality. We learn its complexities at an age when we cannot add single digits or tie our own shoes. How does language work? How do individual languages relate to each other and evolve through time? How do linguists analyze languages? How does all of this aid with the study of individual languages? All of these questions are part of the subject of this seminar: Linguistics, the scientific study of language. Specific topics include language, the brain, and consciousness; the production and perception of sounds around the world; words, sentences, and “grammar;” semantics, idioms, poetry and humor; language evolution and relationships; and the politics of language.  Do the Eskimos really have 87 words for snow? Can dolphins talk? Why is English so weird? Why would some people object to the word “Eskimo” in the earlier sentence? And why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways?

Learn to make sounds from clicks to whistles; invent your own rule-governed language; read hieroglyphics, cuneiform, or Mayan; report on languages few have ever heard (or heard of); and watch an episode of Star Trek for credit. Word.

American Government

Should suspected terrorists be held in prison without due process? Just what is due process, anyway? What’s a minority whip? And why are there two of them? Is affirmative action an extension of the Brown v. Board of Education decision or a repudiation of it? How has the Citizens United case changed elections? Does the vote of ordinary citizens matter?

American Government provides an analytical perspective on questions such as these. We will confront critical questions about the American political landscape and our role as citizens as we work to understand how our government works. We will analyze the compatibility of capitalism and democracy, the balance between security and liberty, and the relationship between rights and responsibilities. We will also work through such important concepts as social capital, immigration, inequality, racism, education, First Amendment rights, and the media. Ultimately, this course is designed to provide students with an understanding of how the United States government passes laws and makes policies that influence our daily lives. This semester we will pay special attention to elections, especially presidential elections. We will use case studies, simulations, formal debates, class discussions, and an active reading of the newspaper to approach these issues. 

 

Markel Prize for History Writing

The Myron Markel Prize for writing in history was established by past College Prep parent Dr. Bennett Markel in honor of his brother Myron. Dr. Markel has a great love for both College Prep and the study of history which he, a psychiatrist, sees as essential for understanding the human condition.

 

Seminar Spotlight

Introduction to Linguistic Science

Language is, as far as we know, unique to the human species. It builds our societies, defines our consciousness, identifies our culture, and even influences our perceptions of reality. We learn its complexities at an age when we cannot add single digits or tie our own shoes.

  • How does language work?
  • How do individual languages relate to each other and evolve through time?
  • How do linguists analyze languages?
  • How does all of this aid with the study of individual languages?

All of these questions are part of the subject of this seminar: linguistics, the scientific study of language.

  • Can dolphins talk?
  • Why is English so weird?
  • And why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways?