History

Chairman and Associate Professor: KOREY MAAS
Professors: LARRY ARNN, BRADLEY BIRZER, KENNETH R. CALVERT, RICHARD GAMBLE, MARK A. KALTHOFF, WILFRED M. MCCLAY, PAUL MORENO, PAUL A. RAHE, DAVID RANEY, DAVID STEWART
Distinguished Fellow: VICTOR DAVIS HANSON
Associate Professors: MATTHEW GAETANO, DARRYL HART, MARK MOYAR, JAMES D. STRASBURG
Assistant Professors: JASON GEHRKE, EDWARD GUTIERREZ, MILES SMITH, ANNA VINCENZI, CHARLES YOST

Exceptionally competent students may seek to graduate with departmental honors in history by completing History 575, an independent three-hour research project under the supervision of a faculty committee. Admission to this course is at the discretion of the history faculty. The three credits required for History 575 may not be included in the 27 hours required for the field of concentration. Senior history majors must also complete a comprehensive history examination covering coursework completed while at Hillsdale and achieve an acceptable score as determined by the history faculty.

The Department generally does not accept transfer credit for core classes. Exceptions may be granted by the chairman for work in such courses already completed at another accredited institution. Credit toward the major or minors in history is not granted for hours earned by Advanced Placement (AP) work. Finally, credit earned in the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program (WHIP) no longer counts toward a major in history.

From time to time, selected 400-level or 500-level elective courses are offered with an “S” (Seminar) designation. Enrollment is strictly limited in size and requires permission of the instructor. Seminars are designed to be reading-, research-, and writing-intensive courses for highly motivated students working closely with the professor. Although seminars are electives and not required for the major, students seeking to graduate with departmental honors, wishing to develop their research and writing skills, and those planning to pursue graduate work in history are encouraged to enroll.

Degrees

Courses of Instruction

HST 104: The Western Heritage to 1600

Credits 3
The course will focus on the development of political cultures in Western Europe before 1600. It begins with a consideration of Mesopotamian and Hebrew civilizations and culminates in a survey of early modern Europe. The purpose of the course is to acquaint students with the historical roots of the Western heritage and, in particular, to explore the ways in which modern man is indebted to Greco-Roman culture and the Judeo-Christian tradition. Required course for all students in the College, and except in extraordinary circumstances, must be taken in the fall semester of the freshman year.

HST 105: The American Heritage

Credits 3
This course, a continuation of HST 104, will emphasize the history of "the American experiment of liberty under law." It covers from the colonial heritage and the founding of the republic to the increasing involvement of the United States in a world of ideologies and war. Such themes as the constitutional tensions between liberty and order, opportunity in an enterprising society, changing ideas about the individual and equality, and the development of the ideal of global democracy will be examined. Attention will also be given to themes of continuity and comparison with the modern Western world, especially the direct Western influences (classical, Christian and English) on the American founding, the extent to which the regime was and is "revolutionary," and the common Western experience of modernization. Required course for all students in the College. May be taken in the freshman year but must be completed by the end of the sophomore year. Prerequisite: HST 104.

HST 206: The Western Heritage Since 1600

Credits 3
Similar in format to HST 104, this course is a document-based, thematic study of Western civilization and culture that focuses on the development of European political culture since 1600. Major topics include the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, the Church, revolutionary movements, imperialism, scientific naturalism, social democracy, total war, and totalitarianism. As a continuation of HST 104 and 105, the course permits students to place their understanding of the American Heritage into an international context and to comprehend more fully the development of the modern and contemporary world. Prerequisite: HST 104. May be taken as the third Western Civilization major requirement.

HST 300: Colonial America to 1763

Credits 3
British colonial America from the founding to the Treaty of Paris of 1763; emphasis on the religious, political and economic elements of colonial culture. Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 301: The Founding of the America Republic

Credits 3
The United States from its emergence in the Revolution to the end of the War of 1812; emphasis on the thought of the Founding Fathers and their Constitution-making. Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 302: Jacksonian America

Credits 3
From the Peace of Ghent to the era of "Manifest Destiny" and the deepening of sectional conflict. Special attention is given to the presidency of Andrew Jackson and the broadening of democracy which it brought. Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 303: Sectionalism and the American Civil War

Credits 3
The rise of American sectionalism, the conflicting interpretations of the Constitution and state sovereignty, the approach of sectional division, Civil War and Reconstruction. Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 304: Gilded Age and Progressive Era America

Credits 3
Surveys the history of the United States from the end of Reconstruction to the triumph of Progressive reform in domestic and foreign policy. Particular attention given to political, social, religious, and intellectual trends and to America's emergence as an economic and military world power. Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 305: The U.S. from the Great War to the Cold War

Credits 3
Surveys the history of the United States from the outbreak of the First World War to the end of the Second World War. Particular attention given to the transformation of American life brought by economic, social, religious, and intellectual changes, and by the experience of total mobilization for global war. Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 306: Cold War America

Credits 3
An exploration of the history of the United States in the Cold War era (1945-1991). The three principal topics of the course will be domestic policy (political economy, the welfare state); social and cultural history (demographics, race relations, the baby boom, women's rights); and foreign policy (the Cold War). Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 307: The U.S. Since the Cold War

Credits 3
American politics from Bill Clinton's "New Democrats" and George W. Bush's "compassionate conservatives" to Barack Obama's transformative progressivism and Donald Trump's neo-populism and beyond. The U.S. as the world's sole superpower to the post-9/11 War on Terror. Continuing controversy over American ethnic, cultural, and religious identity. Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 310: The Ancient Worlds

Credits 3
Survey of the ancient polities and cultures from Mesopotamia to the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West.

HST 311: Early Middle Ages

Credits 3
Beginning with an in-depth analysis of the Roman, Germanic and Christian contributions to the emergence of a distinctive medieval culture by the time of Charlemagne, the class will then examine the development of political, social and economic structures in Western Europe, the revitalization of agriculture and trade, and the issues involved in the Investiture Controversy and the Crusades.

HST 312: High and Late Middle Ages

Credits 3
The class will begin by examining medieval civilization at its height: the development of limited monarchies and representative institutions in England, France and the Holy Roman Empire; the growth of papal monarchy; the 12th-century renaissance; the rise of universities; scholasticism; Gothic architecture; and the chivalric ideal. Students will then explore the disintegration of the medieval order as a result of factors including religious disillusionment brought on by disorder within the Church and social and economic pressures resulting from the Black Death and the Hundred Years' War.

HST 314: Europe, 1618-1798

Credits 3
Europe in the 18th century, through the French Revolution to the fall of Napoleon in France; the expansion of education, science and philosophy; the growth of the middle class and the beginnings of industrialism.

HST 315: Nineteenth Century Europe

Credits 3
From Waterloo to World War I. Major themes include the persistence of revolution, the reaction of European society to industrialization, the development of new political ideologies and the problems of militarism and international rivalries.

HST 316: Europe in the 20th Century

Credits 3
World War I and the "lost peace," the birth of totalitarian regimes, World War II and the Cold War, European integration and the problems of the nuclear age.

HST 321: History of Colonial Latin America

Credits 3
Survey of Latin American history from pre-colonial times through the coming of independence. Indigenous civilizations, the age of European explorations, the settlement phase, the mature period of fully developed Iberian social and political institutions, and the impulses behind the independence movements of the early 19th century will all be examined. While focused primarily on Spanish and Portuguese America, this course also investigates the role of non-Iberian settlement and intervention in the Western hemisphere.

HST 322: History of Modern Latin America

Credits 3
Continuation of HST 321. Major themes include the impact of independence, the growth of national consciousness, boundary disputes and war in the 19th century, the rise of the caudillo, economic and social development, international relations and the place of Latin America in the contemporary world.

HST 370: War in World History I

Credits 3

Warfare remains a vital issue for Americans to understand. This is the first of the three-course core sequence, which confronts the complex topic of war and analyzes global culture during antiquity until A.D. 500. Several key issues frame our study: what makes war so alluring, what causes wars, how are they fought, and does the concept of a Western Way of War exist, and if so, how does it differ from non-Western cultures? In addition, we explore the importance of war in shaping human affairs as well as the motivation of each cultureís combatants. Prerequisite: HST 104. Required for the minor in military history and grand strategy. Fall, even-numbered years.

HST 371: War in World History II

Credits 3
This course serves as a continuation of the history of warfare, addressing the same questions and seeking the same answers. This course confronts the complex topic of medieval war and analyzes global culture from AD 500 to 1500, whilst debunking modern myths of medieval society being dark or crude. Major topics include the devastating power of the Asian Steppe armies, the Crusades, and the Hundred Yearsí War. Prerequisite: HST 104. Required for the minor in military history and grand strategy. Spring, odd-numbered years.

HST 372: War in World History III

Credits 3
This course serves as a continuation of the history of warfare, addressing the same questions and seeking the same answers as parts I and II. This course confronts the complex topic of war and analyzes global culture from AD 1500 to the eve of World War I. It surveys the major military and naval innovations, including the Military Revolutions. In addition to examining major wars and operations, the course will also closely examine the interaction of war with political, economic, and cultural change. Prerequisite: HST 104. Required for the minor in military history and grand strategy. Fall, odd-numbered years.

HST 400: Ancient Near East

Credits 3
Specialized historical survey of the politics and culture of ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia and Israel.

HST 402: Ancient Rome

Credits 3
Emphasis on politics and culture from the foundations of the city to the reign of the Emperor Constantine(about 750 B.C.-300 A.D.).

HST 403: The Ancient Greek City

Credits 3
Historical consideration of the ancient Greek polis as a political regime from a variety of angles. The course explores the similarities and differences between ancient and modern republics. Readings include complete works by Aristophanes, Euripides, Plato, Xenophon, Aristotle, Plutarch, Adam Ferguson, Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges, and selected briefer texts illustrating the character of the ancient Greek economy and social life.

HST 405: History of Late Antiquity

Credits 3
In this course we will pursue a study of the Mediterranean world from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Crusades. Moving west to east, this course will analyze the political, military, economic, philosophical, and religious transformations in the region. Crucial to the course will be an analysis of the continuity or discontinuity of classical culture within the Mediterranean sphere. Also central to our study will be the struggles for Christian unity in this period as well as the rise of Islam as a challenge to the classical and Christian Mediterranean world.

HST 406: Medieval England

Credits 3
English history from the coming of the Romans through the early 16th century, with emphasis on Anglo-Saxon, Norman and Plantagenet England.

HST 407: The Renaissance

Credits 3
The course will examine the dynamic intellectual and cultural life of late medieval and early modern Europe in its political, social and economic contexts. Through readings from the works of Dante, Petrarch, Salutati, Bruni, Valla, Pico della Mirandola, Machiavelli, Castiglione, Erasmus, More and others, students will consider the emergence of new humanist methods of scholarship and their influence on the literature of political and social comment.

HST 412: History of Spain

Credits 3
Spanish history and culture from the Islamic invasion of Iberia in 711 to the Civil War and the Franco dictatorship.

HST 414: The French Revolution and Napoleon

Credits 3
This course offers an intensive investigation of the French Revolution. The ideas and events of each successive phase of the Revolution, including the reign of Napoleon, will be examined. Emphasis will be placed on studying competing political theories, the role of religious belief and practice in Revolutionary France, the impact of local identities on the course of the Revolution, and the effect of events in France throughout Europe.

HST 415: History of France Since 1815

Credits 3
Seven different regimes from Louis XVIII to Francois Mitterrand: the revolutionary legacy, the acquisition and loss of a colonial empire, the impact of war and defeat, the redefinition of France's role in the world, and the transition from Gaullism to socialism.

HST 416: History of England After 1485

Credits 3
The Tudor and Stuart dynasties, constitutional monarchy under the Hanoverians, the Industrial Revolution, characteristics of the Victorian era, British imperialism and the problems stemming from two world wars.

HST 419: History of Russia to 1917

Credits 3
Russia from earliest times to the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917: Major topics include the Kievan state and its collapse, the Mongol overlordship, Muscovite Russia, the founding of the Romanov dynasty, Imperial Russia through the Revolution of 1917 and the Bolshevik seizure of power. The political, social, economic and intellectual forces which shaped the above developments will be examined.

HST 425: History of the Middle East

Credits 3
The Middle East from the rise of Islam to the present: the Arab Caliphates; the Ottoman Empire; European imperialism and the Near Eastern question; World War I and its impact; modern Turkish, Iranian, Arab and Israeli nationalism.

HST 440: History of the American West

Credits 3
History of the moving frontier from early colonial times to 1890. Emphasis on the meaning of the West in American history. Special attention to the Turner Thesis and Western literature. Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 442: Economic History of the United States

Credits 3
The economic development of the United States. The course is designed to encourage the student to develop theories and answers to questions such as these: How and why did there develop in this nation the highest level of material living ever known? Are there any lessons here which can be used to help other developing nations? Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 450: Ancient Christianity

Credits 3
The history of the Christian Church from its origins to its rise as the dominant religion in the Roman Empire. Focusing on primary texts, the course will trace the development of Christian thought, community and politics in the first 400 years of Christian history.

HST 451: Medieval Christianity

Credits 3
Continues HST 450. Church history in Western Europe from late antiquity through the 15th century, with emphasis on trends in spirituality as well as institutional development.

HST 452: The Reformation

Credits 3
Continues HST 451. Major religious movements of the 16th century in their political, social, economic and cultural contexts, from Christian humanism through the Wars of Religion.

HST 465: Topical Studies in the History of Science

Credits 3
This course considers several topics in the history of science, which may vary from offering to offering. Usually one of four themes will be the focus for the semester: 1) Survey of Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern Science; or 2) Survey of Science Since the 17th Century; or 3) Science in American Culture; or 4) Science and Christian Faith. The course may be repeated with different content.

HST 468: American Military History to 1914

Credits 3
A broad introduction to the American military and naval experience from the colonial period to the eve of World War I. In addition to the major land campaigns of American history, we examine the role of foreign activities and naval warfare, considering the changing cultural, political, economic, and religious norms of the United States. Prerequisite: HST 105. Spring, odd-numbered years.

HST 469: American Military History Since 1914

Credits 3
Survey of US military history, broadly conceived, from World War I to the wars of the early twenty-first century. The course addresses military strategy, the interplay of force and diplomacy, technological innovation, civil-military relations, leadership, and the cultural and social underpinnings of military power. Prerequisite: HST 105. Fall, even-numbered years.

HST 470: World War I

Credits 3
A global survey of the First World War (1914-1918). We examine the campaigns and the cultures of warówith emphasis upon strategies, operations, tactics, and generalship. In addition, we study the ordinary soldier and civilian, as well as the home fronts. The course challenges students to reflect on whether the war created modernity or modernity created the war. Prerequisite: HST 104. Fall, even-numbered years.

HST 471: World War II

Credits 3
A global survey of the Second World War (1937-1945). We examine the campaigns and the cultures of warówith emphasis upon strategies, operations, tactics, and generalship. In addition, we study the ordinary soldier and civilian as well as the home fronts. The course provides a balanced assessment of both the European and Pacific theaters, and begins combat operations with the Japanese attack against China in 1937. Prerequisite: HST 104. Spring, odd-numbered years.

HST 472: The Vietnam War

Credits 3
Covers the military, diplomatic, political, and cultural dynamics of the struggle for South Vietnam from 1954 to 1975. Students will evaluate competing interpretations of the war and their ongoing relevance to debates on US foreign policy and national identity. Prerequisite: HST 105. Fall, odd-numbered years.

HST 473: Art of War in World History

Credits 3
This course examines the static nature, yet changing character, of strategy in war. We scrutinize the strategists such as S?nzi and Carl von Clausewitz, as well as the strategies such as annihilation and attrition to counterinsurgency and nuclear deterrence. Global in scope, primary source readings cover all continents, strategists, and major empires, whilst reflecting on the sociocultural influences on warís conduct. From antiquity to the present, this course challenges students to craft their own definitions of strategy and examine how the art of war instructs the future of American foreign policy. Prerequisite: HST 104. Fall, odd-numbered years.

HST 474: Just War Tradition in the West

Credits 3
Utilizing primary source readings, this course surveys the key minds who constructed, influenced, and shaped the ethical implications of warfare in the West. We begin in antiquity with ancient Greece and Rome and end in the present. Whilst examining case studies from major wars throughout history, we face the herculean task of confronting war through a theological and philosophical lens. Prerequisite: HST 104. Spring, even-numbered years.

HST 475: Case Studies in the Origins of War

Credits 3
Historical consideration of five case studies-four sets of developments that eventuated in war, and one that did not. Study of the origins of the Peloponnesian War in Pericles' day precedes consideration of the origins of World War One. The origins of the Second Punic War in the time of Hannibal are compared with those of the Second World War. The course concludes with a consideration of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War.

HST 476: Nation Building and International Development

Credits 3
Since the end of World War II, the United States has sought to strengthen allies and alleviate suffering through foreign assistance programs ranging from military support to humanitarian aid. This course examines the theories underlying these programs, the implementation of programs, civil-military cooperation, and aid effectiveness. Prerequisite: HST 105. Spring, odd-numbered years.

HST 477: Counter-Insurgency and Counter-Terrorism

Credits 3
This course provides a history of governmental efforts to thwart insurgents and terrorists with all the instruments of national power. The course considers the causes of insurgency and terrorism as well as the strategies, tactics, leadership, and interagency collaboration employed against them. Prerequisite: HST 104. Fall, even-numbered years.

HST 478: The American National Security State

Credits 3

This course traces the rise of the American national security state from its humble origins in the American Revolution to its massive growth in the twentieth century and its transformation in the twenty-first century. Students will explore the national debates over the need for national defense, the growth of defense spending and taxation, the rise of the defense industry, the inefficiencies and abuses of the national security bureaucracy, and the compromises to American liberty resulting from perceived national security threats. Prerequisite: HST 105. Fall, odd-numbered years.

HST 479: American Grand Strategy

Credits 3
This course examines the evolution of US strategic thinking from the time of the nation's founding to the present. Through analysis of major events and thought leaders, it traces enduring themes and truths of international relations and statecraft. Prerequisite: HST 105. Required for the minor in military history and grand strategy. Spring, even-numbered years.

HST 480: History of the American Identity

Credits 3
Formation and development of America's sense of historical mission from the Puritans to the present day. Analysis of primary documents guides students through a chronological evaluation of America's "political theology, " including its sense of divine calling, national mission, and redemptive world role. Readings focus on the religious, political, ideological, and historical roots of America's understanding of its place in history, exploring how that identity has been shaped both by Americans themselves and by foreign observers. Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 481: Modern European Intellectual History

Credits 3
Explores the contested views regarding the nature of man and his place in society beginning with John Locke, Adam Smith, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Continues through exploration of influential nineteenth and twentieth-century foundations of modern economics, politics, science, psychology, and sociology. Particular attention is given to readings from Rousseau, Smith, Hegel, Marx, Mill, Tocqueville, Darwin, Nietzsche, Freud, and Weber.

HST 482: Intellectual History of the United States

Credits 3
Studies in American thought and its social consequences from the colonial period to the present. Readings include interpretations of the American mind and selections from important thinkers in social criticism, philosophy, economics, politics and literature. Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 484: Constitutional History of the United States Since 1877

Credits 3
Constitutional problems of the urban and industrial revolutions, the Progressive Era, civil liberties in the world wars and Cold War, civil rights and the cultural revolution of the 1960s, the modern administrative state, and the rise of modern judicial review. Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 485: The History of the United States Presidency

Credits 3
This course explores the history of the United States Presidency from the administration of George Washington to the present. It studies major presidencies and the increasing centralization of power in the executive branch since the mid-20th century. Prerequisite: HST 105.

HST 495: Christian Humanist Historiographical Vision

Credits 3
Explores some of the most important historians and scholars of the twentieth century: Christopher Dawson, Eric Voegelin, Joseph Schumpeter, John Lukacs, Michael Oakeshott, and Owen Barfield. It considers metahistory, symbol, myth, and theology in the study of history and the philosophy of history. Explicitly and implicitly, it analyzes alternatives to progressive, Marxian, and Nietzschean visions of history, so predominant in the past century.

HST 500: The History and Philosophy of History

Credits 3
This course considers the perennial disciplinary questions that historians have confronted since classical times. It takes up significant philosophical and theoretical approaches to history, as well as important analytical and historiographical problems within the major historical fields of study. The course places special emphasis upon the history of historical writing. The History Department faculty strongly recommends the course for all history majors intending to pursue graduate study or wishing to write a thesis for departmental honors in history

HST 518: History Travel Study Programs

Credits 3
Offers students an opportunity for intensive and focused exploration of a historically significant region under the close guidance of a member of the history faculty. Courses are offered both occasional summers and during January. May be taken more than once. Only three credit hours may be applied to the major, however.

HST 597: Special Research

Credits 1 Max Credits 2
Generally, this is a directed readings course designed to enable students to explore areas not covered in scheduled courses.