230328 American History II (S) (SoSe 2005)

This is the second part of a two-semester course sequence. Students should have already taken Part I . Part II is not obligatory for the North America profile module -- it may be replaced by another profile course in American Culture.

This course will begin with the end of the Civil War and the Reconstruction period. We wil then trace the development of the United States in terms of how it has attempted to "form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty ..." We will try to determine where it has succeeded and where it has failed (or not yet succeeded) and why. This will involve us in political, economic and social developments with particular attention to the growth of capitalism, the Depression, two world wars, the civil rights struggle, the Cold War, the war in Vietnam and its aftemath, and Watergate. Whether we reach Clinton and beyond will be determined by time and class interest in the various themes. We will be viewing a number of full-length films relating to some of these topics -- this means that students should be prepared to spend as much as 135 minutes in class during some weeks and/or do viewing homework in the Mediothek. There will be a finall examination as well as a midterm quiz.

We will continue using Hugh Brogan, The Penguin History of the U.S.A. as an accompanying textbook.

Students who require credits for a term paper will have an opportunity to write one for this course.