History

The aim of the history department is that each student comes to an understanding of her own humanity through an understanding of the humanity of others. At all levels students learn to substantiate ideas with evidence, to use primary sources, and to read historical works with discrimination. The department encourages each student to acquire information about the local, national, and world communities and to perceive the relevance to herself of other cultures and other times.

History Courses

Class I

United States History
Class I studies United States history including colonization, the pre-Revolutionary War period, the Constitution, the Industrial Revolution, immigration, and the Civil Rights movement. Field trips to historical sites in Boston deepen students’ understanding of major themes.

Class II

Ancient Cultures
Students study ancient cultures, including Classical Greece, the Roman Empire, and China in the time of the Qin dynasty with an emphasis on how geography influenced these societies.

Class III

Traditions and Encounters: Cross-Cultural Contacts in Global Perspective 600-1300 CE
This course examines cultural interactions across the Eurasian landmass, focusing on Chinese, Islamic and European civilizations. It includes study of major belief systems of these societies and addresses questions such as: how do global networks get established and how do a society’s traditions and values shape cross-cultural contacts and exchanges?

Class IV

Birth of the Modern World: Wealth and Power 1300-1800 CE
What characteristics make the world “modern”? Why do shifts in power and wealth among peoples and nations occur? Why do civilizations rise and fall? This course explores these questions and more as we examine interactions of peoples from east to west along the Eurasian and North African landmasses—and the ultimate development of the modern world.

All Upper School students are required to take two and one-half years of history in Class V through Class VII, including one semester of non-Western history in Class VII.

Class V Required Course:

Revolutions and the Rise of Nationalism in the Modern World
This course examines major historical developments from the French Revolution to the present, beginning with the intellectual ideas of the European Enlightenment. In particular, we will focus on the nature of revolution and the power of nationalism. Among the questions addressed will be: Why do revolutions happen? Why do they succeed? What factors contribute to the rise of democracies and what factors contribute to the rise of authoritarian leaders? How does nationalism affect people’s lives and shape global politics? Students will examine case studies, engage in simulations and conduct independent research as they explore the dynamic nature of revolutions and nationalism that have shaped the last 200 years.

Class VI Required Course:

United States History
This course is a chronological and thematic exploration of the major recurring issues in American history from colonial times to the present. Selected topics range from defining America’s power and identity in the 18th and 19th centuries to the factors shaping American domestic and foreign policies throughout the 20th century.

Class VII Non-Western Courses

African History
Our aim in this course is to balance Africa’s vast and diverse past—which extends as far back as the dawn of mankind—with the events, cultures, and practices that define Africa today. We begin the course with the popular but skewed images of Africa found in much Western history writing and culture. Students are then asked to consider how such ideas have shaped African history, particularly in the colonial and post-colonial periods. In order to reflect the diversity and vibrancy of African culture, history texts are coupled with ethnographic writing and film. The final weeks of the course are dedicated to an investigation of contemporary events and dynamics—which may include the HIV/AIDS epidemic, South Africa’s truth and reconciliation commission, or the use of child soldiers.

Chinese History
The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics are considered by many to be China’s “coming-out party,” announcing China’s arrival as a major power on the world’s stage, but will China succeed in reclaiming its former greatness in the 21st century? Will the 21st century be the “Chinese century,” as some have predicted? To explore these questions, we will examine the legacy of Imperial China that shapes China today, the 20th century’s wars and revolutions that still have a profound influence on Chinese society, and the diverse challenges that China must meet to establish itself as a dominant world power.

Indian History
Our aim in this course is to explore the history of the world’s largest democracy through the lens of current events. Rather than starting with India’s ancient past and moving slowly forward through more than 5000 years of history, we begin this course with the critical events—such as the 2002 communal conflict in Gujarat or the 2004 election—shaping India today. India’s diverse history is then used to explain contemporary Indian society, politics, religion, and culture. Students are asked not only to use a variety of disciplinary perspectives—including literary criticism, political science, social anthropology, and religious studies--but also to engage on a critical level with the history and historiography of the Indian subcontinent.

History of the Middle East
This course is designed to introduce students both to the complex history of the Middle East and to the events that shape the region today. Specific attention is paid to the birth of Islam and its subsequent influence on Middle Eastern culture and politics, as well as to the legacy of European colonialism and its role in determining the region’s political boundaries and conflicts. Students will be asked not only to use their knowledge of history to explain contemporary issues facing the region, but also to engage in a critical discussion of how the history of the Middle East is written.

Class VII Electives

Latin American History
This course begins by studying pre-Columbian Inca civilization and concludes by examining the political, social, and economic issues Latin America faces today. The course includes such topics as geography, the colonial era, relations between the United States and Latin America, and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.

Russian History: Czars, Commissars and Beyond
This course surveys Russian history and culture since the early czars to the present. Particular emphasis will be placed on the causes and course of the Russian Revolution, the development of Soviet communism and Russia today.

Class VIII Fall Electives

American Social History: The Politics of Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality
This course focuses on the historical experience of African Americans as well as other racial and ethnic groups in an attempt to understand the meaning of race in our society. It also explores how race, class, gender, and sexuality affect the political, economic, and social life of the contemporary United States.

Genocide, Human Behavior and World Order
This course explores the emergence, evolution, and underlying causes of genocide and crimes against humanity in the 20th and 21st centuries. How should genocide be defined and conceptualized? What factors can explain this recurring phenomenon that has resulted in the deaths of nearly 200 million people within the past century? How compelling are these explanations when applied to different cases of genocide—Turkish campaigns against Armenians, the killing fields of Cambodia, the Nazi Holocaust, Stalin’s purges, and recent massacres in Bosnia, Rwanda and Darfur. As we explore theoretical explanations, we will ask whether genocide can be prevented and what constitutes “justice” for such actions.

Contemporary Politics and the 2008 Election
Who will be the next President of the United States and why? This course will focus on the political process and the 2008 elections. It will explore such questions as: what is the difference between politics and government? How does the US democratic process work? What factors most influence voters’ choices of candidates? What is the role of the media in shaping public opinion and affecting electoral politics? Students will participate in the 2008 election through direct involvement in a campaign and by sponsoring the 2008 Presidential Mock Election at Winsor. We will investigate previous presidential elections to see what they tell us about 20th and 21st century politics. Each student will be expected to take initiative in this course and lead class discussions as well as be informed about current events. John Adams wrote: “There is no democracy that did not commit suicide.” Really?

Class VIII Spring Seminar

China Today
The 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics are considered by many to be China’s “coming-out party,” announcing China’s arrival as a major power on the world’s stage, but will China succeed in reclaiming its former greatness in the 21st century? Will the 21st century be the “Chinese century,” as some have predicted? Students explore the West’s relationship with the emerging East Asian giant, China’s economic growth and its global impact, rapid social change and its ramifications and environmental costs for China and the world if it continues to pursue its current path of development.