American Culture

Building upon themes introduced in HIS 201 and 202, this course addresses seventeenth-century author John Crevecoeur’s simple yet profound question, “What is an American?” Students will read the most influential works in shaping and defining American identity grouped around different weekly themes such as the Puritans, the revolutionary era, slavery and states’ rights, transcendentalism, the Great Awakenings, Americanism and the Church, modern conservatism, and more.