J300, History of American Capitalisms, Spring 2022

A successful student will, by the end of the semester, demonstrate the following:

• an understanding of basic concepts in the study of history, such as place, time, contingency, agency, structure, continuity, change, and causation.

• a basic understanding of the political, social, economic, and cultural history of American capitalism from the early modern into the modern era, in a multicultural and global context.

• a knowledge of key events, people, and social groups that have shaped the history of American capitalism from the early modern into the modern era, in a multicultural and global context.

• a knowledge of the multiple long- and short-term causes and essential processes in the history of American capitalism from the early modern into the modern era, in a multicultural and global context.

• familiarity with primary, secondary, and digital sources concerning the history of American capitalism from the early modern into the modern era, in a multicultural and global context.

• the ability to recognize and interpret primary historical sources, taking into consideration authorship, audience, and purpose.

• the ability to evaluate historical interpretations, and to distinguish between evidence and argument.

• the ability to communicate analytical arguments, and to deploy relevant evidence, in an effective and persuasive manner orally and in writing.

• an appreciation of the ways in which past events have shaped political formations, economic conditions, social identities, and cultural practices in the present.