HIS 261 - American Revolutions 1763-1821

This course examines the various American Revolutions in the Atlantic world in the era between 1763 and 1821. This period encompasses the American Revolution, the French Revolution of 1789, the Haitian Revolution, and revolutions across Latin America. Students will examine traditional narratives of the period which acknowledge the important role of the “Founders” along with recent scholarship that highlights the voices of marginalized people, including free and enslaved African Americans, Native Americans, Loyalists, and women. By expanding the geographical and social scope of inquiry, we will examine the Age of Revolutions through various lived experiences, competing notions of independence and freedom, and underlying continuities and change. Students will also analyze cultural artifacts and reproductions, such as portraits, musicals, and documentaries, to explore the legacy and historical memory of the Revolutionary era.  

Satisfies History major and minor requirement.
Satisfies Historical Thought Ways of Knowing requirement.
Satisfies Cultural Diversity requirement.