History and Social Sciences

Global History I

This course addresses the fundamental question of how the modern world came to be, tracing its origins from the 15th century to the 19th century. The course examines the role of Asian and Muslim civilizations in the pre-modern period, the creation of the first global trade networks, early European colonization, political revolutions in France and Latin America, the Industrial Revolution and its consequences for Africa and Asia, and the development of nationalism which ultimately led to the outbreak of World War I. The course includes a variety of different projects and assessments, including a research paper.

Global History II

This course continues where Global History I left off, at the dawn of the 20th Century. Beginning with the run-up to World War I, the course dives deeply into the major events of the last hundred years, including the Russian Revolution and early Soviet history, the Fascist and Nazi movements of the 1930s, the history of modern China and Japan, World War II from a global perspective, the Cold War and decolonization in Africa and Asia, the making of the Modern Middle East, and the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. The course features both project based and traditional assessments, and includes a research paper. Note: Students may take Global History II without having taken Global History I.

United States History

People of every country must understand their nation’s history to be responsible citizens. United States History exposes juniors to the economic, political, diplomatic, and intellectual developments of the United States so they can better appreciate the uniqueness of their country. The course combines a traditional chronological approach with an emphasis on selected themes such as sectionalism, race relations, the role of the Supreme Court, the role of women, immigration, and the American Dream. Skill development plays a prominent role in this course with an emphasis on critical thinking and evidentiary writing skills through primary source analysis. Teachers use a variety of assessment forms such as thesis-driven essays, traditional tests and quizzes, and research projects.

United States History Honors

United States History Honors is designed for students who are willing and able to undertake a most rigorous course of study. Students are required to do substantial amounts of reading and will be expected to understand cause and effect relationships behind the “facts,” as well as grasp complex interpretive studies of the great periods of crisis and dramatic change in the American past. Students gain an understanding of the problems confronting the United States and participate in developing solutions for these problems. Writing plays a prominent role in the course, and the teachers employ a variety of discussion and writingbased assessments such as primary source analysis and a major research paper. Admission to United States History Honors requires completion of an application process and approval by the History and Social Science Department.

HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ELECTIVES

The prerequisite for the following History and Social Sciences electives is completion of two years of History in the Upper School.

African American History**/***

The purpose of this course is to highlight, understand, and appreciate the roles that African Americans have played in the formation of the United States from early colonization to the modern day. To understand the Black experience helps all of us understand ourselves, our communities, and our country more deeply. Students engage in a critical examination of race and the role it plays in our society. Additionally student inquiry helps guide the direction of the course as we explore units that not only highlight struggle and oppression, but also resilience and resistance. We move chronologically from early American colonies through the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow segregation, the Harlem Renaissance, the Great Migration, and World War II. We also cover the Black Power movement, Afrofuturism, and the current challenges and triumphs of African Americans across the country.

The Black Atlantic: Africa, Brazil, and Cuba**/***

This semester-long course examines the historical actors, ideas, and spirits whose crisscrossing of three continents gives shape to the Black Atlantic. While students begin the semester by exploring the transatlantic slave trade, the course deliberately awards prominence to forms of Black presence and resistance--a politics of life (vitapolitics)-across the Black diaspora: West Africa, Brazil, and Cuba. Major topics of inquiry include racial identification, music, and religious expression including Cuban Santería, West African Vodun, and the Brazilian Candomblé.

The Global Sixties: Race, Revolution, Sexuality**/***

This course examines the effervescent sixties in a global context, with a particular focus on Europe, Latin America, and the United States. Students explore the emergence of movements dedicated to economic, racial, and gender/ sexual justice amid a larger backdrop of the Cold War and decolonization. The mobilization of music, film, and the body as forms of protest and revolution are vital themes in this semester-long course, as are backlash and the emergence of a new conservatism. Course materials include memoirs, speeches, political treatises, and cultural objects from the period.

Government and Civics***

This year-long course helps its participants understand the rights and responsibilities of civic engagement. The first semester establishes a framework for understanding systems of government and politics in the United States. In the second semester, students look in closer depth at issues of voter rights and disenfranchisement of marginalized communities in addition to issues being heard by the Supreme Court.

History of Women’s Protest and Human Rights***

Movements are a primary agent of social and political change for nation-states, groups, and individuals. A History of Women’s Protest and Human Rights challenges students to understand the ways in which women have sought to effect change across time, locally, nationally, and globally. The course is organized thematically to put different protests in conversation with each other: students are encouraged to make connections between events as well as to consider whether women’s rights or human rights can ever be universal. Additionally, discussions center around the exclusionary aspect of many of these movements - across racial, gender, class, and sexuality lines. Examples of topics covered include: Black Lives Matter; suffrage; reproductive rights; worker rights; environmental activism; LGBTQ rights; the Equal Rights Amendment; disability rights movement. Classes are discussion based seminars and assessments are student-centered with student interest dictating the direction of the class.

History Through Fiction**/***

This course allows students to examine the interplay between historical events and works of literature. Students read several signature works in the historical fiction genre, and classes are devoted to close readings of the texts and to workshopping student writing. After studying how authors research and write believable settings and characters, students are expected to complete either the first 25 pages of a work of historical fiction or two linked short stories.

** The semester offered is to be determined. *** May be taken With Honors. See description on page 4.

International Relations***

In International Relations, students will study the transnational interactions among countries and key issues and problems impacting 21st century international politics and economics. Topics covered include national security, national sovereignty and the international system, the rise of China and its implications for the international system, the role of international institutions such as the United Nations, regional organizations such as the European Union, war, peace and conflict resolution, the role of international law, environmental issues, and more. This course has a strong emphasis on collaborative learning, and includes many projects in which students work in teams to research issues and solve problems.

Modern Asian Studies: Culture, Conflict, and Protest**/***

In this course we explore the central issues pertaining to the study of Asia. Home to half of the world’s population, Asia has its own unique history, culture, traditions, and politics. Students gain insight into Asia’s rapid economic, social, and political transformations in the modern period. We discuss the factors contributing to China’s meteoric economic growth, and delve into China’s political systems and culture in order to interpret the Sino-US relationship. We cover the Hong Kong protests as well as the Taiwan issue. We read about Japan and its unique culture, including anime and manga. We learn about the tension between North Korea and South Korea and talk about South Koreans’ pride in their culture through K-POP. We also explore India’s, Singapore’s, and Malaysia’s strategic plans and conflicts. Globalism, regionalism, and women in Asia are among the topics that we cover in this course. This course gives students a lens through which to view American culture and themselves from a different perspective.

The Modern Middle East**/***

Controversy. Disorder. Conflict. These words often shape our perception of the many countries of the Modern Middle East. This course seeks to provide a more complete picture of the role internal and external forces played in the history of this complex and diverse region from the 19th century to the present. As religion often dominates our understanding of identity and culture in the Middle East, we seek to better understand of the roles of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism in the region. Additionally, we investigate several essential topics that impact daily life including: geography, gender roles and women’s rights, human rights, and more. Primarily discussion-based, students also help guide the direction of this course, collaboratively designing some units and projects.

Present Day Africa: Triumphs, Truths and Thought Leaders**/***

This course will offer a perspective on the continent that is not often explored: what is working well for African leaders, business executives, tech entrepreneurs, families and cities. We thoughtfully examine triumphs for each of the 54 countries that make up the continent. With a special focus on innovators and thought leaders who have found success in their home country and abroad, we seek to understand the history of the continent through the lens of the present day. Students gain a powerful foundation for further global studies and engage in a month-long analysis of a country of their choice which culminates in a TED style talk. Course features visitors from African nations, both virtually and in person, to supplement study.

** The semester offered is to be determined. *** May be taken With Honors. See description on page 4.

The Third Reich and the Holocaust**/***

This semester course examines the rise of the Nazi Party, life under Nazi rule, and the implementation of the Final Solution. Among the issues considered are: how a movement like Nazism could come to power in 20th century Germany; how the Nazis were able to create a totalitarian state so quickly and effectively; how and why Nazi anti-Semitism gradually evolved into genocide; how National Socialist philosophy impacted the German conduct of World War II, as well as the ultimate legacy of the Third Reich.

Women and Authoritarianism**/***

This semester-long course examines the gendered implications of authoritarianism. Historical instances of European fascism, particularly Fascist Italy, Francoist Spain, and Nazi Germany, serve as case studies as do fascist “adjacent” and other right-wing movements elsewhere in Europe and Latin America. Students spend much of the course probing notions of femininity and masculinity in these specific historical contexts in a broader effort to understand the origins and implications of authoritarian ultranationalism. Course materials include memoirs, films, works of fiction, political treatises, and cultural artifacts from the period.

Women in Eastern Europe***

This year-long course is a survey of women’s history in Eastern Europe from the 19th century to present day. We examine everyday realities for women across social classes in Eastern European society and their ever-changing roles in family, workplace, education, politics, and overall society. This course challenges students to understand how women in Eastern Europe have been perceived by themselves and others throughout a period of great political, social, and cultural change. Students are able to connect public and private roles of women by examining how masculine and feminine concepts of gender have affected women’s roles over time. Classes are discussionbased with students reading from women’s memoirs, personal writings, novels, and more recent scholarship.

The World Before and After 9/11**/***

Every generation has its turning points. From the Civil War to Pearl Harbor to Woodstock, we can point to an event or an era and define how culture and society has changed. For our modern world, that event was 9/11. In this course we embark on a thematic exploration of the world before and after September 11, 2001. We examine historical and political tensions and events such as the invasions of Afghanistan in the 70’s and 80’s, the first Gulf War, and the United States’ dependence on foreign oil. This sets the stage for transformations in many aspects of life including the media, policing, democracy, and even sports and stand-up comedy. Students in this course engage in frequent discussions, research, and use a variety of ways to communicate their understandings to peers and external audiences.