Through a combination of slides and readings, this two-semester module provides a general introduction to some of the key developments in the history of the United States from the colonial era to the present. In addition, it equips students with the basic concepts and skills of historical inquiry. While it covers major political events such as the American Revolution or the Civil War, as well as the changes that such crises caused in American society, the module also looks at the lives of ordinary men and women, the institutions they built, and the various social movements they started. Finally, it addresses the development of and the struggle over the social, political, and ideological norms that shaped the United States and the identity of its citizens. The second part of the module covers American history from 1900 to the present.

Registration for L-students and B.A. students (the latter of which have to have finished part I of the lecture in order to participate) via e-mail to Fears-Heinzel@em.uni-frankfurt.de