HIST 101 America in the 1960s (Not offered 1998-99)

America in the 1960s offers a fascinating and complex introduction to the study of history. When Dwight D. Eisenhower turned the presidency over to John F. Kennedy, the 1960s seemed bright with the promise and hope of liberalism. But the sweep of national events and the force of social pressures changed the political landscape by the end of the decade. John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy would all fall victim to assassination. The Vietcong would prove that the war for their homeland would cost more American lives than the nation was willing to sacrifice. Campuses across the land would be racked with student revolt. The Black Panthers and the Brown Berets would arm themselves to protect their ghettos and barrios from police brutality. Cities across the country would be engulfed in the flames of popular uprisings against economic, political, and cultural oppression. In the words of the poet Linda Mendoza, "the violent poetry of the times [was] written in the blood of youth." What accounts for these events? Could they happen again? What impact do they have on our lives today? We will explore these and other questions relevant to the study of history through videos, historical documents, historical monographs, and other tools of the historian's craft. Evaluation will be based on class participation, three short analytical papers, and a self-scheduled final exam.
Enrollment limited. Preference to first-year students.

R. JOHNSON