Historical
Thinking Objectives
The Department of History has developed the following Historical
Thinking Objectives as a guide to the design of the undergraduate
curriculum. We use this list to review the department’s
course offerings to make sure that the students have adequate
opportunities to develop toward these goals.
1. Understand historical events and
developments in their global context.
2. Understand how places are connected (for example,
by economic, political, and cultural links) and analyze how these
interconnections have changed over particular periods.
3. Understand regions as historical entities,
including change in their spatial dimensions and characteristics over
time.
4. Understand cartographic representations of spatial
features and relationships and of historical developments.
5. Understand how local developments are linked to
regional or global themes.
6. Understand explanations of individual and
collective action.
7. Understand ideas and values and how they are
interpreted and transformed in historical contexts.
8. Understand how historians use evidence and develop
differing interpretations.
9. Understand bias and points of view in primary and
secondary sources, including in images, documentary films, and
cartographic representations.
Bachelor of Arts in History
Graduation Requirements
In addition to the general requirements for the Bachelor of Arts
Degree, all history majors must take a minimum of 36 credits from the
following six categories:
Category I: World Regions
(9 credits, no more than 3 of which must be in HIST 1101 or HIST
1102)
HIST 1101 Foundations of Europe 3 cr
HIST 1102 Modern Europe 3 cr
HIST 2249 World Regional Geography 3 cr
HIST 2251 Latin America 3 cr
HIST 2252 East Asian History 3 cr
HIST 2254 Middle Eastern Civilization 3 cr
HIST 2255 African History and Culture 3 cr
Note: Students may use one of the above courses to satisfy Goal
10A of the General Education requirements.
Category II: Research Skills (6 credits)
HIST 2291 The Historian’s Craft 3 cr
HIST 4491 Seminar 3 cr
Category III: Course for Teachers
The following course is designed expressly for education majors. It may
be taken as elective credit under Category IV below, only if the
prerequisites are satisfied.
HIST 4418 United States History for Teachers 3 cr
Category IV: Upper Division United States History
(6 credits)
Choose one 3000-level and one 4000-level course from the following
list:
HIST 3307 Early North America 3 cr
HIST 3308 Industrialization and Reform in the United States 3 cr
HIST 3309 Modern United States 3 cr
HIST 4421 Federal Indian Relations 3 cr
HIST 4423 Idaho History 3 cr
HIST 4425 Women in the North American West 3 cr
HIST 4427 North American West 3 cr
HIST 4479 Disease and U.S. Public Health 3 cr
Category V: Upper division world, comparative, and non-U.S.
history (6 credits)
HIST 3318 History of Christianity 3 cr
HIST 3322 Religious Reformation and Conflict 3 cr
HIST 3323 Old Regime and French Revolution 3 cr
HIST 3326 Twentieth Century Europe 3 cr
HIST 3382 Russia 3 cr
HIST 4429 International Relations since 1900 3 cr
HIST 4430 Global Environmental History 3 cr
HIST 4435 Colonial Frontiers 3 cr
HIST 4437 Families in Former Times 3 cr
HIST 4438 Women in Pre-industrial Europe 3 cr
HIST 4439 Women in History 3 cr
HIST 4441 The Viking Age 3 cr
HIST 4443 English History 3 cr
HIST 4444 Victorian England and After 3 cr
HIST 4446 Social and Economic History of Greece and Rome 3 cr
HIST 4448 Medieval Social and Economic History 3 cr
HIST 4450 Golden Age Castile 3 cr
HIST 4453 Renaissance Creativity 3 cr
HIST 4460 The Global Hispanic Monarchy 3 cr
HIST 4474 Islam and Nationalism in the Modern World 3 cr
HIST 4478 Imperialism and Progressivism 3 cr
HIST 4490,4490L Cartography: History and Design, and Lab 4 cr
Category VI: Electives (9 credits)
Students must take at least 9 additional credits from courses listed
in Categories III, IV, V, or the following list of courses.
HIST 2221 Greece and Rome 3 cr
HIST 2223 Medieval Europe 3 cr
HIST 3337 Archaeology and History of Southern Idaho 2 cr
HIST 3364 Public History Internship 1-6 cr
HIST 4405 Problems in History 3 cr
HIST 4461 Independent Study: United States* 1-3 cr
HIST 4462 Independent Study: Europe* 1-3 cr
HIST 4463 Independent Study: World Regions* 1-3 cr
ANTH 4410 Introduction to Cultural Resources Management 3 cr
ECON 3323 Economic History 3 cr
GEOL 4403,4403L Principles of Geographic nformation Systems, and Lab 3 cr
GEOL/HIST/POLS 4471 Historical Geography of Idaho 3 cr
HIST 4489 GIS for Social Sciences 3 cr
MATH 3350 Statistical Methods 3 cr
POLS 3313 Introduction to Political Philosophy 3 cr
POLS 4411 American Political Theory 3 cr
TOTAL: 36 cr
*Note: Using more than one independent study class (4461, 4462, or
4463) to fulfill the requirements requires the permission of the
History Chair.
Minor in History
World Regions (9 credits, no more than 3 of which must be HIST
1101 or HIST 1102):
Students must take at least three of the following World Regions
courses:
HIST 1101 Foundations of Europe 3 cr
HIST 1102 Modern Europe 3 cr
HIST 2249 World Regional Geography 3 cr
HIST 2251 Latin America 3 cr
HIST 2252 East Asian History 3 cr
HIST 2254 Middle Eastern Civilization 3 cr
HIST 2255 African History and Culture 3 cr
Students may use one of the above courses to satisfy Goal 10A of the
General Education requirements.
Other Courses:
ONE additional 2000-4000 level course in History 3 cr
TWO additional 3000-4000 level courses in History 6 cr
TOTAL: 18 cr
Teaching Majors and Minors
All students exercising this option must have an advisor in the History
Department as well as in the College of Education.
Pre-Law Majors
Dr. Ron Hatzenbuehler is the pre-law advisor for the History
Department. Students interested in a postgraduate legal education
should consult regularly with him.
Foreign Language Recommendation
All students, particularly those planning graduate work, are strongly
urged to develop a foreign language program in addition to the
courses required for the B.A. degree. Students should consult with
their advisors.
History Courses
HIST 1101 Foundations of Europe 3 credits. Historical
development of Europe since ancient times as a world region and its
expanding importance in the first global age, to 1700. Satisfies
Goal 10A of the General Education Requirements. D
HIST 1102 Modern Europe 3 credits. Europe’s rise and
decline as the dominant world region during the second global age, from
1700 to the present. Satisfies Goal 10A of the General Education
Requirements. D
HIST 1111 U.S. History I (to 1865) 3 credits. Colonial origins and
achievement of independence, constitutional government, national
boundaries, and the preservation of the union. Satisfies Goal 9 of the
General Education Requirements. F, S
HIST 1112 U.S. History II (to present) 3 credits. The domestic
and international development of a plural, industrial society.
Satisfies Goal 9 of the General Education Requirements. F, S
HIST 1118 U.S. History and Culture 3 credits. An introduction to
U.S. history and culture, including cultural change over time.
Fulfills General Education Goal 9. F, S, Su
HIST 2221 Greece and Rome 3 credits. Social, political, economic
and cultural developments of the Mediterranean world during Greek and
Roman times. D
HIST 2223 Medieval Europe 3 credits. The decline of the Roman
Empire; the early development of the states of western Europe; the
Medieval Church and the Papacy; and the industry, philosophy, science,
and arts of the Middle Ages. D
HIST 2249 World Regional Geography 3 credits. Introduction to
world regions, using a geographic perspective as a vehicle, through the
principal themes of human geography including, but not limited to, the
spatial distributions and interactions of history, culture, economy,
population, and environment. Satisfies Goal 10A of the General
Education Requirements. F, S, Su
HIST 2251 Latin America 3 credits. Historical development
in its global context of Latin America as a world region, defined by
the religion, political institutions, and languages brought by Iberian
conquerors and characterized by the contributions of Native Americans,
Africans, and Europeans. Satisfies Goal 10A of the General Education
Requirements. D
HIST 2252 East Asian History 3 credits. The origins and growth
of the distinctive cultures of China and Japan; their encounters with
the West and different responses to Westernization, and their roles in
the modern world. Satisfies Goal 10A of the General Education
Requirements. D
HIST 2254 Middle Eastern Civilization 3 credits. Middle Eastern
Civilization from the emergence of Islam to the present. Emphasis on
fundamentals of Islamic culture and modern political and social
developments. Satisfies Goal 10A of the General Education Requirements.
D
HIST 2255 African History and Culture 3 credits. An introductory
survey of Africa covering traditional political systems and culture,
the impact of Christianity and Islam, the economic and political
intrusion of Europe, and the development of economic and political
crises in contemporary Africa. Satisfies Goal 10A of the General
Education Requirements. D
HIST 2258 Native American History 3 credits. Assesses diversity
of North American natives, their life and thought; European impact;
federal policy; and natives’ response to continual cultural and
physical assault. Cross-listed as ANTH 2258. D
HIST 2291 The Historian’s Craft 3 credits. Takes an
interdisciplinary approach to historical research. Trains students in
diverse methods of inquiry and analysis. To be taken as early as
possible after a student has declared a major in History. Required
prerequisite for HIST 4491. F, S
HIST 3307 Early North America 3 credits. A study of American
cultures prior to the arrival of Europeans, of the variety of
transplanted cultures in America and their changes over time. Special
emphasis on the founding of the United States and the establishment of
government under the Constitution. R2
HIST 3308 Industrialization and Reform in the United States 3 credits.
1820-1932. The emergence of industrialization in the early 19th
century, the impact of the Civil War on industrialization, and
industrialization’s attendant political, social, cultural, and
economic reforms and changes. Special attention paid to abolitionism,
postwar reconstruction, and the Great Migration of African Americans to
the industrialized North. R2
HIST 3309 Modern United States 3 credits. An historical
examination of the United States from the 1930s to the present,
focusing on the Great Depression, New Deal, World War II, the U.S. rise
to global power, its maturation as a mass society, the rise and decline
of liberalism and conservatism, the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam
War, the changing nature of citizenship and culture, and the end of the
Cold War. R2
HIST 3318 History of Christianity 3 credits. This course will
survey the history of Christianity from its origins to its various
expressions in the modern world. Special attention will be given to the
initial formation of Christian traditions, the encounter of
Christianity with intellectual and social trends in western history,
and the periodic movements of reform which sought to refashion
Christian life and institutions. D
HIST 3322 Religious Reformation and Conflict 3 credits. A
comparative study of the development of new faith communities and the
religious violence which shattered the unity of Western Christianity,
1300-1650. PREREQ: HIST 1101. D
HIST 3323 Old Regime and French Revolution 3 credits. A
study of traditional European institutions, society, and culture from
1650 to 1789 and their transformation in the age of the French
Revolution and Napoleon, 1789-1815. D
HIST 3326 Twentieth Century Europe 3 credits. Europe from World War
II through the end of the Cold War. PREREQ: HIST 1102 or permission of
instructor. D
HIST 3337 Archaeology and History of Southern Idaho 2 credits. A
multicultural, ethnographic perspective on the history of the Snake
River Plain. Course content focuses on the 1811 to 1890’s time
period and is rich in details based on information gathered from the
earliest accounts and historical archaeological fieldwork. D
HIST 3364 Public History Internship 1-6 credits. Faculty
supervised placement in historical societies, museums, archives,
government agencies, municipal departments, libraries or other
institutions engaged in historical preservation, dissemination, and/or
research. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. D
HIST 3382 Russia 3 credits. Russian history and civilization
from the medieval Kievan state to modern times. D
HIST 4405 Problems in History 3 credits. A thorough
consideration of historical problems, particularly from a comparative
perspective. Designed to give deeper insight into problems, issues, and
topics which are treated more generally in other courses. May be
repeated with different content. D
HIST 4418 United States History for Teachers 3 credits. U.S.
history from indigenous cultures through modern America. Based on Idaho
Department of Education Standards for High School Students. F, S
HIST 4421 Federal Indian Relations 3 credits. Legal-historical
examination of the relationship between North American tribal peoples
and the U.S. federal government between 1750 and the present.
Special emphasis will be placed on Indian removal, assimilation policy,
treaty negotiation, the Dawes Severalty Act, education policy, Indian
reorganization policy, and termination. R2
HIST 4423 Idaho History 3 credits. A survey of the social,
cultural, environmental, and political history of Idaho from
pre-contact indigenous cultures to the present, emphasizing
Idaho’s relation to other states and regions in the West. F, S, Su
HIST 4425 Women in the North American West 3 credits. Comparative
examination of the varied experiences of women in the North American
West. Analyzes perceptions of women and women’s views of
themselves, women’s activism, and women’s cultural
activities. Places special emphasis on the use of non-textual
historical sources in uncovering the past lives of North American
western women. R
HIST 4427 North American West 3 credits. History of the North
American West from pre-contact indigenous cultures to the present, with
an emphasis on exploration, settlement, ethnic groups, borderlands,
environment, federal policy, and cultural depictions. R2
HIST 4429 Foreign Relations since 1900 3 credits. An introduction
to the history of international relations in the twentieth century.
This course emphasizes the impact of wars on various peoples and
cultures, anti-colonialism and the rise of the so-called ‘Third
World,’ and the processes of political, cultural and economic
‘globalization.’ R2
HIST 4430 Global Environmental History 3 credits. Comparative
examinations of historical interactions between humans and
environmental factors in various time periods and regions throughout
the world, and an assessment of their impacts on historical change. R2
HIST 4435 Colonial Frontiers in America and Africa 3 credits. A
comparative examination of exploration, conquest, and resistance, and
the interaction of cultures in frontier settings. Examines both the
realities of the frontier and their impact on Western thought and
imagination. D
HIST 4437 Families in Former Times 3 credits. Reconstructs the
marriage patterns and domestic lives of people in pre-industrial Europe
(1000-1700 AD). R2
HIST 4438 Women in Pre-Industrial Europe 3 credits. Compares and
contrasts the social, cultural and economic roles of women from
700-1700 AD, and analyzes the impacts of historical change on their
lives. D
HIST 4439 Women in History 3 credits. Comparative study of the
history of women in different world regions. R2
HIST 4441 The Viking Age 3 credits. Studies the cultures and
societies of Scandinavia, England and continental Europe from 700 to
1100 AD. D
HIST 4443 English History 3 credits. Survey of the most
important British political, constitutional, economic, and cultural
developments from Anglo-Saxon times to the Victorian period. D
HIST 4444 Victorian England and After 3 credits. England, 1837
to the present. An examination of the cultural, social, political, and
economic history of the most prosperous and productive period of
English history including British national and imperial decline in
the twentieth century. D
HIST 4446 Social and Economic History of Greece and Rome 3 credits.
Investigates ways in which geography, demography and politics affected
the mentalities and behaviors of social groups—women, patrons,
clients and slaves—and the functioning of households, villages
and cities. D
HIST 4448 Medieval Social and Economic History 3 credits. Analyzes
the impact of political instability, migration and environment upon
Europeans (AD 200-1400). D
HIST 4450 Golden Age Castile 3 credits. History of a major European
country in an age of globalization, military revolution, religious
conflict, and significant cultural development, 1450-1700. D
HIST 4453 Renaissance Creativity 3 credits. Examination of
the conditions promoting individual creativity among Europeans in the
first global age, 1400-1700. Special emphasis on geospatial research on
the history of printing. AS
HIST 4460 The Global Hispanic Monarchy 3 credits. The African,
American, Asian, European, and Oceanic domains of the Iberian Habsburg
dynasty, especially those of Castile and Portugal, whose officials and
subjects created and maintained many of the communications routes that
defined the first global age. Students prepare geospatial datasets on
these routes. AS
HIST 4461 Independent Study: United States 1-3 credits. Selected
readings in areas and periods not covered by the regular curriculum
offerings. PREREQ: Previous upper-division course work in the subject
area with a minimum grade of A-; GPA of 3.5 in all history courses;
permission of the instructor, and approval by the Department Chair. D
HIST 4462 Independent Study: Europe 1-3 credits. Selected
readings in areas and periods not covered by the regular curriculum
offerings. PREREQ: Previous upper-division course work in the subject
area, with a minimum grade of A-; GPA of 3.5 in all history courses;
permission of the instructor; and approval by the Department Chair. D
HIST 4463 Independent Study: World Regions 1-3 credits. Selected
readings in areas and periods not covered by the regular curriculum
offerings. PREREQ: Previous upper-division course work in the subject
area, with a minimum grade of A-; GPA of 3.5 in all history courses;
permission of the instructor; and approval by the Department Chair. D
HIST 4465 U.S. Political History 3 credits. Study of the
political history of the United States involving a discussion of
theories of popular voting behavior, critical elections, and political
party systems. Cross-listed as POLS 4465. R2
HIST 4471 Historical Geography of Idaho 3 credits. Influences of
geography and geology on Idaho’s economic, political and cultural
history. May be team taught and include field trips, discussion
sections. Cross-listed as GEOL 4471 and POLS 4471. AS
HIST 4474 Islam and Nationalism in the Modern World 3 credits. A
study of the interaction of Islam and national and ethnic identities in
the Middle East including North Africa from 1800 up to the recent past.
D
HIST 4478 Imperialism and Progressivism 3 credits. A study of
the world 1880-1920. Movements of change within the West, Third World
responses to the Western challenge, and global crisis. D
HIST 4479 Disease and U.S. Public Health 3 credits. A survey
of health, disease, and public health developments in American history.
The course takes a broad approach to health, but includes the
development of public health offices, the role of disease in society,
specific diseases and related eradication programs, and questions
related to health, equity, and civil liberties. R2
HIST 4489 GIS for Social Sciences 3 credits. An introduction to
geographic information systems theory and applications focusing on
subjects related to human systems in historical context (census,
health, urban communities, etc.). Students will work directly with GIS
software and learn foundational data management and processing skills
along with introductory spatial analysis. Requires competence in
computer operating systems. S, Su
HIST 4490 Cartography: History and Design 3 credits. History of
how map-makers represent geographic, spatial data. Special attention to
the elements of successful cartographic design. F, S
HIST 4490L Cartography Lab 1 credit. Focuses on the application
of Cartographic design concepts and techniques discussed in lecture.
Provides students with hands-on practice designing map products of
publication quality. PREREQ: Admission to the Historical Resources
Management Program, or permission of instructor. F, S
HIST 4491 Seminar 3 credits. Reading, discussion, and
preparation for research papers on selected topics. F, S
HIST 4497 Workshop 1-2 credits. Workshops aimed at the development
and improvement of skills. Does not satisfy requirements for a major or
a minor. May be repeated. Graded S/U. D
