History

This course, or its counterpart Thematic US History, is a required course to be taken in the fourth or fifth form year.

This course will review the main events and issues of U.S History, while also learning the fundamental skills of research and working to develop mature, intellectual and critical consideration of the relationship between past and present. Class discussion, projects, collaborative learning, and persuasive writing will be expected and valued avenues with which to approach these priorities. We will start the course by examining formative elements of the American Colonial experience. From there we will follow chronological events in US History starting with the Revolutionary Era and birth of the young Republic. Quickly, we will analyze the transformative elements of Antebellum America up to the Civil War, and how in its aftermath the Union was fundamentally revolutionized anew, with an emphasis on social, economic and foreign policy — and the evolving relationship between the people and government. In the spring term we will discuss the dynamics of the Depression years, World War II, and post-war America, and more recent historical influences on the US of today. Through our year together, we will study the unique melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, faiths, and identities that have and do characterize the ‘experiment’ that is the US of America.

Required of all third form students

This course will investigate the period from 1250 CE to the Cold War in a global context. Through the study of this period students will be joining historical arguments about systems of thought and belief, networks of exchange, revolution, empire, industrialization, and conflicts. Students will learn foundational historical skills in evaluating sources, researching, and constructing arguments. Important to the study of this period will be reading the voices from all sides of events and investigating them in context. Students will be able to add context to what they see in the world they live in.

This course, or its counterpart Chronological US History, is a required course to be taken in the fourth or fifth year.

In this course students will study US History by examining one theme at a time. Such themes include: identity, society, politics, economics, and culture. To access these themes, students will try to answer approximately one overarching question per unit: Who is an American? What are American values? Does the US have a culture? What are the meanings of liberty and equality? What is the role of the government in the lives of US citizens? Is the US an empire? Is the business of America business? Emphasizing depth and not breadth, each question presents students with a new journey through America’s past so they may see how a single issue develops over time. This narrower focus allows students to develop intellectual curiosity, pursue different methods of historical analysis, and engage deeply with the historical record. Throughout the year the themes will “layer” on top of one another so students will move through US History several times in several different ways. In the process, students will be encouraged to ask questions, take intellectual risks, and be empowered to develop their own ideas and interpretations of US History so they may join the national conversation about our shared past.

In this class, we will survey the broad sweep of African American history from 1619 to the age of Obama. Throughout this period, we will focus on how African Americans interpreted and responded to the problem of white supremacy. We will look first at how enslaved African Americans, as they forged communities in the rural south, both retained parts of West African culture and also helped to create American culture itself. We will examine how African Americans, enslaved and free, fought against the institution of slavery before and during the Civil War. We will learn how, when that war ended with the defeat of the slaveholders, African Americans seized new political and social opportunities. We will explore the range of African American responses to the closing of those opportunities in the Jim Crow era; one such response being the migration of millions from the rural south to northern cities. We will study how African Americans — northern and southern, urban and rural — led the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Finally, we will ask whether the system of white supremacy was destroyed in the 1960s, or whether that system survived into the twenty-first century. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion or concurrent study of United States History.

This is a three-part course, students may enroll in any or all of the terms. During the Fall Term the class will examine the origins of the World Wars beginning with German unification in 1870 (almost coinciding with Churchill’s birth in 1874), a quick survey of the First World War and the interwar period, the rise of the revisionist states (Japan, Italy, and Germany), the outbreak of war in Asia and Europe, the early German offensives, the Battle of Britain, the Battle of the Atlantic, the German invasion of the USSR, and lastly the Japanese strikes at Pearl Harbor and throughout the Pacific. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fourth Form and above who have completed Modern World History.

This is a three-part course, students may enroll in any or all of the terms. During the Winter Term, we will examine the crucible of 1942 when the Allies stemmed the Axis tide and, subsequently, the beginning of Allied counter-offensives in 1943. The connection of the Pacific/Asian war and the European/Mediterranean war through the involvement of the English-speaking world will be explored. The widening of the scope of the war, the economics of the war, the casualties of the war, and the increasing contrasts in how societies chose to fight this struggle will occupy the term. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fourth Form and above who have completed Modern World History.

The Cold War set the tone for how the world would operate post World War II: the US was transformed into a global superpower and launched into an ideological competition with the Soviet Union that impacted global and regional dynamics that persist into the present. By engaging in major themes of decolonization, post-colonialism, the non-aligned movement, and globalization, this course will interrogate the legacy left by the Cold War on the world at large. Prerequisite: open to students in the fifth and sixth forms with completion or concurrent study of US History.

This is a three-part course, students may enroll in any of all of the terms. During Spring Term, students will consider the final Allied attempts to close the ring during 1944, the last horrors of 1945, and attempts to fashion a stable post-war world. The increasing fanaticism of obviously defeated societies will be contrasted with the need to begin shaping the world after the end of the war. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fourth Form and above who have completed World History.

The Cold War set the tone for how the world would operate post World War II: the US was transformed into a global superpower and launched into an ideological competition with the Soviet Union that impacted global and regional dynamics that persist into the present. By engaging in major themes of decolonization, post-colonialism, the non-aligned movement, and globalization, this course will interrogate the legacy left by the Cold War on the world at large. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion or concurrent study of US History.

This course employs economics concepts taught in Advanced Studies Economics, Introduction to Macroeconomics and Introduction to Microeconomics, so students must take at least one of these electives or be concurrently enrolled at the time of study. Prerequisite: open to students in the fourth form and above with departmental approval.

Check your news feed lately? Since 2020, Americans have spent between 6-9 hours per day engaged in media of one form or another. In this media-saturated world, we are continuously bombarded with hundreds of news items from numerous platforms: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Google, Twitter (X), text messages, podcasts, radio, television, and print press. Not only does the media exert significant influence over us, with the ability to curate content, Americans have become increasingly siloed in ideological echo chambers, contributing to ongoing political polarization. This course will explore the role of the media in the US, specifically as it relates to politics, and learn the powerful skill of deconstructing media messages in order to gain more control over them. Students will learn how to determine the trustworthiness of sources, verify news stories, determine reputability, detect bias and agendas, distinguish between facts and opinions, and learn the importance of multiple points of view. Skills notwithstanding, the course encourages students, as citizens in a free society, to become responsible and discerning consumers of information. Prerequisite: open to students in the fourth form and above who have completed World History.

Over a billion people today call the Indian Subcontinent home, yet to many people in the West, the historical developments that gave rise to the modern nations of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and India are unknown. This survey-style course will examine the stories of the Indian Subcontinent, following the major trends and events of the region’s history. Beginning with the Mughal conquest, this class will trace the general course of South Asian history, following the rise of the East India Company, the dominance of the British Raj, and the struggles of independence and partition. Prerequisite: open to students in the fourth form and above who have completed Modern World History.

This course explores a dynamic period of philosophical debate and discovery. Beginning with Pre-Socratics, this course surveys pivotal thinkers, including Socrates, Plate, Aristotle, and Epicurus. Intertwined with our learning of influential theories of ethics, politics, language and religion will be experiential learning experiences that put philosophy into practice. Prerequisite: open to students in the fourth form and above who have completed Modern World History.

This course covers economic topics like scarcity, choice, supply, demand, national income accounting, fiscal policy, global trade and foriegn exchange markets with real-world applications and current event discussions.

This term-contained course covers topics in microeconomics including consumer choice and utility maximization, theory of the firm, market structures, and the role of government within the broader economy. A considerable amount of class time is dedicated to real-world applications and current-events-based discussions. Prerequisite: open to students in the fourth form and above with departmental approval.

Africa is frequently misunderstood, with various African countries conflated, and stereotypes abound about an impoverished and war-torn continent. How much of this is actually true, and how can we deepen our understanding of the complexities of African history? This course will provide a survey of major historical events and milestones on the African continent and diaspora since the 19th and 20th centuries. In an effort to bring greater clarity to the role Africa plays in the modern world in terms of politics, socio-economics, and culture, we will dive into historical and media analysis of Africa from the beginnings of post-colonialism to the present day. Prerequisite: open to students in the fourth form and above who have completed Modern World History.

Native American history is timely and timeless. As we consider US History, and before it, English colonial history in North America, we often talk and think about the 'forgotten people.' This consideration takes on many forms, layers, and textures. There are many renderings of the so-called 'American' story. Yet, in the telling of this history, are not the most 'forgotten' the original Americans — Native American/Indigenous peoples themselves? This course will attempt to engage and examine this fundamental question, from pre-Jamestown 1607 to contemporary issues in Native American/US relations and policies. Prerequisite: Open to students in the fifth and sixth form. Must have taken US History or be taking it concurrently.

Sport is ubiquitous in the US. From Teddy Roosevelt's ponderings to Serena Williams' being, it is not an understatement to say that the US is a sporting society. When considering the arc of US History over the past century, sports can offer a window into fundamental change over time across so much of the spectrum of this unique, pluralistic society. This course will endeavor to examine the role that sports have played in the transcendence of the US's modern social history, from myths created, to legends deified, to barriers broken — a unique history unto itself. Prerequisite: Open to students in the fifth and sixth form. Must have taken US History or be taking it concurrently.

How does gender shape how people wield power? How does gender influence our understanding of those in power? This course seeks to answer these questions, examining the role of gender in the ways in which women leaders have used power throughout history. Operating as a series of case studies, the course will cover the biographies of numerous influential women from around the world, exploring both their times in power and how societies viewed, and currently view, these figures and their gender. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion or concurrent study of United States History.

The goal of the Modern Middle East is to introduce students to the major intellectual, political, social, and cultural issues and practices of the Middle East from the beginning of the 19th through the 20th century. Many contemporary conflicts in the Middle East have deep historic roots that continue to shape this dynamic region’s place in our global understanding. Created from the remains of the Ottoman Empire, states and societies in the region still struggle to create an identity separate from the Western Imperialism that dominated following World War I. Looking at the history and historiography of this period, we will focus on important events, movements, and ideas that have shaped the Middle East through three loosely defined periods of development: The Ottoman Empire and its decline, World Wars I & II, and PostColonial Independence. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fourth Form and above who have completed World History.

This course analyzes the development of distinct ethnic foodways in the United States. America’s historic abundance allowed developing ethnic groups to use food as a tangible marker and as a means of intensifying group identity. Many ethnic groups, many from immigrant generations fleeing scarcity, embraced the ability to eat well within the context of the United States. Thus, they relegated hunger to the past, making deprivation a part of their folk memory, partially mimicking the food cultures that developed among the elite in the old country and the rise of nation-states, migrants and their descendants shaped cuisines unique to their setting, feasting on foods that were once the preserve of the rich, as they forged new identities in the United States. Culture, class, and gender will play significant roles in the examination of this integral aspect of American ethnic group formation. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion or concurrent study of United States History.

The time frame this course will look into will be from the beginnings of urbanism to the end of the Bronze Age in different geographic settings. While the major river valley sites in the Fertile Crescent, Indus River valley, and China's river valleys will be focused on, other examples will be investigated as a comparison. Beginning with an introduction to archaeology the course will continue with a look at the impact that urban life had on complex societies. Important to this will be the influence of non-settled peoples on these earlier settled societies. To be able to discover the history of these places the course will focus on what material culture can tell us about the formations of these societies. Students in the course will read chapters from important archaeological studies, "pop history," and look at the physical materials from the sites. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Forms who have completed Modern World History.

Explore the principles of both micro and macroeconomics in Advanced Studies in Economics. By building an understanding of the issues of inequity and access, you will develop a working knowledge of the problems and issues in the economy of the US. Through a study of how land, labor, and capital (the factors of production) contribute to the growth and operation of a market economy, how supply and demand affect price and output levels of goods, how government policies alter the working of the market, and how international factors influence a nation’s domestic economic conditions, you will develop a deeper appreciation for the nuances of the US. Prerequisite: fifth form and above with departmental approval.

Advanced Studies in European History is designed to stimulate and challenge fifth and sixth form students to improve analytical skills by demonstrating that history is a series of interpretations as well as the study of the ongoing relationship between cause and effect. The course considers political, economic, military, intellectual, and cultural developments in Europe beginning with the Renaissance. Students learn to think about history, what it is, what it means, and why events happen. Prerequisite: fifth form and above with departmental approval.

Embark upon a detailed examination of the political landscape of the US in Advanced Studies in US Government and Politics. By studying constitutional history, political beliefs, political parties, interest groups, governmental institutions, public policy, civil rights, and civil liberties, you will be challenged to ask questions about how equity and access continue to challenge our Founding Fathers’ goals. This course is designed to prepare you for undergraduate political studies coursework. Prerequisite: Open to students in the fifth and sixth form who have met their US History requirement with departmental approval.

Despite the belief of many modern Americans in the separation of church and state, religion played a central role in the development of the United States. This course introduces students to the integral place of religion in that history. Through the examination of primary and secondary sources, students will engage with religious history and its impact on the social, political, and intellectual life of America from the Colonial Era to the present. In the process, students will examine the role of Protestant Christianity in the formation of the concepts of liberty and equality, and will analyze the rise of evangelicalism and its influence on democracy as well as various reform movements, such as abolition, temperance, and civil rights. Students will also explore why nearly every war the United States engaged in was characterized in deeply religious terms. Religious diversity, and the relationship between myriad denominations, will be dealt with at length, as will religion’s often complex relationship with politics, race, gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic class. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion of United States History and departmental approval.

This course examines United States History through the lens of music. Students will use music, mostly written songs, as a primary source through which they can construct America’s past. From the Colonial Era through the twenty-first century, students will examine how music both reflected and shaped the social, cultural, and political landscape of the historical context in which it was created. To do this, songs from a range of genres, styles, and perspectives will be analyzed: folk, popular, blues, bluegrass, rock, country, hip-hop, etc. Though numerous topics will be covered, such as race, ethnicity, nationalism, and class, special attention will be paid to protest songs and those addressing the plight of marginalized groups. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion of United States History and departmental approval.

This course focuses on the role of Free Black Americans in the abolitionist struggle against slavery. We begin in the era of the American Revolution, when northern African Americans cooperated with antislavery whites who had founded moderate organizations such as the New York Manumission Society. From this starting point, we trace the transformation over time of the American antislavery movement, under the pressures exerted by black abolitionists who sought greater control over the struggle being waged in their name. These black abolitionists radicalized the broader antislavery movement, and introduced political ideas that would influence American political life for 200 years. We will study the major institutions of this abolitionist movement — for example newspapers, conventions, and “vigilance committees” — as well as the writings of leading individuals, such as James McCune Smith, James Theodore Holly, Alexander Crummell, David Ruggles, and Samuel Ringgold Ward.

As we explore this history, we will pose a number of questions. What did Free Blacks believe about how the struggle against slavery should be fought? What were the roles in the black abolitionist movement of churches, newspapers, conventions, and masonic lodges? How did Free Black Americans understand and cultivate their relationship with the much larger number of enslaved African Americans in the south; and also with the wider African diaspora, in Africa itself, in the Caribbean, in Canada, and elsewhere? Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion of United States History and departmental approval.

This course seeks to examine significant trends and changes in the history of the Christian Church from its earliest manifestations to the present day. Special consideration will be given to the ways in which Christian communities have defined themselves while simultaneously creating groups of “others” whose influence is still felt to this day. The purpose of this class is not to be catechetical, but rather to give students a sense of the profound influence the Christian Church has exerted in world affairs, and consequently how it has been shaped by world events. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion or concurrent study of US History and departmental approval.

This course focuses on the evolving importance of the United States Constitution and the Supreme Court in delineating the civil rights of minority groups and protected classes in America and in developing a more egalitarian, integrated society. Students will research, prepare legal briefs and consider current Supreme Court cases. Readings will be drawn from case law and related materials. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion or concurrent study of United States History and departmental approval.

This pair of seminars is an introduction to the craft of historical research and writing. It is designed for students in their sixth form year wishing to take a deep dive into an area of history about which they are passionate which will culminate in the production of an article-length essay. During the fall term, the course focuses on building basic skills for conducting original research including the location, utilization, and evaluation of primary and secondary sources. The winter term will deal primarily with the methods of translating research into historical writing by identifying historiographical debates, learning how to use sources creatively, practicing the construction and presentation of logical arguments, as well as attribution and the ethical issues associated with producing a piece of historical writing. Throughout the course, the various aspects of the research and writing process will be broken down into smaller, manageable steps. This will not only provide students with close guidance and frequent feedback during a challenging endeavor, but will also teach habits of scholarship. Lastly, the course seeks to challenge the notion that historical inquiry is an individual endeavor and will instead cultivate a collaborative community of critical support through extensive peer review. Required for those seeking to earn an Advanced Studies Diploma in History. Prerequisite: completion of US History, completion of three upper-level electives, and departmental approval. Open to sixth formers.

Looking into the history of Kent, CT, and the surrounding towns this course will help students discover more about the place they live the majority of a calendar year. Starting with the Indigenous communities that inhabit(ed) this land, the early settlers and foundations of area towns, and moving towards viewing current events. A primary focus of the course will be looking at the history of our school on its own and in relation to the place it is located. An important portion of this course students will be actively researching through school archives, conducting interviews, and meeting with local historical societies. Each class will be asked to construct their own historical narrative of Kent with a specific emphasis as a final project that students will present to the greater community. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion of United States History and departmental approval.

Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the US is a study in contradictions who has left a legacy of enduring oratory. This course will center around reading and analyzing Lincoln’s speeches and letters. Using primary sources to better understand Lincoln, the Antebellum Era, the Civil War and Reconstruction through his own words, and those at times falsely attributed to him. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion of US History and departmental approval.

Throughout history, people have turned to music as a powerful tool of self-expression. Leaders have often used music to reinforce their own authority, and just as often, those without power have seen music as a way to give themselves a voice. This course will examine the role that music has played throughout history in constructing and destabilizing power systems through a series of case studies that span both the course of human history and the globe, ranging from Ancient Greek music philosophy to African decolonization efforts. For each topic, we will listen to pieces of music emblematic of some historical trend before using primary and secondary sources to explore how that style of music was employed in the time period. The course will culminate in a research project in which students examine the influence of music in a historical context of their choosing. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion of US History and departmental approval.

This course will view the history of a region whose peoples have been seen as the “other” by many settled societies in the pre-modern world. Whether the Scythians, Mongols, Xiongnu, Huns, Bactrians, or Sogdians, the role that nomadic peoples from the Eurasian Steppe played was significant in shaping the world. Many of these people have been seen as destructive forces in written sources and have been blamed for the collapse of different states. Through using primary sources in conjunction with archaeology a less biased narrative will be discussed while acknowledging the limitations of the source material. While many of these peoples continued to remain nomadic, some settled and created large empires covering vast territories. On the whole, this course will attempt to argue that this area should be seen as part of the center rather than the periphery. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion of United States History and departmental approval.

In this course, we will examine communist ideas in theory and in practice, from the turn of the twentieth century until the death of Stalin. What did Russian and Soviet communists believe? How did they succeed in overthrowing the old regime? What kind of society did they create when, after winning their revolution, they tried to manifest their ideas in a new society? How did they attempt to spread their revolution around the world? We will approach this history from multiple perspectives: our readings will come from communist and anticommunist leaders, ideologues, and administrators; and from Russian and Soviet civilians who found their lives roiled by momentous historical events. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with departmental approval.

This course will explore the history of Tibet from its origins in the Himalayan plateaus to its position in modern-day China. Major themes will include Tibet’s existence as an independent kingdom, the close relationship between religion and politics, Tibet’s interaction (or lack thereof) with other political entities, and special attention will be given to its tension-filled co-existence within China since 1950. Such a course should build skills of considering multiple points of view, textual analysis, and understanding continuity. Prerequisite: open to students in the Fifth and Sixth Forms with completion or concurrent study of US History and departmental approval.

The untold story in US History is the story of women. From Anne Hutchinson to Progressive Era Reformers to the feminists of the 1960s, American resiliency and heroism have been embodied by women — and too often without proper recollection. Through the study of key women and social-political movements throughout American history, this course strives to introduce students to the pivotal roles that women have played in American history and better shaped their context for the state of women’s affairs today. Prerequisite: Completion or concurrent study of US History.