2023-2024 Academic Catalog

This course surveys the history of American art from the first European colonies to World War II. Students consider notions of American identity and nationhood, by examining key works of painting, sculpture, textiles, and architecture, and placing these works in the proper historical, political, social, and cultural contexts. Students gain an understanding of the diverse peoples, traditions, and events that informed American culture and continue to shape notions of nationhood. In this course, art serves as a 'window' into American life, culture, and diversity. What does it mean to be an 'American' today? We begin to answer this question by reflecting upon our past expressions.

The course will explore the relationship between theatre and civilization in the ancient and medieval worlds. With a specific focus on the theme of warfare, we will examine the history of major events from the Persian Wars to the Crusades by reading the accounts of ancient and medieval historians alongside ancient and medieval playwrights. We will discuss major questions surrounding this theme. How did people think about war and how did they depict it? How did theatrical performance serve to endorse, justify, or criticize war? How did it serve to aid veterans in processing their martial experiences? This is the first semester in a two-course sequence (HNRS 105 and HNRS 106); students may only earn CORE 21 credit for both History and Non-Participatory Visual and Performing Arts by completing the full two-course sequence. In addition, HNRS 105 will meet the Speaking Intensive requirement.