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COURSES OF STUDY
Birmingham-Southern College Catalog 2014-2015
HI 110 Great Leaders in Modern Western History (1
)
An examination of the leadership of several important figures in
western history from the Reformation to the Second World War.
Previous topics have included Martin Luther (1483-1546), Elizabeth
I (1533-1603), Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), Giacomo Puccini
(1858-1924), and Winston Churchill (1874-1965). Also, students
will be a part of a group that will research and report on the life of
another leader of their choice. Through the study of this diverse group
of leaders, students will gain an awareness of the historical periods
in which these individuals lived and learn about biography as an
historical genre. Students will also be introduced to modern theories of
leadership and will be challenged to apply these theories to the leaders
studied.
HI 151 History of the American People I (1)
The evolution of the American people to 1865, as reflected in their
political and economic development, social practices, and philosophy
with particular reference to the interaction between ideas and social
structure.
HI 152 History of the American People II (1)
A continuation of History of the American People I, dealing with
the changes in American society since 1865 as reflected in the
industrialization of the nation with emphasis on the interaction
between traditional concepts and contemporary social structure.
HI 155 Reforming America (1)
A study of the ideas, events, and people influencing major reform
movements from the colonial period to 1877. Emphasis is placed
on notable reform campaigns directed toward social, political, and
economic change in America and the successes and limitations of those
efforts. Some topics include social transformations in the Chesapeake
and New England colonies; political thought in the American
Revolution; evangelical Protestantism; responses to Native American
removal legislation; social welfare campaigns relating to public
education, temperance, prison, and asylum reforms; abolitionism and
racial equality; anti-immigration organizations; and women’s rights.
HI 181 East Asian Civilization I: Introduction to Chinese Civilization (1)
A comprehensive introduction to the history of Chinese civilization
from its beginnings to the seventeenth century. Key topics include the
formation of ancient Chinese civilization, the growth and development
of the three main traditions of learning and religion (Confucianism,
Daoism and Buddhism), the evolution of China’s imperial system
of government, patterns of land tenure, the development of
commercialized agriculture and urban centers, and the ways in which
Chinese historians have written about their national past. Fall.
