Where does American culture come from? What can things like maps, pirates, religious revivals, and even a giant cheese tell us about the making of America?

This course will examine culture in the North American colonies and borderlands, and in the newly formed United States in the period before 1876. We will define culture broadly in this class to consider social customs and beliefs as well as more specific forms of literary and artistic expression. We will explore how culture shaped critical elements of American history, including: settler colonialism and indigenous resistance; emerging American identities and constructions of gender, sexuality, race, and class; slavery and abolitionism; democratic practices and religious participation; and changing borders and inhabitants of an expanding United States.

Course Requirements:

Graded components consist of active participation in discussion, short reading responses, primary source analysis project, and final take-home essay exam.

Intended Audience:

This course is accessible to all undergraduate students at all levels.

Class Format:

This course will be offered in a blended design. This course will meet mostly in-person but online activities/learning will make up at most 1/3 of the course content. This course is designed with attention to accessibility for all students. If you have specific questions about access, please contact the instructor.