A2BK_DUSA History of the United States

Faculty of Education
Spring 2009
Extent and Intensity
0/0/12. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Zdeněk Janík, M.A., Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Zdeněk Janík, M.A., Ph.D.
Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jana Popelková
Prerequisites (in Czech)
A2BP_SOZK Complex Exam || A2BK_SOZK Complex Exam || AJ2BP_SOZK Qualifying Exam
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This is a survey course of American History from pre-Columbian times to the period of Cold War. Its aim is to provide part of the historical and cultural background necessary for those intending to be become English language teachers, as well as to serve as an introduction and foundation for further studies in American culture and literature. The lecture class will end with an exam. Some of the significant topics of American history will be covered in the seminar sessions.
At the end of this course, students should be able to understand and be able to explain the main events in the U.S. history and their causes and consequences in relation to American cultures and society.
Syllabus
  • 1.Introduction: perception of history
  • 2.From Pre-Columbian to Colonial America
  • 3.Slavery
  • 4.The period of reconstruction
  • 5.Race and Democracy: scientific justification of racism
  • 6.Immigration
  • 7.Scientific Justification: From Darwin to Eugenics
  • 8.Eugenics and the power of testing
  • 9.The US Imperialism: White Man's Burden
  • 10.From the Roaring Economy to the Depression and New Deal
  • 11.The Cold war
  • 12.Fight for freedom and civil rights
Literature
  • DAVIDSON, James West. Nation of nations : a concise narrative of the American Republic. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996, xxiv, 947. ISBN 0070157383. info
  • ZINN, Howard. A people's history of the United States. 1st HarperPerrenial ed. New York: Harper Perennial, 1990, 614 s. ISBN 0060907924. info
  • O'CALLAGHAN, D. B. An illustrated history of the USA. Harlow: Longman, 1990, 144 s. ISBN 0582749212. info
Assessment methods
lectures; final written test
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 12 hodin.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2003, Spring 2008, Spring 2010.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2009, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/spring2009/A2BK_DUSA