Judith P. Green
Exploration and settlement; economic development; growth of government and social institutions; statehood.
HSTAA 432 surveys Pacific Northwest history generally, emphasizing what is now known as Washington and Oregon and encapsulating the periods from Native hegemony to Euro-American exploration and trading, to conquest and rural settlement, and to industrialization and urban development – in other words, from the 1770s to the present. We will examine not just the “facts” of history, but what is dynamic about the past: movement of humans across the landscape; changes in values and notions of power; boundary and “state” formation; social, economic, and political developments; race as an idea and race relations; class, labor and legal issues; and ideas about nature and the environment. We want to understand the implications and importance of regional history – and therefore regional identity – and to link regional history to larger historical influences and trends. As we explore the region’s past, we will study history as a method and a discipline and develop skills in reading, writing, and thinking about the past. Readings are drawn from a variety of primary sources.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Due to extensive work with primary source materials, some background in college-level history is highly recommended.
Class assignments and grading
Two formal essays will be assigned: a three page paper based on one of the assigned readings and a paper of 7-10 pages based on two of the readings and involving some original research. Readings will include six books and excerpts from several articles or works. Two exams will be given -- a mid-term exam and a final -- that will include essay writing.