America 250: The Promises and Tragedies of Independence, 1763-1815
HIST 238
Spring 2026
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
RL&L 238 |
Independence was a process, not an event. The Declaration built on relationships and identities that formed before 1776 and its impact reverberated across the globe in the decades (and centuries) after. But what kind of world did the drafters of the Declaration imagine? What did their document actually create? What other conceivable futures were sacrificed so that Independence could succeed? Exploring the era that made Independence possible helps illuminate the paradoxes, complexities, promises, and tragedies of the North American experiences at the end of the eighteenth century. The Declaration of Independence opened one future and foreclosed on others. The Revolution required to make Independence a reality was a brutal conflict that divided families, destroyed economies, shattered kinship networks, and created not one but (eventually) two countries. Revolution and Independence looked different to women, labourers, the enslaved, loyalists, and Indigenous nations who were swept up in the American project and had to navigate the new realities it brought about. That the United States would become a super power was far from the minds of those fighting for or against American independence. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS HIST |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (History Minor)(History) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
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Examinations and Assignments:
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Short essay, long essay, participation, open-book tests |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
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All readings will be provided |
| Instructor(s): Lennox,Jeffers Times: ..T.R.. 10:20AM-11:40AM; Location: TBA |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 25 | | SR major: 3 | JR major: 4 | | |
| Seats Available: 25 | GRAD: 0 | SR non-major: 3 | JR non-major: 3 | SO: 6 | FR: 6 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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