Readings in American History Since 1877
This MIT graduate seminar builds a working command of United States history since Reconstruction through weekly readings and discussion of major scholarly works. The syllabus spans political, economic, social, and cultural history, drawing on a range of historical methods so students see how different schools of interpretation approach the same period. Topics move from industrialization and the Progressive Era through the New Deal, the Cold War, and the late twentieth century, with each session built around a book or set of articles students are expected to have read closely. Course materials include the full reading list and discussion questions used to run each meeting. It is designed for graduate students preparing to teach the field, giving them a working familiarity with the historiography rather than a survey of events. Offered through MIT OpenCourseWare at no cost.