Following is a complete listing of courses taught by the History Department. Not all courses are available at all times.

HI 100 Introduction to the Modern World (Dr. Keagle)

A survey of economic, intellectual, political and social developments in Europe since 1700 as well as patterns of influence and reaction in America, Asia and Latin America. Topics include: Capitalism as a revolutionary system, Marxism, imperialism, fascism, socialism, national revolutions, and the dynamics of an evolving Third World. Open to freshmen.

HI 201 Rise of Modern Europe (Middle Ages to 1715) (Dr. Kovalcik)

The history of Europe tracing political, economic, religious, social and cultural institutions and customs from the Middle Ages to 1715. Emphasis on developments, which have helped to shape the modern world. Preference in registration given to history majors. Open to freshmen.

HI 202 Rise of Modern Europe (1715 to the Present) (Dr. Kovalcik)

The Rise of Modern Europe is an introductory course designed to have students explore the historical development of European society and culture.  We will see how European “traditional” society was radically transformed by the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. Then we will trace the development of modern Europe through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, highlighting nationalism, revolutions, unification movements, consumer culture, imperialism, the World Wars, welfare state, Cold War, De-colonization and the European Union. Open to freshmen.

HI 203/IN 250 U.S. History to 1865 (Dr. Monroe, Dr. Murphy)

This course examines the European background to the settlement of North America, the colonial period, the American Revolution and early national period, the opening of American society during the age of Jackson, the sectional crisis and the Civil War. Fulfills MPSL U.S. Studies requirement.

HI 204/IN 250 U.S. History, 1865 to the Present (Dr. Monroe, Dr. Murphy)

This course focuses on the reconstruction era, the frontier west, industrialization and the Populist movement, the nation’s rise to world power, the “Progressive” and New Deal periods, American involvement in the world wars, and post-1945 social, political and economic developments. Fulfills MPSL U.S. Studies requirement.

HI 210/IN250 State and Local History (Mr. Sorensen)

State and Local History introduces students to a survey of Illinois history, concentrating on how and why things got to be the way they are today. Class sessions will consist of lectures, discussion, audio-visual presentations, student presentations and guest speakers.  Emphasis is placed on students learning to locate and use documents, primary sources, government records, oral histories and text material in order to write family, community, corporate, institutional and state history.  Students are expected to learn the major events in Illinois history as well as select topics for personal investigation. Fulfills MPSL U.S. Studies requirement.

HI 210/IN 250 Women in America (Ms. Jones)

With the use of primary and secondary sources, the class will better understand the crucial role women played in this country’s history. From Traditional America (1600-1820) to Modern America (1920-1990), students will investigate lesser known historical figures in order to gain a more personal experience and understanding of their past.  By studying personal letters, diaries, and contemporary works, students shall realize that women have not only shaped American history, they have established a path that affects everyone in today’s society. Fulfills MPSL U.S. Studies requirement.

HI 310 American Frontier in Film and History (Dr. Murphy)

The frontier is a large part of our national mythology. This course deals with classic American films and the relevant history that provides a context for understanding them. The four films examined are High Noon, The Wild Bunch, Unforgiven and The Searchers. The course asks for close critical analysis of each film, mastery of the historical context and a series of written exercises.  Open to upperclassmen, counts toward 300 level requirement for history majors.

HI 310 America in the Age of Jackson (Dr. Monroe)

Is the Second coming imminent? Can avoidance of hot food, strong drink, and sex extend one's life? Is that friendly bank down the street really a "monster." And how did Andrew Jackson manage to defeat all those British troops at New Orleans? These are all questions that engaged Americans in the Age of Jackson and the answers can be found in this class. This course examines the beginnings of America's romantic era, the central personality of Andrew Jackson, the literature and arts of the time, the causes and crazes that preoccupied the population, and the men and women--famous and unknown--who lived it. Women's rights, the "water cure," spiritualism, anti-slavery, utopian communities, and various health fads are examined along with the careers and writings of
Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Poe, and the best-selling author of the day, George Lippard whose novels are filled with melodrama and suggestive scenes. Students are required to master a number of readings from the era as well as a fictional work by one of the age's authors. Open to upperclassmen, counts toward 300 level course requirement for history majors.

HI 310 The American Civil War (Dr. Monroe, Dr. Murphy)

While making reference to military matters, this course emphasizes the social, economic, political and intellectual aspects of the American Civil War. Themes examined include the nature and complexity of the sectional crisis, the role of Abraham Lincoln and other leaders, and the response of the northern and southern home fronts. Open to upperclassmen, counts toward 300 level course requirement for history majors.

HI 310 U.S. History from TR to FDR (1900-1945) (Dr. Keagle)

American history from 1900 to 1945. Emphasis is on the nature and goals of progressivism, American involvement in WWI, cultural and social developments during the 1920s, the great depression, FDR’s New Deal and American involvement in WWII. Open to upperclassmen, counts toward 300 level course requirement for history majors.

HI 310 The United States Since 1945 (Dr. Keagle)

A study of American life and institutions since WWII, with special emphasis on domestic change, the Cold War, and the triumphs and perils of American leadership of the West. Topics include the Korean and Vietnamese wars, political reform, the civil rights movement, the counter-culture, the technological revolution, urbanization, and the crisis of confidence of the 1970s. Open to upperclassmen, counts toward 300 level course requirement for history majors.

HI 310/IN 350 The U.S. and the Twentieth Century World (Dr. Monroe)

In the 20th Century, Americans abandoned a long tradition of isolationism that dated from George Washington’s Farewell Address and his warning against entangling alliances.  One hundred years after Washington died, the nation embraced an internationalist and interventionist foreign policy.  The course explains the changing character of American foreign policy through a chronological treatment of diplomatic challenges and crises in the last century. Fulfills MPSL Global Studies requirement.

HI 340/IN 350 Introduction to Latin America (Dr. Monroe)

This is a survey course intended to introduce students to the historical experiences of individuals and groups in modern Latin American society.  The course begins with colonial Latin America and proceeds through independence in the early 19th century, and concludes with an examination of issues concerning modern Latin America in the 1990s.  Geographically, this class will cover Latin America as a whole, but will draw heavily from the specific histories of Argentina, Mexico, Cuba, and Central America.  Some of the themes, processes, and events we will examine include the emergence of the modern nation state, gender and race relations, industrialization and agrarian reform, populism and civil authoritarianism, military dictatorships, revolution and civil war, drug trafficking, the debt crisis, and immigration. Fulfills MPSL Global Studies requirement.

HI 320 Hitler and the Third Reich (Dr. Kovalcik)

A study of the evolution and operation of the Nazi state under Adolph Hitler. Attention directed to the personality of the German Fuhrer, the practices of the system in peace and war, and the critical questions raised by Hitler’s Germany. Readings include contemporary source material, biographies, novels, and interpretive essays. Open to upperclassmen, counts toward 300 level course requirement for history majors.

HI 320/IN 350 Europe and 19th Century World (Dr. Kovalcik)

This course is a study of 19th century Europe and its impact on the non-western world. Special attention is given to Asia and Africa.  This means that the primary focus will be on the history of Imperialism.  The course will explore this issue in three sections: a general overview of Imperialism in the nineteenth century, a case study of Great Britain and its impact on the 19th century world and a case study of the Congo in the late 19th century. Fulfills MPSL Global Studies requirement.

HI 360/IN 350 History, Genocide and Film (Dr. Kovalcik)

This course is an exercise in critical thought, a study of how history is shaped by culture and memory. The content of this study is the genocide of the twentieth century including the Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, Uganda, Cambodia, Rwanda and the Serb-Croat conflict. These genocides are examined through their representation in film and documentaries. The examination of these cultural artifacts will raise critical questions surrounding the issue of humanity’s brutality, the modern emergence of genocide and common apathy in relation to mass murder. Fulfills MPSL global studies requirement.

HI 340/IN 350 Introduction to Modern East Asia (Dr. Murphy)

This course is a broad survey of East Asian history from the 17th century to the present. It focuses mainly on China and Japan, examining traditional society, responses to the coming of the west, revolution and the rise of the Communist Party, the rise of militarism, WWII in Asia, the economic miracle in Japan, the cultural revolution and its aftermath in China, and contemporary issues. Fulfills MPSL global studies requirement.

HI 320 The Holocaust in Film (Dr. Kovalcik)

This course, offered only in the immersion format, is an introduction to the Holocaust in the media of film.  We will cover such thematic issues as the portrayal of the Holocaust, art and the Holocaust, historical accuracy and film, the impact of Holocaust images, and the future of Holocaust studies.  Along with these themes we will also address many of the critical issues involved in the study of the Holocaust.  By the end of the course each student will be able to discuss these themes in written and oral form.  They will also be able to explain the filmography of the Holocaust and its major components.  Versed in these areas, each student will be equipped to critically analyze past and future portrayals of the Holocaust. Open to upperclassmen, counts toward 300 level requirement for history majors.

HI 320 Modern Church History (Dr. Kovalcik)

This course is an introduction to the history of the Modern Church.  We will trace the historical and theological developments of western Christianity from the reformation through the twentieth century.  The majority of this course will be lecture, and the themes will be basic in their nature.  Open to upperclassmen, counts toward 300 level requirement for history majors.

HI 360/IN 350 The Developing World (Dr. Murphy)

This course is an introduction to a world that seems remote and sometimes irrelevant to Americans. This sense of isolation from as much as two thirds of the world’s population, and its concerns is increasingly untenable in a world that grows smaller and more interconnected every day. This course will better equip you with knowledge and analytical skills for the encounter with a world very different from ours, and offers a way of thinking about the world that will equip, inspire and empower you to embrace complexity and make considered judgments for the rest of your lives. The course is organized around a common theme: “Identity, Liberty and Security: How Much and For Whom?” Each part of the course, whether lecture, film or reading, is linked to this theme, and class discussions and exams will consider the theme in some substantive way. Fulfills MPSL Global Studies requirement.

HI 340/IN 350 India Under British Rule (Dr. Murphy)

This course examines the complex interplay between Great Britain and India between 1730 and 1947, the year the British left the subcontinent. The course addresses several central questions: How did a distant imperial power exercise power over a polyglot, culturally diverse people? Were the effects of imperialism beneficial or not? Who gained and lost in the “imperial equation?” What constituted authority and responsibility? What role did racism and paternalism play? Fulfills MPSL Global Studies requirement.

HI 340/IN 350 Modern Vietnam and the American War (Dr. Murphy)

This course is a survey of modern Vietnamese history with special emphasis on the American War, waged between 1965 and 1973. It examines the background to that conflict, including the French occupation of Vietnam, the division of the country into north and south, the civil war, the rise of the NLF, the war with the U.S., the period of Doi Moi (restructuring) after the war, and contemporary developments. This course emphasizes the Vietnamese point of view. Fulfills MPSL Global Studies requirement.

HI 340/IN 350 Modern Japan (Dr. Murphy)

A survey of the development of modern Japan from the Tokugawa period to the present. The first half is a fairly rapid survey of survey of Japanese development from 1600 to 1945, with emphasis on politics and culture in the Tokugawa period (1603-1868), the coming of the west, state building and culture in the Meiji period (1868-1912), the 1920s, the rise of militarism, and the Pacific War. The second half deals with the Japanese economic miracle after 1945 and its attendant economic, social and cultural consequences. Fulfills MPSL Global Studies requirement.

HI 340/IN 350 The Vietnam War in Film and History (Dr. Murphy)

This course is only offered in the immersion format, January or May term. It examines two different ways of constructing the past, one by historians, the other by filmmakers. We will look the origins of American involvement in Vietnam, and the course of the conflict from the late 1950s through disengagement in 1973. At the same time, we will watch six films that illustrate the evolving way that the war has been represented between 1968 and 1989. Films: The Green Berets, Apocalypse Now!, The Deer Hunter, First Blood, Part II, Full Metal Jacket, Platoon. Fulfills MPSL Global Studies requirement

HI 340/IN 350 Introduction to Modern Africa (Dr. Kovalcik)

This course is an introduction to the historical and cultural themes of Modern Africa, 1850-present. The critical issues addressed include the legacy of colonialism, the initial period of independence and the current social crisis. We will explore each of these by utilizing film, African novels, key primary sources and documentary evidence. By the end of the course each student will be required to demonstrate in written form their knowledge of these themes. They will also be able to identify major figures and events that have shaped modern Africa. Fulfills MPSL Global Studies requirement.

HI 340/IN 350 Modern China (Dr. Grieve)

This course exposes students to a culture that is ten times older than their own and vastly different in its approach to religion, philosophy, ethics, society, and economics. It deals with a nation rich with intellectual and scientific thought. Main topics examined include the transformation of China from Manchu (foreign) control through revolutions, western encroachment, warlords, and internal upheaval to communism and then to government controlled capitalism. The Chinese are one-fifth of mankind, and the course significantly increases students’ understanding of the significant role China will play as a primary world force in the 21st century. Fulfills MPSL Global Studies requirement.

HI 360/IN350 Hiroshima & the Nuclear Age in History & Film (Dr. Murphy)

This course is offered in both immersion and full-semester formats. This course examines an issue of monumental consequence—the origins of the nuclear age. The course is divided into three units. The first deals with the WWII context of the bomb’s development, the Manhattan Project, and the delivery of the bomb on Hiroshima and its effects. The second unit deals with the expression of attitudes toward nuclear weapons in three American films (Above and Beyond, On the Beach, Dr. Strangelove), and one Japanese film (Hadashi no Gen), each a distinctly different cultural response to the nuclear age. The third unit asks you to think about the course material as it relates to the controversy over the Smithsonian’s Enola Gay exhibition. This course seeks to improve students’ understanding of the historical roots of the nuclear age, and seeks to stimulate students to question the way film can shape and reflect public attitudes. This material underscores the individual’s responsibility to thoughtfully define his or her own position on this complex and highly significant aspect of post-1945 life. Fulfills MPSL Global Studies requirement.

HI 360/IN 350 The Islamic World (Dr. Monroe)

Television coverage of terrorist bombings, war, and sectarian violence prompts the question:  what are the origins of the continuing crisis in the Middle East?  The course examines the intersection between Islam and politics, specifically arguments within the Islamic world over the nature of the Islamic faith.  Should Islam evolve as a religion with modernist trends or does the very nature of reform threaten the integrity of the faith?  The struggle, often violent, between those conflicting perspectives is the main theme of our lectures and discussions. Fulfills MPSL Global Studies requirement.

HI 360 Jesus of History, Christ of Faith (Dr. Keagle)

Who is Jesus?  What can we say about the historical Jesus who walked the earth?  What can we say about the Jesus of Faith - the Christ?  The course will deal with the tension between these two, the convergences and divergences, in the different historical/ culture settings since the first century.  The course should enable students to decide for themselves the answer to the question, “Who is Jesus for me?” Open to upperclassmen, counts toward 300 level requirement for history majors.

HI 425 Methods of Teaching History (Ms. Warnick)

The purpose of this course is to give students not only a broad overview of the history of Social Studies education, but to discuss and implement various teaching techniques in the Middle and/or High School Social Studies classroom. Students are required to complete various class projects that include the creation of lesson plans and presentations, which are designed to align the Social Science and Education courses at Millikin University with the Illinois State Standards for Secondary Education Majors. Some of the projects included will be the creation of a WebQuest to introduce students to using technology as a teaching technique, a unit on Illinois State History that asks students to create classroom “centers” as a learning tool, and the development of a unit that introduces students to the methodology of the Social Sciences.  Various microteaching lessons will also be completed by the students over the course of the semester. Required for secondary education majors; offered only in the spring.

HI 400 Seminar in History (Various Professors)

Seminars in the history department are rigorous exercises in critical reading and writing. The burden is on the students to sustain thoughtful discussion of the material throughout the course. A substantial research paper, usually defended orally at the end of the course, is required. Subject matter of this course varies from semester to semester. Recent topics have been the American Civil War, The Holocaust and U.S. History 1865-1900. One seminar required for history majors.

HI 480 Historiography (Dr. Kovalcik, Dr. Murphy)

This is the capstone course for the major. It is a reading intensive seminar that surveys the development of historical thought and practice and deals extensively with the questions associated with the purpose of history. When taught by Dr. Murphy, the course deals with U.S. history from the Puritans through contemporary thought; when taught by Dr. Kovalcik, it deals more broadly with western history from ancient times through the modern period. Students are required to write a long historiographical or content paper and defend it orally at the end of the course. Required for history majors.