Chabot College
Fall 2003
Removed Fall 2006
Course Outline for History 28
HISTORY OF AMERICAN WEST
Catalog Description:
28- History of American West
3 units
History of the trans-Mississippi West of the United States. Emphasis on Native American
history and cultures, European and Anglo-American frontiers, expansion of the United
States in the 19th century, and the interaction of Native American, European American,
Asian American, and Hispanic American peoples, and the significance of the West in
American history. 3 hours.
Prerequisite Skills:
None.
Expected Outcome for Students:
Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Demonstrate a knowledge of the history of the trans-Mississippi West;
Demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the
peoples of the trans-Mississippi West, as well as an understanding of the
interaction of Native Americans, European Americans, Hispanic Americans, and
Asian Americans;
use a historical perspective in the analysis and explanation of past and present
events and issues in the history of the American West in both discussion and
written work;
pose informed questions about historical events and conditions and to seek out
and evaluate relevant sources of information.
Course Content:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Images and realities of the American West
Native American cultures and history prior to and at the time of contact with
Europeans and Anglo-Americans
Spanish, French, and English exploration, colonization, and interaction with
Native Americans.
The new United States and the beginning of expansion
The expansion of the United States in the 19th century
The experiences of Native American and Hispanic Americans related to U.S.
expansion
Men and women of the 19th century frontier
Environmental issues: conservation and preservation movements
Asian American and Hispanic Americans in the west in the 19th and 20th
centuries: common themes and unique experiences
The contemporary West: 20th century social and economic changes
Chabot College
Course Outline for History 28
Fall 2003
Page 2
Methods of Presentation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Lecture
Discussion
Audio-visual materials
Guest speakers
Field trips
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Success:
1.
Typical Assignments:
a.
Assigned reading for class discussion and book reviews on Native
Americans, European Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian
Americans
b.
Five to ten page historical paper on selected topics such as westward
expansion, Manifest Destiny, Native American Culture, and Women on
the Frontier.
c.
Mapping exercises
d.
Historical film reviews
2.
Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
a.
Exams and quizzes
b.
Evaluation of student written work
c.
Evaluation of class participation
d.
Final exam
Textbook(s) (Typical):
The American West: An Interpretive History, Robert V. Hine, Little, Brown and
Company, 2001, or latest edition.
Native American Testimony: An Anthology of Indian and White Relations, Peter
Nabokov, Harper Colophon Books, 2001, or latest edition.
Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans, Ronald Takaki,
Penguin Books, 2001, or latest edition.
Special Student Materials:
None.
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Revised: 10-23-2002