This course offers a historical survey of colonial America and the
birth of the United States from the first successful British
settlement in Virginia (1607) to the early 19th century (1815,
which represented a turning point in the construction of a
national identity).
Summary of topics:
It will address the fundamental notion of liberty and its limits by
addressing key questions such as: Why and how did the British
establish their colonies in North America? Who were the
Puritans? How did religion impact the formation of the colonies?
What were the factors that pushed the Americans to proclaim
their independence in 1776? What major difficulties and
problems did the young republic have to face? How did the
institution of slavery contribute to the development and the
division of the nation?
