HIST 300: Introduction to Historical Method

HIST 300-007: Crime in 19th Century America
(Spring 2011)

07:20 PM to 10:00 PM R

Krug Hall 205

Section Information for Spring 2011

History 300 is designed to teach students to think and write as historians. We will do this by studying violent and sexual crime, and historical understandings of criminality in American life, ca. 1776-1900. Among the topics we will discuss will be environment vs. heredity in the making of the criminal mind; investigation, prosecution, and defense of criminals; theories of punishment; the prevention of crime; and the relationship of the history of crime to the larger story of 19th-century America. We will examine the ways in which historians have approached this topic, and we will learn how to interpret it ourselves using the tools of the historian: argument and evidence. This course fulfills all or in part the writing-intensive requirement for the history major.

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Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Introduces research skills and methods, as well as historical interpretation, culminating in written and oral presentations. Notes: Topics vary according to instructor. History majors strongly urged to take HIST 300 as soon as possible after reaching 30 credits. Grade of C or better is required to graduate with BA in history. Students may repeat HIST 300 only with permission from the Department of History and Art History and repetitions are limited. Limited to three attempts.
Mason Core: Synthesis
Specialized Designation: Mason Impact., Topic Varies, Writing Intensive in Major
Recommended Prerequisite: History majors with 30 credits or permission of instructor.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in History.

Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

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