HIS 2246 - Land of the Unfree

Credits: 4
Despite celebrating the “Land of the Free,” Americans have frequently held one another in various forms of bondage. This course is a whirlwind tour of the hidden side of American history, in which we examine how slavery, indentured servants, apprentices, chain gangs, wage slaves, prostitutes, debtors, sailors, prisoners, and the institutionalized insane all complicate our narrative of freedom. We also take a comparative approach, examining practices and precedents in Africa, Europe, and among American Indians. Students engage firsthand with letters, speeches, diaries, artwork, and oral history along with scholarly works.
McDaniel Plan: Multicultural; Social, Cultural, and Historical Understanding