20th Century Europe

Course Number: 
HIST 220
Course Credits: 
5.00
Course Description: 
An introduction to the political, social, economic, and intellectural history of Europe in the Twentieth Century and how it applies to the 21st Century. The course will cover the background to World War I, the era of the World Wars, the rise of Communism, Fascism, Totalitarianinism,the Welfare State, decline of European Imperialism, Europe's role in the global environment of the 20th century.Important recurring themes, such as anti-Semitism and hyper-nationalism, will be discussed in terms of the 20th and modern socio-political world. 5 theory hours. Satisfies social science area A requirement or specified elective for the AA degree.
Course Prerequisites: 
Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in ENGL 95 or placement in ENGL& 101; or instructor permission.
Course Outcomes: 
  • Students will become acquainted with the main political events and social currents in Europe during the 20th and early 21st century. Students will concentrate attention on a few of the most significant historical controversies (and historiographic traditions) such as those surrounding the era of the World Wars, the Russian Revolution, Fascism and Communism, the Cold War, the fall of Communism, the European Communities' role in the world, and current events.
  • Through lectures, class discussions, and selections of literature, students will explore the reactions of people to historical events as a way of shedding light on present difficulties, and human behavior.
  • Students will be introduced the discipline of history and its tools. To learn how historians interpret the past and how to determine their biases and perspectives. To learn how events and ideas are shaped by their historical context. In other words, to literally learn how historians think.
  • Students will explore some of the materials available over the Internet, especially media reports, and to critically assess their value in doing historical research.
  • Students will be able to identify important geographical centers and natural features of Europe.
  • Students will learn CMOS citations. Part of the tools of the historical trade is learning how to use Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) footnotes. Students will show mastery by the research paper.