HIST 18 - Multicultural History of the United States

Transfer Status

CSU/UC

Unit(s)

3.00

• Lecture: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
• Total: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)

Course Description: This course is a survey of the history of the United States from pre-colonial times to the present with particular emphasis on the nation’s multicultural heritage. The historical experiences of Americans from diverse religious, ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds will be studied in the context of the growth and development of the United States.

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Provide a history of seven major racial/ethnic groups in the United States: African, Asian, European, Latinx, Asian Indian (East Indian), Western Asian (Middle East) and Native American.
2. Describe the complex interplay between the various immigrant/cultural groups as they seek inclusion into the American identity.
3. Explain the history of American immigration law and corresponding public policy.
4. Find, study, evaluate, and interpret primary and secondary sources, synthesize information, and compose arguments grounded in knowledge of the past.
5. Employ their knowledge of the past to analyze information and develop a critical consciousness of self, society and the world.

Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic

Lecture

1. Class Activities
2. Collaborative Group Work
3. Group Discussions
4. Guest Speakers
5. Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
6. Lecture
7. Multimedia Presentations

1. Exams/Tests
2. Quizzes
3. Research Projects
4. Portfolios
5. Oral Presentation
6. Written Assignments
7. Class Discussion
8. The course includes a 2500 word writing requirement.

Reading Assignments

1. Read the articles, “Who is an American” by Eric Foner and “The Next America: How Demography Shapes the National Agenda” by Peter Schrag. Consider how historical changes in racial and ethnic compositions in the country may influence definitions of the American identity. Additionally, consider how immigration patterns might affect perceptions of who belongs in America. Please be prepared to discuss your observations in class.
2. Please read the chapter on "A Different Mirror: The Making of Multicultural America." Consider the meaning of the metaphor in the title and how it relates to the central thesis.  Be ready to discuss in class how the metaphor relates to what Ronald Takaki refers to as “The Master Narrative.”

Writing Assignments

1. During the great Irish potato famine of the 1840s one million Irish immigrated to America. Upon coming to America, the Irish were treated with incredible disdain and discrimination because of their religious faith, their perceived lower social and economic status, and because of competition over jobs. The Irish, nevertheless, quickly assimilated into American society. Compose a 500–750-word essay to further explain: Why were Irish immigrants so hated in America and how did they assimilate so quickly? Be sure to reference the analysis that author Ronald Takaki provides from "Fleeing 'The Tyrant's Heel.'"
2. Using the information from the website entitled " How a 1965 immigration law forever changed the makeup of America," please compose a one-page response to the following questions: What was the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965 and why was it so significant?  Be sure to include the views presented in our assigned readings by James Olsen and Ronald Takaki.

Out-of-Class Assignments

1. Please watch the following video that is from the Shawnee Indian Mission State Historic Site located in Shawnee, Delaware. The video is entitled “Manifest Destiny” and reviews how the Shawnee Mission was one of the many manual training schools that Indian boys and girls were forced to attend during the mid-19th century. Consider why the U.S. government established manual training schools for Indian children and show how these schools were a part of a broader effort to assimilate indigenous people into white American culture.  "An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz is another useful resource. It provides a critical and alternative history of the United States from the perspective of Indigenous peoples, and challenges “traditional” narratives of American history.
2. Often Asian Americans are collectively viewed as the “model minority.”  The term was first used during the 1960’s to describe Asian Americans who were perceived as successful. What does this label mean? Is it an unfair stereotype? Examine the following website: “A Guide to Asian American Empowerment” and review the discussion explaining the concept of a “model minority.” Be prepared to discuss the pros and cons of the model in class.

Takaki, Ronald. (2008). A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Back Bay Books, Revised. 978-0316022361.

Olson, James S. (2010). The Ethnic Dimension in American History. Wiley-Blackwell, 4th. 978-1405182515.

Ngai, Mae & Gjerde, Jon. (2012). Major Problems in American Immigration History. Cengage, 2nd. 9780547149073.

Lee, Erika. (2015). The Making of Asian America: A History. Simon and Schuster Paperbacks. 978-1476739410.

Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. (2023). An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States. Beacon Press, 10th Anniversary Edition. ISBN: 978-080701307-6.

Ethnic Studies (Masters Required)

History (Masters Required)