ATS3908 · American empire: The United States from colonies to superpower

Overview

In this unit you will examine the rise of the United States to global dominance across the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and to a superpower in the 21st century. You will investigate key events, from the dispossession of indigenous peoples to a series of wars at home and abroad, and consider how ideas about race, manifest destiny and national exceptionalism drove this expansion. You will look at different expressions of power, including hard and soft power, and ask whether 'empire' is the right term to describe America's influence. You will end by assessing whether the United States will continue to play the role of global superpower in the 21st century.

Areas of study: History

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. Have a good understanding of the US foreign relations from the nineteenth century to mid twentieth century.
2. Have an understanding of the importance of race and gender in shaping American interactions with other peoples and nations.
3. Have an understanding of the different factors which shape foreign policy and imperial projects.
4. Have an understanding of the importance of culture - including popular culture - to historical research.
5. Be familiar with the research skills and methods of cultural, political and diplomatic historians.
6. Have experience in working with a range of textual, visual and material historical resources.
7. Have further developed their oral and written communication skills.
8. Have improved their ability to conduct historical research independently.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.