HIST 230 - 20th Century Europe

Credits: 5
Offers a broad survey of European history in the twentieth century. Covers events such as World War I; the Bolshevik Revolution and the ensuing Soviet experiment; the Spanish Civil War; Nazism, World War II, and the Holocaust; the post-colonial legacy; the Cold War in Europe; the collapse of communism; and the Balkan Wars in the 1990’s. Focuses on primary documents, including memoirs, novels, political manifestos, and government and other official documents. Includes Model European Parliament, Model United Nations, and/or Model International Court of Justice.

Prerequisite: Eligible for ENGL& 101 or instructor’s permission.

Satisfies Requirement: Social Science

Course Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

Explain how any why various groups, including communists and fascists, undermined parliamentary democracy through the establishment of regimes that maintained dictatorial control while manipulating democratic processes.
Explain how new ideas of political authority and the failure of diplomacy led to world wars, political revolutions, and the establishment of totalitarian regimes.
Assess the role of European colonization and de-colonization in non-European societies from both European and non-European perspectives.
Evaluate the role of nationalism in altering the European balance of power, and explain attempts made to limit nationalism as a means to ensure continental stability.
Analyze the origins, characteristics, and effects of the post-WWII economic, political and judicial integration of Europe.
Trace the changing relationship between states and ecclesiastical authority and the emergence of the principle and practice of religious toleration.
Analyze how various movements for political and social equality - such as feminism, anticolonialism, and campaigns for immigrants’ rights - pressured governments and redefined national citizenship.

Program Outcomes

Analyze how historical developments have various effects on people based on one or more of the following areas: geographical location, race, ethnicity, cultural traditions, gender and class.
Distinguish between opinions, facts, and evidence-based interpretations.

College-wide Outcomes

Critical Thinking - Critical thinking finds expression in all disciplines and everyday life. It is characterized by an ability to reflect upon thinking patterns, including the role of emotions on thoughts, and to rigorously assess the quality of thought through its work products. Critical thinkers routinely evaluate thinking processes and alter them, as necessary, to facilitate an improvement in their thinking and potentially foster certain dispositions or intellectual traits over time.
Written Communication - Written Communication encompasses all the abilities necessary for effective expression of thoughts, feelings, and ideas in written form.