HIST 337 American Empire: U.S. Foreign Relations Since 1898
The United States emerged from World War I as the world's economic giant and from World War II as the dominant military power. Compelled by the Great Depression and Hitler's Germany to assume a role of global leadership, the nation encountered opportunities and challenges as a superpower after 1945. It helped transform Europe and Japan into economic rivals, waged a costly and dangerous "cold war" with the Soviet Union, fought an inconclusive war in Korea, and suffered defeat in Vietnam. It acted like a "world policeman" yet could not control events in Latin America, the Middle East or Africa.
Prerequisites
4 Undergraduate credits
Effective August 17, 2017 to present
Meets graduation requirements for
Learning outcomes
General
- Can analyze an historical question and present an informed personal interpretation, consistent with the analytical and expressive complexity and sophistication that are distinctively characteristic of upper-division courses completed at a comprehensive university.
- Knows the basic outline of events and trends in U.S. foreign relations from 1914 to the present, consistent with the analytical and expressive complexity and sophistication that are distinctively characteristic of upper-division courses completed at a comprehensive university.
- Understands differing interpretations of U.S. foreign relations since 1914, consistent with the analytical and expressive complexity and sophistication that are distinctively characteristic of upper-division courses completed at a comprehensive university.
Minnesota Transfer Curriculum
Goal 5: History and the Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Employ the methods and data that historians and social and behavioral scientists use to investigate the human condition.
- Examine social institutions and processes across a range of historical periods and cultures.
- Use and critique alternative explanatory systems or theories.
- Develop and communicate alternative explanations or solutions for contemporary social issues.
Goal 8: Global Perspective
- Describe and analyze political, economic, and cultural elements which influence relations of states and societies in their historical and contemporary dimensions.
- Demonstrate knowledge of cultural, social, religious and linguistic differences.
- Analyze specific international problems, illustrating the cultural, economic, and political differences that affect their solution.
- Understand the role of a world citizen and the responsibility world citizens share for their common global future.