HIST 415 Seminar: Civility, Savagery, and Rebellion in the British Atlantic, 1600-1800
This seminar is designed to introduce students to the craft of history - that is, developing the ability to ask good historical questions and provide accurate and compelling answers to them. We will do this by immersing ourselves in one general
topic: in this case, the numerous instances of "rebellion" by indigenous peoples in the British Atlantic world (Ireland, America, and Scotland) during the early modern period. By focusing on the 1641 Irish rebellion, King Philip's War, the 1745 Jacobite
Rising, and Pontiac's War, we will ask how historians, then and now, define a "pivotal moment" and assess the value of comparative history. Students will choose a topic within this broad theme and produce a 15-20 page paper arguing an original thesis and engaging with current scholarship. To that end, the first half of the course will focus on reading and analyzing primary and secondary sources, while in the second half students will focus on designing and carrying out their own research projects.