History 793E - Early Amer Hist Research Sem

This course is designed for students interested in research, writing, in a topic that interests them in early American history, 1620-1840. It aims to develop each student?s repertoire of historical skills in pursuing his or her own definition of what is important and simultaneously a community of early American historians at UMass. The focus will be developing students' abilities to use primary sources of various kinds to develop their hypotheses and arguments concerning topics of their own interest. At the beginning of the course I will require each student to declare a specific interest (e.g. Martha Washington, Thomas Jefferson's politics, Native American monetary systems, slave trade in Rhode Island, rum-drinking in Boston, etc.). The student will be then responsible for that topic or area.

Open to Doctoral & Masters students only.