HIS-105 Regional History of the Finger Lakes
This course explores the economic, political, social and cultural history of the Finger Lakes region, from its early Native American origins to the present, focusing on the unique development of this part of New York State within the larger context of United States history. Using an interdisciplinary and multimedia approach, the course will cover such topics as the sources and methods of local/regional history, native-European contacts in the 17th and 18th centuries, the regional impact of the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War and the Industrial Revolution, and more recent developments in the areas of transportation, business, viticulture, education and tourism.
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Course Outline
Course Description
This course explores the economic, political, social and cultural history of the Finger Lakes region, from its early Native American origins to the present, focusing on the unique development of this part of New York State within the larger context of United States history. Using an interdisciplinary and multimedia approach, the course will cover such topics as the sources and methods of local/regional history, native-European contacts in the 17th and 18th centuries, the regional impact of the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War and the Industrial Revolution, and more recent developments in the areas of transportation, business, viticulture, education and tourism.
Credit Hours
3Course Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge of the economic, political, social and cultural history of New York State's Finger Lakes region, and to connect this with wider developments in American history
- Demonstrate an understanding of the manifold ways Finger Lakes history connects with that of the wider world (early European contacts/trade/settlement, French-Indian War, American Revolution etc), and thereby obtain the historical knowledge necessary to live interdependently in a diverse global community
- Demonstrate the ability to comprehend, interpret, analyze and evaluate college-level primary and secondary source readings
- Identify, analyze and evaluate arguments made by some of the major authors in the field of Finger Lakes history, and, in their own writing, will demonstrate well-reasoned arguments when interpreting historical subject matter
- Demonstrate a knowledge of political, social and legal developments in the 18th – 20th century Finger Lakes history (ex. growth of democratic institutions, abolitionism and the campaign for racial equality, suffrage, the women's rights movement), as well as the development of the local economy (tourism, viticulture etc), so as to better equip themselves with the knowledge, skills and values necessary to be involved in their communities
- Demonstrate the ability to identify, locate, evaluate, use and share information from a range of published and electronic historical resources
Topic Outline
- 1. Historiography and orientation to sources of regional history
- 2. Various interpretations of the value of local and regional history
- 3. Native culture and European exploration of the region
- 4. Exploration, trade, and the impact of the colonial wars
- 5. The American Revolution and its impact on the Finger Lakes
- 6. Settling the region and the War of 1812
- 7. Antebellum America and the development of the Finger Lakes region
- 8. The Civil War and its impact on the Finger Lakes region
- 9. Transportation changes in the 19th and 20th centuries
- 10. Development of aviation in the Finger Lakes region
- 11. Regional issues and political change since 1783
- 12. Business and industry in the Finger Lakes region
- 13. Education and the arts in the Finger Lakes region
- 14. Travel and tourism development in the region