27811		9:30-10:45	TR			MYERS
A portion of the above section reserved for majors
Above section open to undergraduates only

This course is designed to provide students with a broad overview and
working knowledge of African-American history from discussions of pre-
contact West African life and culture to an examination of the forces
that shaped the era of the American Civil War. Over the course of the
semester we will examine the political, economic and social forces
that shaped the lives of black people in the Americas from 1550-1865,
and the varied responses of African peoples to these forces as they
struggled to shape their lives to conform to their own desires.
Readings will include secondary monographs as well as original
documents in order that students begin to develop an ability to
critically analyze primary source materials.

Topics for discussion will include: West African life and culture;
European contact and the middle passage; the development of racial
slavery in the Caribbean and on the American mainland; the debate
over race, slavery, freedom and citizenship; antebellum slavery and
resistance; slavery and the black woman; black family life and
structures; labor; the lives of free blacks; the development of
reform movements; and the Civil War. Class time will involve
lectures, discussions, and films. Students will be expected to
participate in discussions and complete two in-class exams and two
take-home essays.