HIS42720 Globalizing the U.S. Civil War

Academic Year 2021/2022

The Global American Civil War: This course asks students to analyze the US Civil War (1861-1865) in the context of other civil, national, and imperial conflicts in the mid-nineteenth century. Our initial focus will be on the history of the American conflict, in particular the ways that global struggles over abolition, capital, and territorial expansion shaped the coming of the war. We will analyze the nature of the conflict – the degree to which participants observed international laws of war and the changing political goals of each side – and explore the extent to which foreign intervention and concurrent conflicts affected the war. Finally, we will consider the immediate outcomes and longer legacies of the war, for the US as well as the world. Part of our study will be devoted to parallel wars or insurgencies – in India, China, Mexico, Poland, Ireland and elsewhere. Students will be encouraged to research and introduce histories of these simultaneous conflicts to the class. We will jointly investigate the degree to which civil conflicts in the nineteenth century drew from common causes and assumed similar shapes or remained distinct and separate events.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of the module, students should be able to:
analyse the American Civil War in a global context;
assess different historical arguments and approaches;
examine relevant primary sources;
communicate their own research on the subject in class and in a research paper.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Seminar (or Webinar)

22

Specified Learning Activities

100

Autonomous Student Learning

100

Total

222

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This is a small-group, seminar-based module, taught through a two-hour weekly seminar. The seminar is focused on individual active/task-based learning by means of discussion and presentations. Advanced research and writing skills are developed through a presentation, annotated bibliography and a research essay at the end of semester. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Continuous Assessment: Students are graded on their contribution to seminars throughout the semester Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

25

Essay: A 4000-word final paper Week 12 n/a Graded No

50

Assignment: An annotated bibliography Unspecified n/a Graded No

10

Presentation: Project presentation Varies over the Trimester n/a Graded No

15


Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback is given individually and in class, verbally and in writing, throughout the semester. Feedback on end-of-semester essays is given individually in writing and/or by appointment after submission and grading.

Name Role
Mr Aaron Sheehan-Dean Lecturer / Co-Lecturer