Welcome to Study of North America II

Hi class! It was a pleasure meeting some of you yesterday. I hope to see everyone else on Friday!

I am very excited to be teaching American History and Culture in the 20th Century. For my master's thesis, I wrote about school integration in the 1950s and 1960s because I have always been fascinated by Brown vs. Board of Education. As a child, I couldn't believe my parents' stories about segregation in their youth. I am intrigued by race relations and how Americans have struggled to come to terms with race and how to live peacefully in one of the most diverse countries in the world.

Brown changed the landscape of schools and cities. American School systems still struggle with how to keep schools diverse. 

We also see America reaching outside of its borders and exporting its goods and politics into the larger world. We will look at how Americans felt about our role in the world and how that role changed over the years. We will also explore how America's role and relationships with other countries have had a profound impact domestically and worldwide.

World War II changed America's sense of self in the world. It also brought massive changes to America.

More broadly, I am also very interested in how the vision of the Founding Fathers has played out over the 20th century. More than 200 years later Americans still follow most of that vision. Over the 20th century America grappled with new ideas and changes in the blueprint that was drawn by the Founding Fathers. We see violence, peace, progress and regression. It is a fascinating century in American history.

The Second Amendment is one of the most controversial amendments in the Constitution.

Please read the first chapter of Understanding American Culture. You will find the chapter in Lecture Support.

See you Friday!