This course will approach the study of the political, social, economic and cultural evolution of the United States from its colonial origins to the present time. Through the analysis of specific periods, processes, events, social groups and individual protagonists, it will highlight the differences between historical memory and historiography. Specific subjects will include the question of American “national character”, nationalism and exceptionalism, and issues related to different components of collective identities such as race, class, gender, migrant origins, religion, consumption or political ideology. We will also tackle historical events -such as the Civil and World Wars- which influenced human connections, the relations between different groups and particular geographical places or spaces, the formation and evolution of attitudes and cultural practices that have underscored the adaptive capacity –and its limits- of American society , the role of American political culture in the historical evolution of memory and identity -for example through the struggle to reconcile social realities with democratic ideology-, or the ways in which international relations have had enduring influence on the collective self-images of particular groups within the nation. Throughout the course, we will deal mostly with historiographic material and primary sources, without neglecting other vehicles of representation of identity such as works of art, periodicals, commercial advertisements, radio, music, photography, literature, television, and film.

Course Goals:

1) Deepen the students' knowledge about the different dimensions of the historical evolution of the United States, as well as the social, economic, cultural, political and international problems associated with it. 

2) Improve their understanding of the development of those traits typically attributed to American identities. 

3) Improve their ability to contextualize ideas, events and historical processes with reference to the Unites State and its role in the world. 

4) Improve the students' ability to search, organize, analyze and use information coming from different historical sources. 

5) Improve the students' ability to prepare oral presentations. 

6) Improve their ability of prepare written papers relating to historical issues. 

7) Improve their ability of using technical historical vocabulary, of applying historical research methodologies, and of familiarizing themselves with different interpretative paradigms.