History

The fundamental goal of the history department at Hotchkiss is to develop in our students an understanding of their own place in time, through consideration, appreciation, and interpretation of the events and trends of the past. The department hopes to inspire an interest in history. It seeks to encourage students to become informed citizens of their communities and of the world.

Classroom emphasis is on discussion, while written asssignments stress the acquisition and development of the tools of historical research and analytical writing. We encourage students to move well beyond memorization of facts and dates so that they begin to analyze what those concrete details mean in large contexts and how they are relevant today.

Economics courses at Hotchkiss are taught within the history department; although the study of economics lends itself to quantitative analysis, the content of our courses is also historical.

Entering preps, lower mids, and upper mids must take either U.S. history or American studies to fulfill diploma requirements. A research paper is an additional requirement of the department. The department strongly recommends at least one additional year of history, preferably in a non-Western area.

History Faculty

Courses Offered

Level One

  • Ancient and Medieval Studies (Team taught with the English Department.)
  • Russia from 988 to the Present
  • China and Japan
  • Modern Europe Since 1450
  • AP European History

Level Two

  • U.S. History
  • American Studies (Team taught with the English Department.)
  • AP U.S. History

Level Three

  • Latin American History
  • The Constitution and the Supreme Court in Contemporary American Politics
  • Modern East Asia
  • AP Comparative Government and Politics
  • The Anatomy of Revolutions: France, Russia, China, and Iran
  • Tudor England
  • The U.S. in the 1960s
  • AP Human Geography
  • Europe in the 20th Century

Independent Studies

  • Independent Study in History