In this course we will explore the history of Jews in the United States from colonial times to the present day. Taking a broadly chronological approach, we will consider how Jewish Americans understood themselves as Jews and as Americans, how they shaped the US and were shaped by it. Central to this course is the concept of Jewish American identity and the way in which it shifted with the enormous political, social and economic changes which took place over the course of American history. We will show how Jewish Americans engaged not only with the nation in which they lived, but with the world at large, as politicians, activists, migrants, workers, intellectuals and citizens. Course assignments will include two short writing tasks and a take-home midterm and final exam.
