This course is a space of encounter between students and key political, social, economic, and intellectual development that characterized the United States of America from its independence in 1783 till the post-world one era. The series of lectures and tutorials will not only explore the important events that marked American history but will also analytically examine the various strains of thoughts, ideologies, influential leaders or groups, political militants, and cultural movements that contributed to the making of contemporary America. In dealing with every theme, we will be interested in the landmarks and some recurrent aspects of history that caused America to come to age. The proposed topics, very often inextricably intertwined, are tackled with the purpose of showing their importance to the shaping of individual and collective identity in the United States of America.
