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History

classroom

 

become an active and aware global citizen

The History Department endeavors to understand both the facts and the interpretation of history. Our students gain the skills to gather evidence, pose and answer questions, find and evaluate sources of information, and communicate complex ideas effectively. The different courses emphasize skill development and individual growth of each student.  

As a Salisbury history student you will also be equipped with the ability to access, evaluate, and use different forms of communication to exercise critical thinking, demonstrate international awareness, communicate complex ideas effectively, and employ problem-solving skills that will help make you an active and aware global citizen.

Coloring Our Past

Our Coloring Our Past class has collaborated with Cesar family descendants, Dennis Culliton of the Witness Stone Project, Ben Willis of the Civic Life Project, and the Upper Housatonic River Valley Heritage Area, to divulge the previously untold history of people who have also helped build our communities.   

“This movie has forced us to confront history that challenges our perception of who we are and how we became a country. Looking at the contributions local families of color like the Mars and the Cesars have had on our communities has really opened our eyes. In turn, our aim is to use our work to help form a more complete and inclusive history that highlights the contributions of all Americans. This project is not about simply uncovering the history of one Black family in America, it is also about completing the inaccurate and incomplete history of our diverse American Family. 

History Offerings At Salisbury:

A Glimpse At Just Two Of Our Offerings:

Modern Politics and Current Issues

Modern Politics and Current Issues is a highly interactive course that provides students with an appreciation of how government works to develop policies and address the key challenges American faces in the 21st Century.  Students will use their understanding of American government, the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights as well as the media, political parties, and special interest groups to confront and debate key issues of today.  Students will engage in activities to understand the formulation of public policy in America and the struggles associated with reaching consensus through the lens of current issues as well as the campaign for the Presidency and Congressional leadership in 2020. 

Grand Expectations – America in the Age of Civil Rights and Vietnam 

This course takes a close look at one of our nation’s most promising and turbulent eras in the 20th Century. Themes include the civil rights movement and the historical forces that shaped the successes and failures of the movement, issues of race in our world today, the Vietnam conflict at home and abroad, American exceptionalism and vulnerability. A research project is required in the winter trimester, and the course emphasizes reading, writing, and communication skills.