Introduction to History

3 units

Who was Abraham Lincoln, and what accounts for the persistence of that question? For generations after his death, Lincoln's life has undergone dramatic reinterpretations. Countless interventions have added untidy layers of context, myth, and ideology to our understanding of Lincoln-seemingly to the extent that America's most iconic man seems more icon than man. This course foregrounds the challenge of historicizing Lincoln as a way into the discipline of history. Through active engagement with primary and secondary sources, students will learn how to read historical evidence critically. Students will cultivate a historical imagination, allowing them to make original and persuasive arguments. This course is for FSAP students only.