History

History Courses

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Boston’s Place in Human History Hide

Boston’s Place in Human History, informally called "Roots and Shoots", is required of all boys in Class VI. Students develop a global perspective on Boston’s historical roots by examining how events of world history have shaped who we are and how we live. Students also explore the shoots that have sprouted from Boston’s history to have an impact beyond the city limits—sometimes even globally. By emphasizing the interactions of geography, technology, and religion in influencing various human systems (political, economic, and social), students have an opportunity to examine the movement of people and their ways through time toward better understanding Boston’s place in human history. Emphasis is placed on developing both the skills of the historian and an appreciation for Boston as a cosmopolitan city in a land of immigrants.

Western Civilization Hide

Western Civilization, required for Class IV, focuses on European individuals and societies that have contributed significantly to today’s world. It provides students with an awareness of humanity’s recurring problems, a perspective on their own time, and an appreciation of some seminal individuals whose ideals influence us today. Great historical figures are studied: the complex dilemmas they faced, the decisions they made, and the consequences. Several eras are studied through architecture, sculpture, or painting. Units include: Ancient Israel, Classical Greece, the rise and fall of Rome, the life and influence of Jesus, Muhammad and the rise of Islam, Medieval Europe, the Italian Renaissance, the Age of Kings, the French Revolution, leaders and ideologies of the 19th century, the Great War and the Russian Revolution, Nazi Germany and the Holocaust, and heroes of the 20th century. Among the books read are: Jarvis, Poets, Prophets, Priests, and Kings and And Still is Ours Today; Plato, The Last Days of Socrates; Plutarch, Lives of Pericles and Alcibiades; Stevens, Ferdinand & Isabella; Becker, Modern History; Massie, Nicholas and Alexandra; Goldston, Hitler; Wiesel, Night, and Patterson, Martin Luther King, Jr. and The Freedom Movement. Monographs are used to study Caesar Augustus, St. Augustine, Muhammad, Martin Luther, Louis XIV, Robespierre, Napoleon, and Winston Churchill.

World Civilizations Hide

World Civilizations, an elective for members of Class III, is an introduction to the history, society, faith, and thought of selected civilizations. This course seeks to give students a foundation for a better understanding of events in the world today, some perspective on their own culture, and an awareness of their place as global citizens in an interdependent world. Enhancing students’ skills in obtaining and using information to produce interesting and scholarly research papers is also a goal of this course. Books read include: Smith, The World’s Religions; van Gulik, Judge Dee at Work; Chang, Wild Swans; Achebe, Things Fall Apart; Malan, My Traitor’s Heart; and Neihardt, Black Elk Speaks.

U.S. History Hide

U.S. History, required of all boys in either Class I or Class II, is a survey of the political, economic, and social history of the United States from 1750 to the present. The course seeks to provide students with knowledge of our nation’s institutions and the values which underlie them, and to encourage boys to be informed and responsible citizens. The course also seeks to enlarge boys’ understanding of the rich diversity of American society, a distinctive characteristic from early times, and to enhance their appreciation of the efforts, sacrifices, and achievements through which earlier generations of Americans—whatever their origins, status, or beliefs—have contributed to our country as it is today. American History prepares students for the Advanced Placement Examination in American History. The main text is Boyer, et al., The Enduring Vision, supported by an array of video resources. Also read are selections from Wilson, Forging the American Character and Oates, Portrait of America.

Economics Hide

An elective (2007–08) for members of Class I, Economics is similar in content to most college courses in introductory economics. The principal emphasis is on the analytical concepts and primary methodology used by economists to understand how societies produce and distribute their goods, and how societies can allocate their resources for optimal benefit. The basic text is Krugman and Wells, Economics. This course prepares students to take the AP Exams in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics.

Making Sense of the Modern Middle East Hide

Making Sense of the Modern Middle East, an elective (2007–08) for members of Classes I and II, traces the rise and spread of Islamic societies, the creation of the modern nation states of the Middle East, and the impact of the modern oil economy on governments in the region and around the world. Strategies for resolving conflict in today’s Middle East are explored, with special attention given to the continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Iraq War.

America at War Hide

America at War, an elective (2007–08) for members of Class I, does not seek to glorify or romanticize America’s role in war but rather to bring to the forefront of our memory some of the great events that occurred and the people who took action during times of conflict. This survey course deals with the causes and results of war, but the main focus remains on the roles played by human beings during times of duress. This year’s course covers an 18th-, 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century war, focusing on the United States’s involvement in each.