L2 Culture et civilisation anglophones S3

Landmarks in US history

Aims and objectives:

- Provide a general overview of basic landmarks and themes in US history and culture, to the present day.

- Give an insight into the US society in a global context

- Improve your linguistic competence (enrich your vocabulary, develop oral understanding and writing skills)

Each course will give you core information and introduce case studies spanning different fields (music, theater, literature, the visual arts...)

The final exam takes place at the end of the semester and consists in questions on the topics covered in class.

Course outline:

Introduction

1. A “New World”? 

2. The Declaration of Independence

3. The Civil War and Slavery

4. The Conquest of the West

5. Capitalism and urban growth

6. The Great Depression and the New Deal

7. The Harlem Renaissance

8. Civil Rights Protests

9. The Cold War

Essential readings: 

Brunet, François (dir.).  L'Amérique des images : Histoire et culture visuelle des Etats-Unis, Paris, Hazan, 2013.

Kempf, Jean. Une Histoire culturelle des Etats-Unis, Paris, Armand Colin, 2015.

Zinn, Howard. A People’s History of the United States, New York, HarperCollins, 2009.