This course examines the development of capitalism in the United States over the past two centuries. We will begin with classical theorists, and then examine slavery, industrial factories, the labor movement, and mass consumption in 1950s suburbs. We will focus on how Americans have debated economic inequality, with special attention to dynamics of race, gender, and class. Through a close reading of historical texts, we will discuss enduring questions of freedom, wealth, power, democracy, and citizenship. Although the class is focused on the United States, we will compare examples from other regions because capitalism has always been global.
As part of the Core Curriculum, this course will introduce you to the discipline of history: how historians approach the study of the past, what types of evidence they use, and how they explain change over time. It will also help you develop foundational skills of reading, note-taking, discussing, and writing that will support your endeavors at Boston College and beyond.
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