HIST 205 - Russian History 1801-2000

Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Laboratory Hours: 0

Prerequisite(s): At least one of the following: HIST 100 or HIST 105 or HIST 125 or HIST 130

Restriction(s): None

Corequisite(s): None

This course is a brief overview of the changes in Russia from the Age of Empire to a socialist-communist nation and its republic status of the past decade. Once the greatest empire on earth, the Russian Empire went through profound changes in the nineteenth century that led to the fall of the tsars and the rise of the “cult of personality” in the twentieth century. The course will explore those changes and take up the issues surrounding “superpower” status in the post WWII era that would ultimately lead to the economic, political, and social restructuring of the former Soviet Union into the Russian Republic. The course will look at past personalities such as Lenin and Stalin and discuss the economic, social, and political structure of this enormous landmass over the past two centuries.

Student Learning Outcomes of the Course:

Acquire a detailed knowledge of selected themes and periods in Russian History
Develop skills of reading for historical significance
Be able to read fiction for historical insights
Begin to make connections between historical periods to identify what is common and what is different
Develop skills to distinguish between the more significant and less significant factors causing and resulting from particular historical events
Develop opinions grounded in factual evidence from the readings and lectures
Develop the ability to express themselves in both oral and written form
Begin to develop the skill to read film critically for historical purposes