Early American Foreign Policy, 1776-1823 (P02973)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : HCA-P-EAFP

Although foreign policy and international relations command much greater attention in later periods of American history during the first five decades of its history the United States confronted profound international questions and challenges which conditioned and shaped its development. This course considers the evolution of the foreign policy of the United States from the Declaration of Independence in 1776--which was intended primarily for a foreign audience--to the promulgation of the Monroe Doctrine in 1823. Among other themes this course will examine: the role played by ideology in the formulation of early American foreign policy; the attempt to secure diplomatic recognition for the United States; the debate over attempts to ‘export’ the American Revolution; American policy toward Native Americans (both within the new nation and outside of its borders); the debates over, and responses to, the French and Haitian Revolutions; the degree to which domestic and foreign policies overlapped; the contrasting foreign policies of the Federalists and Republicans; the challenges posed by the Napoleonic wars; the origins of, and debate over, the War of 1812; and how the United States responded to the collapse of the Spanish Empire in North America.

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Postgraduate (School of History and Classics), (School of History, Classics and Archaeology, Schedule E)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 1 hour(s) 50 minutes per week for 11 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Monday	09:00	10:50	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Intended Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the course will have acquired an in-depth knowledge and understanding of crucial aspects of the study of the American Revolution. In particular, they will:

- be able to assess critically primary source documents relating to early American foreign policy.
- acquire a sound understanding of the evolution of American foreign policy between 1776 and 1823.
- have an advanced understanding of the secondary source literature relating to the early American foreign policy and make informed judgments regarding the major areas of scholarly debate.

Further, they should also be able to:

- engage in historical arguments with evidence drawn from the primary and secondary literature.
- review critically source material relating to early American foreign policy, while consolidating and extending their knowledge of history as a discipline.
- set their own historical research agenda in relation to the study of the early American foreign policy by formulating seminar and essay questions in response to major scholarly debates; and, where possible, they should conceptualise and define new research problems and questions.
- prepare and present their own work to colleagues in seminars and workshops.
- present their research findings in written form.
- actively participate in group discussion.
- be able to efficiently access library and IT resources.