The History Department provides students with essential tools to think
independently and globally, including a historical perspective that
prepares students to participate in and contribute positively to
society, a respect for diversity, and a clear understanding of current
social issues. Through their years of high school study, students hone
their social study and historical analysis skills as well as their
research and related writing skills.
Students are required to take the ninth grade course Civilization,
which examines civilizations of the Mideast, India, and China, as well
as Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The required tenth grade course,
Modern European History, provides a foundation and context for study in
Modern United States History, the required history course for juniors.
Students are encouraged to take one or more of the senior electives,
which include yearlong Honors electives, such as Economics: Macro and Micro Theory, Political
Theory and Applications, and Social History through Art, and semester-long
electives that focus on a variety of topics and cultures, and some of which involve a travel-study component during May Term.
Starting in ninth grade, students engage in significant research using
primary and secondary sources to investigate topics and narrow thesis
statements. As they progress through the research process each year,
students learn to analyze their findings and synthesize the information
into coherent support for a thesis of substance. A significant,
yearlong research project in the eleventh grade results in departmental
evaluation and recommendations for selected students to submit their
work for formal, external evaluation.
