History Courses at MCC

Before enrolling in these courses, you must demonstrate that you are ready to succeed.

HIST 101 Western Civilization to 1500*—4 Cr. Hrs. – 4 Contact Hrs. This course will examine the development of Western Civilization from pre-history to the High Middle Ages/Renaissance, investigating the legacies of the Neolithic Period, ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, Greece, Rome, Islam and Medieval Europe. Topics will include political structures, artistic expressions, religious beliefs, and intellectual developments. Social history will be emphasized and the course may culminate with student participation in a Medieval Festival.

HIST 102 Western Civilization* - 1500 to Present—4 Cr. Hrs. – 4 Contact Hrs. This course will investigate the development of modern Western Civilization covering the period from the Renaissance (about 1500) to the present, emphasizing the developments which have shaped the civilization of the 20th century in the West: government, economics, society, religion, philosophy, ethics, science, and the arts.

HIST 201 United States to 1877—3 Cr. Hrs. – 3 Contact Hrs. A course covering the history of the United States from its Native American and European origins to the end of Reconstruction. Major topics include the development of British colonial policy, the causes of the War for Independence, the formation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, the development of democracy during the Jefferson and Jackson Administrations, immigration, industrial and urban history, Manifest Destiny and territorial expansion, the institution of slavery, the antebellum reform movement, the causes and consequence of the Civil War and Reconstruction.

HIST 202 United States from Reconstruction to Present*—3 Cr. Hrs. – 3 Contact Hrs. A study of the social, economic, political, and intellectual development of the American nation and people, from Reconstruction to the present. The major topics include: territorial expansion and American foreign policy; the growth and importance of industry and business; the urban community and its problems; trade-commerce fields; the urban community and its problems; industry and business; the struggle and achievement of labor; the study of immigration and race relations; the quest for women’s equality; American educational and cultural advances; the increased use of government to improve society; the Cold War, détente and current to developments in U.S. – World relations; and the transformation of American Political ideology.

HIST 204 Imperial and Soviet Russia 1622 to the Present*—3 Cr. Hrs. – 3 Contact Hrs. A course covering the reigns of Peter the Great, Catherine the Great and the later Romanovs; political, economic and social development in the 18th and 19th centuries; the Russian Revolution of 1917-21; the Five-Year Plans; Soviet foreign policy during World War  II; Soviet policy after Stalin; Soviet society and culture to its collapse in 1991.

HIST 207 African American History— 3 Cr. Hrs. – 3 Contact Hrs. A study of the dynamic role of Black people in the United States from their African origins to present day America. The course emphasizes significant Black contributions in American history, and selected achievements of African American women will be studied. Contemporary issues related to the African American experience in the U.S. will be researched. A visit to an African American historical site or event may be included in the course.

HIST 210 World History II: From 1500*—3 Cr. Hrs. – 3 Contact Hrs. This course deals with the non-western world from 1500 to the present. This course will treat the civilizations of the world excluding the European and U.S. (These latter two areas are treated in respectively HIST 101, 102, and 201 and 202.) The course will show the development of Africa, Asia, India, Central Asia, Malaysia, the Pacific Island nations, and Latin America from approximately 1500. While Europe has an impact on each of these areas, each area has a historical, political, economic, social, and cultural development independent of Europe. This course does not ignore the impact of European colonization, but attempts to see European colonization as only one aspect of ethnic and national development within each geographic area. European history will be touched upon only within this perspective of non western, indigenous development. This course provides a good basis of preparation for future K-12 teachers and for those who wish to go on to study international relations, comparative government and international business.

HIST 211 Michigan History—3 Cr. Hrs. – 3 Contact Hrs. A study of the social, economic, and political development of Michigan. Emphasis is on Michigan’s history since the time of French exploration. Major topics dealt with in the course include: American Indians; French exploration and settlement; Michigan under the British flag; "territoryhood" to statehood; Michigan’s role in the Civil War; lumbering and mining activity in the latter half of the 19th century, the development of Michigan’s automotive industry and the concurrent rise of industrial unionism in Michigan. Some emphasis will also be placed on Great Lakes history and the local history of the Muskegon area.

HIST 220 Labor Studies—3 Cr. Hrs. – 3 Contact Hrs. A survey course studying and critically analyzing the historical, political, and legal frameworks of the labor movement, major labor laws, causes and purposes of the labor movement, union structure and behavior, and labor-management approaches  to solving employment disputes in the U.S. and internationally.

*Denotes course that contains an International Component.