HST 521: Graduate Seminar in History

Course Topic Description: On 1 September 1939, the Portuguese government declared its neutrality in the impending war by stating: "Happily the obligations of our alliance with England, which we do not wish to shirk from confirming at so grave a moment, do not oblige us to abandon our position of neutrality during this crisis." By the start of 1943, the tide had not yet turned in favor of the Allies in the Battle for the Atlantic. Their losses were high. They needed the use of Portugal's Atlantic Islands for an airbase to protect shipping lines from predatory German submarines. Yet, Portugal understood that the Allies could offer no assurances. One misstep could spell disaster for the Portuguese.

Course Topic Description: This course is structured around the Massachusetts Frameworks Curriculum for Grade 8 as well as the High School History series. We will use that framework as the framework for this course. Together we will study the both the federal and state constitutions. We will come to understand the basic political structure of the federal government and state government. We will also analyze the primary source documents that were fundamental to its founding and expansion as highlighted in the Massachusetts Frameworks Curriculum. In essence, we will cover all of the information needed to prepare to teach a Civics class according to the Massachusetts Frameworks Curriculum.