History

"Remembering the Past is a Fundamental Human Activity."

In his account of the violent conflict between the Persian Empire and the Greek city-states, the ancient scholar Herodotus wrote that his purpose was "to preserve the memory of the past." He called the work his "researches" or "inquiries" — his historia. For Herodotus as well as for modern historians, history is the unraveling of the mysteries about the past. By studying what the past has left us to interpret, we come to understand our own diverse and complex identities in the present.

A Saint Michael's Parade

The Saint Michael's College Department of History has three primary goals: (1) to convey to the student a general knowledge of and appreciation for the diversity of human achievement in the past; (2) to assist the student to develop the skills necessary for the practice of independent historical research; and (3) to prepare the student for a rewarding post-graduate career by developing and enhancing his or her ability to think and write critically and clearly.

To achieve these goals the department requires its majors to complete three sets of courses: introductory or survey courses, upper level seminars in a specialized area and a capstone course in which the student writes a senior thesis. The history major offers courses focusing on a variety of geographical regions: the United States, Latin America, Europe (Ancient--Modern), East Asia and the Middle East. The department emphasizes personalized attention by faculty, and upper level seminars which do not exceed fifteen students.

To contact the History Department

Department of History
Saint Michael's College
Durick Library 303/305
One Winooski Park
Colchester, VT  05439
802-654-2621
802-654-2679 (Fax)