This course will introduce the student to the history of the nations and peoples of the Middle East and Southwest Asia from 1919 to the present. The course covers the major political, economic, and social changes that took place throughout the region during this 100-year period. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: Identify and explain major political, social and economic trends, events, and people in history of the Middle East and Southwest Asia from the beginning of the 20th century to the present; Explain how the countries of the region have overcome significant social, economic, and political problems as they have grown from weak former colonies into modern nation-states; Identify and explain the emergence of nationalist movements following World War I, European political and economic imperialism during the first half of the 20th century, the creation of the nation of Israel, regional economic development, and the impact of secular and religious trends on Middle Eastern society and culture during the second half of the 20th century; Identify and explain the important economic, political, and social developments in the Middle East and Southwest Asia during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries; Analyze and interpret primary source documents from the 20th and 21st centuries that illustrate important overarching political, economic, and social themes. (History 232)

U.S. History is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of most introductory courses. The text provides a balanced approach to U.S. history, considering the people, events, and ideas that have shaped the United States from both the top down (politics, economics, diplomacy) and bottom up (eyewitness accounts, lived experience). U.S. History covers key forces that form the American experience, with particular attention to issues of race, class, and gender.Senior Contributing AuthorsP. Scott Corbett, Ventura CollegeVolker Janssen, California State University, FullertonJohn M. Lund, Keene State CollegeTodd Pfannestiel, Clarion UniversityPaul Vickery, Oral Roberts UniversitySylvie Waskiewicz

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Discuss how the United States responded to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001
Explain why the United States went to war against Afghanistan and Iraq
Describe the treatment of suspected terrorists by U.S. law enforcement agencies and the U.S. military