11.014J | Fall 2011 | Undergraduate

American Urban History II

Course Description

This is a seminar course that explores the history of selected features of the physical environment of urban America. Among the features considered are parks, cemeteries, tenements, suburbs, zoos, skyscrapers, department stores, supermarkets, and amusement parks. The course gives students experience in working with …
This is a seminar course that explores the history of selected features of the physical environment of urban America. Among the features considered are parks, cemeteries, tenements, suburbs, zoos, skyscrapers, department stores, supermarkets, and amusement parks. The course gives students experience in working with primary documentation sources through its selection of readings and class discussions. Students then have the opportunity to apply this experience by researching their own historical questions and writing a term paper.
Learning Resource Types
Written Assignments with Examples
Two images of a building, one taken in 1907 in black and white, and the other in color of the building today.
Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square in Manhattan, circa 1907 and present day respectively. Department stores are discussed in Ses #9. (Images courtesy of the Library of Congress and docjohnboy on Flickr.)