American Urban and Suburban History

Fulfills the US History requirement for History Majors.In 1920, a majority of Americans lived in cities for the first time. By 1990, a majority lived in suburbs. These dramatic shifts influenced every facet of life, from politics to economics, labor to culture. This course surveys these transformations in metropolitan America during the twentieth century. We will examine the history of the built environment; analyze changes in housing, business, work, and consumption; follow the movement of people, capital, and ideas; and assess how various institutions shaped the fate of urban and suburban communities.