HIST 157 at the University of Maryland Global Campus is a three-credit survey of economic, intellectual, political and social developments in the United States since the Civil War. The catalog says discussion covers the rise of industry and the emergence of the United States as a world power.
The objective is to use primary and secondary sources to describe historical events and to interpret current events and ideas in a historical context. The challenge is covering a vast period while still writing focused, evidence-based arguments.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) |
| Course code | HIST 157 |
| Credits | 3 |
| Level | Undergraduate |
| Credit note | Students may receive credit for only one of HIST 157 or HUMN 120 |
| Subject area | History: United States since 1865 |
| Typical work | Discussion posts, source analysis, essays, a research assignment (check your syllabus) |
What HIST 157 Covers
The catalog names the broad themes; your syllabus sets the schedule. Typical content is grouped below.
| Theme | What you work on |
|---|---|
| Industry and economy | Industrial growth, labor and business, and the changes that followed |
| Politics and reform | Reform movements, government growth and political change |
| Society and ideas | Immigration, cities, culture and changing ideas |
| World power | The United States in international affairs from the late nineteenth century |
| Present in context | Linking current events and ideas to their historical roots |
Key Skills Explained
Four Lenses
The catalog lists economic, intellectual, political and social developments. Take an event and ask a question through each lens to get a richer account than any single lens gives.
Invented illustration: A strike can be read economically (wages), politically (government response), socially (community ties) and intellectually (ideas about labor and property).
Primary and Secondary Sources
Use period documents as evidence and historians as interpretation. Say clearly which you are using, and ask what perspective each represents.
Illustration: A newspaper editorial shows what one group wanted the public to believe; a historian's article shows how scholars weigh that claim.
Interpreting Current Events Historically
Pick a present issue and trace one clear thread to its historical origin, then explain what has and has not changed since.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
The catalog does not list assessments, so these are typical. Check your syllabus.
| Assignment type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Discussion posts | Reading engagement | Cite a source and respond to peers |
| Primary source analysis | Context and bias | Identify author, purpose and audience |
| Essay | Argument | Thesis, evidence, counterpoint, conclusion |
| Current-events link | Historical interpretation | Choose one thread and show continuity and change |
Using the Four Lenses in an Essay
The table shows how to apply each lens to a single event.
| Lens | Question |
|---|---|
| Economic | Who gained or lost money, jobs or power? |
| Political | Which laws, parties or officials were involved? |
| Social | How did daily life and communities change? |
| Intellectual | What ideas justified or opposed the change? |
Choose two lenses that best support your thesis rather than forcing all four into a short essay. Depth in two beats a list of four.
Planning an Industry and World Power Essay
The catalog highlights the rise of industry and the emergence of the United States as a world power. Here is an invented planning table showing how those two themes might be connected in a single essay.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| Question | Did industrial growth make the United States a world power, or did political choices do that? |
| Evidence on industry | Production, railways, labor conditions, using period sources and a scholarly account |
| Evidence on power | Foreign policy decisions, overseas involvement, use of military and economic strength |
| Judgment | Argue which factor mattered more, and say what the other contributed |
The connection between the two themes is where the analysis lies. Treating them in separate halves with no link is the most common weakness.
A Study Plan You Can Adapt
This invented plan spreads a survey course into manageable stages. Replace it with the schedule in your syllabus.
| Stage | Focus |
|---|---|
| First weeks | Industrialization and its social effects: read, note, one source per theme |
| Middle weeks | Politics, reform and the move towards world power |
| Later weeks | Modern developments and links to current events |
| Before each essay | Thesis sentence, three pieces of evidence, one counterargument |
Short, regular review sessions work better than a single long one before the deadline.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Covering everything. Select the examples that prove your point.
- Dates without meaning. Explain significance.
- One-sided accounts. Include opposing perspectives.
- Weak thesis. A thesis should be arguable, not a fact.
- Forcing the present into the past. Show real continuity before claiming a parallel.
Study Tips for HIST 157
- Keep a timeline from 1865 and add weekly.
- Write a one-line "why it matters" for each topic.
- Collect two or three primary sources per theme.
- Proofread citations at the end.
- Practice tracing one present issue back to a specific historical moment.
How We Help with HIST 157
Send the assignment prompt, rubric, readings and instructor feedback. A history writer can prepare a custom essay, explain a source or review your draft. The essay structure guide helps with thesis and structure.
GradeEssays is independent and not affiliated with the University of Maryland Global Campus. Our work is a study and reference aid: use it to understand the material, then complete and submit your own work under UMGC's academic integrity policy.
Every order is written from scratch and plagiarism-checked, comes with free revisions within the scope of your original request, and is refunded in full if it is late.
Make Your HIST 157 Work Clearer
Share the assignment and sources. A history writer prepares a custom answer or reviews your draft.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Economic, intellectual, political and social developments since the Civil War, per UMGC.
The catalog allows credit for only one of them.
The catalog entry we checked lists no prerequisite. Check your degree plan.
Choose one thread, show its origin and explain what changed.
Yes, we can review citation format against the style your instructor requires.
No. We provide tutoring, custom answers and feedback only.