Emilee Page

HIST 1700
4/22/2021
How does the American Civilization course contribute to my general education?

The American Civilization course is one that goes into extensive and varying

perspectives on the United States. It took me through a journey that allowed me to expand my

perspective to ones that are not as typical in everyday classrooms. It also has allowed me to

become a better writer through methodology and research. It has expanded my ability to find

sources that are trustworthy and tie them with in my paper. This class has also helped me with

oral speaking and gaining confidence in myself and my words. Learning about this land and its

origins and the events that took place to create America contributes or adds on to my knowledge

of where I live and the past that created it. It is important to know about our past not only to learn

from it, but also to recognize it in our current dilemmas. Overall, this class has assisted me in

knowledge, understanding, and writing.

Expansion of perspectives is one of the ways this class has benefited my general

education. I can see things not from my own perspective, but of the knowledge and in-depth

backgrounds of how they came to be. An example of this in class would be that instead of

viewing it as plantation owners, one could view this as corporations and building blocks to

industrial power.

Here in Utah, outsiders view it as the Mormon capital of the world but looking into the

history it has very much changed from when it was first settled by the pioneers. It is a medical

hub of the world and a tourist destination for outdoorsy people from around the globe. It is

important to know the events that take place where we live, to respect it, but also learn from

mistakes. I have learned that it is important to look deeper than the surface level, but also look
Emilee Page
HIST 1700
4/22/2021
into how and why things came to be. The world is constantly changing all around us but knowing

why it is changing and our roots can be beneficial.

This course has also added onto to my general education knowledge through writing

papers that go through a certain methodology. This approach is a useful one, it starts by defining

the topic, creating a thesis, filling the body of information out, and creating a conclusion. This is

a great skill to have for research papers. Finding proper sources that aid my paper has become

easier for me. Finding the information within those sources and pulling the correct quotes has

become second nature.

Oral speech has also aided me in my general education. It has allowed me to increase

confidence in myself and my work as a person. I think that public speaking can be daunting and

nerve wrecking for me, but it is a useful skill to possess and become more proficient at. In class,

I gave a 15-minute oral speech mostly from memory with the help of slides. I was very nervous,

but I reminded myself that no one wants for me to do badly, so I just need to do my best and

present the information I worked hard at researching. I was proud of myself for pulling it off and

I can say that I am better at public speaking than before.

In conclusion, I have gained strength in knowledge, understanding, and writing

throughout this American Civilization course. This class has expanded my views and gone into

greater detail of history than I had known of beforehand. I also have become more of a master in

my speech, confidence, writing, and citing sources. These are all valuable skills to have in

college and for a future career. Collectively, I have benefited from this class immensely, and will

continue to use the skills I have harnessed in the future.