Chicago History

Using over a hundred historical images from the Chicago History Museum, the Library of Congress, the Newberry Library, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and other sources, this course will cover the history of Chicago from its early founding and growth through contemporary events in the city's history. Topics covered in this course include the geologic forces that shaped the topography of Chicago, Native American history, early founding and growth from the fur trade to the transportation and manufacturing center of the country, the Great Chicago Fire, Chicago architecture, industrialization and urbanization, labor history, immigration and African American migration, Chicago's world's fairs, politics, corruption, the formation of political machines, origins of organized crime in Chicago, and important people and events in Chicago history. This course parallels the curriculum of an actual college credit/dual-credit Chicago history course and will also call attention to various historic sites and monuments in and around Chicago. Information on submitting this course for twenty professional development credit hours for teacher recertification is also included.

Whether you are new to Chicago, have grown up in Chicago, are a teacher or a student, or are anyone interested in learning more about this fascinating city, this course has something for everyone. Bibliographic entries serve as sources for continued study. Supplemental materials included with this course include discussion questions for books mentioned in this course, readings and questions related to the content in the lectures, and project and assignment suggestions.  Lectures can be paused at any time to jot down notes, examine the historical images, or look up and discuss additional images and information when prompted.  Lectures can be downloaded to mobile devises using the Udemy mobile app.

Since Udemy is a global platform, it is NOT an approved professional development provider for individual K-12 state boards of education. However, many states, like Illinois, have a process for awarding PD hours to out-of-state and 3rd party providers of professional development.  It usually entails filling out the proper state PD forms that show completion and alignment to teaching and learning standards, then submitting those forms to your locally approved PD provider, usually your school or school district. PD requirements and protocol vary from state to state, but sample forms and directions for Illinois teachers are included with this course.  Approval of PD credit will be at the discretion of individual schools or school districts.  Since there is a lot of overlap with Chicago, urban, and United States history, this course should align with PD credit for general social studies and history teachers.

A certificate of completion, a sample two-week syllabus, and a course description that explains its learning objectives and alignment to teaching and learning standards is included with this course and can be downloaded for teachers to submit to their school/district along with their required paperwork for the 20 hours of professional development credit.