This survey course will explore the idea of “nation” and the emergence of our unique American identity through the eyes of its artists and writers, from the period of exploration through the early 20th century. The active imagining of American artists and writers both shaped—and were shaped by—political, social, and economic factors during this country’s emergence as a power on the world stage. Alternately eager to embrace Eurocentric cultural standards, while also fiercely desirous of severing those Old World bonds, art on this side of the Atlantic turned to our vast landscapes, diverse regional cultures, and expanding cities with their melting pot communities, to define and differentiate itself. In parallel fashion, literature captured the unique traits of the American persona, as it strived to come to terms with the vast horizons and seemingly unlimited opportunities of the North American continent. The Laws of Nature, God, Man and urban life frame our culture’s progress. The course will include a reading list for class discussion, and a range of images from the period will be considered.