If you're planning on using this class to fill the 2000-level requirement for the econ major, I would not recommend taking this class. It is deceivingly challenging, and there are a lot of 3000-level courses that are significantly easier. I think to history majors, Thomas is an engaging professor, but I found his lectures to be a little disorganized and number heavy. The exams are always on Fridays (with one always being Halloweekend), and they're challenging if you are not incredibly well versed in the (long) readings. The nice thing is that you can definitely get away with not going to class if you are okay getting a final grade in the B/B+ range. If you want an A, you pretty much have to go to every class and closely read the entire packet of readings. I was happy with the grade I got, but I wish I had just used a second 3000-level class for the econ major and avoided this class.

Professor Thomas was an engaging speaker, and the content in this class was very enjoyable to learn. That being said, it is an extremely reading heavy class. Around 100 pages of reading a week from a textbook + yellow book containing primary sources and opinion and analysis. The grades are entirely composed of "three" tests, the third test being a combined midterm on the last third of the content and the final which is cumulative. The midterms are very difficult: five vocabulary questions, three analysis questions about texts from the yellow book, and an essay question. I would not recommend this course if you are very interested in getting an A. But, if you are reading this and want to take it, getting an A is not impossible. My suggestions would be to skim the textbook readings at best. Attend class to get full points on the essay section, and get so intimate with the yellow book readings you can recite them in your sleep. Especially be able to connect the authors to their points. Try to understand big picture economic concepts across each "era" for the final. Attendance not checked, but I highly recommend.

Thomas is the best professor I’ve ever had. Super information dense lectures old school with no slides and a chalkboard. The course is extremely interesting and I would highly recommend it. As a non-Econ major, this was my favorite class by far, and I’m super happy I took it. That being said, this class is HARD. 2 midterms and a final make up the entire grade and they are completely written. If you want an A, you’re gonna need to start studying 3 weeks prior to exams. The most time consuming class I had by far, but that being said, if you’re up for the challenge I would highly suggest this course.

Writing this in reflection of taking this course 2 years ago, I can confidently say this was one of the most challenging courses I've taken at UVA. There is an insane amount of material that Thomas goes through at a blazing pace, and it necessary to know most of it. The midterms feel like a slap in the face, with 5 identification questions, 3 source analysis questions (analyze a quote and connect it to a particular reading), and a full essay ALL WITHIN 50 MINUTES. The exams are worth 100% of your grade, with 25% for each of two midterms and then a final that consists of 1. a third "midterm" covering the last third of the material (worth 25% of total grade) and a couple essays that connect key concepts across the units (the other 25%). I found that the best way to study was to summarize each unit on a piece of paper in order to keep track of key ideas and important academic debates. I somehow pulled off an A-, but with starting to study almost two weeks before each midterm. I wouldn't bother with the textbook. He encourages you to read it by asking about 2/3 ID questions per exam that we could've only known if we had read the textbook. But honestly, it's extremely boring and even if you do read it, there's no guarantee you'll get those questions right; so I just decided to take the L on those questions and put more time into studying the lecture and packet info (which I think paid off). Definitely read the packet readings, though. You'll need to know them pretty well for the source analysis questions.

Having said all this, Thomas is an extremely engaging lecturer and makes seemingly dull concepts actually pretty interesting. If you're trying to raise your GPA, this probably isn't the class for you. But if you're looking to get a better understanding of American history (and hear a dude with a British accent talk super passionately), would definitely recommend.

I really enjoyed this class but would only recommend it if you’re willing to put in the work. There’s a lot of readings but the textbook only needs to be skimmed for important terms. The packet readings are dense but necessary to read because they are 15/50 points on the exams. Professor Thomas talks the entire lecture and goes pretty fast but sometimes he’ll just be listing data for 10 minutes or so so that’s slower. He’s pretty easy to understand if you pay attention. There’s a lot of data memorization necessary for the class but I recommend drilling the data down and then the actual info is easy to put together in an essay. The class is only 3 exams with 2 midterms and the final which is 50% of your grade. I honestly thought the final was easier than the other 2 exams because it was just connecting the main ideas of each unit in a couple essays. Go to office hours if you ever have a question and he’ll be pretty helpful. It’s a lot of work but Thomas is great at what he does and if you have some interest in the topic I recommend.

The lectures are pretty boring and he assigns so much reading that is hard to understand. You can most likely get a B but you have to put in so much more work to get an A.

I was pre-enrolled in this course and decided to stay in it because the subject matter sounded interesting and I figured it would be a chill elective course. Half of that assumption was true. This class was definitely very interesting, Mark Thomas is a highly engaging lecturer (his British accent certainly helps) and delivers the course information very effectively. That being said, the man talks only slightly slower than the speed of light, I am generally a light notetaker and had over 80 pages of typed notes for the semester. Zoning out for only a few seconds in class can mean missing somewhat large amounts of crucial information. I eventually wound up with a B+ in the class, but his exams were easily some of the most difficult I've taken at UVA. The midterms include short answer questions based of the primary source reading packet, so being familiar with that material is essential, an essay based on topics from class discussion, as well as 5 ID questions drawn from both class discussion, as well as the textbook. I personally never read the textbook and as a result typically got between 2 and 3 of the 5 IDs correct. The copious amount of extra worked required for so few extra points just was not worth it for me, but if you're hoping for an A or A- in this class be prepared to put in a significant amount of work. The work required for a B or B+ was definitely manageable, although still more than most other 2000 level courses. In short, this class was certainly very interesting and Mark Thomas is a fantastic lecturer and a great guy, but do not be fooled into thinking this class is an easy elective, it certainly is not.

The amount of sheer information in this class is overwhelming and rather unsatisfying when studying for. I read the textbook in depth to prepare for the IDs on every exam, meanwhile only to be acquainted with a new vocabulary word that I had never encountered. Your grade is based all on exams, which sounds bad but isn't the worse thing in the world due to the large curve Thomas applies. I wouldn't recommend this class to any GPA hawks, however as someone who is perfectly fine with getting a B I didn't mind it. This course would certainly benefit from a discussion section to keep a general timeline and add more structure to the class. Take it if you like history, and want a reasonably low time commitment B/B+. #tCFfall22

I swear this may be the hardest class to get an A in in the whole economics department. The lectures can be interesting, but Thomas always takes a very confusing roundtrip to his punchline for the lecture (likely for storytelling reasons but it's still kinda annoying). There are no slides or lecture materials so you can't miss a lecture. I left this class with a bunch of random fun facts about the colonial American economy but don't have too much else to show for the class.

Probably one of the most content-packed and in-depth classes I will ever take at UVA. This class was one of the best learning experiences because I learned how to study and analyze a mass amount of information. That being said, do NOT expect an A unless you are willing to dedicate a significant amount of work toward this class. Do not be fooled by the 2000 level title; it was more work and effort than my 3500 class. That being said, if you are up for the challenge, embrace it. Mark Thomas is a brilliant speaker and lecturer, and this class will give you a taste of a college level history and economics course. It covers everything from the founding of the American colonies to the economics of World War 2 in the span of 3.5 months. Read the textbook, the packet, and take good lecture notes; and study a week in advance for the exams! If you do that, I can almost guarantee you will receive at least a B+. TLDR: Great in-depth, exceedingly difficult history + economics class.