This course will cover the development of music in the United States from the first colonists up to the 20th Century. We will use reading, listening, and singing to access the broad array of musical styles that make up the complex tapestry known as 'American Music.' We will study music form and theory in order to develop our understanding of the language of music. This is a historical and sociological study as music reflects both the history of the people making it as well as the social and psychological conditions in which they lived or are living.