History 4455, Fall 2005
Dr. Keith S. Bohannon, Dept. of History,
The course meets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00-9:50 a.m. in Pafford, Room 204
Office Hours: Mondays & Wednesdays- 10-11, 2-4;
Fridays, 10-11 and by appointment
Office: TLC, Third Floor, Room 3247
Office phone:
Email: Kbohanno@westga.edu
COURSE GOALS/LEARNING OUTCOME: The principal goal of the course is to
provide students with an understanding of the origins, scope and consequences
of the American Civil War, the bloodiest conf
This is not a
course exclusively about Civil War battles and generals, although a
considerable portion of class time will be devoted to mi
Mid-term- 25% of grade
Final Exam- 25% of grade
Response Papers (in class)- 25% of grade
Book reviews (2)- 25% of grade
There is no extra credit given in this course.
Mid-term and final exam- These will both be in-class essay tests based on material from the lectures & assigned readings.
Response papers- There
will be a number of unscheduled papers
written in class throughout the semester in response to assigned readings. These assigned readings include the books
Book reviews- Students will be required to write typed, critical
reviews that are three to five pages in length on two of the assigned books (Grimsley
and Ash).
Makeup Exams and Late Assignments- Makeup exams will be given only under emergency circumstances. Students needing to make up an assignment must have a written excuse explaining their absence. One letter grade will be deducted per day for all assignments turned in late.
Attendance & classroom etiquette- Regular
classroom attendance is critical to earning a passing grade in this
course. Attendance will be taken on a daily
basis and weighed at the end of the semester in assigning course grades. If a student misses class, it is his/her
responsibi
Students who need to leave during class must provide an excuse to the instructor before the class begins. Anyone who leaves during class without providing an excuse will be marked absent and will receive a zero on any assignment given that day, even if the student has completed the assignment.
Cheating- Cheating in any form (including plagiarism- presenting someone else’s words as your own without properly citing them) will not be tolerated. Students caught cheating will receive an F on the assignment and possibly an F in the course.
There is no textbook for this course.
Students who wish to uti
The assigned books are listed below. The other readings have been placed online on electronic reserve. A handout will be given to you in class explaining how to access the electronic reserves. All assigned readings must be completed prior to the discussion dates given in the lecture schedule.
Ash, Stephen V., A Year in the South, 1865
Dew, Charles B., The Road
to Disunion
Gallagher, Gary W., The Confederate War
Grimsley,
Schedule of Assignments
Week One August 22-26 Introduction to the course; Background of the Civil War
Week Two August 29-September 2 Background of the Civil War;
Election
of Lincoln and Secession of the Lower South- Reserve readings: Henry
Wilson, “A Slave Power Conspiracy;” Alexander Stephens, “A Need for Justification;”
Eric Foner, “Cultural and Ideological Origins;” Eugene Genovese, “Southern
Slaveholders Against the World;” David M. Potter, “Why the Repub
Week Three Sept 5-9
Labor Day- Holiday; Secession and
Week Four September
12-16 Early Union Triumphs in the West; The
Peninsula and the Seven Days/Confederate Counteroffensives in Maryland and
Kentucky; Reserve reading: Gallagher, “The Net Result of the Campaign Was in
Our Favor”
Week Five September 19-23 Background for Emancipation; Emancipation Completed
Week Six September
26-30- Fue
Week Seven October 3-7 African-Americans in Wartime- Freedpeople and Soldiers;
African-Americans in Wartime/ Behind the Lines; Prisoners of
War; Union Victories in the East and West-
Week Eight October
10-14 Diplomacy in the North and South;
Chickamauga/Chattanooga Campaigns & elevation of U.S. Grant; Wartime Reconstruction in the North
Week Nine October
17-21
Week Ten October
24-28 The Northern Home Front; The
Southern Home Front; Northern and Southern Women during the War Reserve
readings: Faust, “Altars of Sacrifice;” Paludan, “The Scars of War;” Cashin,
“Deserters, Civi
Week Eleven October 31-November 4 Note: Class will not meet on Friday,
October 4 The Beginning of
the End: Summer and Fall 1864; The
Final Campaigns: Fall 1864 and Spring 1865
Week Twelve November
7-11 Reading:
Gallagher, Confederate War on Monday, November 7 Reconstruction
Week Thirteen
November 14-18 Reconstruction Review
of Ash, A Year in the South, due Nov 18
Week Fourteen
November 21-25 Note:
No classes on November 23 or 25, Thanksgiving Break Reserve readings: Bryant,
“We Have No Chance for Justice before the Courts;” Foner, “Was Reconstruction a
Splendid Failure”
Week Fifteen November 28-December 2 The Lost Cause and the legacy of the Civil War
Week Sixteen December
5-8 Last day of
class is Monday, December 5 Reserve
readings: Horwitz, Confederates in the Attic; Foster, Ghosts of the
Confederacy
Final Exam is on Wednesday,
December 14, 8-10 a.m.