Course Syllabus: Fall 2012
Course Description
This course will provide an overview of the social, cultural, and political history of the United States from 1865 to the beginning of the twenty-first century, and will equip students to better understand the problems and challenges of the contemporary world in relation to events and trends in modern American history.
This is an honors course and will require students to complete a heavier reading load. Class meetings shall consist of discussions organized using the Socratic Seminar method. Students will be exposed to various historiographical arguments and learn how to compare and contrast and evaluate each interpretation's strengths and weaknesses.
Students who complete this course will also learn many of the skills necessary to conduct historical research.
Class sessions will be organized around scholarly discussions of each day's assigned readings. Students are required to complete all assigned
readings prior to the start of class and come to class prepared to discuss and analyze its meaning.
Learning Outcomes
Students will demonstrate the ability to think historically through: understanding of the political, social, economic, and cultural dimensions of United States history; comprehension of causal relationships and patterns of change and continuity over time; or awareness of the social significance of ethnicity, gender, race, and class in historical events and study.
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities that might affect their course performance should contact the course professor as soon as possible. If the student provides the professor with university documentation of their disability appropriate accomodations will be made. It is
a student's responsibility to provide the professor with documentation.
Required Textbooks
1. Eric Foner, Voices of Freedom: A Documentary History, Volume Two, 3rd Edition.
2. Howard Zinn, Voices of a People's History of the United States
3. Howard Zinn, A People's History of the United States
Additional readings will be assigned throughout the semester. These readings will be available through UWG library databases such as JSTOR.
Course Assessments
Students' final grades will be determined as follows:
- Midterm Exam--30 percent
- Final Exam--30 percent
- Class Discussion--20 percent
- Discussion Questions--20 percent
Assessment Descriptions
- Midterm and Final Exams--Exams shall consist of a series of essay questions that will test your understanding of the course discussion and assigned readings. Students must read their assignments closely and pay attention in class in order to anticipate potential exam questions.
- Class Discussion--Students are expected to participate in class. This class shall be organized as a Socratic Seminar. Students are responsible for the quality of the discussion. The course professor shall help guide the discussion, but students must come to class prepared to discuss/analyze each day's assigned readings. Students must participate verbally. Students who do not speak will be called upon and asked to state their opinion. Students must keep the discussion contained to the material covered in the assigned readings. Irrelevant comments shall lower your discussion grade. Missing class shall lower your discussion grade.
Students whose comments demonstrate either a lack in preparation or understanding of the assigned readings shall receive a failing grade for that discussion period. Students must maintain a level of respect toward their classmates and the course professor at all times. Disrespectful comments shall be cut off by the course professor.
- Discussion Questions--Every class period students must come to class with a list of three discussion questions that analyze that period's assigned readings. Questions should be open ended and designed to generate class discussion. At the start of class I will select one student and ask them to present one of their questions to the class to begin that period's discussion. Students must type their questions and print them out to turn in to the course professor at the end of class. Students may not be allowed to turn in hand written question and/or questions following class (no late work excepted period). Also, students who miss class will not be allowed to turn in discussion questions for the period they missed.
Questions should attempt to synthesize the content of each period's readings. The internet has numerous websites, many hosted by universities, that contain useful tips for drafting open ended discussion questions and how to participate in Socratic seminars. At the end of class, the course professor shall gather all of the discussion questions and return their graded discussion questions from the previous class. Preparation is critical to succeeding in this class. Read, take notes, be an active listener in class, have a positive attitude about learning, and be open to learning new ideas and challenging your own beliefs on a daily basis. Do this and you will be successful.
Course Schedule
Students are expected to read all assignments prior to the start of class. Students should bring their textbooks with them to class daily.
Monday, August 20--Course Introductions; We will watch selections from the film Birth of a Nation during class.
Wednesday, August 22--Emancipation
- Assigned Readings:
- Foner, Documents 92-98
- Zinn, Voices, pp. 221-225.
- Zinn, People's History, pp. 191-210.
Monday, August 27--Reconstruction Historiography
- Assigned Readings
- Reconstruction: Change or Stasis?Download PDF
Wednesday, August 29--The Guilded Age
- Assigned Readings:
- Foner, Documents 99-104
- Zinn, Voices, pp. 226-232; 234-238,
- Zinn, People's History, Chapter 11
Monday, September 3 (Labor Day)-- No Classes Held
Wednesday, September 5--Guilded Age Historiography
Monday, September 10--The Nadir of American Race Relations
- Assigned Readings
- Zinn, Voices,pp. 232-234
- Foner Documents 106 and 107
- New Georgia Encyclopedia, Lynching
- New Georgia Encyclopedia, 1906 Atlanta Race Riot
- Atlanta Compromise
- W.E.B. DuBois Critiques Booker T. Washington
Wednesday, September 12--When did Southern Segregation Begin?
- When did Southern Segregation Begin?Download PDF
Monday, September 17--American Imperialism
- Assigned Readings
- Foner, Documents 109-111
- Zinn, People's History,Chapter 12
- Zinn, Voices,Chapter 12
Wednesday, September 19--American Imperialism Historiography
- Imperialism: Economic Expansion or Ideological Crusade? Download PDF
Monday, September 24--Immigration Historiography
- Assigned Readings
- Assimilation or Ethnic Pluralism? Download PDF
- Foner, Voices, Document 112.
Wednesday, September 26--Progressive Era
- Assigned Readings
- Zinn, People's History Chapter 13.
- Foner, Documents 113-119.
- Zinn, Voices, Chapter 13.
Monday, October 1--Progressive Era Historiography
- Elitist or DemocraticDownload PDF
Wednesday, October 3--World War One
- Zinn, People's History,, Chapter 14.
- Zinn, Voices,, Chapter 14.
- Foner, Documents 120, 125, 126.
Monday, October 8--MIDTERM EXAM
Wednesday, October 10--The 1920s
- Assigned Readings
- Zinn, A People's History, Chapter 15.
- Zinn, Voices,Chapter 15.
- Foner, Documents 128-134
Monday, October 15--The Grapes of Wrath
- We will watch a film during class
Wednesday, October 17--The New Deal
- Assigned Readings
- Foner, Documents 135-142.
Monday, October 22--New Deal Historiography
- Revolution or RestorationDownload PDF
Wednesday, October 24--World War II
- Foner, Documents 143-149.
- Zinn, People's History, Chapter 16.
Monday, October 29--The Atomic Bomb
- Assigned Readings
- Download PDF
Wednesday, October 31--The Cold War
- Zinn, A People's History, Chapters 17-18.
- Foner, Documents 150-157
Monday, November 5--Cold War Historiography
- Assigned Readings
- Containment or Hegemony? Download PDF
Wednesday, November 7--The Civil Rights Movement
Monday, November 12--The Civil Rights Movement
Wednesday, November 14--The Civil Rights Movement
Monday, November 19--THANKSGIVING
Wednesday, November 21--THANKSGIVING
Monday, November 26--Rise of Conservatism in America
- Assigned Readings
- Foner, Documents 174-180
- Zinn, People's History, Chapter 21.
Wednesday, November 28--Globalization
- Assigned Readings
- Foner, Documents 181-185
- Zinn, People's History, Chapter 25.
Monday, December 3--FINAL EXAM