The United States Since 1865 – Syllabus and Survival Guide

History 271 – Fall 2004

TuTh 12:30 – 1:45 pm, Sierra Hall 279

 

Instructor

 

Dr. Thomas W. Devine

Office Hours: Sierra Tower 624, Tu,Th 2:30-3:30 pm and by appointment gladly given.  Phone: (818) 677-3550.  E-mail

Teaching Assistant: David Seva

 

Readings

 

The following books are at the Matador Bookstore.  Any other readings will be provided in class.

 

1. James Henretta, et al., America: A Concise History 2nd edition**

2. David Nasaw, Children of the City

3. Russell Baker, Growing Up

4. Anne Moody, Coming of Age in Mississippi

5. Nelson George, Hip Hop America

 

To subvert the system and save yourself some money, you might consider buying used copies of the books.  You are likely to find used or discounted copies at the following web sites: www.bookfinder.com; www.amazon.com; www.half.com.

 

** - If you happen to find a used copy of the first edition of the textbook at a significantly lower price (as is often the case), you should buy it – the differences from the first edition to the second do not justify the difference in price.

 

Requirements & Grading

 

Class Participation, Quizzes, and Short Writing Assignments     20%

First Paper [Due 30 September or 28 October]                         15%

Second Paper [Due 16 November or 2 December]                     15%

Midterm Examination [Tuesday, 19 October]                              25%

CLICK HERE FOR MIDTERM STUDY QUESTIONS

Final Examination [Thursday, 9 December]                               25%

CLICK HERE FOR FINAL STUDY QUESTIONS

 

All grading will be done on the +/ – system.  Any assignment not turned in will be counted as a “zero” in calculating the final grade.

 

Spirit of the Course

 

Someone, probably a frustrated student, once said, “History is just one damn thing after another.”  Unfortunately, many history courses are taught in such a way that one can easily reach this grim conclusion. In this class, however, you will not simply be memorizing a series of facts and regurgitating them for exams. Although we will be learning a good deal about what happened in the United States between 1865 and the present, more importantly, we will be trying to make sense of what happened. Why did events unfold in the manner in which they did?  What forces have been significant in shaping the course of recent American history?  What can studying the past tell us about how we came to be the nation we are today and where we might be headed? As George Orwell reminds us in his novel1984, those who have no knowledge of the past are not only powerless, they inevitably are dominated by those who do have such knowledge – something to think about as we begin the semester. 

 

One way of making sense of a large amount of material is to identify major themes that recur throughout this period of our country’s history.  By looking at a series of events through the lens of a theme, it becomes easier to see how these events are linked.  A coherent “big picture” begins to emerge. Moreover, this process can reveal connections between the past and the present that we might not have seen otherwise.  Though there are obviously many themes from which one could choose, I have structured the course around four in particular:

 

1.     The expanding role of government in citizens’ lives.

2.     The persistence of tensions between the various groups that make up American society.

3.     The United States’ increasing involvement in the international arena and the ramifications this brought.

4.     The continuing conflict over what constitutes a “good society.”

 

These themes will be running through the lectures, the readings, and the various audio-visuals we will be using.  Be on the lookout for them.  They will provide a framework for your understanding of the material and will be the focus around which exam questions are based. 

 

Beyond “making sense” of recent American history, the course will also encourage you to develop your analytical skills – skills that are invaluable if you are to succeed in any number of career paths.  Throughout the semester you will be critically examining historical sources – both primary (produced at the time of the historical event in question) and secondary (produced after the fact).  Using evidence presented in these sources, you will be formulating arguments for a particular position (and evaluating the strength of others’ arguments based on the same evidence). In short, you will be doing what good historians (and journalists, and lawyers, and businessmen, and advertising executives, and marketing researchers, and informed citizens) do. 

 

Finally, the course will provide you with ample opportunities to improve your writing.  We will be working on how to write a coherent, logical essay that takes a particular point of view and makes a persuasive case for it – another skill that will serve you well in the world beyond History 271. In fact, it’s not a coincidence that many employers say they like to hire History majors with MBAs – they know that History students have been trained to think critically, analyze data effectively, argue persuasively, and write clearly – all skills in high demand in today’s job market.

 

Explanation of Requirements

 

Class Participation

Though this course will include some lectures, it is not a “lecture course” – the emphasis will be on discussion and classroom interaction rather than listening to the professor.  Class participation is important and will count heavily in your final grade.  Have the reading done BEFORE you come to class and be ready to discuss it – simply being “present” will not earn you a high grade. Since not everyone is comfortable speaking in front of others, your performance on the quizzes (five announced, one unannounced) will also be considered in calculating your participation grade.

Midterm and Final Examinations

The Midterm and Final Examinations will consist of 5-7 short answer questions and a long essay.  You will have a choice of topics for the long essay. A week or so before each exam, I will distribute review questions that will help you study for the short answer questions. The Final Exam will not be cumulative. You are responsible for bringing a blue book to the midterm and the final.

Paper Assignments

The two paper assignments will focus on the supplementary readings.  Generally, there will be a choice of topics, which will be handed out two weeks before the due date.  You will write your first paper based on one of the first two assigned books: Children of the City or Growing Up.  You will write your second paper based on one of the last two assigned books: Coming of Age in Mississippi or Hip Hop America.  If you wish, you may do both first paper options and I will count the higher grade.  Likewise, you may do both of the second paper options and I will again count the higher grade. Those who do all four papers will be reported as Sadists.

 

On Writing Papers…

 

~Papers must be FOUR complete pages with reasonable margins in New Times Roman font.  

 

~You may email me your paper as an attachment. In fact, I encourage you to do this since it is the best way to insure that your paper does not get lost.

 

~Late papers will be penalized unless you have a seemingly legitimate excuse or can formulate one entertaining enough to make me laugh out loud.

 

Your paper grades will be based on the quality of your ideas and how effectively you present them.  Though I will make grammar and spelling corrections on your papers, you are not being graded on grammar and spelling per se.  Still, a poorly written paper usually fails to convey ideas effectively, so in this sense good writing does matter.  There is no way of separating “the writing” from “the ideas.”  Keep your graded papers and refer back to my corrections so you do not make the same mistakes again.

 

If you do not have much experience writing papers, you should make use of the Writing Center.  The Writing Center is in the Student Services Building.  You can make a half hour appointment with a writing counselor by calling 677-2033 or signing up at the appointment desk in Room 414.  If you can provide proof (i.e. a signed note) that a Writing Center counselor has gone over your paper with you, I will give you 3 extra points on your paper grade.

 

You should not hesitate to ask me for assistance.  I have extensive experience in teaching writing skills and am willing to work with you on an individual basis to improve your essays. Similarly, the TA is also available to help you with your writing.

 

Surviving History 271…

 

Doing Well

This is an introductory GE course, it isn’t Rocket Science. As one student evaluation put it, “If you do the reading, study for the tests, and pay attention in class, it’s pretty easy to do well.  On the other hand, if you don’t do the reading, don’t come to class, and don’t study, you’ll probably fail.” That pretty much sums it up.

Attendance

Since active student participation is crucial to the class’s success, you are expected to be at every meeting. I do take attendance.  Frequent absences will dramatically lower your course grade.  If you are a person who rarely attends class and relies on copying notes from a friend, you would be best served by registering for another section of History 271.

Common Courtesy

Since I assume your parents have taught you good manners, most of this should go without saying, but I put it in writing here so that there will be no misunderstanding.  Please turn off all cell phones and pagers while you are in class.  Please arrive on time and do not walk out in the middle of class unless it is an emergency or you have spoken to me about it ahead of time.  Refrain from using crude language in class and in your papers – it is only an advertisement of ignorance. Do not talk or read the newspaper in class since it is rude and a distraction to your classmates who are paying good money to be here. If you are acting rudely, don’t be surprised if I ask you to leave the room. Save yourself the embarrassment – act courteously.  

Academic Honesty

This, too, should go without saying, but, unfortunately, academic dishonesty is a fact of life.  Do not lie to me about why you missed class or failed to turn in an assignment. It is unnecessary and it insults my intelligence.  Do not cheat on quizzes or tests.  I will catch you and you will receive an automatic zero for the assignment.  Do not plagiarize from written sources or from the web.  Since plagiarism is always obvious and easily caught, it is better to hand in your own work and get a C- than someone else’s and get an F.  If you have plagiarized in the past and gotten away with it, it was not because the professor didn’t know what you were doing, but because the professor did not think you were worth the effort it would take to prove plagiarism.  Be advised: I do think you are worth the effort.  Any and all plagiarized assignments will receive a grade of zero and put you in jeopardy of failing the course.  If you are unsure what plagiarism is, please consult with me or the teaching assistant BEFORE handing in an assignment.

Problems

If you are feeling overwhelmed, find yourself falling behind, or are having any problems outside of class that are adversely affecting your performance in class, be sure to let me know.  Do not wait until the end of the semester when it will be too late.  I am more than willing to work with you to insure you “survive,” but I need to know you are having difficulties.  Do not assume I will allow you to withdraw from class late in the semester simply because you are doing poorly.  Come to see me or send an email as soon as a problem arises and we can work something out.  If you are struggling academically, I will gladly give you extra help.

Attention Freshmen

Contrary to what you may have heard about professors in large state universities, I go out of my way to be available for students on a one-on-one basis, so if you need advice or help, even if your problem is not directly related to the course, do not hesitate to email me or set up an appointment.  Students who make the effort to get to know their professors end up getting far more from their college education.

 

Schedule of Topics and Assignments

 

Unit One: 1865-1900

“Building the Foundations of Modern America

 

Major Topics

1. The legacy of Reconstruction on race relations.

2. The modernization of the United States during the late 19th Century – be it through industrialization, westward expansion, or urbanization.

3. The significance of growing divisions between capital and labor and the government response to these divisions.

4. Who defines what “progress” is? Who benefits from “progress?” Who suffers?

 

Questions

1. To what extent did Reconstruction improve the life of African-Americans in the South? Why have people (both at the time and in hindsight) been so critical of Reconstruction?

2.  In what ways are advances in technology, westward expansion, and urbanization linked?  How did each help bring about the other?

3. Why did labor-management relations grow increasingly strained during this period? What did the government do to ease or worsen these tensions?

4.  How did industrialists such as Vanderbilt and Carnegie define “progress?”  How did workers and Populists define “progress?”  How did their visions of what constituted the “good society” differ?

 

Schedule

 

The reading listed for each day should be completed BEFORE you arrive at class.

 

Tues. 24 Aug.       Introduction:  An explanation of course objectives, mechanics, and procedures.

                            

Thurs. 26 Aug.      “Reuniting the Union: Reconstruction in the North and South”

                             Reading: Henretta, Chapter 15

 

Tues. 31 Aug.       “Reconstruction’s Legacy: What exactly got Reconstructed?”

Reading: Jim Cullen, “Reconstructing Dixie: Confederate Mythology in Rock’n’Roll

STUDY QUESTIONS

 

Thurs. 2 Sept.       Lightin’ Out for the Territories: Westward expansion and the vanishing Frontier”

       Reading: Henretta, Chapter 16

 

Tues.  7 Sept.       “Industry and Labor: Poor Fellers, Rich Fellers, and Rockefellers”

Reading: Henretta, Chapter 17

 

Thurs. 9 Sept.       “Life in the Big City: The Challenge of Urbanization and Immigration”

                             Reading: Henretta, Chapter 19

 

QUIZ #1 on Lecture Material and Henretta, Chs. 15-17 and 19

 

Tues. 14 Sept.      “The Era of Good Stealings: Gilded Age Politics and the Rise of the City Boss”

                             Reading: Henretta, pp. 516-535

                     

Thurs. 16 Sept.     “A Workingman’s Democracy? – The Farmer-Labor Response to Industrialism”

                             Reading: Henretta, pp. 536-544

**Begin reading Nasaw, Children of the City **

 

Unit Two: 1900-1945

“War, Reform, and the Rise of Mass Culture”

 

Major Topics

1. The United States’ increasing stature as a world power.

2. The expanding role of government (primarily the federal government) in people’s everyday lives.

3. The relationship between war and social change.

4. The development of “mass culture” and its effects on American society.

 

Questions

1. Did the United States make an active push to become a world power or was this a responsibility thrust on the country as a result of outside forces?

2. What did reformers during the Progressive and New Deal eras hope to accomplish, and how were their strategies for achieving their goals similar or different? How did each group envision the role of government and what constituted a good society?

3. What is the relationship between war and social change? Does war provide an opportunity for creating a more equitable and just society?  Or does it prevent such advancements and put further limits on liberty and opportunity?

4. What do we mean by “mass culture”? Did the rise of a new mass culture break down divisions of class, race, region, and gender? Or were there ways it enhanced these divisions? Did mass culture create a generation gap?

 

Schedule

 

Tues. 21 Sept.      “The New Empire and its ‘Splendid Little War’”

     Reading: Henretta, Chapter 21

 

Thurs. 23 Sept.     “Rebellion Against Victorianism: The Rise of a New Mass Culture”

     Reading: Kathy Peiss, “The Coney Island Excursion”

     Film: Coney Island

 

Tues. 28 Sept.      “Toward a Managed Society: The Progressives’ Response to Industrialism”

Reading: Henretta, Chapter 20

 

Thurs. 30 Sept.     “Growing up in the Progressive Era”

Reading: Nasaw, Children of the City

CLICK FOR STUDY QUESTIONS

 

                        QUIZ #2 on Children of the City

                        **PAPER ASSIGNMENT DUE**

 

Tues. 5 Oct.     “Over There and Over Here: American and the Great War”

Reading: Henretta, pp. 634-653

 

Thurs. 7 Oct.   “Saving the World for Democracy: Woodrow Wilson and the League of Nations

Reading: Henretta, pp. 654-661

 

Tues. 12 Oct.   “‘Flaming Youth:’ Flappers, Sheiks, and the Roaring ‘20s”

Reading: F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Bernice Bobs Her Hair”

              James R. Petersen, The Century of Sex, Ch. 3

                        Film: “Our Dancing Daughters” (1928)

                        ** Begin reading Baker, Growing Up **

 

Thurs. 14 Oct. “Keeping Cool with Coolidge: American Society in the 1920s”

                        Reading: Henretta, Chapter 23

 

Tues. 19 Oct.   MIDTERM EXAMINATION

 

Thurs. 21 Oct. “What went wrong? – The Origins of the Great Depression”

                        Reading: Henretta, Chapter 24

 

Tues. 26 Oct.   “Happy Days Are Here Again? – Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal”

Reading: Henretta, Chapter 25

 

Thurs. 28 Oct. “Something will come Along – One Boy’s view of Depression America”

                        Reading: Baker, Growing Up

 

                        QUIZ #3 on Growing Up

                        **PAPER ASSIGNMENT DUE**

         

Tues 2 Nov.      “The World at War: World War II at Home and Abroad”

Reading: Henretta, Chapter 26

**Begin reading Moody, Coming of Age in Mississippi, Chapters 1-4, 10-12, 18-end**

 

 

Unit Three: 1945-2004

“Cold War, Social Change, and New Challenges”

 

Major Topics

1. The significance of anti-communism not only as a guiding force in the formulation of American foreign policy but also as a central element of postwar American culture.

2. The rise and decline of postwar liberalism and its accompanying view that an activist federal government can and should solve the problems of society.

3. The strategies of social movements as they sought to bring about reform.

4. The new challenges facing the United States at home and abroad in the post-cold war era

 

Questions

1. How did tensions between the US and USSR in the international arena shape the development of American postwar society?  Did US foreign and domestic policies share common assumptions?

2. If you were a “liberal” in postwar America, what basic ideas and ideals did you believe? What basic ideas and ideals did you believe in if you were a “conservative?”

3. How did the civil rights movement change American society?  In what ways does the rise of hip-hop reflect these changes?

4. How has the end of the cold war and the aftereffects of the 9/11 attacks affected the United States’ position in the world?

 

Schedule

 

Thurs. 4 Nov.   “Anxiety, Anti-communism, Affluence, and Alienation: American in the ‘50s”

                        Reading: Henretta, Chapters 27-28

                  

Tues. 9 Nov.     “The Rebel Fifties: Bohemians, Beats, Brando, and the King”

                        Reading: Robert Pielke, “Elvis Presley and the Negation of the Fifties”

                        Film: Clips from “Rebel Without a Cause,” “The Wild One,” and “Elvis 1956”

                           

Thurs. 11 Nov. “Shall We Overcome? The Struggle for Black Equality”

Reading: Moody, Coming of Age in Mississippi, Chapters 1-4, 10-12, 18-end.

CLICK FOR STUDY QUESTIONS

 

                    QUIZ #4 on Coming of Age in Mississippi

                   **PAPER ASSIGNMENT DUE**

                  

Tues. 16 Nov.   “A Promising Time: The Sixties Before Dallas

Reading: Henretta, Chapter 29

 

Thurs. 18 Nov. “Countercurrents and Counterculture: A Society in Turmoil”

Reading: Henretta, Chapter 29

 

Tues. 23 Nov.   “The Exhaustion of Liberalism and the Ascendance of Ronald Reagan”

                        Reading: Henretta, Chapter 30     

 

Thurs. 25 Nov.      THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

 

Tues. 30 Dec.   “Prurience and Prosperity: The Clinton ‘90s”

                        Reading: Henretta, Chapters 30, 31

 

Thurs. 2 Dec.   Youth Culture in the Post-cold war World

Reading: George, Hip Hop America (You may skip chapters 2, 6, 7, and 9)

CLICK FOR STUDY QUESTIONS

 

                             QUIZ #5 on George, Hip Hop America

                             **PAPER ASSIGNMENT DUE**

 

 

 

FINAL EXAMINATION 12:45 pm – 2:45 pm Thursday, December 9, 2004