Additional Materials

Introduction:

The American West is a region characterized at once by its physical setting, the historical processes and cultural interactions that have occurred there, and the set of meanings American culture has ascribed to the region. It is home to a highly diverse set of peoples and cultures who have been interacting with one another for years, decades, even centuries. It is described by physical and political boundaries (the Mississippi River, the Pacific Ocean, and borders with Canada and Mexico) and by imaginative constructs (the "frontier," the "Wild West," and mythic personae like the Marlboro Man who inhabit such places). In an upper-level class such as this we cannot hope to cover all of western history, especially in one semester. Instead, we will limit ourselves to the 19^th and 20^th centuries, and take advantage of the Eiteljorg’s resources to focus on a few specific themes that carry throughout the region’s history. We will concentrate on 1) the American West as a cultural crossroads, where people have interacted along the lines of culture, ethnicity, race, and gender; 2) the formation of ethnic communities and identities within the West; and 3) representations of the above. Western art, fiction, and memoirs are just a few kinds of representations that have not only described the region to the nation, but also constantly influenced the history of that region. Throughout the course of the semester we will study how the cultural crossroads of the West and images of the West have interacted to create the West that we know today.

Books:

• Valerie Matsumoto and Blake Allmendinger eds, Over the Edge: Remapping the American West (1999)
• Mabel Dodge Luhan, Edge of Taos Desert: An Escape to Reality (reprint, 1987)
• Rudolfo A. Anaya, Bless Me, Ultima (reprint, 1995)
• Greg Sarris, Mabel McKay (1994)

A short written assignment, 3-5 pages in length, due September 11. See writing guidelines handout for general hints, and "History Paper Guidelines" on the web for more specific hints. Topic: Based only on your previous perceptions and a viewing of the Eiteljorg collection’s paintings (don’t read the interpretive signs—you can look at the painter, the title, and dates only), how would you characterize the West and its race relations/cultural interactions? (5%)

A short midterm exam, that will consist of identifications and short answer questions and cover lecture, discussion, and reading material from the first part of the semester. (10%)

A research paper, 10-12 pages in length, in which you analyze some primary source or text in relation to course themes and existing secondary sources. (35%) This grade will include performance on a number of preliminary steps (see schedule of assignments) and a draft due October 23 as well as the final product, due November 20.

A final exam, consisting of identifications from the later part of the course and a cumulative essay, that will cover class lectures, discussions, and course reading. (30%)

Active participation in discussion and general signs of life. This is an integral part of this course as well as the process of learning, and will be weighted accordingly. Participation does not just mean talking, it means being prepared and adding informed opinions or insight. Your grade for participation will thus depend more on the quality and consistency of your contributions to our discussion than on their mere frequency. If you are painfully shy, come see me and I can give you some helpful hints. (20%)

Attendance is mandatory, especially since we meet only once a week. Since emergencies plague even the most diligent, however, you may miss up to two classes without penalty, no questions asked or excuses required. *For each and every class missed past two, your final course grade will be dropped by one third of a letter grade (from a B+ to a B, for instance). Perfect attendance will reflect well upon you, of course.

I expect you to meet deadlines and due dates. If you have a problem, come talk to me BEFORE the deadline, otherwise I will need documentation of illness or other emergency. Unless we have reached an alternate agreement, late assignments will be marked down 1/3 of a letter grade for each day they are late. Plan ahead, save your work often, make back up copies, and print out your papers early. Avoid intellectual dishonesty at all costs—plagiarism, cheating, and the like will result in a grade of zero on the work in question and perhaps disciplinary action from the university. (See the Indiana University Academic Handbook, p. 123 or come see me if you have questions. Also come see me or email me if you have other questions, need help, or want to discuss class.

In order to cover an expanse of western history and analyze course themes in depth, we will move during the semester from a chronological approach to a topical approach, and end by discussing different genres of representation. Each class will move us farther chronologically, but will also give us a different analytical perspective. In other words, we won’t be marching neatly through time but we will talk about lots of exciting ideas, and by the end of the course you should have a solid grasp of western history in most of its glory.

Paper Guidelines

History Department Guidelines for Papers