American History, 1865-present (H106)

Fall, 2000

Steve Cox
CA 217 Saturdays, Noon-2:40

History 106 is an introductory course to the American experience since 1865. Our efforts this semester will focus on the many challenges--social, economic, and political--facing the American people during this period of enormous change.

Required Texts

Grades

Grades will be based on the following breakdown:

First Exam        25% Second Exam 25%
Final exam 30% Paper      20%

The three exams will be essay and short answer, based on both the text (Norton) and lectures. I will supply a study guide prior to each exam. While I do not make specific weekly assignments in Norton, I am assuming you will have read chapters 17-20 by Sept. 30, chapters 21-24 by Nov. 4, and chapters 30, 31, 32, 33 by Dec. 16. A short paper due on Oct. 21 will focus on issues raised in Washington and DuBois (Three Negro Classics).

Reading Schedule and Lecture Topics

Aug   26 Introduction to class; Reconstruction
Sept    2 Agriculture/Industrialization
9 Industrialization/Immigration
16 Labor/Politics
23 1890s watershed and America Overseas
30 First Exam (Norton, chs. 17-20 and lecture notes)
Oct      7 Progressivism
14 Progressivism; TR and the World
21 Paper due; the world of Washington and DuBois; 1920s
28 1920s, Hoover and FDR
Nov 4 Second Exam (Norton, Chs. 21-24 and lecture notes)
11 Depression and New Deal
18 Hiroshima due World War II and early postwar years
25 Thanksgiving break - - No Class
Dec     2 Nuclear world, Cold War; politics in the 50s and 60s
9 Domestic Crises and Foreign Realignments
16 Final Exam (Norton, Chs. 30, 31, 32,33 and lecture notes)