AMERICAN HISTORY II

                                                            U.S. History since 1865

                                       History H106 - Section C399 or C428 (3 credits)

                                Fall 2002, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:00am to 12:15pm

                                                              Cavanaugh Hall 217

 

 

Instructor:         Dr. Nancy M. Robertson                      Office: Cavanaugh Hall 504N

Office Hours:   Tuesdays 12:30pm-1:30pm              phone/voice mail: 317/274-8017

                        Wednesdays, 4pm to 5pm                 fax: 317/278-7800

                        and by appointment                              e-mail address: nmrobert@iupui.edu

 

“The problem with history is that it’s written by college professors about great men.  That’s not what history is.  History’s a hell of a lot of little people getting together and deciding they want a better life for themselves and their children.” Bill Talcott in Studs Terkel, Working

 

 

I.      COURSE DESCRIPTION

II.     COURSE OBJECTIVES

III.    REQUIRED BOOKS

IV.   COURSE REQUIREMENTS

V.    COURSE POLICIES

VI.   CLASSROOM GUIDELINES

VII.  A FEW HINTS FOR DOING WELL

VIII. LOGISTICS

IX.   SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS

X.    FIRST ASSIGNMENT

 

 

                                    I. COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

            History 106 is a survey of American history from the end of the Civil War (1865) until the present (2002).  There are a number of ways that different historians approach the study of history.  This class relies on a “social history” approach.  Social history is sometimes referred to as “history from the bottom up” because it looks at the daily lives of average people to understand the larger social forces that shaped their lives.  Social historians also look at how those “average” people worked to change those forces and their society.  To understand the history of the United States, you need to analyze both individual people and the larger trends they were part of.  We will focus on the historical trends of expansion, economic development, urbanization, changes in legal and civil rights, immigration and migration, and government intervention.

 

            There are three sets of questions that we will pay particular attention to:

<                      What are the relationships between: different groups of Americans?  different regions of the country?  the United States and the rest of the world?

<                      How have Americans understood the role of government (especially the federal government)?  What did different people think that the role of government should be?

<                      How do people change their society?  How do they make history?

 

            Classes will include discussion as well as lectures.  Reading assignments will include a variety of primary sources including several autobiographies.  The material is to be read for the class that is listed on the syllabus.  You should come prepared to talk about the issues raised by the readings and lectures.

 

 

                                     II. COURSE OBJECTIVES

 

            Lectures, discussions, and written assignments are designed to help students learn how to analyze documents from the past, take a position on a historical question, use evidence to support it, and express their insights to others.  Gaining these abilities helps not only in understanding American history, but also in improving critical thinking and communication skills essential to doing well both in school and in the future.  A goal of this course is to assist students in developing their analytical and writing skills.  I, therefore, count improvement in your work.

 

            Survey courses can feel overwhelming because of the amount of material covered in the course.  Someone once complained that “History is just one darn thing after another.”  The emphasis in this course is less on memorizing dates and names and more on using that information to develop reading and writing skills to analyze why things happened.  Such analytical skills allow the student to better understand the present as well as the past.

 

These course objectives relate to the “Principles of Undergraduate Learning” developed to identify what all IUPUI students are expected to have mastered by graduation.  You can find more about the Principles at:                                                           http://www.iupui.edu/~history/principlesundergradlearning.htm

 

 

                                                         III. REQUIRED BOOKS

 

            These can be purchased at the bookstore in Cavanaugh Hall or at Follett’s.  In a pinch, there is a copy of each on Reserve in the Library.  You MUST bring W&B or 1st PERSON to class when they appear on the syllabus for that session.  You may also want to bring the textbook (DIVINE).

<          Robert A. Divine, et al., America: Past and Present, brief 5th ed., v.2 (New York: Longman, 2002) [referred to as DIVINE].

On Reserve, you will a copy of this book and also Divine, et al., America: Past and Present, long 6th edition, both v.I and v.II if you want more information.

<          Marian J. Morton & Russell Duncan, eds., First Person Past: American Autobiographies, v. II (St. James. NY: Brandywine Press, 1994) [referred to as 1st PERSON].

<          William Bruce Wheeler and Susan D. Becker, eds., Discovering the American Past: a look at the evidence, v.II since 1865, 5th ed. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2002) [you must have this edition; referred to as W&B].

 

 

                                  IV. COURSE REQUIREMENTS

 

            The following is an overview of the assignments for the course with due dates.  They are also listed on the class schedule below.  A more detailed explanation for each will be handed out and we will discuss the assignments in class before they are due.  Written assignments are due at the START of class.

 

<          Assignments based on the chapters from W&B; these are due Tues, Sept. 3; Thurs, Sept. 19; Tues, Oct. 8; Thurs, Oct. 24;, Tues, Nov. 12; and Tues, Nov. 19.

            These assignments will ask you to provide progressively more information for, or analysis of, the historical question and evidence in six chapters in W&B.  The written work will also help you prepare for class discussion of the chapter (together, these will account for a total of 25% of final grade).

 

<          A short answer (1-2 paragraphs) to a question about three of the ten people that we will read in 1st PERSON.  The question will be up on ONCOURSE.  You may answer more than three questions, and I will count your three strongest answers (together, these will account for a total of 10% of final grade).

 

<          One long paper (approximately 5 to 6 pages, i.e., 1250 to 1500 words), based on two of the individuals in 1st PERSON, supplemented by other class materials.  We will discuss this further in class.  The paper is due Tues, Nov. 26 at the start of class.  There may be interim assignments to break writing the paper down into steps.  (Altogether, these steps will count for 20% of your final grade.)

 

<          Midterm examination, scheduled for Thursday, October 17 (20% of final grade).

<          Final examination, scheduled for Tuesday, December 10 (20% of final grade).

            Please note that the “Schedule for Finals” in the purple “Class Schedule” is wrong!!

 

            Both exams will include an essay question (or questions) as well as a short-answer or multiple-choice part.  A study guide will be handed out ahead of time.

 

<          Completion of reading by the assigned date, pass/fail assignments, reading quizzes, ungraded written assignments in class, and participation in class discussions.  Each person starts off with a B- for this portion of the course grade.  You can raise this grade by participating thoughtfully in class. Thoughtful participation includes being prepared and contributing useful questions, ideas, or opinions.  Likewise, this portion of your grade can be lowered if you miss these assignments or do not participate in class.  If you feel too shy to talk in class, come and see me and I can give you some helpful hints (5% of your final grade).

 

<          Regular attendance for the full class period is expected in this class.  You are allowed three (3) absences in the course of the semester.  You do not have to offer a reason or an excuse for your absence.  The three absences allow for emergencies, family needs, celebrations, or job requirements.  For each absence beyond three, your grade for class participation may be lowered (i.e., if you were going to get a B+ for class participation, and you are absent 4 times, you would get a B; if you are absent 5 times, you would get a B-, etc.).  Frequent tardiness or early departures may also affect this part of your grade.

 

            In the case of a severe illness or other prolonged difficulty, I will need official documentation.

 

                                      V. COURSE POLICIES

 

EXTENSIONS FOR ASSIGNMENTS:

 

            Extensions for due dates for assignments are granted only if you contact me BEFORE the deadline.  Extensions are not automatically given.  You should be sure to get from me IN WRITING a note indicating that I agreed to the later date; that note must be included with your paper when you hand it in.

 

LATE OR MISSED WORK:

 

            Material that is handed in after the due date (or extended due date) will generally be marked down for each day it is late.  Days means days of the week, not class sessions.

 

            Make-up exams are offered only at the discretion of the professor.

 

REWRITING PAPERS:

 

            If you want to rewrite an assignment, you MUST:

<                      Speak with me first.

<                      Hand in the original version when you submit the rewrite (and any comments I made).

 

INTELLECTUAL HONESTY:

 

            Developing your intellectual skills is possible only when you actually do the work assigned.  We will have a longer discussion of intellectual work, academic integrity, and plagiarism.  Plagiarism and cheating will result in an “F” for the work in question and possible disciplinary action by the University.  The University’s policy on plagiarism, as stated in the IUPUI Campus Bulletin, 2000-2002 (p.36) is:

 

A student must not adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person without an appropriate acknowledgment.  A student must give due credit to the originality of others and acknowledge an indebtedness whenever he or she does any of the following:

a.  Quotes another person’s actual words, either oral or written;

b.  Paraphrases another person’s words, either oral or written;

c.  Uses another person’s idea opinion, or theory; or

d.  Borrows facts, statistics, or other material, unless that information is common knowledge.

 

For more information, you can find the IUPUI Student Code of Conduct on line at:

            http://life.iupui.edu/dos/code.htm

 

            You may also talk with me if you have questions about what is or is not permissible.

 

INCOMPLETES:

 

            IUPUI’s policy on incompletes is that they are only for students who have completed almost all of the course requirements and have been prevented by significant or unanticipated events from finishing the class.

 

WITHDRAWING FROM CLASSES:

 

            If you decide to drop the class, please note that you must submit an official “drop slip” to the registrar (signed by the appropriate people).  University policy requires assigning an “F” to a student who stops showing up even if that student has told the professor that she or he plans to withdraw.

 

 

                                 VI. CLASSROOM GUIDELINES

 

            To enhance the learning process for all students in this course, there are a few basic guidelines that will govern classroom etiquette.

 

            Class discussions will go better and be more interesting and useful if students keep up with the reading (indicated on the schedule below for each session).

 

            Please bring to class the syllabus, handouts about upcoming assignments, and the books (other than DIVINE) that are listed for each class session.

 

            We will start and end each class on time.  If circumstance mean that you must arrive to class late or leave early, please do so with a minimal amount of disruption.  In this classroom, it is particularly difficult to arrive late and find a seat without disrupting other students.  We will go by the clock inside this room.

 

            Please turn off or mute cell phones, pagers, and beepers before class begins.

 

            I welcome questions at any time (although I may sometimes put you “on hold” until I conclude a particular point or topic).  I do not, however, welcome private conversations between class members while I am lecturing or your classmates are talking.  In addition to being rude, such conversations are distracting for other members of the class.

 

            The ability to take good notes is a useful skill, and one that improves with practice.  I, therefore, ask that students not record my lectures.  If a physical disability prevents you from taking notes without a tape recorder, please visit the office of Adaptive Educational Services in CA-001E and have them contact me.  You can reach them at 274-3241.

 

 

               VII. A FEW HINTS FOR DOING WELL (in this and other courses)

 

            Come to class.  You may have to miss a class very occasionally (see above for my attendance policy).  I strongly encourage you to find someone who will share notes with you if you miss class.  You will usually find that other people’s notes are rarely a replacement for being in class.

 

            Lectures, discussions, the primary sources, and the textbook will be mutually reinforcing ways to gain control over information and begin to understand key questions about what happened and why.  Class discussion depends on students having read and thought about the W&B and 1st PERSON reading assignments.

 

            Participate in class.  This includes being prepared and asking questions or contributing informed ideas or opinions.

 

            If you are hesitant about asking questions during class, come see me in my office hours or e-mail me.  Generally, if you have a question about the material you have read or something that was said in class, other people may as well.  If you ask the question, they will benefit from the answer; you may benefit from a follow-up question they ask.

 

            Get to know some of your fellow students.  They will be able to tell you about a class that you miss.  You can also study together for examinations.

 

            I cannot stress too heavily the usefulness of planning ahead, saving work on your computer OFTEN, making backups (on diskettes), and printing out your paper early.

 

            Read over comments that I make on your writing (and any handout with comments about the assignment).  Understanding what I thought was strong about your work or what could be improved will help you when you write your next assignment.

 

            Your tuition and fees pay for the Writing Center (CA 427; 274-2049; grammar hotline 274-3000).  Make use of it.  Appointments are usually required and it gets busy around exam time.  They have the time and skills to work with you one-on-one to improve your writing.

            Learn how to use textbooks as a resource.  You may find it help to read the textbook (DIVINE) carefully once and skim it once.  If you read it before the class session, it will help you understand what is going to be covered.  Skimming it after the class lecture or discussion will give you additional information related to the issues and themes covered during class.  While sometimes dry, a textbook can be a useful tool for organizing a lot of information (using its index may help you find an answer quickly, for instance).

 

        Information for this class will be posted on ONCOURSE. [Please note that if you are in section C428, I have added you to the roster for section C399.]  This will include a copy of the overview for the lecture, announcements to the class, changes in the syllabus or due dates, some handouts, e-mail, etc.  I expect that all students in this class will access ONCOURSE regularly.  If you are unable to do so, please contact me to make alternate arrangements.  Generally, I will post materials for Tuesday’s class by 7pm the preceding Friday and for Thursday’s class by 7pm the preceding Tuesday.  I encourage you to set your ONCOURSE options to let you know when you have ONCOURSE mail.

 

 

                                          VIII. LOGISTICS

 

            It is your responsibility to check classmates and ONCOURSE for materials from a class you miss.  You need to contact me as soon as possible to make arrangements for late written work.

 

            If you need to submit an assignment to me outside of class (either by bringing it to my office or by e-mailing it to me), you should bring a hard copy with you the next time you come to class unless I e-mail you that I received the paper.  E-mail does not always get through and papers can get lost; you need to be sure that I receive your paper.

 

        KEEP A BACK-UP COPY OF ANY WRITTEN WORK THAT YOU DO NOT WANT TO REWRITE.

 

            You are entitled to an e-mail account through IUPUI.  I realize that many of you prefer to use another provider for e-mail and web work.  The University encourages you to set up your IUPUI account to forward information to your other accounts.  It means that you can easily access information from the University.  If you need help setting up the account or forwarding mail, contact:

            https://iupui-accts.iupui.edu/students/student.html

 

            Please note that, according to University policy, you are, ultimately, responsible for activity on your computer account.

 

            I have voice mail that is on twenty-four hours a day.  You are welcome to call me should you need to do so.  If you leave a phone message, speak slowly and clearly, provide a phone number where you can be reached, and state times when you will be at that number.  I will respond to e-mail or voice mail messages within 48 hours (except for messages sent after 12:00 noon on Friday, to which I may not respond until sometime late Monday).

 

             FYI: There is a University web page that will let you know if the campus is closed for snow:                                                                                    http://registrar.iupui.edu/adverseweather.html

 

You can also call: 317/278-1600

 

 

                                           IX. SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS

 

PLEASE NOTE:  The syllabus is tentative and subject to change.  Adjustments will be announced in class and posted on ONCOURSE and it is the responsibility of the student to stay on top of changes.

 

8/22:   Introductions, overview of course objectives, requirements, themes, and the syllabus.

            Who are we and how did we get here?

 

 

                BUILDING AND RE-BUILDING A NATION, 1860s-1890s

                                                  How did the U.S. become united?

 

8/27:   Reconstruction: How did people rebuild a nation?—DIVINE, ch. 16.

            Answers to the questions about the cartoon DUE.

8/29:   Emancipation: What is equality?—1st PERSON, Campbell.

 

9/3:      How do people get change when the government will not help?—W&B, ch. 2.

        W&B assignment #1 DUE.

9/5:      The West: What was the role of the West in U.S. history?—DIVINE, ch. 17 & 1st PERSON, Black Elk.

 

9/10:   Industrialization, pt. 1: How did the bosses understand the tensions?—DIVINE, ch. 18 to p.413 and 1st PERSON, Carnegie.

9/12:   Industrialization, pt. 2: How did workers understand the tensions?—DIVINE, ch. 18: p.414-end; ch. 20: p.452 (“The Crisis of the Depression”) to p.456 (including “Everybody Works But Father”); and 1st PERSON, Jones.

 

 

                        AMERICA and THE WORLD, 1890s-1920s

                                               What does it mean to be an American?

 

9/17:   Urbanization & Immigration: Who is an American?—DIVINE, ch. 19 and 1st PERSON, Antin.

9/19:   Imperialism: Why did the U.S. expand overseas?—DIVINE, ch. 21 (esp. maps pp.478-479) and W&B, ch. 4.

        W&B assignment #2 DUE.

 

9/24:   Progressivism:  What are the problems of a modern society?—DIVINE, ch. 22.

9/26:   Why did people want government involved?— DIVINE, ch. 23 and 1st PERSON, Howe.

10/1:   Who gained the most (and why?)—1st PERSON, Shaw.

10/3:   World War I: “Over There”: How was the U.S. connected to the world?—DIVINE, ch. 24.

 

10/8:   World War I: Over Here: How did WWI affect the country?—W&B, ch. 5.

            W&B assignment #3 DUE.

10/10: The 1920s: What is your image of the 1920s?—DIVINE, ch. 25.

 

 

                          HARD TIMES and WARS, 1930s-1950s

                                            How did America become a superpower?

 

10/15: The Great Depression: What Happened?—DIVINE, ch. 26: pp.574-579 and 1st PERSON, Guthrie.

10/17:  MIDTERM (covering the material through 10/10–the 1920s).

 

10/22: The New Deal, pt. 1: What should government do in hard times?—DIVINE, ch. 26: p.579-end; the chart on pp.590-591 is very helpful.

10/24: The New Deal, pt. 2: Who supported the New Deal (and why?)—W&B, ch. 7.

W&B assignment #4 DUE.

 

10/29: World War II: the World at War: How did the U.S. affect the war?—DIVINE, ch. 27: esp. pp.597-612 and 616-end.

10/31: World War II: the Homefront: How did the war affect the U.S.?—DIVINE, ch. 27: esp. pp.612-615 and 1st PERSON, Sone.

 

11/5:   Cold War America: How did the U.S./U.S.S.R. relations shape the world?—DIVINE, ch. 28.

            ELECTION DAY!!

11/7:   The Affluent Society: What is the American way of life?—DIVINE, ch. 29 to p.656.

 

 

                            OTHER VISIONS OF AMERICA, 1950s-the present

                                        What were the challenges to the American Way?

 

11/12: Other Americas: Who was left out of the affluent society?—DIVINE, the rest of ch. 29 and W&B, ch. 9.

        W&B assignment #5 DUE.

            Last day to withdraw from Fall 2002 classes.

11/14: The 1960s: What was the impact of the civil rights movement on all Americans’ efforts to change things?—DIVINE, ch. 30.

 

11/19: Vietnam: How does this war affect the country?—In addition to relevant pages in DIVINE, ch.30 & 31, read W&B, ch. 10; 1st PERSON, Kovic is optional.

            W&B assignment #6 DUE.

11/21: The 1970s, one view: Why was there a “crisis in confidence?”—DIVINE, ch. 31.

 

11/26: The 1970s, another view: What else was happening?—review DIVINE, ch. 31.

            Long paper DUE.

11/28: NO CLASS—Thanksgiving.

 

12/3:   The Reagan-Bush I Years: What was the Reagan Revolution?—DIVINE, ch. 32.

12/5:   What is the future of America?  How will people in the future look at our time?—DIVINE, ch. 33.

            Course review.

 

                                                         FINAL EXAMINATION

 

Tues. 12/10:    FINAL EXAMINATION: 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

                        The time is different, but the location will be the same as the class.

 

NOTE THE SCHEDULE FOR EXAMS IN THE PURPLE “Schedule of Classes” is WRONG.  Do NOT go by it.  If there is a conflict between this exam and that for another class, make sure that professor is going by the “corrected” exam schedule.

 

 

                                  X.  THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT

                           QUESTIONS FOR THE CARTOON HANDED OUT

 

i         What are three things that you notice in the cartoon?

 

i         What is one thing that you think needs to be explained (either a question you have or something you know is important)?

 

i         What do you think the illustrator (Thomas Nast) wanted people to think or feel when they looked at this image (and why)?