Representative Americans
Undergraduate: History A390 - Section C412 (3 credits)
Graduate: History H511 - Section C435 (3 credits)
Fall 2003, Mondays,
Cavanaugh Hall 219
Instructor: Dr. Nancy M. Robertson
Office: Cavanaugh Hall 503T
Office Hours: Mondays,
Tuesdays
and by appointment
phone/voice mail: 317/274-8017
e-mail address: please USE ONCOURSE
But in a pinch: nmrobert@iupui.edu
fax: 317/278-7800
“History’s great tradition is to help us understand ourselves and our world so that each of us, individually and in conjunction with our fellow men, can formulate relevant and reasoned alternatives and become meaningful actors in making history. Considered in this light, History is a way of learning.”
-William Appleman Williams
“We are historians because we like to tell stories about people who can’t talk back about us.”
-Susan M. Yohn
I.COURSE DESCRIPTION
II.COURSE OBJECTIVES
III.BOOKS
IV. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
V. COURSE POLICIES
VI. CLASSROOM GUIDELINES
VII. LOGISTICS
VII. SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS
I. COURSE DESCRIPTION
History A390/H511 uses the stories of individual Americans–some famous, some not–to cover American history from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Biographies and autobiographies–whether in book or film format–are two of the most common ways that people learn about past. As sources, they present exciting opportunities for history “to come alive,” yet there are also challenges to using them. At their best, they offer insights into the time period as well as the person. On the downside, one may be left with the “so what” question: how representative was/is this person of either larger groups or the time period?
Given that we have only 15
weeks, the list of people we can study is selective. I have structured this course around a
critical topic in
II. COURSE OBJECTIVES
Assignments in the course ask students to think about historical issues as well as questions about the usefulness of biographies (and autobiographies) for understanding those issues. Historical issues that will be examined include the following. How do we understand the relation between individuals and the society/ies in which they lived? How do people make history? How did different individuals (or groups) who lived at the same time understand, agree, and argue over the meaning of work and their relative positions? How do we write history to incorporate those viewpoints? In examining biographical sources, students will be asked to evaluate the accuracy and usefulness of the materials. What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of different kinds of sources? How do we understand a time period differently when we look at famous versus relatively unknown people? Can we trust the writer to be presenting the whole truth? What do we mean by truth?
http://www.iupui.edu/~history/principlesundergradlearning.htm
III. BOOKS
These can be purchased at the
Cavanaugh Hall Bookstore or Indy’s College Bookstore (near Starbucks):
Mark C. Carnes and John A. Garraty, American
Destiny: Narrative of a Nation (
Barbara Ehrenreich, Nickel and
Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in
Harold C. Livesay, Andrew Carnegie and the Rise of Big Business (New York: Longman, 1999; this is a reprint of the 1975 Harper Collins ed. which may also be used) [LIVESAY].
Marian J. Morton & Russell Duncan, ed. First Person Past: American Autobiographies, v.1
(St. James, NY: Brandywine Press, 1994) [FPP].
The following is optional and an excellent resource, but probably not necessary for this class.
Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th edition (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996) [usually referred to as Turabian].
IV. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
The following is an overview of the assignments for the course with point value and 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.
NOTE: There will not be a midterm
examination for the class and the regular final will be a take-home due the day
of the scheduled class final. There are
several smaller assignments rather than one large one, so plan your schedule
accordingly.
‘A one- to two-page essay on a current newstory and work and Benjamin Franklin; due September 8. (5 points)
‘A two- to three-page autobiographical essay on your experience with work, due September 15. (5 points)
‘Responses
to readings; these will be up to a paragraph.
There will be 10 to 15 opportunities for these; each is worth up to 2
points. These are due by
‘Two-page reaction to one of the videos shown in class; it is due by the start of the following class. (10 points)
‘Three- to four-page paper on Andrew Carnegie (questions will be provided). This is due October 27. (25 points)
‘Three-page paper comparing the textbook with the work experience of someone who worked during the 1940s [due November 10], the 1950s-1960s [due November 17], OR the 1970s-1980s [due November 24]. (15 points)
‘Comments on a classmate’s autobiography; due December 8. THIS IS NOT AN OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT and it cannot be late. (5 points)
‘Take-home final examination: four- to five-page revision of your autobiographical essay putting in the context of the course, due December 15 EXCEPT as noted below. (20 points)
‘Completion of reading by the assigned date, pass/fail assignments, reading quizzes, ungraded written assignments in class, and thoughtful participation in class discussions. Thoughtful participation includes being prepared and contributing useful questions, ideas, or opinions. Regular attendance for the full class period is expected in this class. You are allowed two (2) absences in the course of the semester without penalty to your grade (although you are expected to stay on top of the reading, films, and written work). You do not have to offer a reason or an excuse for your absence. These absences allow for emergencies, family needs, celebrations, or job requirements. In the case of a severe illness or other prolonged difficulty, I will need official documentation. (5 points)
If you are uncomfortable talking in class, contact me and I can give you some helpful hints.
If you miss more than two classes, I reserve the right to assign a comprehensive final examination so that you can demonstrate mastery of the material for the semester, including the classes you missed. This would be in lieu of the take-home examination and class participation and count for 25 points.
Notice that the possible point total is 110 points. Your grade will be awarded on the basis of:
97 and above A+
93-96 A
90-92 A-
87-89 B+
83-86 B
80-82 B-
77-79 C+
73-76 C
70-72 C-
67-69 D+
63-66 D
60-62 D
below 60 F
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. Please note that neither the reading responses nor the comment on a classmate’s paper will be accepted after the due date.
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 at least 75% 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, and books (other than CARNES) 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. LOGISTICS
Information for this class will be posted on ONCOURSE. 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 class by 7pm the preceding Wednesday. I encourage you to set your ONCOURSE options to let you know when you have ONCOURSE mail.
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:
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).
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.
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
VII. 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.
BIOGRAPHY and HISTORY
8/25: Introductions, overview of course objectives, requirements, and the syllabus.
In-class handout: “A Worker Reads History.”
9/1: No class - Labor Day. Inaugurated by the Knights of Labor in 1882. Congress made it a national holiday in 1894.
9/8: WORK AND REPRESENTATIVE AMERICANS
Read FPP: Benjamin Franklin and CARNES, ch. 3, ch. 8, and p.181.
Clip, read, and bring newspaper article on work.
DUE: paper on Benjamin Franklin, work, and today.
SLAVERY, “WAGE SLAVERY,” THE “SLAVERY OF WOMAN” and “FREE” LABOR
9/15: INDUSTRIALIZATION, pt. 1
Read FPP: Harriet Robinson & Harriet A. Jacobs; LIVESAY, ch.1; and CARNES, ch. 8
VIDEO TBA
DUE: Your work autobiography
9/22: REFORM AS WORK
Read FPP: Frederick Douglass & Elizabeth Cady Stanton; plus alternate version of Douglass (handout); and CARNES, ch. 10, 13, 14
VIDEO TBA
THE CIVIL WAR, RECONSTRUCTION, and THE OTHER CIVIL WAR
9/29: WAR and NATION BUILDING AS WORK
Read FPP: Grant & Campbell and CARNES, ch. 15-16, also pp.571-577 (blacks and the New South) and 739-744 (DuBois)
VIDEO TBA
Friday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m. in
the Ruth Lilly Auditorium in the University Library, Peter Krass, the
great-grandson of a worker in one of Andrew Carnegie's steel mills will speak
on his new biography about Carnegie.
This is not required, but is strongly recommended.
10/6: INDUSTRIALIZATION, pt. 2
Read: Carnegie’s Autobiography (handout/ERROL); LIVESAY, ch. II-VI; and CARNES, ch. 18.
VIDEO TBA
10/13: WORK and THE WORKERS
Read: LIVESAY, ch. VII-IX and handout/ERROL
VIDEO TBA
10/20: THE GOSPEL OF WEALTH
Read: LIVESAY, ch. X-XI and handout/ERROL
MAKING AMERICA MODERN
10/27: REFORMING WORK
Read: TBA and CARNES, ch. 19, 22.
VIDEO TBA
DUE: paper on Andrew Carnegie
11/3: GOOD TIMES/HARD TIMES
Read: TBA and CARNES, ch. 25-27
VIDEO TBA
11/10: THE WORK OF WAR
Read: TBA and CARNES. Ch.28
POSSIBLY DUE: paper on work, time period, and textbook; be prepared to talk.
11/11: Last day to withdraw from Fall 2003 courses.
11/17: WORK AND THE AMERICAN DREAM (1950s and 1960s)
Read: TBA and CARNES, ch. 29-30
POSSIBLY DUE: paper on work, time period, and textbook; be prepared to talk.
11/24: DEINDUSTRIALIZATION
Read: TBA and CARNES, ch. 31-32
You will want to start EHRENREICH.
POSSIBLY DUE: paper on work, time period, and textbook; be prepared to talk.
12/1: TODAY
Read: EHRENREICH and CARNES, ch.33
12/8: RECAP THE COURSE
DUE: comment on a classmate’s autobiography.
12/15: DUE by 6pm: take-home final
or
In-class comprehensive examination 5:45 to 7:45.
TBA = to be announced. TBA readings will be available as handouts or on ERROL.