Office: CA 506
Office
Telephone: 278-9020
Office
Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 1-2 and by
appointment
Email: aashendel@aol.com (preferred) or
aashende@iupui.edu
Required
Texts:
Sellers,
The Market Revolution
Ayers, The Valley of the Shadow
(book and CD)
Other
readings as supplied by the instructor
Course
Goals and Objectives: This course will
examine the social, economic, and political landscapes of the antebellum United
States. In the process, the question of
sectional differences, if any, will be addressed. After an introduction to the larger themes of
the period, students in this course will complete several projects based on
primary sources to further gain insight into the question of possible sectional
differences. Readings, discussions,
exams, and projects should enhance your knowledge of American society, your
ability to engage in civil academic discussion, and improve your ability to
write a clear argument based on the historical evidence. This course also
incorporates the goals set forth in IUPUI’s
Principles of Undergraduate Learning as found at
www.iupui.edu/~history/principlesundergradlearning.htm. We will discuss these in greater detail at
our first class meeting.
Cheating
and Plagiarism: This course is designed
for upper-level undergraduates. It is
safe to assume that students at this level know how to cite sources and will
not plagiarize. If a student cheats on
an examination or plagiarizes a paper that student will earn a zero on the
assignment and in the course. Historians
MUST display an ability to do their own work since the profession depends on an
honest interpretation of the evidence.
Integrity is essential.
Attendance
and classroom etiquette: Attendance is
required. Consistent attendance will be
used to determine the outcome of borderline grades. Please arrive on time and
enter quietly if you must be late. Since
note taking is an essential academic skill, tape recorders are not permitted in
the classroom. This class heavily relies on classroom discussion. Cooperation and the professional discussion
of issues and not competition will be stressed in these discussions—civil
academic debate is our goal.
Grading: Students will complete one essay examination
over The Market Revolution and an
essay quiz over the remaining required readings. Study guides will be distributed prior to the
exam and the quiz. They will also complete five projects involving the primary
sources on the Valley of the Shadow
CD.
1
examination @ 100 points 100
1
quiz @ 25 points 25
class
participation 25
5
projects @ 50 points 250
Total
points 400
Grades
are based on a straight scale: 400-360 =
A; 359-320 = B; 319-280 = C; 279-240 = D; 239 and lower = F. A zero has a
greater negative impact on your final grade than at least some attempt to
complete an assignment. Make-up
examinations and quizzes are strongly discouraged. No make-up exam or quiz will be given without
documentation proving an extreme emergency.
Documentation includes doctors’ forms, funeral notices, accident
reports, and similar verifiable papers.
The instructor reserves the right to refuse to grant a make-up exam or
quiz if the documentation is not presented or is deemed invalid. If a make-up exam or quiz is approved it must
be completed within one week of the original exam or quiz. Incompletes are
strongly discouraged and rarely given.
It is not fair to the rest of the class to request extra time to
complete the work.
Schedule
of readings, projects, and examinations.
Please complete the assigned reading before class.
August
21: Introduction to the Course
August
26: Read: The
Market Revolution, Chapters 1 and 2
August
28: Read: The
Market Revolution, Chapters 3 and 4
September
2: Read:
The Market Revolution,
Chapters 5 and 6
September
4: Read:
The Market Revolution,
Chapters 7 and 8
September
9: Read:
The Market Revolution,
Chapters 9 and 10
September
11: Read: The Market Revolution, Chapters 11, 12, 13
September
16: EXAM
on The Market Revolution
September
18: Discuss Valley of the Shadow and readings provided by the instructor
September
23: QUIZ
on Valley of the Shadow and readings
provided by the instructor
September
25: Discuss Project 1
September
30: NO CLASS—work on project
October
2: NO CLASS—work on project
October
7: Project 1 due in class and discussion
October
9: Discuss Project 2
October
14: NO CLASS—work on project
October
16: NO CLASS—work on project
October
21: Project 2 due in class and
discussion
October
23: Discuss Project 3
October
28: NO CLASS—work on project
October
30: NO CLASS—work on project
November
4: Project 3 due in class and discussion
November
6: Discuss Project 4
November
11: NO CLASS—work on project
November
13: NO CLASS—work on project
November
18: Project 4 due in class and
discussion
November
20: Discuss Project 5
November
25: NO CLASS—work on project
November
27: NO CLASS—HOLIDAY
December
2: NO CLASS—work on project
December
4: Project 5 due in class and discussion