History 105     Sec. 246                                  Cavanaugh Hall, Room 215

Steve Cox                                                        Thursdays,  5:45 – 8:25

scox@indianahistory.org                                   232-1876

 

 

History 105 is the introductory course to U.S. History from settlement through the Civil War.  We will focus on broad themes that relate to the country's social, economic and political development, and we will examine the many challenges, assumptions and ideas emanating from this diverse and unique North American culture.

 

READINGS

 

John Mack Faragher, et. al.      Out of Many, Vol. 1

C. Green                                  Eli Whitney and the Birth of American Technology

Solomon Northup                     Twelve Years a Slave

 

GRADES

 

Final grades will be based on the following breakdown:

 

First Exam        20%                 Second Exam               20%

Final Exam       25%                 Paper on Northup         20%

                        Quiz Green and Text book quizzes                 15%

 

The three exams will consist of essay and short answer, based on both the text (Faragher) and lectures.   I will supply study guides prior to each exam.  The quiz over Green’s Eli Whitney and selected chapters in Faragher will be multiple choice, true-false, and/or short answer. NOTE:  There will be no “make-ups” for quizzes, nor will students who arrive late be allowed to take the quiz.  I will, however, drop your lowest quiz score when figuring final grades.

 

SOME REQUESTS

 

--Please turn off cell phones and pagers.

--Feel free to ask questions at any time.

--Keep up with your reading and writing.  Do Not wait until the last minute to read the assigned      texts, write your paper, or prepare for exams.

--Yes, children are wonderful, but I would ask that they not attend class with you.

--Please arrive on time (note the rule regarding quizzes and attendance above). 

--It is important that you attend class regularly.  Those who consistently miss classes will find it       difficult to do well on the exams.  Furthermore, I am required to take attendance and inform the    administration if and when individual students are having problems in this area.

 

 

 

[Over]

READING SCHEDULE AND LECTURE TOPICS

 

Jan. 15             Exploration and early settlement

Jan. 22             “Micro-history;” peoples of colonial America (Read Faragher, Chs.1 & 2)

Jan. 29             Government, politics and empire (Quiz, Faragher, Chs.3 & 4 )

Feb.  5              Social and Intellectual life

Feb. 12            FIRST EXAM              

Feb. 19            Revolution and Independence  (Quiz, Faragher, Chs.6 & 7)               

Feb. 26            Constitution; 1790s

Mar.  4             ELI WHITNEY DUE (Quiz) 1790s-early 1800s

Mar. 11            Farm, Factory & Cities; the Rise of Jackson (Quiz, Faragher, Ch. 12)

Mar. 18            SPRING BREAK

Mar. 25            Jackson, South and Slavery (Quiz, Faragher, Ch. 11 )

Apr.    1           SECOND EXAM 

Apr.    8           Reform and expansion  (Read Faragher, Ch. 13)                                  

Apr.  15           PAPER ON NORTHUP DUE Expansion and Politics

Apr.  22           The 1850s and the coming of war

Apr.  29           Civil War  (Quiz, Faragher, Ch.16)      

May    6           FINAL EXAM                                 


 

 

Note:  I may alter this schedule during the semester.