H 106 American History II

Reconstruction to the Present

Section C257, 3 Credit Hours

Spring 2004

 

Location:  Cavanaugh Hall, Room 239

Time:  Saturdays, 9:00 to 11:40 a.m.

Instructor:  Richard Gantz

Office Hours:  Mondays 5:20-6:00 p.m., Saturdays 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and other times by appointment.  Cavanaugh Hall, Room 313, Cubicle “T.”

                  Telephone:  257-6334

                  E-mail:  rgantz@iupui.edu 

 

Course:  This course will provide a broad survey of major political, cultural, social, diplomatic, and economic developments in America from the close of the Civil War to the present time. The class will look at how and why people have reacted to events, movements, and ideas and how the nation has changed through the years.

 

Texts:  Alan Brinkley, The Unfinished Nation, A Concise History of the American People, Volume II: From 1865. 4th edition (2004).

            Robert D. Marcus and David Burner, America Firsthand:  Readings from Reconstruction to the Present, Volume II.  4th edition (1997)

 

Quizzes will be based on assigned readings.  Follow the reading assignments as listed in the syllabus; the instructor will note any exceptions to the published schedule.

 

Semester Schedule:

 

January 10 – Introduction, United States in 1865

January 17 – Reconstruction and Race.  Read Brinkley Chapter 15; Marcus & Bruner

Part 1 (all).

January 24 – The West and Railroads.  Read Brinkley Chapters 16, 17; Marcus & Bruner       

Part 2 (all).  Quiz.

January 31 – Rise of Cities, Imperialism Impulse.  Read Brinkley Chapters 18, 20.

February 7 – First Examination.

February 14 – Populism and Progressivism.  Read Brinkley Chapters 19, 21, 22; Marcus

& Bruner Part 3 (all).

February 21 – World War I and the Twenties.  Read Brinkley Chapters 23, 24; Marcus

& Bruner Part 4 (nos. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27).  Quiz.

February 28 – Great Depression and the New Deal.  Read Brinkley Chapters 25, 26;

Marcus & Bruner Part 4 (no. 28).

March 6 – World War II.  Read Brinkley Chapters 27, 28; Marcus & Bruner

Part 5 (nos. 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)

March 13 – Second Examination.

March 20 – Spring Break, no class.

 

March 27 - Postwar America.  Read Brinkley Chapters 29, 30; Marcus & Bruner

Part 5 (nos. 34, 35).

April 3 – Civil Rights, Cold War.  Read Brinkley Chapter 31; Marcus & Bruner

Part 5 (no. 36), Part 6 (nos. 40, 41, 42).  Quiz.

April 10 – Vietnam.  Read Brinkley Chapter 32; Marcus & Bruner Part 6 (nos. 37, 38).

April 17 – Watergate.  Read Brinkley Chapter 33; Marcus & Bruner Part 6 (nos. 42, 43,

44).  Quiz.

April 24 – Modern Conservatism.  Read Brinkley Chapter 34.

May 1 – Final Examination.

 

Grading:  The semester grade will be based on the following elements:

 

            Attendance and class participation                     10%

            Three highest quiz scores                                  21%

            First examination                                               21%

            Second examination                                          21%

            Final examination                                              27%

 

Quizzes will be given at the start of class on January 24, February 21, April 3, and April 17.  Only the highest 3 scores will be counted.  The grading scale is as follows:

 

            A+ 99-100       B+  87-89        C+ 77-79         D+ 67-69

            A   93-98         B    83-86        C   73-76         D   63-66

            A- 90-92         B-  80-82         C-  70-72        D-  60-62

 

Attendance:  Attendance and participation in class discussions are important.  The entire class will benefit from your ideas and reactions.  Please be considerate of others and turn off cell phones and pagers during class sessions. 

 

Makeup Policy:  There will be not makeup quizzes or examinations.  If a student has an excused absence due to illness or a provable emergency on a day of a quiz or an examination, the other quiz or test scores will be increased in weight to compensate for the excused work.