A303/H511 United States 1789-1840

Sections 25598/25614, 3 Credit Hours

Spring 2006

 

 

Location:  Cavanaugh Hall, Room 215

Time:  Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30 to 3:45 p.m.

Instructor:  Richard Gantz

Office Hours:  Tuesdays 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., Wednesdays 8:30 to 9:00 p.m., and other times by appointment.  Cavanaugh Hall, Room 243E (through 243D)

                  Telephone:  278-3247

                  E-mail:  rgantz@iupui.edu 

 

Course:  This course will examine the development of the United States during the early national period from 1789 to 1850.  During this time America struggled to define its identity as a nation and a republic.  A major challenge facing the country was to develop a central government with sufficient power to maintain control over a large area while protecting the principles of liberty.  One focus of the class will be the first and second party systems and their impact on the operation of the national government.  The class will also explore the physical development of the country, social changes, and cultural growth.

 

This course will seek to incorporate many of the educational goals as outlined in the “IUPUI Principles of Undergraduate Learning.”  These principles include basic skills in communication, critical thinking, and analysis to understand society and culture.  Just as America did not develop in a vacuum, history is part of a larger stream of human experience that includes art, literature, culture, science, different societies, religion, and technology.  Students are encouraged to apply knowledge from other disciplines to the study of historical movements and events.  A copy of the “Principles of Undergraduate Learning” is posted on the Department of History’s Home Page at www.iupui.edu/~history.

 

Texts:  Jack N. Rakove, James Madison and the Creation of the American Republic, 2nd ed. (2002).

Harry Watson, Liberty and Power:  The Politics of Jacksonian America (1990).

Ronald G. Walters, American Reformers, 1815-1860, 2nd ed. (1997).

 

Follow the reading assignments as listed in the syllabus; the instructor will note any exceptions to the published schedule.  Check the Original Oncourse for changes and assignments.

 

 

 

 

 

Semester Schedule:

 

January 10 – Introduction.

January 12 – Constitution.  Read Rakove, Chs. 4, 5, 6, 7.

January 17 – Launching the New Government.  Read Rakove, Ch. 8.

January 19 – Hamilton’s Program.  Read Rakove, Ch. 9.

January 24 – Foreign Threats.  Read Rakove, Chs. 10 & 11.  Graduate proposals due.

January 26 – John Adams’ Problems.  Read Rakove, Ch. 12.

January 31 – Alien-Sedition Acts.  First written assignment due.

February 2 – Thomas Jefferson’s Revolution.  Read Rakove, Ch. 13.

February 7 – Lewis & Clark

February 9 – European Threats Again.  Read Rakove, Ch. 14.

February 14 – War of 1812.  Read Rakove, Ch. 15. 

February 16 – Nationalism in Government.  Read Rakove, Ch. 16.  Graduate outlines

due.

February 21 – John Marshall’s Nationalism.  Read Rakove, Ch. 17.

February 23 – Midterm Examination.

February 28 – Nationalism in the Arts.

March 2 – The Missouri Crisis.  Second written assignment due.

March 7 – Nationalism in Foreign Policy.

March 9 – Transportation Revolution.  Read Watson, Introduction & Ch. 1.

March 14 & 16 – Spring Break, No class.

March 21 – Market Revolution.  Read Watson, Ch. 2.

March 23 – Elections of 1824 & 1828.  Read Watson, Ch. 3.  Third written assignment

due.

March 28 – Jacksonian Democracy. 

March 30 – Indian Removal.  Read Watson, Ch. 4.

April 4 – Nullification.  Read Watson, Ch 5.

April 6 – Bank War.  Read Watson, Ch. 6

April 11 – Reforming America through Religion.  Read Walters, Introduction &

Chs. 1, 2, 3.

April 13 – Reforming Secular America.  Read Walters, Chs. 6, 7, 9.

April 18 – Antislavery.  Read Walters, Ch. 4.

April 20 – Women’s Rights.  Read Walters, Ch. 5.  Fourth written assignment due.

April 25 – Van Buren’s Problems.  Read Watson, Ch. 7.

April 27 – The Second Party System.  Read Waston, Ch. 8.  Graduate papers due.

May 4 – Thursday, Final Examination, 3:30-5:30 p.m.

 

 

Grading:  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

 

 

For Undergraduates:  The semester grade will be based on:

 

            Attendance and class participation                     13%

            Four written assignments                                   32%

            Midterm examination                                        25%

            Final examination                                              30%

 

Written Assignments:  You will receive detailed instructions for each written assignment.  These instructions will specify the readings and additional materials that you are to use to complete each assignment.  The instructions will also indicate how to access or find the additional materials at the IUPUI Library.  Unless directed otherwise, students should use complete sentences and an essay format in the written assignments.  Back up your statements and conclusions with explanations and examples cited from the readings and materials that you used.  Written assignments are due on the days noted in the semester schedule (January 31, March 2, March 23, and April 20).  If you are ill on a day that an assignment is due, you may either e-mail the assignment to me or put it in my mail box in the History office (Cavanaugh Hall, Room 504M).  Make sure that you keep a copy of your paper.  Grades on late papers will be reduced by a grade step (B to B- for example) for each day that it is late.  If you e-mail your paper, I will always e-mail you that I have received and printed out your paper.

 

 

Examinations:  The examinations will cover the readings in the texts, class lectures, and other materials presented in class in handouts and audio-visual presentations.  Students will be expected to know significant facts, causes, and results and connections between different aspects of national development in the 1789-1840 period.  It is more important to know the sequence of events, since this relates to cause and effect, rather than simply memorizing dates.  Students should also be able to use critical thinking to interpret and compare ideas, episodes, and movements from the different decades of the time period.

 

Plagiarism:  Cheating, plagiarism, or fabrication of research or work will result in a zero for the paper, test, or project involved.  This includes use of another student’s work or use of published and/or Internet materials without citations.  Students will be expected to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct as adopted by IUPUI.

 

Attendance:  Attendance and participation in class discussions are important.  The entire class will benefit from your ideas, questions, and reactions.  Students will be docked for each unexcused absence; those who miss half or more of class time will receive a zero for the attendance/participation portion of the semester grade.      

 

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

 

Cell Phones:  Cell phones and pagers are disruptive to everyone in the class.  All cell phones and pagers must be turned off and put away during class. 

 

For Graduates:  The semester grade will be based on:

 

            Attendance and class participation         10%

            Four written assignments                       24%

            Term paper or class presentation           21%

            Midterm examination                            20%

            Final examination                                  25%

 

The above policies for attendance, make-ups, written assignments, plagiarism, and cell phones also apply to graduate students.

 

In addition to the undergraduate requirements, graduate students must either complete a term paper or make a presentation to the class on a subject related to the course.  The study must not only relate what happened in the subject area but should include an analysis of what the events or the change meant for Americans.  Students must submit a topic proposal with a brief explanation of the parameters of the study and a list of likely sources by January 24.  A general outline of the subject must be submitted for approval by February 16.   Both secondary and primary sources must be used.  Term papers must be 12 to 15 pages in length, typed double space with end notes or footnotes, and a bibliography of sources used.  Term papers will be due on April 27.  Students who select a class report project should prepare a 25 minute presentation.  A bibliography of sources used must be submitted the day of the presentation.  The presentation will be evaluated on how well the student covers the topic, clarity of the presentation, evidence of use of a variety of sources, and use of appropriate illustrations and examples.