History 113: History of the United States to 1877

History 113: History of the United States = to 1877

Virginia Wesleyan College

Fall 2008

Dr. Dan Margolies

Office: Blocker= 31

Office Hours: T= ues and Thurs, 12-1, 3-4:30, or by appointment

Email: dmargolies@vwc.edu=

Webpage: http://facultystaff.vwc.edu/~dmargolies/

Phone: 455-5716<= /o:p>

Class Meetings: BLOC 16 TTH, 4:30-5:45 pm

This class is an intr= oductory survey of the major political, social, economic, cultural, demographic, and diplomatic developments in North America from the earliest European explora= tion and settlement through the end of Reconstruction. As we cover the grand themes, even= ts and individuals of the past—its adventure, excitement and strangeness -- = we will also study, among many other topics, the politics of liberty, war, revolution, and peace, scientific, technological, and intellectual innovati= on, slavery and freedom, territorial expansion and imperial power, the lineage, formation and changing structures of modern American constitutional governm= ent, the Civil War, and the interaction of diverse communities of peoples across both time and space.

Because these topics = and themes are so vast, we will utilize thematic frameworks with which to organ= ize and understand the historical events and materials we discuss. As we study the past, we thus will= also concern ourselves with the historical process. This class seeks to create a usable understanding of the American past by teaching you not only= the course material, but also the invaluable skills of how to think historic= ally and analytically, and how to articulate these ideas in class discussions and in your written work. Gai= ning mastery of basic historical skills of analysis, argument, and interpretatio= n is a major objective of this course in addition to learning the course of even= ts.

This class fulfills t= he Historical Perspectives requirement of the VWC General Studies Program.

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Required Books: (on sale at the college bookstore)

Text and Reader:

= Shi, David E. and Holly A. Mayer, eds. For the Record: A Documentary History of America V= ol. One, From First Contact Through Reconstruction (identified below as the Reader)

= Tindall, George Brown and David E. Shi, America:= A Narrative History Vol. One.&n= bsp; (identified below as the <= /span>Text)

Primary Sources:=

= Chase, Owen, The Loss of the Ship Essex, Sun= k by a Whale (any edition)

= Douglass, Frederick, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, (any edition= )

= Strother, David Hunter, A Virginia Yankee in = the Civil War: The Diaries of David Hunter Strother

= Wakefield, Sarah F. Six Weeks in the Sioux Tepees:&nbs= p; A Narrative of Indian Captivity

Course Requirem= ents:

Attendance and Participation:

Regular attendance in= class is mandatory, as is prompt completion of all readings and assignments. You are expected to read and reflect upon the assigned materials bef= ore coming to class each week so you can get the most out of lectures and discussion. Participation in discussion requires that you have read t= he material first.

Because we will cover= a large amount of material over the course of the semester, you should be prepared = to spend the time it takes to complete the reading thoroughly and thoughtfully. You MUST do the reading before each class to be prep= ared for discussions and exams, and to do well in this class. Your act= ive participation in all aspects of the class is expected, and your final grade will reflect your level of involvement and commitment.

Late assignments (such as homework, essays, papers, or other assignments) will be graded down one grade per day and are accepted = only at the discretion of the professor.

More than two absence= s that are not expressly approved by the professor will result in a lower final gr= ade for the semester. For each absence after two excused absences, your discussion grade will be lowered one-half grade.

Excused absences incl= ude legitimate illness, a field trip, or a pre-appproved athletic event. However, such excused absences will require extra work to make up for the missed class time.

If your cell phone ri= ngs during class (unless authorized by the professor) your final grade will be lowered by one-half letter grade.

Grades:=

Class Participation: &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; 20%

Midterm: &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = 15%

Short Papers: &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; 30%

Quizzes and written homework: = 15% = &nb= sp;

Final: &nb= sp; = &nb= sp; = 20%

The following grad= ing point scale will be used in determining your grade, subject to the discreti= on of the instructor: A=3D 9= 3-100; A- =3D 90-92; B+ =3D 88-89; B =3D 83-87; B- =3D 80-82; C+ =3D 78-79; C =3D = 73-77; C- =3D 70-72 D=3D 65-69; D - =3D 60-64; F =3D less than 60

Reading Quizzes:

We will have weekly or biweekly reading quizzes to gauge your coverage and understanding of the material we read and to help organize your thinking on it. You will be asked to discuss terms, individuals, and events from the reading, to explain concepts covered in the documents, and to write short explanatory paragraphs about the material we are studying. These quizzes will not alw= ays be announced ahead of time, yet they form a significant part of your final grade. Doing the reading regularly and with some care will be essential to doing well on these quizzes and in the class generally. &n= bsp;

Quizzes may be mad= e-up only in case of an excused absence and only at the discretion of the profes= sor.

Exams:<= span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt'>

There will be two tak= e-home essay exams. In general, you will be graded on your knowledge of the subject matter, on your ability to connect themes we have covered in class,= and on the sophistication of your ideas and writing. We will work on study and test-taking strategies during the course of the semester.

Written Assignment= s:

There will be several= short written assignments due throughout the semester covering the readings in the documents reader, and longer (3 page) papers evaluating the books. Th= ese short exercises will help prepare you for class discussion and will be announced and discussed in class as we go along.

Email policy:

I do not respond to o= r read emails that lack capitalization, proper punctuation, or a salutation. =

Email is a vital tool= of communication for educators and scholars and all students must be familiar = with its effective use. I encourage you to contact me via email whenever y= ou have questions or comments about the course or the assignments. Ho= wever, please do NOT send me assignments or papers through email unless it is part= of an assigned exercise or prior arrangements were made.=

Students must adhere = to the VWC Honor Code

ACCOMMODATION FOR STU= DENTS WITH DISABILITIES
In accordance with Title 5, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 a= nd the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, reasonable accommodation will = be provided to any student who has followed the College's procedures as outlin= ed in the current Academic Bulletin. It is best to begin this process by contacting the disability services coordinator, Fayne Pearson (455-3246) at= the beginning of the semester.
Once the need for accommodations has been officially established, the stude= nt should consult with the instructor to insure that the student's needs may be met as effectively as possible.

Reading Schedule:

Specific documents se= lected from the Shi reader to be read for each class discussion will be announced = as we go along.

All additional due da= tes for papers and other assignments will be announced in class. It is your responsibility to contac= t the professor if you miss class in order to find out about these due dates. Any other changes in the course wil= l be announced in class. Please be= sure to bring your reader and the other books (but not necessarily the te= xt) with you for each meeting.

The date in parenthes= es marks the start of the week.

Week 1 – = Aug 26, 28=

Course Introductio= n;

“No place is more convenient = for pleasure, profit and man’s sustenance.”

Exploration, Settl= ement, and Exploitation of the New World by Three Empires

Reading<= /u>:

= &nb= sp; Text, ch. 1-3

= &nb= sp; Reader, ch. 1-3

Week 2 – = Sept 2, 4 “All of His Majesty’s Dominions̶= 1;

The Colonies and t= he Imperial Context

Reading<= /u>:

= &nb= sp; Text, ch. 4-5

= &nb= sp; Shi, ch. 4-5

Week 3 – = Sept 9, 11 “What, then, is the American, this new man?”

Revolution and Independence

Reading<= /u>:

= &nb= sp; Text, ch. 6

= &nb= sp; Shi, ch. 6

Week 4 - Sept 1= 6, 18 “Each States retains its sovereignty, freedom and independence”

Confederation and = its Discontents

The Constitution

Reading<= /u>:

= &nb= sp; Text, ch. 7

= &nb= sp; Shi, ch. 7

= &nb= sp; The Articles of Confederation

= &nb= sp; The Constitution and the Bill of Rights

Week 5 – = 23, 25 “Your Union ought to be considered as a ma= in prop of your liberty.”

The Federalist Era=

Reading<= /u>:

Text, ch. 8

Shi, ch. 8

Week 6 – = Sept 30, Oct 2 “Let history answer this question.”<= i>

The Empire of Libe= rty and the Second War for Independence

Reading<= /u>:

= &nb= sp; Text, ch. 9-10

= &nb= sp; Shi, ch. 9-10

No class October 9--FALL BREAK

Week 7 – = Oct 7, 9 “The presumption is, the People are always right.”

Jacksonian America=

Reading<= /u>:

= &nb= sp; Text, ch. 11

= &nb= sp; Shi, ch. 11-12

*** MIDTERM EXAM Oct 7***

Week 8 – = Oct 14, 16 “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”

Trials, Troubles, = and Tribulations of Antebellum America

Reading<= /u>:

= &nb= sp; Text, ch. 12-13

= &nb= sp; Shi, ch. 12-13

= &nb= sp; Chase<= /p>

Week 9 – = Oct 21, 23 “All men are creat= ed equal”

The Old South and = Slavery

Reading<= /u>:

= &nb= sp; Text, ch. 15

= &nb= sp; Shi, ch. 15

= &nb= sp; Douglass, all

Week 10 –= Oct 28, 30 “I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.”

Expansion, Comprom= ise, and the Irreconcilable Conflict

Reading<= /u>:

            =             &nb= sp;       Text, ch. 14 and 16 (SELECTIONS)

            =             &nb= sp;       Shi, ch. 14 and 16 (SELECTIONS)=

Week 11 –= Nov 4, 6 “Become purged by Fire”

The Crisis of the Union and the Coming of the Ci= vil War=

Reading<= /u>:

            =             &nb= sp;       Text, ch. 16 (SELECTIONS)

            =             &nb= sp;       Shi, ch. 16 (SELECTIONS)        &= nbsp;

Week 12 –= Nov 11, 13 "It is well that war is so terrible"

The Soldier's War<= o:p>

Reading<= /u>: = Strother

Week 13 –= Nov 18, 20 ;”The Hard Hand of War&= quot;

Unconditional Surr= ender and the New American System

Reading:

            =             &nb= sp;       Text, ch. 17

            =             &nb= sp;       Shi, ch. 17

Week 14 –= Nov 25, 27

War’s Afterm= ath

Reading<= /u>:   &n= bsp;           Wakefield

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  &nbs= p;             =

Week 15 Dec 2, 4

“The Southron m= ust out-Yankee the Yankee”

Reconstruction and= the New South in the Restored Union

Reading:

            =             &nb= sp;       Text, ch. 18

            =             &nb= sp;       Shi, ch. 18

   &nb= sp;            =

THE FINAL EXAM WIL= L BE A TAKE HOME EXAM