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"In the beginning,
all the world was America . . ."
John Locke,
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History
211W- 01
Dr. Phyllis Hunter Fall 2002 |
Office: 224C McIver
Hours: Tue: 4:00-5:00 & Wed 1:30 – 2:30 Phone: 334-5208 Email: pwhunter@uncg.edu |
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Go to OUT
OF MANYwebsite
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This writing intensive course serves as an introduction to American History at the college level. The purpose of the course is to enable you to use texts, documents, and secondary readings to understand the life experiences of ordinary people from different races and cultures and, to improve your ability to write analytically. We will explore how material conditions, that is, the environment, production and consumption of goods, and use of social space interacted with religious, political, and interpersonal beliefs to shape experience. Our goal is to arrive at an understanding of why and how life in the past differed from region to region and changed over time in the United States up to 1865.
In addition we will examine the "construction" of history in three ways: one, by developing our own interpretations of primary sources; two, by discussing important and sometimes conflicting secondary works; third, by evaluating primary documents on the World Wide Web. In these ways, we can begin to see that history is an interpretation of the past shaped by the concerns of the present.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Out of Many: A History of the American People Volume 1, 3rd ed. by John Mack Faragher, Mari Jo Buhle, Daniel Czitrom, and Susan H. Armitage (Prentice Hall, 1997).
The South in the History of the Nation Volume 1, ed. William A. Link and Marjorie Spruill Wheeler (Bedford's/St Martins, 1999)
All texts are available for purchase at the College Bookstore.
- Students will have a basic knowledge of the broad themes and changes in American history from 1490 to 1865.
- Students will learn how material factors and cultural beliefs interacted to shape experience in the American past.
- Students will gain an understanding of what life was like for ordinary people in various periods and places.
- Students will learn to analyze and synthesize information from a variety of sources such as texts, primary documents, videos, class discussions, lectures, group projects, debates, and web sites.
- Students will gain experience in presenting their ideas and analysis in oral and written formats.
- Students will have an opportunity to engage in historical imagination and enjoy the process of learning history.
Class Preparation:
The most important requirement for this course is a careful reading of the assignments and thoughtful participation in class discussion and group exercises. The assigned reading must be done before coming to class. To prepare for class participation, the student should take notes on the reading and develop questions for class discussion. A Reading Analysis assignment (indicated on the class schedule) is required for several of the chapters and is due at the first class for each Topic. The assignments can be found on the Course WebPage. It is each student's responsibility to get the assignment even if absent from class and to complete it on time. Late assignments will not be accepted, however, each student may omit one of the Reading Analysis assignments without penalty. There will be one mid-term exam and one final exam. Attendance is required and more than two absences will adversely affect your grade. Always bring both books and your notes to class with you.
TopFinal Project:
The final project is based on group work that will utilize primary and secondary sources and the understanding of developments in American history gained during the course to create a biography or community study of a real or imaginary historical figure or place that will be presented in class. The final project can take the form of a play, video, or a web page linked to the Course web site if approved by Dr. Hunter well in advance. Detailed instructions will be provided later in the semester.
Class Participation & Group Work 20%
Reading analyses and short papers 40%
Mid-Term Exam 10%
Final Project 15%
Final Exam 15% = 100%
CLASS SCHEDULE
PART I -- INVENTING AMERICA
Introduction
Reading: Out of Many , Chap 1 (optional).
Mon – Aug 19 Introduction
Wed – Aug 21
Black Robe
Topic 1 -- Cultural Encounters
Reading: Out of Many, Chap 2; The South,
Chap 1
Reading
Analysis
Mon -- Aug26 Workshop:Views
of Early America
Wed – Aug 28
Class discussion
Topic 2 -- Regional Differences
Reading: Out of Many, Chap 3; The South,
No. 10 (in Chap 2 pp 54-55).
Reading
Analysis
Mon – Sept 2OFF!LABOR
DAY
Wed – Sept 4
Class discussion
Topic 3 -- Slavery Comes to America
Reading: Out of Many, Chap 4; The South, No. 14
Mon -- Sept 9 Origins of Slavery
Wed -- Sept 11 Workshop: Slavery
in Virginia
Topic 4 -- 18th Century Changes
Reading: Out of Many, Chap 5. Reading Analysis
Mon – Sept 16 Class discussion
Wed – Sept 18
Group Work -- Characters
Topic 5 -- War, Politics, and Society
Reading: Out of Many, Chap 6 and pp.174-188; The South,
No. 19
Reading
Analysis
Mon -- Sept 23 Interpreting the Revolution
Wed – Sept 25
Mary Silliman's War
Mon -- Sept 30 Group Work -- Documents
Wed – Oct 2
Mid-Term Exam
PART II -- CREATING A NEW NATION FOR WHOM?
Topic 6 -- A New Government: Two Visions
Reading: Out of Many, Finish Chap.7 and all of Chap.8; (*NB long assignment)
Mon – Oct 7 Class Discussion.
Character Paper Due.
Wed – Oct 9Debate
preparation.
Reading: Out of Many, Chap 9.; The South, Nos.
23, 25, 26.
Reading
Analysis
Mon -- Oct 14 OFF!SPRING
BREAK
Wed -- Oct 16 Workshop
: The Constitution
Mon – Oct 21The
Constitution: A Debate. Revised
Character Paper Due
Topic 8 -- Jackson and the Growth of the Cotton Kingdom
Reading: Out of Many, Chap 10 & 11; The South,
No. 33, 34 (Jackson only 90-91), 35.*
Reading
Analysis (Chapter 10 & 11)Due
Monday Oct 28
Wed – Oct 23Denmark
Vesey
Mon – Oct 28 Class
Discussion & Documents
Topic 9 -- New Workers in New Towns
Reading: Out of Many, Chap 12;
Reading
Analysis
Wed--Oct
30 Class Discussion
Topic 10 -- Reforming Society
Reading: Out of Many, Chap 13; The South, No. 38
Reading
Analysis
Mon -- Nov 4 Class
Discussion
Wed -- Nov6
Project Groups
Topic 11 -- Manifest Destiny
Reading: Out of Many, Chap 14; The South, Nos.
41 and 42.
Mon – Nov 11 Class discussion and
Map Workshop
Wed – Nov 13
Project Groups
Topic 12 -- Free Labor vs. Slave Labor
Reading: Out of Many, Chap 15; The South,
No. 49 (pg. 267-274)
Reading
Analysis
Mon – Nov 18Class
Discussion
Topic 13 -- Living Through the Civil War
Reading: Out of Many, Chap 16; The South, No. 51 and 52.
Wed – Nov 20 Web Lab: Valley of the Shadow
Mon – Nov 25 Class discussion.
Wed – Nov 27OFF!THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Final Projects
Mon – Dec 2 Presentations of Group Projects
Wed --Dec 4 Presentations of Group Projects
Mon – Dec 9Pick up take-home
Final Exam
Fri – Dec 13Final Exam Due by 5PM in my office.
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