ENCOUNTERING HISTORY -- HISTORY OF THE U.S. TO 1865

Top GOALS ENCOUNTERING HISTORY

This 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. 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 during what is regarded as the first half of the history of the United States.

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 and thirdly, 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.

Top TEXTS

REQUIRED TEXT

Out of Many: A History of the American People Volume 1, 2nd ed. by John Mack Faragher, Mari Jo Buhle, Daniel Czitrom, and Susan H. Armitage (Prentice Hall, 1997).

History on the Internet. (Comes shrink wrapped with text)

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.

Top REQUIREMENTS 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 for each chapter (except 7 and 8) 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 two of the weekly 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.

Top Final Project:

The final project is based on group work that will utilize primary 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 30%

Mid-Term Exam 10%

Final Project 20%

Final Exam 20% = 100%

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CLASS SCHEDULE

PART I -- INVENTING AMERICA

Reading: Out of Many , Chap 1.

Tue -- Jan 11 Introduction
Thur -- Jan 13 Many Cultures
 
 

Reading: Out of Many, Chap 2; The South, Chap 1
Reading Analysis

Tue -- Jan 18    Web Lab #1: Images of Early America -- McIver 231
Thur-- Jan 20    Black Robe
Tue -- Jan 25    Class discussion

 Topic 2 -- Regional Differences

Reading: Out of Many,  Chap 3; The South, No. 10 (in Chap 2 pp 54-55).
Reading Analysis

Thur -- Jan 27     Evidence and Interpretation

Reading: Out of Many,  Chap 4; The South, No. 14   Reading Analysis

Tue -- Feb 1     Web LAB #2: Slavery in Virginia -- McIver 231
Thur-- Feb 3    Origins of Slavery
 
 

Reading: Out of Many,  Chap 5. Reading Analysis

Tue -- Feb 8     Class discussion
Thur -- Feb 10   Group Work -- Characters

Reading: Out of Many, Chap 6 and pp.174-188; The South, No. 19
Reading Analysishttp://www.uncg.edu/his/courses/pwhunter/211w/rachap6.htm

Tue -- Feb 15     Interpreting the Revolution
Thur-- Feb 17    Mid-Term Exam
 

SPRING BREAK!

Tue -- Feb 28   OFF
Thur -- Mar 2    OFF
 

PART II -- CREATING A NEW NATION FOR WHOM?

Reading: Out of Many, Finish Chap.7 and all of Chap.8; (*NB long assignment)

Tue -- Mar 7    Web Lab #3: The Constitution -- McIver 231. Character Paper Due
Thur -- Mar 9   Two Visions and Debate preparation.

Reading: Out of Many, Chap 9.; The South, Nos. 23, 25, 26.
Reading Analysis

Tue -- Mar 14 The Constitution: A Debate
Thurs -- Mar 16 Robert Hughes, American Visions: Republic of Virtue. Revised Character Paper Due.

Reading: Out of Many, Chap 10 & 11; The South, No. 33, 34 (Jackson only 90-91), 35.*
Reading Analysis (Chapter 10)   Reading Analysis (Chapter 11)

Tue -- Mar 21   Class Discussion
Thur-- Mar 23   Denmark Vesey

Reading: Out of Many, Chap 12;
Reading Analysis

 Tue -- Mar 28   Class Discussion
Thur -- Mar 30   Map Workshop

Reading: Out of Many, Chap 13; The South, No. 38
Reading Analysis

Tue -- Apr 4   Class Discussion
Thur -- Apr 6   Project Groups
 

Reading: Out of Many, Chap 14; The South, Nos. 41 and 42.
Reading Analysis

Tue -- Apr 11 Map Workshop
Thur -- Apr 13 Project Groups

Reading: Out of Many, Chap 15; The South, No. 49 (pg. 267-274)
Reading Analysis

Tue -- Apr 18 Class Discussion
 

Reading: Out of Many, Chap 16; The South, No. 51 and 52.

Thur -- Apr 20 Web Lab #4: Valley of the Shadow -- McIver 231
 
 

Tues -- Apr 25   Presentations of Group Projects

Thur -- Apr 27   Presentations of Group Projects (Web Lab Available)
 
 

May 2      Last Class Review for Final Exam

May 9     Final Exam.

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