Professor Richard Weiner
Office: CM 205
Office Hours: TUES. & TH: 10:30-12:00 and by appointment
Office Phone: (260) 481-6692
E-Mail: weinerr@ipfw.edu
Spring Semester, 2008
H 105: American History to 1877
SECTION 04, T & TH 12:00-1:15, CM112
Course Description: Through lectures, readings, and discussions this course introduces students to social, political, and economic developments in American History from the age of discovery to 1877. This course counts toward fulfillment of the General Education area III requirement.
Course Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course students will be better able to:
· Interpret major developments in U.S. history to 1877.
· Connect events and explain the relationship between them.
· Analyze information and arrange it in a coherent overview.
· Assess source material and analyze its meaning.
· Appreciate the diversity of American experiences.
Assessment of Learning Outcomes via exams, quizzes, papers and class discussions, which require students to:
· Analyze major historical developments such as colonialism and revolution, slavery and emancipation, and war and reconstruction (on section “B” of exams and assigned paper).
· Analyze the effects of historical events and actors (on sections “A” and “B” of exams).
· Write analytical and well organized historical essays (on section “B” of exams and assigned paper).
· Analyze and interpret primary historical documents (on weekly in-class quizzes and assigned paper).
· Compare and contrast the experiences of diverse American groups (on sections “B” of exams and assigned paper).
Required Texts:
1. Michael P. Johnson, Reading the American Past: Selected Historical Documents (vol. 1: to 1877), Third Edition, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005. (Text referred to as Past below in class schedule.)
2. Michael P. Johnson, et. al., The American Promise: A History of the United States (vol. 1: to 1877), Third Edition, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005. (Text referred to as Promise below in class schedule.)
Course Requirements:
1. Exams: There are 3 exams, each of which is worth 20% of the class grade. (See detailed exam description and study guides below.)
Exam make-up policy: There is no need to contact me if you are unable (for any reason) to take exam #1 or exam #2 at the scheduled time. Just take the exam that you missed on the scheduled make-up date. The make-up date for exam #1 is 4/29 and the make-up date for exam #2 is 5/1. Make-ups will be administered in our classroom (CM 112) during class-time.
Please note that there is no scheduled make-up for exam 3, which is taken finals week.
2. Quizzes: The average score from a series of in-class quizzes on the assigned readings make up 20% of the course grade. These are “pop” quizzes that are given over the course of the entire semester. Since questions are taken directly from the daily reading assignments in Reading the American Past you will be able to prepare for quizzes beforehand. The 3 lowest quiz grades will be dropped (this includes missed quizzes). There are NO make-ups for missed quizzes.
To earn good grades on quizzes:
3. Paper: A typed five-page (double-spaced) paper, which is based entirely on Reading the American Past, is worth 20% of your class grade. A “paper requirement” sheet will be passed out in class. The paper is due 4/24/08. Papers that are up to one week late are marked down one letter grade and papers that are more than one week late are marked down two letter grades. Papers will not be accepted after 5/6/08 (the day we take exam #3).
Class Schedule:
Section I-Colonial America
1/15: Class introduction
1/17: Promise, chap. 1
1/22: Promise, chap. 2; Past, 2-1 & 2-2
1/24: Past, 2-3, 2-4, 2-5
1/29: Promise, chap. 3; Past, 3-1 & 3-2
1/31: Past, 3-3, 3-4 & 3-5
2/5: Promise, chap. 4; Past, 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, 4-5
2/7: Promise, chap. 5; Past, 5-1, 5-2, 5-3
2/12: Past, 5-4, 5-5
2/14: EXAM #1
Section II-Revolutionary America
2/19: Promise, chap. 6; Past, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, 6-5
2/21: Promise, chap. 7; Past, 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, 7-4, 7-5
2/26: Promise, chap. 8; Past, 8-1, 8-2, 8-3, 8-4, 8-5
2/28: Promise, chap. 9; Past, 9-1, 9-2
3/4: Past, 9-3, 9-4, 9-5
3/6: Promise, chap. 10; Past, 10-1, 10-2
3/18: Past, 10-3, 10-4, 10-5
3/20: EXAM #2
Section III-19th Century America
3/25: Promise, chap. 11; Past, 11-1, 11-2
3/27: Past, 11-3, 11-4, 11-5
4/1: Promise, chap. 12; Past, 12-1, 12-2, 12-3
4/3: Past, 12-4, 12-5
4/8: Promise, chap. 13; Past, 13-1, 13-2, 13-3, 13-4, 13-5
4/10: Promise, chap. 14; Past, 14-1, 14-2, 14-3
4/15: Past, 14-4, 14-5
4/17: Promise, chap. 15, Past, 15-1, 15-2, 15-3, 15-4, 15-5
4/22: Promise, chap. 16; Past, 16-1, 16-2, 16-3
4/24: Past, 16-4, 16-5
4/29: Exam #1 make-up (only come to class if you need to take the make-up)
5/1: Exam #2 make-up (only come to class if you need to take make-up)
Exam #3, Tuesday, May 6, 1:30-3:00 PM
Exam Description: All exams have exactly the same format. The only difference is the content. Exams have two sections, A (terms) and B (essay). Each section is worth half your exam grade. Include information from the course texts and class lectures on your exam. The only thing that you need to bring to exams is a pen or pencil to write with. An exam booklet will be provided for you to take your exam. You may NOT use any notes when taking the exam. You will have 75 minutes to take the exam. Answer exam questions with complete sentences. However, if you find that you are running out of time you should switch to outline form. It is MUCH better to finish in outline form than to stop before you have completed the exam.
Explanation of Section A of Exams: Terms. Eight terms from exam study guides (see below) will be included on each exam. You will be required to answer four of the eight terms. Answers to terms have 2 parts:
· 1) Description of the term: A description provides answers to the “W” questions: who/what is the term? Where did the term take place? When did the term happen? Successful answers include specific and detailed historical information.
· 2) Explanation of historical significance of the term: How and to what extent did the specific term affect the course of history? An effective analytical strategy to answer this question is to consider a term’s social, economic, and political significance. (However, in some instances a term may not have all three.) Another acceptable strategy is to list as many ways a term shaped history as you can.
· While quantity is by no means the only ingredient in an effective answer, successful answers to a term often require a full single-sided page in a blue book or more.
Explanation of Section B of Exams: Essay. Exam study guides include potential essay themes. On your actual exam there will be one essay question. It will be based on one of the themes in the study guide. Essays are evaluated on three criteria:
· 1) Thesis. Simply put, the thesis is your main argument. The thesis is a concise response to the essay question. Put your thesis in the introductory paragraph. An effective thesis is usually argumentative. An effective thesis is also perceptive and demonstrates a strong grasp of the subject matter.
· 2) Content. The content is the historical facts and evidence that you use to support your thesis in the body of the essay. You are expected to provide a detailed account that includes specific historical events and developments. The more specific content the better. You are required to include relevant information from lectures and the assigned texts.
· 3) Style. Style refers to how well the essay is organized. Develop and organize your essay in a way that is easy for the reader to follow and also emphasizes your main argument.
· 4) Quantity. While quantity is by no means the only ingredient in an effective answer, successful answers to essay questions often require five single-sided pages in a blue book or more.
EXAM #1 STUDY GUIDE:
(Exam 1 is based on chapters 1 through 5 in the course texts and the corresponding lecture material.)
Section A: Terms
Arawaks (Tainos); Aztecs(Mexica); Algonquian Indians; League of 5 Nations (Iroquois); Opechancanough; Christopher Columbus; Hernando Cortes; John Smith; William Penn; John Winthrop; Biblical Commonwealth; Precious metals; Sugar; Tobacco; Fur Trade; Mercantilism; Navigation Acts; Triangular Trade; indentured servants; Head-right system; slavery; Spanish Re-Conquest of Spain; Pequot War; Bacon’s Rebellion; King Philip’s War
Section B: Essay Themes for Exam 1
EXAM #2 STUDY GUIDE:
(Exam 2 is based on chapters 6 through 10 of your course texts and corresponding lectures.)
Section A: Terms
French and Indian War; Pontiac’s uprising; John Locke; Sugar Act; Stamp Act; Townshend Duties; Boston Massacre; Boston Tea Party; Coercive Acts; Continental Congress; Declaration of Independence; Articles of Confederation; the Constitution; Shays’ Rebellion; Whiskey Rebellion; Alien and Sedition Acts; Agrarian Republic; Alexander Hamilton; Thomas Jefferson; Thomas Paine; War of 1812; Missouri Compromise
Section B: Essay Themes
EXAM #3 STUDY GUIDE:
(Exam 3 is based on chapters 11 through 16 of your course texts and corresponding lectures.)
Section A: Terms
Wilmot Proviso; Manifest Destiny; Free labor Ideology; William Lloyd Garrison; Compromise of 1850; Kansas-Nebraska Act; Cotton; Seneca Falls Convention; Lowell Factory System; Tariff of Abominations; The Bank War; William Sherman; John Brown; Ku Klux Klan; Dred Scott; Share Cropping; Mexican-American War; Black Codes; Radical Reconstruction; Compromise of 1877; Freedmen’s Bureau; Emancipation Proclamation; Charles Sumner; 14th Amendment; 15th Amendment; Nat Turner; Frederick Douglas; Trail of Tears; Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa; Homestead Act; the Gold Rush
Part B: Essay Themes
· the process and consequences of industrialization
· the course and consequences of Western expansion
· the consequences of the Civil War on Southern social groups (stress Reconstruction in your answer)
Lecture Outlines for History 105:
American History to 1877
These outlines highlight main lecture themes and content. The textbook chapters that correspond to the lectures are listed as headings in bold capital letters. However, frequently the lectures include material that is not in the textbook, even if both cover the same time period. In other words, often the contents of the lecture and the textbook are complementary, not repetitive.
1. ANCIENT AMERICA, BEFORE 1492
1. No Indians exist before 1492
2. First Americans
3. Americas in 1492
Population: 80 million (4 million in present day United States)
Classification of societies
4. Aztecs (Mexica)
Aztec’s Rise to power
Class divisions in Aztec Society
Culture and Class Divisions
Aztec religion
Aztec (Mexica) Federation
Tribute System
2. EUROPEANS ENCOUNTER THE NEW WORLD, 1492-1600
1. Mediterranean Trade
Shifts in Mediterranean Trade
Europeans attempt to regain control of East-West Trade
Portuguese Expansion
2. Spain, Columbus, and the New World
Spain’s Internal Expansion: Reconquest of Iberian Peninsula from Moors, 711-1492
Features of the Spanish Reconquest
Spain and Columbus
Columbus and Island Phase Conquest of Americas, 1492-1519
3. Colonial Mexico
Factors in Spanish Conquest of 1519-1521
A high level of interaction between Spaniards and Indians
Examples:
A. Spaniards utilize pre-existing system exploitation
B. A Corporate Colonial
C. Labor systems
D. Religion
E. Racial Mixture
F. Legal System:
G. Geography and interaction between Spaniards and Indians:
Discovery silver in Zacatecas, 1540s
3. THE SOUTHERN COLONIES IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY, 1601-1700
1. English Colonization of the Chesapeake IN THE 1600S
Background to English Colonization of North America
Jamestown, 1607: Difficult Beginnings
Reorganization and Tobacco
Indian-Settler Relations
Emerging social Structure, 1650s
2. Slavery in the Atlantic World
The New World Causes the Revival and Transformation of Slavery
Brazilian Beginnings
The English Caribbean: Barbados and Jamaica
British Slavery on the North America Mainland
4. THE NORTHERN COLONIES IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY, 1601-1700
1. Puritanism
Background
(Elizabeth, 1558; James, 1603; Charles, 1625)
Puritanism in the New World
Puritan Relations with Indians
2. Dutch and French Settlements and the Middle Colonies
5. COLONIAL AMERICA IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY, 1701-1770
1. Economic Relations between Britain and the Colonies
2. Spain does not derive as much economic benefit from its American colonies as Britain
Spain as “middle man”
Europeans conceptions of the economy of New Spain
3. 18TH Century commercial and social developments
4. Colonial politics: from childhood to adult?
Colonies become more “English” over time
Parallel Representative bodies/politics
6. THE BRITISH EMPIRE AND THE COLONIAL CRISIS, 1754-1775
1. French and Indian War
2. The Age of Revolution, 1764-1775
Specific British Acts:
o Sugar (revenue) Act, 1764
o Stamp Act, 1765
o Declaratory Act, 1766
o Townshend Duties, 1767
o Boston Massacre, 1770
o Tea Act, 1773
o Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts), 1774
o Continental Congress, 1774
7. THE WAR FOR AMERICA, 1775-1783
1. Declaration of Independence
Why not declared until well after the fighting breaks out?
What the Declaration of Independence resolves and fails to resolve:
2. The War
-War and the Economy
-Peace of Paris, 1783
8. BUILDING A REPUBLIC, 1775-1789
1. Articles of Confederation, 1781-88
2. Movement to Amend the Articles
3. Debate over ratification of the Constitution
Issues that divide Federalists and anti-Federalists
4. Slavery in the Age of Revolution
9. THE NEW NATION TAKES FORM, 1789-1800
1. Fortuitous Beginnings to the Early Republic
2. The emergence of party conflict
The Federalist Economic vision of Alexander Hamilton
Implementation of Hamilton’s Vision
Protests against Hamilton=s Program
3. Foreign Policy and the Republican-Federalist Conflict
International Revolutions
France and England Resume War (1793) and its impact on the U.S.
Domestic Policies during AWar@ time
10. REPUBLICANS IN POWER, 1800-1824
1. Jefferson: A man of contradictions?
2. A Republican Revolution?
3. An Agrarian Republic
Agrarian Republic and Jefferson=s Land Policy
4. Indian Policy
5. Foreign Policy
6. Weakening of the Parties
11. THE EXPANDING REPUBLIC, 1815-1840
1. The Market Revolution
1820-1860: Era of industrialization
Transportation
Labor
Technology
Demise artisans and emergence factory workers
Rise of the factory and Separate Spheres Ideology
2. Jacksonian Democracy, 1830s-40s
Introduction: A more democratic political system
Jackson’s image
Limits to Jacksonian Democracy
3. The Second Party System
Region: N. East and South
Class: business, planter, and laborer
Region: South, West, N. East
Class: middle class, yeoman farmer, urban labor
12. THE NEW WEST AND THE FREE NORTH, 1840-1860
1. Ideology of Western Expansion: Manifest Destiny
2. The Mexican Northern Frontier
Mexican Views of the United States: friend to foe
The Texas Example
Mexican-American War, 1846-48
3. Forms of Western Expansion: Homestead and Agribusiness
4. California and different national and ethnic groups
5. Indians and Western Expansion
13. THE SLAVE SOUTH, 1820-1860
1. The age of Revolution and the decline of slavery
2. King Cotton and the revival of slavery
Reproduction of the slave population
Slaves work and resistance
3. Social hierarchy in the South
14. THE HOUSE DIVIDED, 1846-1861
1. Cultural and economic factors in sectionalism
2. Western expansion and sectional political conflicts
3. Emergence new Parties:
4. Short-term events leading to the Civil War:
15. THE CRUCIBLE OF WAR, 1861-1865
Ft. Sumter and Choosing Sides
Introduction: The Confederacy and the Union
1. Civil War
War strategies
Course of War
Why Union wins
2. Slavery, emancipation, and the War
16. RECONSTRUCTION, 1863-1877
Introduction: What the Civil War resolves and does not resolve
1. Competing Reconstruction Visions and Agendas
2. Presidential Reconstruction Programs
Southern Response
3. Congressional Reconstruction
Radical Reconstruction
Republican Party constituents and reforms in the South
4. Reconstruction=s economic and political limits
5. The Republican Party and the end of Reconstruction