History 105: American History I (beginnings to 1877)

Goshen College

Fall 2005; MWF, 2:00 p.m.

Science Building, Room 107

Prof. Steve Nolt

office: Wyse Hall 312

telephone: (office) 535-7460; (home) 534-6438

e-mail: stevemn@goshen.edu

course web site: http://blackboard.goshen.edu

Course overview:

This course of study introduces the major events and themes in the social, cultural, and political history of the British North American colonies and the Unites States to 1877. Three themes will be particularly important:

(1) Colonialism and cultural encounters. We will look at contact between Europeans and Native Americans, between Europeans and Africans, between different European colonial ideals, and between Anglo-American colonists and Britain. All involved significant and often sharp cultural conflict. What was so new about the “New World”?

(2) Democratization and its implications. What role should popular opinion play in the organization and decision making of a nation-state? Even though few revolutionaries endorsed democracy, the Revolution itself unleashed a tidal wave of democratic sentiments that profoundly changed society. The results were mixed and often contradictory as people debated the meaning and purpose of equality.

(3) Nationalism and war. Rejecting the “Old World” and its ideas, values, and traditions, the United States created an identity and constructed myths needed to sustain a new nationalism. Land, labor, and slavery were central and contested parts of this identity, eventually playing into Civil War. Through it all, American nationalism claimed the power to “reconstruct” society.

Course goals:

(1) To gain knowledge of the events, people, and issues of this period, especially related to the themes, above.

(2) To identify various perspectives on a given event or topic and consider what historical sources actually tell us about the past and how we can use them to understand history.

(3) To think historically, evaluate sources, consider contexts, and construct arguments and raise and answer counter-arguments.

(4) To improve written and oral communication skills.

Grading and other requirements:

Evaluation will be based on 510 possible points:

Map quiz 20 points

Two written essays 70 points (each)

Discussion participation 110 points

Two midterm exams 70 points (each)

Final examination 100 points

Final letter grades are figured at 90%=A; 80%=B; 70%=C; 60%=D.

Attendance policy: I will take attendance. For each unexcused absence more than two, the final course grade will be reduced two percentage points. Notice of excused absences for athletic or school-related functions should be presented prior to the absence, and any assignments due on such days must be submitted on time. Inform me of absence due to illness as soon as possible. Exams or quizzes given on days of unexcused absences cannot be made up, nor can discussion participation for days of unexcused absences. Extensions on written assignments are granted only in unusual circumstances, but see me is you feel you are facing such a situation. The grade for any late written work, other than for medical reasons or otherwise negotiated with the instructor in advance, will be reduced ten percent per day for each day that it is late.

Assignments:

(1) The map quiz will be given at the beginning of class, Monday, September 12. With this syllabus is a list of geographic features or locations and a blank outline map for you to use in study/practice. For the quiz, you will be given another blank outline map and asked to mark accurately twenty of the features or locations that I will choose from the longer list.

(2) Two written essays: Each paper will be 5 pages in length, thesis-oriented, and evaluated on historical content and argumentation, as well as writing style and grammar. Specific information about the essays is posted on the web site, but the first paper will be based on the Mary Rowlandson reading and the second on Frederick Douglass’ Narrative. A detailed sentence outline for essay #1 is due at the beginning of class, Wednesday, September 7; the final paper the beginning of class, Friday, September 23. A detailed sentence outline for essay #2 is due at the beginning of class, Friday, October 28; the final paper at the beginning of class, Wednesday, November 9.

(3) Discussion participation grades: Learning takes place not only through reading and listening, but also through talking about the material at hand and asking questions. While questions and comments are appropriate and welcome in any whole-class situation, there will be eleven “discussion days” that will be given especially to discussion in smaller groups. I will divide the class into groups of 6-8 students, each with a discussion leader. To prepare for discussion group, you will read the assigned text for the day. As a check on your reading, each discussion day will begin with a 5-point quiz on the reading. The class will break into discussion groups for the remainder of the period. Discussion group leaders will then help me evaluate your participation in each week’s discussion group. You can receive 5 points for consistent and active participation, and fewer points for lesser levels of participation. Thus, each discussion day will be worth up to 10 points (5 for the reading preparation quiz, and 5 points for active in-group discussion).

(4) Two midterm exams and a final exam are scheduled for Friday, September 30; Friday, November 4; and Wednesday, December 7. The midterms will include short-answer identification questions and an essay question. The final will include short-answer identification questions and two essay questions.

Textbooks:

John M. Murrin, et al., Liberty, Equality, Power: Concise 3^rd edition, vol. 1 (Wadsworth,

2003).

James Davidson and Mark Lytle, After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection, 5^th ed.,

vol. 1 (McGraw-Hill, 2005).

Mary Rowlandson, The Sovereignty and Goodness of God (Bedford, 1682/1997)

Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave,

Rev. ed. (Bedford, 1845/2003)

James M. McPherson, What They Fought For, 1861-1865 (Louisiana State, 1994).

Academic Integrity: Plagiarism (the undocumented use of words or ideas from the works of others) is not acceptable. Plagiarized assignments receive no credit. All cases of plagiarism or exam/quiz cheating are reported to the Office of the Associate Academic Dean for processing.

Academic Support: Goshen College wants to help all students be as academically successful as possible. If you have a disability and require accommodations, please contact the instructor or the Director of the Academic Support Center, Lois Martin, early in the semester so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. In order to receive accommodations, documentation concerning your disability must be on file with the Academic Support Center, KU 004, x 7576, lmartin@goshen.edu. All information will be held in the strictest confidence. The Academic Support Center offers tutoring and writing assistance for all students. For further information please see www.goshen.edu/studentlife/asc.php.
Date Preparation for Class Class

W Aug 24

Course introduction, themes, goals, assumptions, assignments.

Part 1: Colonialism and cultural encounters

F Aug 26	Read Murrin chap. 1; Read After the Fact, “Introduction,” and “Prologue: The Strange Death of Silas Deane—The Problem of Selecting Evidence.”	Topic: “Silas Deane.” Topic: Transatlantic encounters.
M Aug 29	Read Murrin chap. 2.	Topic: Native Americans, New Englanders, and the environment.
W Aug 31	Read After the Fact, chap. 1. Question to consider for discussion group: “What types of sources are mentioned in this chap. & what do each tell us?	Discussion Day: “Serving Time in Virginia: The Perspective of Evidence in Social History.”
F Sept 2	Skim Sovereignty and Goodness of God, 1-55; read Sovereignty and Goodness of God, 63-73.	Topic: Comparing four English colonial models.
M Sept 5	Read Sovereignty and Goodness of God, 73-112. For discussion group: work on ideas for essay 1.	Discussion Day: Sovereignty and Goodness of God, 63-112.
W Sept 7	Read Murrin chap. 3. Complete sentence outline for essay 1.	Topic: Beginnings of American slavery. Essay 1 outline due.
F Sept 9	Read After the Fact, chap. 2. Question to consider for discussion group: What does each theory explain well and what does it not explain well?	Discussion Day: “Visible and Invisible Worlds: Studying Crisis at the Community Level.”
M Sep 12	Read Murrin chap. 4. Study for Map Quiz.	Topic: The colonies converge. Map quiz.
W Sep 14	Work on essay 1.	Video: “Africans in America: The Terrible Transformation.”
F Sep 16	Read After the Fact, chap. 3. Question to consider for discussion group: What is the relationship between a text and its context?	Discussion Day: “Declaring Independence: Strategies of Documentary Analysis.”
M Sep 19	Read Murrin chap. 5.	Topic: Imperial crisis.
W Sep 21	All-School Celebrate Service Day
F Sep 23	Finish essay 1.	Topic: From imperial crisis to revolution. Essay 1 due.
M Sep 26	Read Murrin chap. 6.	Topic: A fragile republic: Confederation and Constitution.
W Sep 28	Read Murrin chap. 7.	Topic: Creating a new nation—the political and social legacy of the Revolution.
F Sep 30	Study for exam 1.	Midterm exam 1.

Part 2: Democratization and its implications

M Oct 3	Read Murrin chap. 8.	Topic: Jeffersonian ideals and realities
W Oct 5	Read After the Fact, chap. 4.	Discussion: “Material Witness: Hearth and Home in the Material Culture of a Market Economy”
F Oct 7	Read Murrin chaps. 9-10.	Topic: The market revolution

Midterm Recess

F Oct 14	Read Murrin chap. 11.	Topic: Jacksonian politics: America becomes democratic?
M Oct 17	Read Murrin chap. 12.	Topic: Jacksonian society—the social force of popular religion.
W Oct 19	Read After the Fact, chap. 5. Question to consider for discussion group: Was Jackson a common ‘man of the people’? Why or why not?	Discussion Day: “Jackson’s Frontier—and Turner’s: History and Grand Theory.”
F Oct 21	Skim, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, 1-23; read Narrative, 41-75.	Topic: Slave culture and the culture of slavery.
M Oct 24	Read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, 75-125. For discussion group: work on ideas for essay 2.	Discussion Day: Narrative of . . . Frederick Douglass, 41-125.
W Oct 26	Read Murrin, pp. 341-49.	Topic: Immigration, democracy, and politics.
F Oct 28	Finish essay 2 sentence outline.	Topic: Trails across the plains. Essay 2 outline due.
M Oct 31	Read After the Fact, chap. 5. Question to consider for discussion group: How can we use ecology as an historical source?	Discussion: “Invisible Pioneers: Ecological Transformation along the Western Frontier.”
W Nov 2	Read Murrin pp. 349-63.	Topic: ‘Manifest Destiny’ and War with Mexico.
F Nov 4	Study for exam 2.	Midterm exam 2.

Part 3: Nationalism and war

M Nov 7	Read Murrin chap. 14.	Topic: Sectional crisis, part 1: political instability.
W Nov 9	Finish essay 2.	Topic: Sectional crisis, part 2: political and cultural breakdown. Essay 2 due.
F Nov 11	Read After the Fact, chap. 7. Question to consider for discussion group: Do you think John Brown was insane?	Discussion Day: “The Madness of John Brown: The Uses of Psychohistory.”
M Nov 14	Read Murrin chap. 15.	Topic: The course of the Civil War.
W Nov 16	Read McPherson, What They Fought For (entire text). Question to consider for discussion group: Did Northern and Southern soldiers fight for the same things?	Discussion: McPherson, What They Fought For, 1861-1865.
F Nov 18	Read Murrin chap. 16.	Topic: Civil War and American society.
M Nov 21	Begin reading Murrin chap. 17.	Topic: Reconstruction, part 1: The actors and their actions.
W Nov 23	Read After the Fact, chap. 8. Question to consider for discussion group: What did you learn from comparing the two interviews in this chapter?	Discussion Day: “The View from the Bottom Rail: Oral History and the Freedpeople.”
F Nov 25	Thanksgiving Recess
M Nov 28	Finish reading Murrin chap. 17.	Topic: Reconstruction, part 2: Freedpeople, freedom, and redemption.
W Nov 30	Study questions for final exam.	Topic: Civil War, Reconstruction and American memory.

Friday, December 2: Reading Day

Final Exam: Wednesday, December 7, 1:00 pm.