Syllabus
History 1161-002: U.S. History II
University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Spring 2004
Meets MWF, 2:00-2:50 P.M. in Winningham 107
Dr. Mark Wilson
Office: Garinger 128
Office Phone Number: 704-687-3987
Office Hours: Wednesday, 3:00-4:30, and by appointment
E-mail: mrwilson@uncc.edu
Overview
At the beginning of the 21st century, the United States stands as the wealthiest and most powerful of all the world’s nations. The U.S. population—which amounts to about 5% of all the people in the world—is especially diverse, thanks to waves of immigration from all corners of the world over the last four centuries. The United States often represents itself—and is seen by many Americans and non-Americans—as a global champion of liberty, democracy, and capitalism. Today, and in the future, the United States as a nation and the human beings who live within its borders will continue to have extraordinary influence over the development of the world. But what form will that influence take, and how is it likely to change over time? How will the ongoing actions and interactions of the nearly 300 million Americans affect the future of the United States and the world? To what extent are the lived experiences of Americans likely to change over time, and why? To answer such questions, we must examine the history of the United States. By better understanding the record of past developments, we will better understand our present situations and better anticipate our possible futures and the extent to which we may influence those possible futures.
This course considers the history of the United States since the Civil War. Among the subjects it considers are the century-long struggle for civil rights by African Americans and others; industrialization and the transformation of relations among workers, businesses, and the state; cultural conflict and accommodation among people divided along lines of ethnicity, gender, and religion; and the involvement of Americans in wars and the rise of the United States as a world power. Much of the course will be devoted to the reading and discussion of primary documents. Each student will also draw upon her/his careful reading of two memoirs to write an essay that considers the question of how people “make history.”
This course fulfills COGE goal C or L:
UNDERSTANDING THE ARTS, LITERATURE, AND IDEAS
UNC Charlotte graduates should:
* Be conversant with, and have had experience in, the aims and methods of the great intellectual, spiritual, literary, and artistic expressions that have shaped the development of the human imagination.
* Understand the importance that abstract ideas and artistic images have in the process of self understanding and in the shaping of society.
UNDERSTANDING THE INDIVIDUAL, SOCIETY, AND CULTURE
UNC Charlotte graduates should be able to:
* Understand how institutions operate with societies in both contemporary and historical perspectives.
* Understand internal and external influences which promote and inhibit human action.
* Understand the patterns of change which individuals experience at various points in life.
* Recognize the complex, integrated, and dynamic nature of human behavior and human experiences.
* Understand the commonalities, differences, and interdependence among and within societies of the world.
Expectations and Classroom Etiquette
Be sure to complete the reading assignment before coming to class. You should attend each class, arriving on time and staying for the entire class period. In class, be sure that all cell phones and pagers are turned off. Do not engage in private conversations during class. If you must consume food or drink during class, do not allow it to distract others and be sure to clean up after yourself. If you know in advance that you must miss class, inform the instructor in advance. Students in this course seeking accommodations to disabilities must first consult with the Office of Disability Services and follow the instructions of that office for obtaining accommodations.
Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are unacceptable and will be punished with a grade of F and other disciplinary action. You must abide by the UNCC Code of Student Academic Integrity: see http://www.legal.uncc.edu/policies/ps-105.html.
Requirements and Grading
Attendance and Participation 10%
Weekly sheets of questions and comments on documents (15 total) 15%
Midterm Exam (50 minutes) 15%
Final Paper (8-10 pages) 30%
Final Exam (3 hours) 30%
Weekly question/comment sheets : On the first course meeting of each week, you will turn in one sheet of paper with any questions or comments you have about the set of documents we are discussing during that week. (You may add more questions and comments that occur to you during that first meeting before turning in the sheet at the end of the meeting.) These sheets will be used to guide our discussion and any background lecture during the second course meeting of the week.
Exams : Each of the two exams will be written in blue books, which you should purchase in the bookstore and bring to the exam. If you must miss a scheduled exam and need to arrange for a make-up, contact the instructor in advance. If you miss an exam because of a last-minute emergency, contact the instructor as quickly as possible. In some cases, you may be asked to document the emergency. If the above procedures are not followed, missed exams will receive no credit.
Paper : One of the main requirements for this course is a substantial essay that uses your careful reading and analysis of the Lewis and Ellsberg memoirs (see below) to discuss the question of how people “make history” by successfully altering well-established institutions that structure their worlds. A detailed paper assignment will be handed out in class before the end of January. You are welcome to turn in drafts, up to one week before the final due date. Drafts will be returned with suggestions for revision.
Required texts (available for purchase at Gray’s bookstore and the campus bookstore)
*Elliott J. Gorn, Randy Roberts, and Terry D. Bilhartz, Constructing the American Past: A Source Book of a People’s History , Volume 2, Fourth Edition (New York: Longman, 2002).
*John Lewis, Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998; paperback edition New York: Harcourt Brace & Co., 1999).
*Daniel Ellsberg, Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers (New York: Viking Penguin, 2002; paperback edition New York: Penguin Books, 2003).
Course Calendar . Reading assignments listed under a given date should be completed before the beginning of class on that date.
Date Reading Assignments
12 Jan Introductions , Course Overview. --
14-16 Jan Reconstruction: The Ku Klux Klan Gorn, Chap. 1
19 Jan NO CLASS Martin Luther King, Jr. day
21-23 Jan The Gilded Age: The 1877 Strike Gorn, Chap. 2
26-28 Jan Continental Empire: Wounded Knee Gorn, Chap. 3
30 Jan Book Discussion Lewis, Prologue, Chaps. 1-6
2-4 Feb New Americans: Immigrants’ Lives Gorn, Chap. 4
6 Feb Book Discussion Lewis, Chaps. 7-10
9-11 Feb The Progressive Era, I: The Jungle Gorn, Introduction
13 Feb Midterm Exam review Gorn and class notes
16-18 Feb The Progressive Era, II: Birth Control Gorn, Chap. 6
20 Feb Book Discussion Lewis, Chaps. 11-14
23-25 Feb Global Empire: The Philippines Gorn, Chap. 5
27 Feb Book Discussion Lewis, Chaps. 15-18
1-3 Mar World War I: Mobilizing Images Gorn, Chap. 7
5 Mar Book Discussion Lewis, Chaps. 19-21
8-12 Mar NO CLASS Spring Break
15-17 Mar The Great Depression and the New Deal Gorn, Chap. 9
19 Mar Book Discussion Ellsberg, Preface, Prologue,
Chaps. 1-5
22-24 Mar World War II: One Family’s Story Gorn, Chap. 10
26 Mar Book Discussion Ellsberg, Chaps. 6-11
29-31 Mar The Cold War: Overview Gorn, Chap. 11
2 Apr Book Discussion Ellsberg, Chaps. 12-19
5-7 Apr The Cold War: Vietnam Gorn, Chap. 13
9 Apr NO CLASS (University holiday) Locate an article on the
present / future of the USA
12-14 Apr Civil Rights: Freedom Summer 1964 Gorn, Chap. 12, and
review Lewis, Chaps. 12-14
16 Apr Book Discussion Ellsberg, Chaps. 20-26
Turn in selected article
19-21 Apr Disease and Society: HIV/AIDS Gorn, Chap. 14
23 Apr Book Discussion Ellsberg, Chaps. 27-32
26-30 Apr Present and Future of the USA Articles to be announced
3 May Overview and Review Review
Final Papers due
6-13 May Exam Period