Syllabus
History 2000-A01: Democracy in America
University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Spring 2004
Meets MWF, 10:00-10:50 P.M. in Denny 122
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
This course considers the history of politics and government in the United States by examining the history of American democracy in theory and practice. To what extent have American politics and government been democratic? What does the history of democracy in America suggest about the future of politics and society in the United States and the world? This course will consider such questions by examining a variety of topics, including the rise of parties and mass politics; machine politics and reform movements; the history of citizenship and suffrage and their connection to categories of race, ethnicity, and gender; the relationship between war and democracy; and the problem of reconciling democratic ideals with existing social and economic hierarchies.
We will read and discuss several important primary sources, as well as a recent history of the right to vote. Requirements for this course include regular attendance and participation in discussions; a quiz; a midterm examination; and a final paper.
This course fulfills COGE goal V:
UNDERSTANDING VALUES
UNC Charlotte graduates should confront the dynamics of personal and community interrelationships by:
* Recognizing the assumptions, beliefs, and values underlying one’s own conduct.
* Recognizing the historical context and assessing the consistency of one’s own values.
* Recognizing differences in the assumptions, beliefs, and values underlying the conduct of others.
* Recognizing the implications of decisions made on the basis of values.
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
Quiz on U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights 10%
Attendance and Participation 15%
Open-Book Midterm Exam 25%
Final Paper (7-10 pp.) 50%
No papers will be accepted via e-mail: you must turn in a hard copy.
Required texts (available for purchase at Gray’s bookstore and the campus bookstore; you may use any unabridged edition of these books)
*Alexander Keyssar. The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States . New York: Basic Books, 2000.
David Wootton, ed. The Essential Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers . [Documents first published in 1787-1791.] Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co., 2003.
*Alexis de Tocqueville. Democracy in America . [First published in 1835 (Vol. I) and 1840 (Vol. II).]
*William L. Riordan. Plunkitt of Tammany Hall: A Series of Very Plain Talks on Very Practical Politics . [First published in 1905.]
*C. Wright Mills. The Power Elite . [First published in 1956.]
Required articles on reserve
*Jane Addams. “Why the Ward Boss Rules” [first published 1898] and “Survivals of Militarism in City Government” [first published 1907]. In Jean Bethke Elshtain, ed., The Jane Addams Reader (New York: Basic Books, 2002).
*Other articles, selected by course members, to be announced.
*on reserve at Atkins Library, 2 nd Floor reserves desk
Course Calendar . Reading assignments listed under a given date should be completed before the beginning of class on that date.
Date Discussion/Lecture Topics Assignments
12 Jan Introductions, Course Overview. --
Debating a Blueprint for American Government, late 1780s
14 Jan The Constitution: How Democratic? The Articles of Confederation
and the Constitution
(Wootton, pp. 317-324, 326-337
16 Jan Opposing the Constitution Antifederalist Letters, 1787-1788
(Wootton, pp. 58-96)
19 Jan NO CLASS Martin Luther King, Jr. day
21 Jan Defending the Constitution, I Federalist #10, 23, 24, 28, 37, 39, 51
23 Jan Defending the Constitution, II Federalist #52, 55, 57, 62, 63, 70, 78
26 Jan Constitution and Bill of Rights Wootton, pp. 326-338
28 Jan Amendments since 1791 locate, date, and read carefully
30 Jan Quiz on the Constitution review
Tocqueville’s America
2 Feb Colonial, Revolutionary Legacies Keyssar, Chap. 1, pp. 1-25
4 Feb “Democracy Ascendant” Keyssar, Chap. 2, pp. 26-52
6 Feb Democracy and History Tocqueville, Vol. I, Introduction
Keyssar, Introduction
09 Feb Tocqueville’s Life and Work Tocqueville biography (pp. xii-xxiii
and xxxvii-xli of Penguin 2003 ed.)
11 Feb The American Condition Tocqueville, Vol. I, Pt. 1, Chaps. 1-4
13 Feb Locality, State, Nation Tocqueville, Vol. I, Pt. 1, Chap. 5
16 Feb Parties, Associations, Democracy Tocqueville, Vol. I, Pt. 2,
Chaps. 1-2, 4-5
18 Feb The Problem of Majority Rule Tocqueville, Vol. I, Pt. 2, Chaps. 7-8
20 Feb Religion Tocqueville, Vol. I, Pt. 2, Chap. 9 (3
subsections on religion only);
Vol. II, Pt. 1, Chaps. 5-6
23 Feb Ethnicity and Race Tocqueville, Vol. I, Pt. 2, Chap. 10
(Overview and first two subsections only), Conclusion
25 Feb Custom and Class Tocqueville, Vol. II, Pt. 3, Ch. 1-7
27 Feb Family and Gender Tocqueville, Vol. II, Pt. 3, Ch. 8-12
1 Mar Democratic Culture Tocqueville, Vol. II, Pt. 1, Ch. 1-2,
8, 11; Pt. 2: Ch. 1-5, 8, 13-15;
Pt. 3, Ch. 2, 17, 19
3 Mar Democracy’s Future, c. 1840 Tocqueville, Vol. II, Pt. 2, Ch. 18-
20; Pt. 3: Ch. 21-26; Pt. 4: Ch. 1-3, 6-8.
5 Mar Open-Book Midterm Exam review
8-12 Mar NO CLASS Spring Break
Progress or Backsliding? Antebellum Years through the Progressive Era, 1840s-1910s
15 Mar Antebellum Reaction Keyssar, pp. 53-87
17 Mar Civil War and Reconstruction Keyssar, pp. 87-116
Amendments 13-15
19 Mar Progressive Anti-democracy? Keyssar, Chap. 5
22 Mar Machine Politics, I Riordan, xxiii-49
24 Mar Machine Politics, II Riordan, 50-98
26 Mar Progressive Reform Addams, 2 articles on reserve
Amendments 16-18
29 Mar One Half the People Keyssar, pp. 172-196
31 Mar Winning the 19th Amendment Keyssar, pp. 196-221
Amendment 19
Cold War America and the Civil Rights Movement, 1950s-1960s
02 Apr Depression, War, and Democracy Keyssar, Chap. 7
5 Apr Power in Cold War America Mills, Chaps. 1, 3
7 Apr Economic Elites Mills, Chaps. 5-6
9 Apr NO CLASS Locate article that discusses the
present / future of democracy
12 Apr A Garrison State? Mills, Chaps. 8-9
14 Apr American Government, c. 1955 Mills, Chaps. 10-11
16 Apr Democratic Culture in the 1950s Mills, Chaps. 13, 15
Turn in your selected article
19 Apr The Expansion of Civil Rights Keyssar, pp. 256-284 Constitution, Amendments 24, 26
21 Apr Continuing Struggles Keyssar, pp. 284-315
The Present and Future of Democracy in the USA and the World
23 Apr The Project of Democracy Keyssar, Conclusion and Afterward
26 Apr Democracy in the 21st Century, I Articles to be announced
28 Apr Democracy in the 21st Century, I Articles to be announced
30 Apr Democracy in the 21st Century, I Articles to be announced
3 May Overview and Review Review
10 May Final Paper Due
Basic U.S. Historical Statistics, 1790-2000
1790 1832 1876 1900 1952 2000
U.S. population (millions) 4 13 45 76 151 270+
Median age (years) n.a. 17 20 23 30 35
Percent urban 5% 9% 27% 40% 65% 75%+
Number of states 13 24 38 45 48 50
Number of U.S. House members 64 213 292 357 434 435
Number of people per U.S.
House member (thousands) 61 60 154 213 347 630+
Number of votes cast in
Presidential Election (millions) n.a. 1.3 8.3 13.8 61.3 103.1
Eligible Voter Participation %
in Presidential Election n.a. 55% 82% 73% 63% 51%
Population Participation %
in Presidential Election n.a. 10% 18% 18% 40% 37%