United States History Survey from 1865

United States History Survey from 1865

History 206

Professor Andrew Kersten

Summer 2006 [web update, 6/0706, 3:00 P.M.]

Description: This course is a general survey of United States history from the end of the Civil War to present. In this class, we will cover both the content of this history and various themes that I wish to emphasize. Among these interpretative emphases are: labor, race, ethnic, and gender relations; immigration; wealth; and the role of the federal government in creating and influencing American history. This course is interdisciplinary. Technically it is an H3 class, but it will meet many of the Social Sciences and Ethnic Studies learning outcomes as well. It is also important to note that this course encourages students to improve as critical readers, critical writers, and critical thinkers. This focus will move some students from the normal comfort zone. However, everyone will benefit from your thoughts, engagement, and own personal view of history.

Course Information:

Contact times: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 9:00 am to 12:00 (noon) [May 22-June 16]

Office Hours: 8-9, Monday-Thursday and by appointment

Instructor email: kerstena@uwgb.edu

Course email: C6037@uwgb.edu

Required Books:

Digital History: A Free and Online US History Textbook (http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/hyper_titles.cfm)

Schlosser, Fast Food Nation (2001)

Main Internet Sites:

History Matters (http://historymatters.gmu.edu/)

Digital History (http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/hyper_titles.cfm)

Intended Student Learning Outcomes:

Develop critical thinking skills and exercise problem solving skills especially as they relate to historical analysis and interpretation.
Develop a fundamental understanding of major events, chronology, and movements in United States History.
Develop historical analysis skills including comprehension of primary documents.
Develop critical reading skills including the understanding of historical interpretation.
Identify and clarify individual and social values in the United States.
Develop an understanding and appreciation for cultural diversity.
Develop an understanding of the social sciences including: major concepts of social, political, geographic and economic structures; and the impact that social institutions and values have on individuals and groups in a culture.

Additional Rules:

During class, turn off all pagers, beepers, PDA alarms, telephones, and other electronic or non-electronic communication devices that ring, vibrate, hum, or otherwise annoy.
Never send your written work as an email or email attachment unless specifically instructed to do so.
You are not allowed to bring in outside resources for any take-home exam or essay assignment unless specifically directed to do so. Violating this policy may result in a significantly reduced grade on that exam or assignment.
You are not allowed to use the web site Wikipedia unless specifically directed to do so.
Always keep several updated copies of your files on disk and at least one recent hard copy.
Try to never miss a class immediately following a major exam. In fact, don't skip class at all.
In this class, use your best professional skills while writing, speaking, and communicating with others.
This class welcomes all types of learners. Persons with disabilities that might affect learning should contact me during the first week of class.
Graded papers are returned once during class. If you fail to pick up your paper, you may retrieve it at my office during office hours. After a while, I recycle old class papers.
All written work over two pages must be stapled. Quality staplers are available for under $1. Papers that are not stapled will not be accepted.
Check your UW-Green Bay email twice daily. You are responsible for reading and understanding the email that I send you. Only send me email from your UW-Green Bay email. The campus spam mail filter quarantines mail from yahoo, msn, AOL, hotmail, and other providers.
Finally use this syllabus as a class resource. Don't loose it. Refer to it frequently to ensure that you are caught up on reading and studying, that your papers meet the guidelines below, and that you understand when things will happen in this course.

Expectations:

Attend class every day, and be respectful of others during class.

Come to class on time and prepared for the day's work.

Participate in class every day.

Read and understand all materials.

Work hard and honestly and professionally.

Writing:

All written work must be at least 600 to 700 words (depending on assignment), typed or printed in black. You must have your name on your paper, follow good writing etiquette, staple your pages together, and use page numbers for papers longer than two pages. Double-space everything. No cover pages or report covers.

Assignments:

There are five kinds of writing assignments in this course. Each assignment is tied closely to one of the learning outcomes. History's Moments assignments focus on primary documents and developing our deep understandings of major events, time periods, and movements in United States History. History as Mystery assignments foster problem solving skills and an understanding of historical methodology and thinking. Words That Changed History assignments center on understanding the past, past social values, and how they have changed. What Would You Do? assignments explore how the past was shaped and let's you not only investigate the past but delve into alternative historical paths. Finally, there are Historical Reflection essays which ask you to ponder what other historians have said about the past.

For each assignment, you'll work in a group, and you will need to use analysis worksheets located here:

http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/

Grading:

Grades are not curved. Except in emergency situations, late work will lose one letter grade per weekday (Sunday through Saturday) without prior approval of the instructor. Attendance will be taken and students are expected to attend class for the entire period and are expected to contribute to discussions. Cheating constitutes a violation of University policy and students will be subject to University disciplinary actions.

Your grade will be based on your performance on the exams and papers. There will be three exams (all multiple choice). Additionally, you will have to turn in four (4) of the eight (8) worksheet opportunities. Everyone must answer one of the discussion questions for Fast Food Nation.

3 Multiple Choice Exams (20% each)

4 Worksheets (8% each)

1 Essay (8%)

Grading Scale:

100-93 A

92-90 A/B

89-85 B

84-80 B/C

79-70 C

69-60 D

Disability Notice:

Consistent with the federal law and the policies of the University of Wisconsin, it is the policy of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay to provide appropriate and necessary accommodations to students with documented physical and learning disabilities. If you anticipate requiring any auxiliary aids or services, you should contact me or the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities at 465-2671 as soon as possible to discuss your needs and arrange for the provision of services.

Grading Rubric

As (90-100)	Bs (80-89)	Cs (70-79)	Ds (60-69)	F (59 and below)
Your essay is well constructed. It has paragraphs, topic sentences, and most importantly a clear thesis. Your essay demonstrates a command of the material. It uses quotes from the readings. You have an exceptional command of the English language. You avoid making many grammatical or stylistic errors.	You essay is very good. It has paragraphs. You probably need to develop your thesis and/or topic sentences. You have a fair command of the reading materials but could have used more quotes or direct references. You have some grammatical and stylistic problems.	Your essay is good. And yet, your essay needs work to improve its structure. You need to work on your thesis and/or topic sentences. You have a fair command of the reading materials. You could have used more quotes. You have serious grammatical and stylistic problems.	Your essay lacks coherence. You make errors in essay structure, style, and grammar. You lack a command of the reading materials. You make many stylistic and grammatical errors. This paper needs a lot of work.	You failed to complete the assignment.

Paper Turn In Checklist:

Have you remembered the little things?

Have you put your name on the first page of the paper?

Have you remember not to attach a cover page?

Have you numbered your pages?

Have you stapled your paper?

Have you used black ink?

Have you double-spaced your paper?

Have you remembered the big things?

Have you clearly identified your thesis?

Have you used proper paragraph form (with indents)?

Have you used topic sentences?
Have you used quotations to support your ideas?

Have you used proper footnote and bibliographic formats?

Have you revised your paper with several drafts?

Course Outline

Week One: [Reading: Web Textbook "Civil War" through "The Jazz Age: The American 1920s"]

May 22

Introduction

Reconstruction

History's Moments: Documenting Reconstruction

May 23

Farmers in an Era of Change

Imperialism

History as Mystery: Raising the Maine

May 24

Muckrakers and Gilded Age City

Words that Changed History: Documenting the Muckrakers (Stephens and Wells)

Progressivism and World War I

May 25

Tribal Twenties

Film: Demon Rum

Jazz Age

Week Two [Reading: Web Textbook "1930s" through "America in Ferment: The Tumultuous 1960s"]

May 29 No Class

May 30

Great Depression and New Deal

World War II: Battle Front

World War II: Home Front

Review

May 31

Exam Number One

What Would You Do? Dropping the Atomic Bombs

Cold War

June 1

Kennedy

What Would You Do?: The Cuban Missile Crisis

Civil Rights

Week Three: [Reading: Web Textbook "America in Ferment" through "The Past Three Decades"]

June 5

Film: Eyes on the Prize: The March on Washington

LBJ

Vietnam

June 6

History as Mystery: The Gulf of Tonkin Episode

Watergate

History as Mystery: Watergate Break-In and Cover-Up

June 7

Review

Exam

June 8

"Malaise" and the 1970s

History's Moments: Carter and his Malaise Speech

Film: Meltdown: Three Mile Island

Week Four: [Reading: Web Textbook "The Past Three Decades" and Fast Food Nation]

June 12

A New America? Reagan Years

Film: Roger and Me

June 13

Clinton

Bush and War on Terror

History's Moments: The Patriot Act

June 14

Fast Food Nation Discussion

Film: Supersize Me

June 15

Review

Final Exam

Assignments and Sources

History's Moments: Documenting Reconstruction

Images of Reconstruction

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart5.html

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart5b.html

Affidavit of Mark Walker

http://www.freedmensbureau.com/texas/texaffidavit2.htm

List of Murders

http://www.freedmensbureau.com/tennessee/outrages/columbia.htm

Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/slavery/experience/freedom/docs7.html

History as Mystery: Raising the Maine

Destruction of the Maine

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq71-1.htm

What Really Sank the Maine?

http://www.usni.org/navalhistory/articles98/nhallen.htm

Report on the Maine

http://www.uwgb.edu/kerstena/McKinley_web.PDF

http://www.uwgb.edu/kerstena/Final Report 1_web.PDF

http://www.uwgb.edu/kerstena/Final Report 2_web.PDF

http://www.uwgb.edu/kerstena/Final Report 3_web.PDF

To access the PDFs, you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you don't have a copy, then click here.

Once you have Acrobat Reader installed, download the PDF by right clicking on the link to download file. 

Once in Acrobat Reader, you will have to rotate the image.

Words that Changed History: Documenting the Muckrakers

Introduction to Lincoln Steffens's Shame of the Cities

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5732

Lincoln Steffens Exposes Corruption in St. Louis

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5733

Plunkitt Responds to Steffens

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5731

The Shame of America

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6786

The Murder of Postmaster Baker

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5486

Ida B. Wells Protests the Murder of a Black Postmaster

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/56

Senator Benjamin R. Tillman Justifies Violence Against Blacks

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/55

What Would You Do? Dropping the Atomic Bombs

US needs to think about the atomic bomb more carefully

Letter, Albert Einstein to Franklin D. Roosevelt, 25 March 1945

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/index.php

Note that the US has the atomic bomb

Letter, Henry Stimson to Harry S. Truman, 24 April 1945

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/index.php

Atomic bombs ready to go

Letter, Henry Stimson to Harry S. Truman, 30 July 1945

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/index.php

Draft statement on the dropping of the atomic bomb, 30 July 1945

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/index.php

Truman rationalizes dropping the bomb

Correspondence between Harry S. Truman and Samuel Cavert, 11 August 1945

http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/bomb/large/index.php

Why did we have to win it twice?: A physicist (Bernard Feld) remembers his work on the first atomic bomb

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/141

Remembering Nagasaki (This site has material some might find objectionable.)

http://www.exploratorium.edu/nagasaki/

What Would You Do? The Cuban Missile Crisis

Photographs of missiles and silos in Cuba

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/cuba_mis_cri/photos.htm

White House Briefings (Audio – requires free computer software RealPlayer from Real Audio)

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/cuba_mis_cri/audio.htm

What people have said about this:

Cuban Missile Crisis: An Introduction

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/cuba_mis_cri/declass.htm

Cuban Missile Crisis Turning Point: October 27, 1962

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/cuba_mis_cri/moment.htm

Brinkmanship

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/cuba_mis_cri/annals.htm

Should you see "Thirteen Days"?

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/cuba_mis_cri/brenner.htm

History as Mystery: Gulf of Tonkin

Retrospective on the Gulf of Tonkin Incident

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB132/essay.htm

Naval Intercepts from August 1964

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB132/essay.htm

Declassified Naval Documents about the Gulf of Tonkin Incident

http://www.history.navy.mil/docs/gulfoftonkin.htm

White House Tapes about the Gulf of Tonkin Incident

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB132/tapes.htm

President Johnson's Address to Congress, August 5, 1964

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/tonkin-g.htm

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

http://vietnam.vassar.edu/doc9.html

US State Department's Assessment of Gulf of Tonkin Incident

http://www.state.gov/www/about_state/history/vol_i/255_308.html

Toward a New History of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident

http://www.uwgb.edu/kerstena/Vietnam_web.PDF

History as Mystery: Watergate Break-in and Cover-Up

The Washington Post Revisits Watergate

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/watergate/front.htm

The Washington Post Revisits Deep Throat

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/05/31/LI2005053100696.html

Nixon Resignation Speech

http://www.millercenter.virginia.edu/scripps/exhibits/nixon/resignation/index.html

Ford Pardon

http://www.millercenter.virginia.edu/scripps/exhibits/nixon/pardon/index.html

Last Three Days in Office (Photographs)

http://www.millercenter.virginia.edu/scripps/exhibits/nixon/photos/nara/index.html

History's Moments: Carter's Malaise Speech

Carter's "Malaise Speech"

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/filmmore/ps_crisis.html

John F. Kennedy's 1961 Inaugural

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/johnfkennedyinaugural.htm

Ronald W. Reagan's 1981 Inaugural

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/rreagandfirstinaugural.html

Ronald W. Reagan's 1985 Inaugural

http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres62.html

History's Moment's: The Patriot Act

Text of the USA Patriot Act

http://fl1.findlaw.com/news.findlaw.com/cnn/docs/terrorism/hr3162.pdf

ACLU's Resource Page for the USA Patriot Act

http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=12126&c=207

ALA Resource Page for the USA Patriot Act

http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/ifissues/usapatriotact.htm

Slate Magazine's Analysis of the USA Patriot Act

http://www.slate.com/id/2087984/

Writing Tips for Students

How to Write a History Essay

Most history essays are written in response to a historical question. The best way to answer that question is to use the "five paragraph" essay.

Your first paragraph (that is, your introduction) should provide some general background on the question (and may even restate the question) and then directly answer that question. This statement is your thesis. It is a good idea to add one final sentence, which will allude to the rest of your paper.

Your next three (or so) paragraphs provide a detailed, structured, and concise summary of evidence and ideas that support your thesis.

The conclusion is the place to summarize your thoughts, your essay, and your thesis. It is also the place to talk about how the past might relate to the present.

It is always a good idea to use quotations from the sources that are utilized and discussed in class.

It is always a good idea to review the Guide to Good Writing before and after you write your essay.

Basic Suggestions, Guidelines, and Grading

General Suggestions

€ Start early.

€ Have a friend read your early drafts.

Format

€ Staple your papers.

€ No coversheets.

€ No plastic covers or folders.

€ Always use page numbers.

€ Use footnotes, endnotes, or in paragraph citation.

Style -- avoid these problems

AFW Avoid Flavoring Words ("very" etc)

AWK Awkward Sentence Structure

COLL Colloquial Language

DA Don't Abbreviate

DP Dangling Preposition

DUC Don't Use Contractions

DUF Don't Use First Person

DWQ Don't Write in Questions

KPP Keep the Past in the Past (use past tense verbs)

MU Meaning Unclear

MVT &n