History of Wisconsin

History 311

9:00-9:50 A.M, M W F

MAC 206

Professor Andrew Kersten

Spring 2006

Contact Information:

Office: MAC Hall B330

Phone: 465-2443 (leave message)

Email: kerstena@uwgb.edu

Course Email: C3988@uwgb.edu

Office Hours: 8:00-9:00 AM, Mondays and Wednesdays, and by appointment

Description:

This is an historical survey of Wisconsin from before it was a state to the twenty-first century. Traditionally on this campus (and on campuses around the state), this course has been taught as a straight lecture course. Lectures will be an important part of the class, but we will focus our energies on other activities as well. In particular, we will focus on historical methodologies. Moreover, all students will participate in the teaching of the course material (see assignment section). During the course, we will focus on several themes. Students are to develop their own chronological and factual understanding of Wisconsin’s history through actively learning from the textbook. In general, I want you to not only know what happened but also how we know what happened and to the best of our abilities why it happened at all.

Readings:

McBride, Women’s Wisconsin: From Native Matriarchies to the New Millennium

Bieder, Native American Communities in Wisconsin, 1600-1960

Assignments:

1) Participate in at least one group presentation (15%).

2) Take all ten textbook quizzes (45%). Nine highest grades count but you must take all quizzes. All quizzes are only available online.

3) Hand in all three History Lab assignments (15%).

4) Take the Final Exam or participate in a Final Group Presentation (25%). Any topic in Wisconsin History is fine for the group presentation except the Peshtigo Fire, the Packers, Ebenezer Williams, and James D. Doty.

Intended Student Learning Outcomes:

• Develop critical thinking skills
• Exercise problem solving skills
• Develop a fundamental understanding of major events and movements in Wisconsin History
• Identify and clarify individual and social values in Wisconsin and the United States
• Develop an understanding and appreciation for cultural diversity

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.
• 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 regularly. You are expected to read 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.

· Participate in class every day.

· Read and understand all materials.

· Work hard and honestly.

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:

Grades are not curved. Except in emergency situations, late work will lose one letter grade per day 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.

Grading Scale:

100-93 A 92-90 A/B 89-85 B 84-80 B/C 79-70 C 69-60 D

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:

Part I: Contact and Colonialism

Week 1: American Indians

Wed (1/18): Introduction and visit from Deb Anderson

Fri (1/20): Lecture on American Indians

Week 2: French and British

Mon (1/23): Bieder, Chapters 1 and 2; McBride Chapter 1

Wed (1/25): Lecture on European Colonialism

Fri (1/27): Presentation on Going to the Sources

Week 3: The Americans

Mon (1/30): Bieder, Chapters 3 and 4

Wed (2/1): Lecture on Americans

Fri (2/3): Student Presentation #1 on Secondary Sources on “Wisconsin”

Week 4: History Lab #1: Treaties and Wisconsin’s American Indians

Mon (2/6): History Lab #1

Wed (2/8): History Lab #1

Fri (2/10): Bieder, Chapter 5; McBride Chapter 2

***Prospectus for Final Presentation Due on February 10, 2005***

Part II: From Territory to Statehood

Week 5: Becoming a State

Mon (2/13): The Fight Over Statehood

Wed (2/15): Bieder, Chapter 6; McBride Chapter 3 (through Bednarowski)

Fri (2/17): Student Presentation #2 on Primary Sources and “Wisconsin” and Exam Review

Week 6: Civil War Wisconsin

Mon (2/20): Exam #1

Wed (2/22): Wisconsin in the Civil War & McBride Chapter 3 (Smith and Harrsch)

Fri (2/24): RESEARCH DAY

Week 7: Robber Barons, Lumber Kings, and the Reform Impulse

Mon (2/27): RESEARCH DAY

Wed (3/1): Wisconsin in the Gilded Age & McBride Chapter 4

Fri (3/3): Student Presentation #3: Wisconsin By the Numbers: Working with the Census

Week 8: History Lab #2: Wisconsin’s Immigrants

Mon (3/6): History Lab #2

Wed (3/8): History Lab #2

Fri (3/10): Wisconsin’s Immigrants

Week 9: Grange, Populism, and Progressivism

Mon (3/13): Grangers

Wed (3/15): McBride Chapter 5

Fri (3/17): RESEARCH DAY

**Week 10: Spring Break (3/20, 3/22, 3/24)**

Part III: The Forerunner State

Week 11: Grange, Populism, and Progressivism

Mon (3/27): La Follette

Wed (3/29): Socialism in Wisconsin

Fri (3/31): McBride Chapter 6

Week 12: Depression and War

Mon (4/3): Great Depression and New Deal

Wed (4/5): World War II & McBride Chapter 7 and Exam Review

Fri (4/7): Exam #2

Week 13: Termination

Mon (4/10): American Indians in Wisconsin in the Twentieth Century

Wed (4/12): Bieder, Chapters 7 and 8

Fri (4/14): Student Presentation #4: Primary Sources on American Indians in Wisconsin

Week 14: History Lab #3: W2 and Its Impact on the State and the Nation

Mon (4/17): History Lab #3

Wed (4/19): History Lab #3

Fri (4/21): RESEARCH DAY

Week 15: Welfare Reform

Mon (4/24): The Era of Tommy Thompson

Wed (4/26): McBride Chapter 8

Fri (4/28): Student Presentation #5: Finding the Sources for Studying Contemporary Wisconsin

Week 16: Presentations

Mon (5/1): Presentations

Wed (5/3): Presentations

Fri (5/5): Review for Final Exam

Final Exam: Wednesday, May 10, 2005, 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M.

---

History Lab

Working in the Laboratory

Every class ought to have some sort of lab. Just imagine a chemistry class without one. You would read about molecules and quantum theory. You would sit and hear the professor talk about chemical reactions. Then you’d take the tests. Where’s the fun? The fun is always in the lab (or as we used to say in college in “blowing things up”). Some classes do not have labs, but they should. I think that this is especially true of history courses.

For this course, I have set up three history labs that focus on three different topics and time periods. Each lab will have a worksheet assignment. The History Laboratory is located in the University Archives (7^th floor Cofrin Library, Room 705). The lab is set up for two days (12:30-4:30 PM Monday and 9:00 AM-1:00 PM Wednesday). You need attend only one day, and stay until your worksheet is complete or until you have enough information for the worksheet. The lab worksheets assignments are due on the Monday following the lab week. During the lab, you are expected to work with the primary resources that I have set up for you and reflect critically upon them.

History Lab #1: Black Hawk War (internet assignment)

History Lab #2: Connor Lumber Company (ARC assignment)

History Lab #3: The Founding of UW-Green Bay (ARC assignment)

Presentations

Whereas the labs in this course focus on working with primary sources, the presentations will focus on methodological issues. Although some of you will opt for a final presentation and others will take a final exam, everyone will have a chance to speak before the class. (The expectations and format of the final presentation are the same as those of the in-class presentations.) Each group must meet with me during office hours at least once before the group’s presentation and after the presentation present me with: 1) a list of who did what in the group presentation on one sheet of paper and 2) a file (burned to a CD) with all the information that I am requesting. You must turn in an outline of the talk, a bibliography of sources, and all PowerPoint files.

Presentation #1: Secondary Sources on “Wisconsin”

Each student will choose a database (Cofrin Library Catalog, Worldcat, JSTOR, America: History and Life, EBSCO, and History E-Book) and make a list of the 25 best books and articles (total for group). Your presentation will focus on: 1) how you used the database and how it works and 2) how you selected your books and articles.

Presentation #2: Primary Sources on “Wisconsin”

Each students will work on finding primary sources on Wisconsin history by using government documents, Arcat, Worldcat, the Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature, and the New York Times Index. Each student is responsible for finding 15 primary source collections (5 on social history topics, 5 on political history topics, and 5 on economic history topics that relate to Wisconsin).

Presentation #3: Wisconsin by the Numbers: Working with the U.S. Census

Each student (working in teams) is responsible for using the US Census and finding the following statistical data for Wisconsin from 1850 to 2004. (For recent data you’ll need to use the Census Bureau web site and the recent online versions of the Statistical Abstract of the United States.)

a. Wisconsin’s population by race and gender, 1900-2004

b. Wisconsin’s population by nativity, 1900-2004

c. Wisconsin’s work force by top five jobs, 1900-2004

+ US Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov

+ Statistical Abstracts of the United States: http://www.census.gov/statab/www/

Presentation #4: Historical Maps of Wisconsin

Each student is responsible for finding a different historical map of Wisconsin or some place in Wisconsin. You may use maps in the library’s reference collection or maps in the Archives. You will need to present not only the map itself but what information can be learned from the maps and why they are significant sources for understanding the past. I suggest that you use a digital camera to photograph the maps in order to “bring” them into the classroom for your presentation.

Presentation #5: Finding Sources for Studying Contemporary Wisconsin

Each student is responsible for finding three useful sources for investigating topics in contemporary Wisconsin. Be creative and thoughtful!
PROFESSOR KERSTEN’S GUIDE TO GOOD WRITING

*****

UW-GREEN BAY WRITING POLICY

The faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay has adopted the following writing policy for out-of-class assignments.

Acceptable Writing:

1. Clear writing is a reflection of logical thinking; therefore, an acceptable paper must be organized. Every essay should be structured around a thesis and supported by factual evidence and arguments that are organized in a logical progression.

2. Writers must acknowledge their use of data or ideas of others; therefore, an acceptable paper must have proper documentation of all source material, following professional guidelines such as those approved by the Modern Language Association (MLA), the American Psychological Association (APA), or the American Association for the Advancement of Science, or those published in a standard style manual such as Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.

3. An acceptable paper must reflect control of correct grammar, usage, spelling, and punctuation.

4. An acceptable paper must be presented in appropriate manuscript form, with errors neatly corrected and care taken with margins, numbering of pages, spacing, and format.

Unacceptable Writing:

1. A paper without clear organization is unacceptable. Unclear organization includes illogical progressions from one idea to another and the inclusion of unnecessary ideas.

2. A paper without proper documentation is unacceptable. Failure to acknowledge the use of another writer’s words or ideas constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism is both unethical and illegal. The use of professional editing for student papers is also unacceptable, as is the use of purchased papers, which is also a form of plagiarism.

3. A paper containing frequent errors in grammar, usage, spelling, or punctuation is unacceptable.

4. A paper which does not appear to be carefully done is unacceptable. This includes papers with ragged edges, typographical errors and strikeovers, illegible handwriting, stains, or smudges.

To achieve acceptable writing standards, students should purchase and use a good dictionary and a writing handbook. Assistance in improving writing skills is available through regular courses in composition and from the Writing Center, which conducts writings workshops and provides advice and tutoring (but not editing). All students who wish to improve their writing are encouraged to use these resources.

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING WRITING

Listed below are some major factors that differentiate good writing from poor writing.

This list may help you identify particular aspects of your writing that need improvement. For further assistance, consult with instructors who are familiar with your writing skills. Writing assistance is also available in the Writing Center (CL 109).

1. PURPOSE

Is the purpose of your paper clear to the audience?

Is the purpose appropriate to the assignment and to the audience?

Is the purpose consistently maintained throughout the paper?

2. CONTENT

Are the ideas in the paper interesting?

Do the ideas in the paper reflect independent thought, a new approach, fresh insights?

Is the writer actively engaged with the topic?

3. ORGANIZATION

Are the ideas developed in a logical order?

Is the organizational pattern clear to the readers?

Is the discussion coherent? Are transitional devices used effectively to shift smoothly from one idea to another?

4. DEVELOPMENT

Are the major ideas adequately supported with examples, specific details, and other kinds of evidence?

Are the ideas presented in meaningful paragraphs?

Is there a general sense of completeness and closure?

5. WORDS: CHOICE AND ARRANGEMENT

Have clear, precise, and appropriate words been selected?

Have clichés been avoided?

Have the words been arranged into correct and graceful sentences?

6. STYLE AND TONE

Is the style clear, lively, fluent?

Is the tone appropriate for the purpose and audience?

Are the sentences varied in length and structure?

Is there appropriate use of metaphor, analogy, parallelism, and other rhetorical devices?

7. TECHNICAL QUALITIES: MECHANICS

Does the writing conform to the conventions of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage?

Is the format of the paper appropriate to the assignment?

Has all material from other sources been properly documented?

Has the paper been carefully proofread, with all typos neatly corrected?

EXTRA TIPS

General Suggestions

• Start early.

• Have a friend read your early drafts.

Format

• Staple your papers including your documents.

• 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 Mixed Verb Tenses

NAS Not A Sentence

NSB Don’t Use History as Your Personal Soap Box

PV Passive Voice

RSS Repetitive Sentence Structure

SC Use Standard Rules of Capitalization

SP Misspelled Word

TAS Throw-away sentence (has no meaning)

TL Sentence, Paragraph, or Quote is Too Long

W Wordy

WW Wrong Word

Documentation

For all documentation questions, refer to Turabian. If you do not own a copy, it is worth the price.

Here are some common formats.

FOOTNOTES and ENDNOTES:

Published

¹Andrew E. Kersten, Race, Jobs, and the War: The FEPC in the Midwest, 1941-1946 (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2000), 1-5.

²Andrew E. Kersten, “Jobs and Justice: The FEPC in the Motor City,” Michigan Historical Review 56 (Spring 1999): 1-25.

³ Andrew E. Kersten, ed., Reach or Breech: The State and Society, 1865-1945 (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2001): 25-50.

⁴ Andrew E. Kersten, “Willie Webb,” in Ordinary Women, ed. Kriste Lindenmeyer (New York: Scholarly Resources, 2000): 50-55.

GENERAL RULE: NAME (FIRST, MIDDLE, LAST), TITLE, PLACE IF BOOK, VOLUME IF JOURNAL, DATE, PAGES.

Unpublished

³Letter, Andrew E. Kersten to Bethany R. Kersten, 27 May 1997, Andrew E. Kersten Papers, Box 15, Folder 9, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Archives.

GENERAL RULE: KIND OF DOCUMENT, TITLE, DATE, COLLECTION, LOCATION WITHIN COLLECTION, PLACE OF COLLECTION.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kersten, Andrew E. “Jobs and Justice: The FEPC in the Motor City.” Michigan Historical Review (Spring 1999): 1-25.

Kersten, Andrew E. Race, Jobs, and the War: The FEPC in the Midwest, 1941-1946. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2000.

Same general rules above but put last names first. Always separate your primary and secondary material in your bibliography. Questions? See me or use Turabian.

Tips:

1) Be consistent and thorough.

2) In your bibliography, separate primary and secondary sources.

3) Remember the purpose of this part of the assignment. One should be able to retrace your research steps back through your footnotes and bibliography

Prospectus for Final Presentation

Directions: Reproduce this page on your computer and turn it in. Attach copies of your outline and bibliography. I will return your form and attachments as soon as possible. Remember your form must be typed.

1. Your names:

2. Proposed topic for presentation:

3. Write a 150 word abstract of your presentation.

4. On the back, provide a topic outline which describes the sections and major points which will be discussed in your presentation.

5. Provide your primary and secondary bibliography on a separate page.