History 302: America, 1787-1877
MWF 9-10AM, Psy. 213
University of Southern Colorado
Spring 2003
Professor Jonathan Rees
Office: Psych 124
Office Phone: 549-2541
Office Hours: MWF 10-11AM, TTh 11AM-12PM or by appointment.
E-Mail: Jonathan [dot] Rees [at] colostate-pueblo [dot] edu
This course will examine the social, cultural and political changes in the Early National and Civil War Era of American history. The topics covered will be similar to those discussed in the first part of my version of History 201, the U.S. History I survey. However, in this course we will go into a few of these topics in greater detail.
I encourage students with questions or concerns about any aspect of this course to either visit me during office hours, make an appointment or contact me by E-Mail. Any student eligible for and needing academic adjustments or accommodations because of a disability should speak to me during the first two weeks of class.
The taping of class lectures and discussions is not permitted unless you have my explicit permission.
In order to facilitate communication between me and you (for example, last minute class agenda changes) and communication between students, having an e-mail address is a course requirement. If this is a problem for any reason, please see me immediately.
Please turn off your portable phones before class begins.
Required Reading
Blassingame, John. The Slave Community.
McPherson, James. For Cause and Comrades.
Perman, Michael. Major Problems in the Civil War and Reconstruction.
Taylor, Alan. William Cooper's Town.
Wilentz, Sean. Major Problems in the Early Republic, 1787-1848.
Grading and Attendance Policies
Your grade will be based one midterm (25%), a paper based on the Taylor book (25%), a final exam (30%), class participation (10%) and the timely completion of questions on the Blassingame and McPherson books (10%). The midterm will consist of three essay questions on material to that point in the course. You will answer one of them. The final will consist of six essay questions: three from the second half of the course and three cumulative. You will answer one question from each category. You will not get the questions in advance of either test.
Your paper should be 8-10 pages, double-spaced with 12-point type and 1” margins all around. The question you will answer is:
What does Alan Taylor's William Cooper's Town tell us about social class and social mobility in the early United States? What does social class and social mobility tell us about American history (especially the legacy of the American Revolution)?
A draft of the paper will be due February 12. That draft should show substantial progress towards completing the assignment. If your draft does not show substantial progress towards completing the assignment or you hand in no draft at all, you will not receive comments from me before the assignment deadline and I reserve the right to fail you on the assignment at that point in time.
Three questions on both the Blassingame and McPherson books will be available on the web site at least one week before the book in question is due to be discussed in class. The answers to these questions are due to me at the beginning of the class period when the novel is discussed. If the answers are acceptable (in other words, they show that you've read and thought about the book), you will get full credit for the assignment (5%). If they do not arrive by E-mail at the appointed time or they are unacceptable, you will get no credit. The answers to the questions will only be returned to you if they are unacceptable. No late questions will be accepted. After all, what's the use once the discussion is over?
With the exception of the questions on the Blassingame and McPherson books, grading will be done on an A-F scale with pluses and minuses (although I will have to round off when determining your final grade for bureaucratic reasons). I will do my best to explain the criteria by which each assignment is graded before you undertake them.
When determining class participation, I will be interested in the quality of your statements rather than the frequency with which you talk. If your comments demonstrate that you have not done the reading, you are better off not speaking at all. However, failure to talk at all during the class will make an above average grade on class participation impossible.
It is assumed that students will make every effort to attend each class period, arrive on time and stay for the entire class. An attendance sheet will be passed around at the beginning of each class. If you arrive late to class, make sure your name is on the attendance sheet before you leave. Otherwise, you will be counted as absent. You will be permitted four unexcused absences during the course of the semester (to account for the random mishaps, mistakes and burdens of everyday life). After that, you will fail the class participation section of this course and I reserve the right to drop you from the course or fail you for the entire course regardless of other work completed.
Tests may not be scheduled early. You must arrange work schedules and travel plans in order to take tests on the scheduled dates. Make-up exams will only be given to students who have compelling reasons, such as severe illness or university-sponsored activities. No excuses will be accepted more than 24 hours after the scheduled test time.
Any form of academic dishonesty will result in a failing grade for the entire course.
Weekly Topics and Reading Assignments
Week of January 13:
Introduction
The Legacy of the American Revolution
Readings Discussion
- Begin Taylor
- Wood, "The Significance of the Early Republic," in Wilentz, p. 2.
Week of January 20:
The Constitution and the Bill of Rights (Part 1)
The Constitution and the Bill of Rights (Part 2)
Reading Discussion
- Hamilton in Wilentz, p. 25.
- Madison in Wilentz, p. 27.
- "Two Anti-Federalists Attack the Constitution," in Wilentz, p. 30.
- Continue Taylor
Week of January 27:
The First Political Parties
The Transportation Revolution
Reading Discussion
- Jefferson in Wilentz, p. 68
- Washington in Wilentz, p. 69
- Adams in Wilentz, p. 70
- Appleby, "Capitalism and the Rise of the Republican Opposition," in Wilentz, p. 75.
- Continue Taylor
Week of February 3:
Early Industrialization
Taylor Discussion
Reading Discussion
- "Perspectives on the Self-Made Man," in Wilentz, p. 191.
- Bruchey, "The Early American Industrial Revolution," in Wilentz, p. 212.
Complete Taylor
Week of February 10:
The Market Revolution
Draft Paper Discussion
Reading Discussion
- "Views on the Commercialization of the Countryside," in Wilentz, p. 189.
- Wilentz, "The Market Revolution," in Wilentz, p. 8.
- Begin Blassingame
Bring draft Taylor paper to class on February 12 and E-Mail me a copy as an attachment
Week of February 17:
Slavery (Part 1)
Slavery (Part 2)
Reading Discussion
- Hammond in Wilentz, p. 240.
- "Southerners' Commentaries," in Wilentz, p. 246.
- "Accounts of Slavery," in Wilentz, p. 246
- Continue Blassingame
Week of February 24:
Social Reform in the Early-Nineteenth Century (Excluding Abolition)
"The Gangs of New York"
Blassingame Discussion
- Complete Blassingame
February 24: Taylor Paper Due
Click here for the Blassingame questions.
February 28: Blassingame Answers Due
Week of March 3:
Review for Midterm
March 5: Midterm Exam
March 7: No Class
Week of March 10:
Abolition and the South's Overreaction To It
Westward Movement
Reading Discussion
- "Two Views of California," in Wilentz, p. 296.
- Walker in Wilentz, p. 473.
- Garrison in Wilentz, p. 476.
- "The Antiabolitionist Outlook," in Wilentz, p. 484.
- Hammond in Wilentz, p. 488.
Week of March 17:
Similarities and Differences Between the North and South
What Caused the Civil War?
Reading Discussion
- Pessen. "The Similarities...," in Perman, p. 11.
- McPherson, "The Differences...," in Perman, p. 21.
Week of March 24: Spring Break
Week of March 31:
The Social History of the Civil War
McPherson Discussion
Reading Discussion
- Lincoln in Perman, p. 157.
- Lincoln in Perman, p. 159.
- Lincoln in Perman, p. 160.
- McPherson, " Tried by War," in Perman, p. 176.
Click here for the McPherson questions.
April 2: McPherson Answers Due
Week of April 7:
Emancipation
The Civil War in American Memory
Reading Discussion
- Douglass in Perman, p. 286.
- "Gertrude Thomas is Upset...," in Perman, p. 287.
- Berlin, "Who Freed the Slaves?," in Perman, p. 288.
Week of April 14:
The Transcontinental Railroad
Reconstruction (Part 1)
Reading Discussion
- McPherson, "The Second American Revolution," in Perman, p. 433
- Degler, "One among Many," in Perman, p. 442.
Week of April 21:
Reconstruction (Part 2)
Reading Discussion
Review for Final Exam
- Foner, "Black Reconstruction Leaders at the Grass Roots," in Perman, p. 351.
- Perman, "Reconstruction Under Attack," in Perman, p. 394.