| Instructor: Professor Karen Manners Smith
Office: Plumb Hall 411O Ext. 5570 Office Hours: M,W,F 2-4 |
Graduate Assistant: Jeremy Cagle
Office: Plumb Hall 306 Ext. 5568
Office Hours 9-9:50 W, Th, F
|
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the study
of modern U.S. history, covering the period from the end of Reconstruction
to the present. Our survey format highlights key issues, episodes,
and personalities in this history, and introduces students to methods of
historical interpretation in evaluating the elements of the American story.
The course is organized both chronologically and thematically, with an
emphasis on social and political history. Major areas of concentration
include: the long-term effects of Civil War and Reconstruction; urban and
industrial growth and their consequences; race, gender, and ethnicity in
the American experience; expansion overseas and the effects of internationalism;
economic boom and bust cycles; the Great Depression; World War II; the
Fifties and the Cold War; the Civil Rights Era and Vietnam; Reagan’s America;
the new millennium.
Readings in this course are based on a textbook: James L. Roark,
Michael P. Johnson, et al: The American Promise: A History of the United
States, Vol. II, Compact Edition. There is a companion website
for this book, which will supply historical documents and research
exercises for students. Reviews of two additional books will form
the basis of discussion and student papers.
The class meets twice weekly in Plumb Hall 408 for the instructor’s
lectures. Students meet with the instructor or the graduate teaching
assistant in small groups for the third weekly session. These small classes
will be used for discussion of readings and material covered in lectures.
Class participation is an important part of each student’s grade.
Most homework assignments will be submitted electronically.
This course fulfills the multi-cultural intensive course requirement
of the university’s general education curriculum.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
AH112 MB has an attendance policy. Attendance will be taken
at all classes. More than 6 absences – for ANY reason – will result
in loss of grade points. The most important things you, the student,
can do are: one, complete each reading assignment before the class in which
it will be discussed, and two, show up for class. There will be material
in every lecture for which you are responsible, whether or not you attend
those classes. If you miss discussion, you will lose track of the
points or themes we are emphasizing in the course.
We will have short, weekly homework assignments, which you will
find on the textbook’s companion website, and we will have a midterm exam
and a final exam. You will write two papers based on separate books
read for this course. Assigned papers that receive a grade of C-
or less may be re-written for an improved grade, but we do not allow extra
credit work. Pop quizzes may occur. You are expected to hand
in papers on time and to take tests and exams at scheduled times. Makeup
tests will be given only at the times specified by the Social Science Division.
If for some reason – illness, emergency, etc. – you cannot meet one of
these requirements, you should discuss the problem with the instructor
before your grade becomes jeopardized. We urge each of you to visit
your instructor or graduate assistant during office hours at least once
a semester. It really helps in these huge courses if we know you
a bit better!
ACADEMIC HONESTY
All Emporia State University rules regarding academic honesty
apply in this course. Plagiarism (using the work of another writer
without appropriate citation or acknowledgment) is dishonest and is a serious
academic offense, resulting in a grade of F for the course and possible
further disciplinary action. Please ask your instructors if you have
questions about the correct way to quote and paraphrase the work of other
writers.
GRADING:
Attendance and Participation
10%
Homework
35%
Assigned Papers
25%
Exams
30%
Students will receive numbered grades on a scale of 1-100, or their letter equivalents, the grades A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F.
REQUIRED READINGS
(available at memorial Union Bookstore or textbook Corner. The
books are packaged together)
CLASS SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS (Subject to Revision)
August 21 & 22: Discussion Groups. Introduction
August 23 & 25: Lectures: Course Introduction. Reconstruction . Read: The American Promise Ch. 16.
August 28 & 29: Discussion Groups
August 30 & September 1: Lectures: Business, Politics, and Personalities in the Gilded Age. Read Promise Ch. 18. Begin reading A Traveler From Altruria. Paper due by September 19.
September 4 & 5 Labor Day Holiday. No discussion groups.
September 6 & 8: Lecture: Westward Movement and Urbanization. Film. Read Promise, Ch. 17. Homework: Take Chapter 17 on-line quiz on the website and submit your answers via e-mail to your discussion instructor, by Sunday. Review materials on Asian Americans in research module 3 “source” for discussion next week.
September 11 & 12: Discussion groups.
September 13 & 15: Lectures: American Workers and the Labor Movement. Read Promise: Ch. 19. Homework: Take Ch. 19 on-line quiz and submit via e-mail by Sunday.
September 18 & 19: Discussion Groups Paper on A Traveler from Altruria due.
September 20 & 22: Lecture The Nineties. Film:
“Ida B. Wells” Read Promise, Ch. 20
Homework: Take Ch. 20 on-Line quiz and submit via e-mail by Sunday.
September 25 & 26: Discussion groups.
September 27 & 29: Lectures: Progressive Reform. Read Promise Ch. 21. Submit Ch. 21 on-line quiz. Prepare responses to Ch 21 research module 2 on Jacob Riis for discussion next week. (suggestion: print out this section and bring it to class with short questions answered. Give some detailed thought to the longer questions.)
October 2 & 3: Discussion Groups.
October 4 & 6: Lecture. World War I. Film: Women and the Vote. Read Promise Ch. 22. Submit Ch. 22 on-line quiz. Listen to the speeches in Research Module 1 at the Ch. 22 site and review the questions for discussion.
October 9 & 10: Discussion Groups. Review for Midterm Exam. Begin reading Confronting Southern Poverty. Paper due by October 24.
October 11: Midterm Exam
October 13: Lecture: The Roaring Twenties. Read Promise, Ch. 23. Submit on-line quiz by Sunday. Review Research Module 1 and prepare answers to questions for discussion next week. (Print out page(s) to bring to discussion classes)
October 16 & 17: Discussion Groups
October 18 & 20: Lectures: Depression and the New Deal. Read Promise Ch. 24. Submit on-line quiz by Sunday. Review Research Module 2, Source #5.
October 23 & 24: Discussion Groups. Paper on Confronting Southern Poverty due by 24th.
October 25 & 27: Lectures: World War II. Read
Promise, Ch. 25. Submit on-line quiz.
Review Research Module 1 on wartime posters and their meanings.
October 30 & 31: Discussion Groups
November 1 & 3: Lectures: The Cold War and Truman Years read Promise Ch. 26. Submit on-line quiz.
November 6 & 7: Discussion Groups
November 8: Lecture: The Fifties. Read Promise, Ch. 27. Submit on-line quiz. Review sources on Research Module 1
November 13 & 14: Discussion Groups
November 15 & 17: Lectures: The Sixties. Read Promise Ch. 28. Submit on-line quiz.
November 20 & 21: Discussion Groups Read Promise Ch. 29. Read research Module for Ch 29 and plan to do one of the suggested projects about the Vietnam War. Extra materials available on Reserve at the library. Nov. 22-26 THANKSGIVING BREAK
November 27 & 28: Discussion Groups.
November 29 & December 1: Lectures: Vietnam War to Reagan. Read Promise Chs. 30 and 31. Submit on-line quiz for Ch. 31 only. Vietnam project due.
December 4 & 5: Discussion Groups. Review for Final Exam
December 6 and 8: Last classes. Read Promise, Ch. 32 The Nineteen Nineties. Submit on-line quiz.
FINAL EXAM is scheduled for Wednesday Dec. 3 at 10:10 a.m.
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Last Updated 11 September 2000
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