Syllabus – American History Since 1865

History 2112_Manget_Syllabus

Course Description:

History 2112 is an introductory survey of modern American history.  Since the close of the American Civil War, the United States has undergone sweeping changes.  It has transformed from a rural, agrarian society to an urban, industrial one, from a minor world player into the dominant global economic and political force, from a nation of 30 million to one of over 300 million.  In this class, we will explore how these and other cultural, political, and economic transformations shaped the United States into a modern nation.  This is a story of politicians and generals but also of sharecroppers, industrial workers, and students.  We will examine how Americans defined, redefined, and contested ideas of freedom, liberty, and equality.  We will learn how Americans of all stripes struggled against social, political, and economic forces to secure livelihoods that reflected their own ideas of freedom, liberty, and equality.  History is about far more than memorizing “facts.”  Ultimately, my goal for this course is to help you understand why things are the way they are today, so that you can begin to situate your own lives in a historical context.

This syllabus is the guide for this class.  As a student, you are responsible for everything that is in here, so read it carefully. This syllabus is subject to change.

Learning objectives:

• To assess how the American promise of freedom, liberty, and equality has been fulfilled
• To understand how social, economic, and political forces have contributed to shaping contemporary         society
• To improve reading, writing, and thinking skills
• To develop well-reasoned historical interpretations

Online Text:

• Joseph Locke and Ben Wright, “The American Yawp.” Open-Source textbook. americanyawp.com

Required Texts:

• Eric Foner, ed., Voices of Freedom: A Documentary History, Vol. II. New York: W.W. Norton, 2014.
• Scott Reynolds Nelson, Steel Driving Man: The Untold Story of an American Legend. Oxford University        Press, 2008.
• Peter Jenkins, A Walk Across America. New York: Harper, 2001 [originally published in 1979].
• Various articles/excerpts on eLC (uga.view.usg.edu)

Grading

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following formula out of a possible 1000 points:

• 450 points – exam
  • 100 – Exam 1
  • 150- Exam 2
  • 200- Final Exam
• 200- Short essays
• 150- Book Essays
• 100- Final Paper
• 100- Participation and attendance

Exams

The bulk of your grade will be determined by exams. They may consist of matching, multiple choice, short answer, essay, and/or primary source analysis.  I do not give study guides or hold review sessions.  I am open to reviewing past material with anyone who comes by office hours with good questions, but the best preparation for exams is coming to class, completing the assignments, and participating in discussions.
Writing Assignments

• Short Essays – Four times during the semester, you will be responsible for bringing to class response papers on the readings. Informal in nature, these papers will be the forum through which you will develop your analytical skills. 
  • Format: 1-2 pages, double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with 1-inch margins. You will cite your sources using either Chicago or MLA style (whichever you prefer).  Be sure to include a single-spaced header with your name, date, my name, and name of the assignment.  I will not accept late papers.
• Book Essays – You will be turning in two book essays this semester. They will be 3-5 pages with the same format as the other writing assignments.  Formal in nature, each essay will be a response to a specific prompt that I will hand out at least one week before the assignment is due.  I will accept late papers for a deduction of one letter grade for every 24 hours. 
• Final Paper – Your reading response papers will prepare you for one final paper worth 15% of your grade. This paper will be 5-7 pages long and will be cumulative.  You will need to draw on relevant documents and lectures throughout the semester, paying particular attention to themes we have discussed.  I will hand out a more detailed prompt. 
  • Format: same as for short essays. I will accept late papers for a deduction of one letter grade for every 24 hours.

Expectations:

Rather than expect you to read and remember 100 pages per week, this class requires careful and engaged reading of assigned sources.  This class does require a lot of thinking, and I will require you to organize and express your thoughts in writing.  If you come to lectures ready to learn and to discussions prepared and ready to participate, you can do well in this class.  However, that is no guarantee that you will get the grade you want.   I encourage you to come talk to me in office hours if you are struggling or you are unsure of how to improve.

Lectures and Discussions:

We will be using an online, open-source textbook, but you will get all the information that will be on the test from the lectures and discussions.  Therefore, you need to be in class in order to do well on the exams.  On days designated for discussion, we will be addressing the themes laid out in lecture, as well as the assigned readings.  In these discussions, we will digest the material we cover each week in lectures, grapple with the issues raised in the readings, and introduce you to the art of historical interpretation.  You are responsible for completing the assigned readings before you come to class on discussion days and bringing NOTES on the readings.  Your engaged and respectful participation is required.

Attendance:

Your attendance is necessary to do well in this class. If you miss more than 6 absences for any reason, you will be automatically dropped from the class.

Classroom behavior:

Laptops will be allowed in class only on lecture days.  If you choose to bring your computer, I expect you to use it to take notes only.  If your computer is causing disruptions in the classroom, I reserve the right to tell you to put it away.  During discussions, they must remain closed.  Furthermore, be respectful with your cell phones.  I won’t ban cell phones, but please don’t spend class time staring at your phone.  Excessive talking, texting, eating, or anything else that, in my judgment, disrupts the learning environment, will not be tolerated.

 Course Outline