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Early American Republic
Spring 2011
340405
Joe Eaton, PhD
wjeaton@nccu.edu.tw
This class surveys major trends within the study of American history during the period
we describe as the “Early American Republic” (approximately 1787-1848 – Constitution
drafting to Mexican War). Our focus will be on societal change and corresponding
political developments.
Method of assessment:
Presidents quiz (March 22) – 10%
Mid-term (April 19) – 25%
Research paper (~10 pages, acts as course final, due June 7, late papers penalized 10%) –
40%
Attendance and Participation – 25%
Hints for writing history research papers:
http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/
Please complete readings by class time on date indicated. Syllabus is subject to
change.
February 22 (Washington’s Birthday) - Introduction to the course
March 1 – Articles of Confederation, “Critical Period”:
A. Art Richardson, “John Hanson: First President of the United” OAH Magazine of
History, Vol. 5, No. 3, (Winter, 1991), pp. 52-55.
B. Background on “Critical Period” http://www.class.uh.edu/gl/critical2.htm
March 8 – Federalists and Anti-Federalists:
A. Federalist Papers, Madison, Paper #10
http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm
B. Federalist Papers, Madison, Paper #51
http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa51.htm
C. Anti-Federalist, “Brutus” (Yates) #1
http://www.constitution.org/afp/brutus01.htm
March 15 – Washington as President and Myth:
A. Washington, Farewell Address,
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp
B. “Virginians on Olympus. Iv. George Washington: America's First Demigod”
Marshall W. Fishwick, The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 59, No. 1
(Jan., 1951), pp. 51-71
March 22 – Presidents quiz
A. Study guide http://millercenter.org/president
Quiz covers presidents Washington to Taylor – know president’s names, order, political
party, “Impact and Legacy”
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March 29 – Jefferson
A. Thomas Jefferson First Inaugural Address 1801
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/jefinau1.asp
B. Jefferson’s Bill for Religious Freedom in Virginia
http://www.religioustolerance.org/virg_bil.htm
April 5 – Tomb Sweeping Festival Holiday
April 12 – The New Republic and Slavery
A. “The Founding Fathers and Slavery,” William W. Freehling, The American
Historical Review, Vol. 77, No. 1 (Feb., 1972), pp. 81-93
B. Jefferson, excerpts from Notes on the State of Virginia
http://mason.gmu.edu/~zschrag/hist120spring05/jeffersonquery14.htm
April 19 – Mid-term
April 26 – The New Republic and Women
A. Dr. Samuel Jennings, The Married Lady’s Companion (1808)
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/livingrev/equality/text4/jennings.pdf
B. Letters to/from Abigail and John Adams
http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch15s9.html
http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch15s10.html
http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch15s12.html
C. Judith Sargent Murray, Observations on Female Abilities in “On the Equality of
the Sexes in this Enlightened Age” (1798)
http://pages.uoregon.edu/mjdennis/courses/history_456_murray3.htm
D. Seneca Falls Resolution
http://ecssba.rutgers.edu/docs/seneca.html
May 3 – Political Culture and Education in the New Republic
A. Washington Irving, “Letter from Mustapha Rub-a-dub Keli Khan to Asem
Hacchem, Principal slave-driver to his highness the bashaw of Tripoli” April 4,
1807” Salmagundi
B. Benjamin Rush, “Of the Mode of Education Proper in a Republic”
http://chronicles.dickinson.edu/resources/Rush/mode_of_education.html
May 10 – Lewis and Clark, Barbary Pirates, War of 1812
A. “Lewis and Clark Expedition: Our National Epic” Helen B. West, Montana: The Magazine
of Western History, Vol. 16, No. 3 (Summer, 1966), pp. 2-5
B. William Fowler, Jr., “The Navy’s Barbary War Crucible,” Naval History 19 (2005),
pp. 55-58
May 17 – The Alcoholic Republic; Looking for a Better National Name
A. “Alcohol in America” W. J. Rorabaugh, OAH Magazine of History, Vol. 6, No. 2
(Fall, 1991), pp. 17-19
B. “Fredonia - GENERIC NAMES,” The Lancaster Hive; Devoted to Morality, Literature,
Biography, History, Poet... (Aug 24, 1803)
C. AMERICAN NAMES. The United States Magazine, and Democratic Review ( Nov
1842)
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May 24 – Literary Nationalism
A. “The Campaign of Periodicals after the War of 1812 for National American
Literature,” John C. McCloskey, PMLA, Vol. 50, No. 1 (Mar., 1935), pp. 262-273
B. “The Portico and Literary Nationalism After the War of 1812” Marshall W.
Fishwick, The William and Mary Quarterly, Third Series, Vol. 8, No. 2 (Apr., 1951),
pp. 238-245
May 31 – Jackson, Indian Removal
A. “Indian Removal: Manifest Destiny or Hypocrisy?” David L. Ghere OAH
Magazine of History, Vol. 9, No. 4, Native Americans (Summer, 1995), pp. 32-37
(focus on documents on pp. 34-37)
June 7 – Paper Due (late papers penalized)
June 14 – Mexican-American War, Sectionalism
A. John L. O'Sullivan, “Manifest Destiny” United States Magazine and Democratic Review,
1839
http://www.civics-online.org/library/formatted/texts/manifest_destiny.html
B. America's Forgotten War Robert W. Johannsen and Pedro Santoni, The Wilson
Quarterly (1976-), Vol. 20, No. 2 (Spring, 1996), pp. 96-107
June 21 – TBA, Research Paper acts as final