American Studies 356/History 356K
Main Currents in American Culture Since 1865 81210/84985
First Summer, 2010
MTWThF 11:30 to 1:00
Gearing 105
Dr. Mark Smith
Burine 428
MW 9:30-11 and by appt.
232-2150/e-mail: mcsmith@mail.utexas.edu
Teaching Assistants: Tom Hackett Burdine 436 Tues/Wed 9-11
tmhackett@mail.utexas.edu
Andrea Gustavson Burdine 436 Mon/Wed 9:30-11 agustavson@mail.utexas.edu
At the end of the Civil War, American society became flooded with new technologies, ethnic
groups, ideas, and customs. A society, which had bewildered earlier American visitors with
its diversity and complexity, accelerated its already frantic pace. This course identifies and
describes some of the “booming, buzzing confusion” of American culture from the Civil War
through the turn of our century and relates their impact upon common and not-so-common
Americans. While one can see single elements, especially Protestantism, dominating
American culture in the first half of the course, we will see an apparent unraveling of a
unified American culture in this class until at the end one asks whether America is one society
anymore or, indeed, whether it has ever been.
`This course is interdisciplinary and will discuss developments in and use insights from such
fields as anthropology, architecture, fine arts, history, documentary photography and film,
economics, literature, philosophy, politics, science, social history, social reform, and
technology. It also takes a multicultural approach and integrates the lives and cultures of
immigrants, women, and minority racial groups into the picture of mainstream (whatever
that is) American culture.
Required Reading:
Horatio Alger, Jr. Ragged Dick
David von Drehle Triangle: The Fire that Changed America
Timothy Egan The Worst Hard Time Ever: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the
Dust Bowl
William Doyle An American Insurrection: The Battle of Oxford, Mississippi 1962
Thomas Frank What’s the Matter with Kansas: How Conservatives Won the Heart of
America
Required Documentary Films: These films will be shown in class but can also be seen on
your own schedule in the Video Library section of the Fine Arts Library.
Pare Lorentz and Farm Security Administration “The Plough That Broke the Plains”
(VIDCASS 7321)
PBS Videos and Blackside Inc. “Bridge to Freedom—1965” Eyes on the Prize (DVD 7605)
Course Format
The course will be conducted primarily upon a lecture basis, although I welcome
questions and discussions at any time. Sometimes I will ask questions, but I certainly am
grateful for yours. I have suggested dates for the reading on the syllabus, but those decisions
are completely your own. References and questions to the reading will be made in all
classes, but during the summer there will be no specific classes devoted to discussion of the
reading. Please contact Mr. Friedenthal, Ms. Gustavson or myself if there is any difficulty
with the books, especially with integrating them with lecture material. That is a key part of
the exams and something that I take very seriously as an indication of true mastery of the
class material. Indeed, the nature of this course and its emphasis upon comprehension over
memorization would make discussion with your TA or myself especially useful.
Grading Policy
After an unsuccessful attempt at splitting the summer into three exams, I am returning
to two exams. There just isn’t time to study, grade, turn them around, and get set for
another exa,. I will try to split the material into equal sections. Do not fall behind especially
on the reading in the first half. If you do well in the first half, you set yourself up well to
receive a good grade in the class.
The two exams will consist of three out of five short answer identification
questions (30%) and a choice of one out of two essay questions (70%). Essay questions will
include material from two or three lectures and at least one book. My goal is to get you to
integrate as much material from different lectures and books as possible. I will go over
my expectations for exams in class before the scheduled examination date. Also, Mr.
Friedenthal and Ms. Gustavson will conduct review sessions several days before each
exam. We will schedule them at different times to make them accessible to those of you
with difficult schedules of your own. The two exams are scheduled tentatively for June
22nd, and July 9th. A sample exam will be passed out approximately a week before the first
test. The exams will count equally.
Although the teaching assistants grade the exams, I monitor them closely and
determine the final grades. We always grade the first half dozen exams together to insure
quality control. The same teaching assistant will grade each exam to try to insure
consistency. Grades will be constantly monitored to insure similar grading and grades for
each TA. Ms. Gustavson will grade the first half of the alphabet, and Mr. Friedenthal the
second half. If you have a question on the grading of your exam, you must consult your
TA first. If you are still unhappy, please come and see me. You can, of course, see me for
questions on the lectures and the like throughout the class.
I try to be somewhat flexible on final grades especially at the A and B boundary. I
almost always give grade averages of 88.5 and above As and occasionally go a little below
that. This is not always true especially when one gets down to the Cs and Ds.
Makeup Policy
My make-up policy is firm. You may take one and only one make-up a
semester and then only under certain conditions. First, you must report your
absence the day of the exam before class at either 471-7277 or 232-2150 or at my e-mail
mcsmith@mail.utexas.edu. Simply leave your name, the class, and the absence. Then
contact me as soon as possible to approve your excuse (illness, family emergency,
etc.). The make-up will be given at Burdine 436 at 8:30 a.m. three class days after the
original test. In this case, the makeup for the first test will be Friday July 27th. Makeups for
the final will have to be dealt with on a case-to-case basis and will almost certainly result in
incompletes. I always advise against incompletes, especially during the summer.
There are no make-ups of make-ups. People generally do poorer on make-ups. I believe
that this is because the most obvious essay questions are asked during the regular test
and people forget a lot especially during the summer. Perhaps it’s because I grade the
make-ups. In any case, I do advise against them
Students With Disabilities
The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate
academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more
Information contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6257, 471-4641 TTY. They are
responsible for determining if I can give you extra time or special testing arrangements.
Electronic Device Policies
While I am not convinced that computers are the best way of taking notes, I realize
that many of you do. Otherwise I would ban them. Like many professors, I am becoming
more and more alienated by their abuse in terms of surfing the Internet, checking e-mail, or
even playing video games or watching pornography. Cell phones and Twitter are
included. It bothers me and it bothers your fellow students. Stay home or do it in the halls.
If you’re not paying attention, you’re not getting the stuff by osmosis. Stay in bed. I don’t
take attendance.
I’ll live with everything else even the occasional lateness if you come in the back.
There is a front and a back to this lecture room. If you’re late. come in the back. Otherwise
you come in next to me lecturing which doesn’t help anyone concentrate.
If you use your computer inappropriately, one of the TAs will find you and insist that
you turn it off. If you continue to use it, I will demand that you drop the class.
Course Syllabus
June 3
Introduction
4
The Civil War’s Impact upon Intellectuals
7
Oliver Wendell Holmes and Social Darwinism
Alger, Ragged Dick, introduction-chapter 9
8
Social Darwinism and American Business
finish Alger
9
The Growth of a City Culture
von Drehle, Triangle, prologue, chaps 1-2
10
“Gender Is Destiny?” The Battle of the Sexes
Triangle, chaps 3-5
11
Women and Equality: The Battle Within
Triangle, chaps 6-8
14
Social Behavior and the End of Innocence
Triangle, chaps 9 and epilogue
15
Religion, Race, and Science in the 1920s
16
The Impact of the Great Depression
Egan, Worst Hard Time Ever, intro and Section 1
17
The Dust Bowl and the American West
Egan, Section II
18
Dust Bowl continued
“The Plough That Broke the Plain”
Egan, Section III chaps 11-18
21
Artistic Responses to the Depression
Egan, Section III, caps 19-epilogue
22
FIRST EXAM
Ragged Dick, Triangle: Fire That Changed America,
Worst Hard Time Ever
The
23
“The Good War?”—Race and African-Americans
24
Racism in the Pacific
Doyle, American Insurrection, chaps 1-2
25
Beginnings of Civil Rights Movement
Doyle, chaps 3-7
28
Changing Strategies and Tactics
Doyle, 8-13
29
In-class documentary film “Bridge to Freedom”
Doyle finish
30
The 1950s and Harmonious (?) America
1
The Beats and Rebellion
2
The New Left and Opposition to the Powers That Be
Frank, What’s the Matter, 1-77
5
The New Left and the Counterculture
Frank, 78-156
6
Rise of the Reagan/Political Right
Frank, 157-214
7
Rise of the Christian Right
Frank, 215-264
9
THIRD EXAM 2 to 4 pm Room TBA
American Insurrection, What’s the Matter with Kansas:
How Conservatives Won the Heart of America