History 109
American History to Reconstruction
Fall 2014
Francis William Edmunds, “Taking the Census” (1854)
Lecture Days: MW
Class Times: 10 ‐ 10:50
Class Location: SHW-012
Session 3 Times: Wed. 11-11:50
Location: HH-134
Session 4 Times: Fri. 10- 10:50
Location: EBA- 256
Professor: Edward J. Blum
Contact Information: eblum@mail.sdsu.edu
Office Hours Times (and by appointment): M and W, 11:00 ‐ 1
Office Hours Location: AL 525
TA: Eric Spoelstra
Contact Information: espoelstra@mail.sdsu.edu
Office Hour Times(or email for appointment): W, 12:30-1:30
Office Location: AL522

Course Overview: (catalogue description)
United States history from pre-colonial societies to Reconstruction. Contact of cultures, patterns of settlement, contests over racial, ethnic, religious, class, gender, regional, and national identities and institutions. Satisfies the American Institutions requirement in American history and United States Constitution.
Beginning with the encounters between Native Americans and European explorers, this course extends to the aftermath of the American Civil War. It will consider the landing of European settlers, the transformation of Native American societies, the enslavement, exploitation, and creativity of African captives and their descendants, the rise of the women’s rights movement, several wars, two or three revolutions, and maybe even the origins of baseball. We will look at the faltering progress of democracy, the frustrations of free government, the settling of the West, the building of an industrial nation, and of course the Great Rebellion (also known as the Civil
War, the War Between the States, or the Confederate Revolution). Throughout the course, we will pay special attention to figures who have been often ignored as important historical characters.
Learning Outcomes:

Students will gain content knowledge of events, peoples, and ideas of American history to Reconstruction.

Students will analyze primary sources within the contexts of debates among historians.

Students will discuss historical problems on American colonization, the origins of the
American Revolution, the rise of American industry, and the origins and outcomes of the
Civil War.

Students will examine historical relationships between the age of European exploration and colonizing of North America, economic and sectional change, and slavery and the
Civil War.

Students will demonstrate in writing and speaking how the diversity of cultures and groups in the American past have influenced American history.

Students will argue in writing and speaking as professional historians do.
Enrollment Information

No prerequisites
Course Materials
Required Materials (including all acceptable text editions)
 Bundle : Schultz HIST, Volume 1 : US History Through 1877 (with CourseMate Access Card)
(3rd edition, 2014); Frakes, Writing for College History : A Short Handbook (2004); Cobbs-
Hoffman/Blum/Gjerde, Major Problems in American History, Volume I (3rd edition, 2012).
Bundle ISBN # 9781305248557

Edward J. Blum and Paul Harvey, The Color of Christ: The Son of God and the Saga of
Race in America (University of North Carolina Press, 2012)
Grade Breakdown:
Your grade will be based upon three areas:

Quizzes—20% Quizzes will be based upon the course reading and will be done via Coursemate and/or in section.
Discussions—40% The discussion grade will be assessed by two factors:
1) Attendance/participation-- 25%, it is expected that you are present both physically and mentally, which involves participation in the discussions and engaging with the topic. If you are one who tends towards shyness then please participate through online discussions on blackboard. If you ever have any questions about how you are doing with participation just ask me (for each section you miss, you will be deducted 2 points from here… so if you miss two discussions, the highest discussion grade you can receive is 21%);
2) Leading discussions --15%, groups (don’t worry, not individuals) will be in charge of leading discussions based on the course readings. Each group will lead 2 class discussions. One will be on the content of either Hist
3 or CofC, the other will be an analysis of primary sources in Major Problems or CofC.
(unless I am notified at least 24 hours before the discussion period an absence when your group is presenting will be an automatic 0 for this portion of the grade).
3) Extra Credit options that will be applied to your discussion grade
1) Attend lecture by Dr. Jana Riess (Wed. Oct, 24) and write what she talked about and how it relates to class 1-2 pages double spaced, due 2 weeks after lecture(3% possible addition to your overall discussion grade).
2) I am willing to accept individual projects or other extra credit options. Ask me if you have an idea or need any ideas. These must be approved by me at or before my office hours on November 19. (3% possible addition to your overall discussion grade)
Essays—40% the essay grade will be based on three factors:
1) 1 st
Essay outline—5% (email to me by October 8). Refer to Frakes pg. 16, 29-30.
2) 1 st Essay—15% (Upload to Turn-it-in by October 22). In the 1 st essay you must engage and present an argument concerning topics presented in lectures and talked about in discussions (no outside research necessary). I will give you the topics beforehand.
3) 2 nd
Essay—20% (Upload to Turn-it-in by December 15). In the 2 nd
essay you must engage with Prof. Blum’s book
Color of Christ, connecting the book to the class content.
Note: The outline will be graded on completion. Essays will be graded on appropriate use of footnotes and structure, clear and thoughtful thesis/argument, clear prose, and thoughtful analysis. Both essay lengths will be 6-8pgs double spaced. Refer to Frakes for guidelines on how to write a history paper.
Other Course Policies
Plagiarism: using someone else’s ideas without properly attributing it to them, that’s plagiarism.
For SDSU’s policies on cheating, see http://infotutor.sdsu.edu/plagiarism/index.cfm

If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. To avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that accommodations based upon disability cannot be provided until you have presented your instructor with an accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Schedule: Course Structure and Conduct
August 25: Syllabus and Overview
August 27: Old Worlds Collide
Discussion: Introduction and Expectations
Reading:
Hist
3
, Table of Contents
Major Problems , preface and introduction
Color of Christ , prologue
September 1: NO CLASS – LABOR DAY
September 3: Confusion, Conflict, and Contact
Discussion: ES modeling discussion of Hist 3 and Major Problems
Quiz: Register for Coursemate
Reading:
Hist
3
, chapters 1-2
Major Problems , chapters 1-2
September 8: Colonial Outposts
September 10: The English in America
Discussion: Hist
3
: Group 1; Major Problems: Group 10
Quiz ch3-4 due by class period
Reading:
Hist
3
, chapters 3-4
Major Problems , chapter 3
September 15: Growth and Conflict
September 17: Big Enough to Kill
Discussion: Talk about Paper

Hist
3
Group 2; Major Problems: Group 9
Quiz ch 5-6 due by discussion period
Reading:
Hist
3
, chapters 5-6
Major Problems , chapter 4
September 22: An Empire of Troubles
September 24: Colonial Unity
Discussion: Hist 3 : Group 3; Major Problems: Group 8
September 26. Eric is gone for a conference
Quiz ch 7-8 due by discussion period
Reading:
Hist
3
, chapter 7-8
Major Problems , chapters 5-6
EXTRA CREDIT LECTURE:
Jana Riess, “New Religions, New Texts, New Technologies” (Wednesday October 24, 3:00 PM)
Location TBD
September 29: The Market Revolution
October 1: The Rise of Herrenvolk Democracy
Discussion: How to write History Papers
Hist
3
: Group 4; Major Problems: Group 7
Quiz ch 9-10 due by discussion period.
Reading:
Frakes: chapter 3
Hist
3
, chapters 9-11
Major Problems , chapters 7-8
October 6: Regionalisms
October 8: Reformers
Discussion: Hist
3
: Group 5; Major Problems: Group 6
Outline emailed to me by discussion period
Reading:
Hist
3
, chapter 12
Major Problems , chapter 9-10
October 13: Slavery in the West

October 15: Words and Weapons
Discussion: Hist
3
:Group 10; Major Problems: Group 1
Quiz ch. 13-14 due by discussion period
Reading:
Hist 3 , chapter 13-14
Major Problems , chapter 11-12
October 20: Union Forever
October 22: Emancipation
Discussion: Hist 3 :Group 9 ; Major Problems : Group 2
1 st Essay due on Oct 22
Reading:
Hist 3 , chapter 15
Major Problems , chapter 13-14
October 27: Radicalism Triumphant
October 29: Conservatism Victorious
Discussion: Hist
3
: Group 8; Major Problems: Group 3
Quiz ch. 16 due by discussion period
Reading:
Hist
3
, chapter 16
Major Problems , chapter 15
November 3: When Christ Crossed the Sea
November 5: Guest Lecture
Discussion: ES leading discussion of CofC
Reading:
The Color of Christ , introduction and chapter 1
November 10: Revolutionary Visions
November 12: From Light to White
Discussion: Argument of ch. 2 & 3: Group 7 ; Use of primary sources: Group 4
Reading:
Color of Christ , chapters 2 and 3

November 17: Body Battles in Antebellum America
November 19: Christ in the Camps
Discussion Argument of ch. 3 & 4: Group 6 ; Use of primary sources: Group 5
Reading:
Color of Christ , chapters 4 and 5
November 24: Guest Lecture
November 26: The History of Thanksgiving
Discussion: NO DISCUSSION THIS WEEK
December 1: Nordic and Nativist in an Imperial Age
December 3: Proud to be an American
Discussion: Wrap up
Reading:
The Color of Christ , 6
Final: Essay #2 Due, Monday, December 15, 2014