University of Colorado at Boulder, History Department
HIST 2326-001 Issues in American Thought and Culture
Fall 2009
Professor: Merle J.F. Funk
Phone: 303 492-6683 (History Office, leave message). Email: Merle.Funk@colorado.edu
Office Hours: Mondays 11:00am to 1:00pm, and by appointment (Hellems 351).
Credits/Contact Hours: 3/45.
Time/Location: MWF, 9:00am – 9:50am, ATLS 100.
History Majors may apply only ONE 2000-level course to the major and should consult their History department advisor before taking
one. If you think you may want to major in History but have not declared the major yet, do not take multiple 2000-level courses.
Course Description:
“Issues in American Thought and Culture” features a topical overview of American history with a focus on the social and
cultural aspects of the American experience. The first unit features several significant examples of race, gender, and class
developments from America’s past. The second and third units use the same race, gender, class distinctions to consider the individual
and American society and war and its affects on the individual and society.
Grading:
Attendance/Participation
Book Response Essays (3 x 75 pts)
Presentation
Unit Exams (60/30/60 pts)
Total
50 pts
225 pts
75 pts
150 pts
500 pts
Course Grade:
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
Superior Work
Good to Excellent Work
Passable/Transferable
Passing/Nontransferable
Failing
460-500 pts
450-459 pts
440-449 pts
410-439 pts
400-409 pts
390-399 pts
360-389 pts
350-359 pts
340-349 pts
310-339 pts
300-309 pts
below 300 pts
Required Readings:
Randy Roberts and James S. Olson, American Experiences: Readings in American History, Volume II, Since 1865, 7th Ed.
William Graebner, True Stories from the American Past, Since 1865: Vol. II, Third Ed.
Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery
Ann Moody, Coming of Age in Mississippi
James McBride, Miracle at St. Anna
Tim O’Brien, The Things They Carried
Henry David Thoreau, Walden
Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma
Basic Ground Rules:
1. ATTENDANCE COUNTS: One needs to attend class in order to do her/his best. The Attendance/Participation grade is factored
on class absences: 0=50 pts., 1=45 pts., 2 =40 pts., 3=35 pts., 4=30 pts., 5=25 pts., 6=20 pts., and 7 or more absences will result in a
score of 0/50 pts. In order for an absence not to count against one’s grade, one must furnish written proof of reason for absence
(hospital documentation or court records for instance). Late arrivals and early departures (more than 10 minutes) will lose half a day’s
attendance points. Perfect attendance merits a five point bonus.
2. NO COMPUTERS OR HAND-HELD DEVICES IN CLASS (laptops may be used for in-class presentations): Class time will be a
combination of lectures, videos, and discussions. That means I want you to be engaged with what is going on around you. Please
come to class ready to listen, discuss, and interact with the course materials and your fellow classmates.
3. HARD COPIES ARE DUE AT CLASS TIME: Essay assignments are due at the beginning of class, 9:00am in hand in ATLS 100.
All late or email submissions will automatically be penalized a letter grade per day late. Presentation “Works Cited” documentation
(hard copy with comments) is due at the time of your presentation. (Same late penalties apply).
First Book Response Essay Prompt: Using good essay style and standard double-spaced format, compare and contrast the African
American experiences of Booker T. Washington and Ann Moody. How significant were time-and-place, gender, and class to each
author? What does Washington have to say about the Jim Crow system of his day and what does Moody say about the same system
fifty years plus later? How does each author evaluate the role of education in the African American struggle for equality in 19th and
20th century American? Suggested length 4-5 pages.
Tentative Lecture Schedule, Fall 2009
HIST 2326-001, UNIT ONE—RACE, GENDER, AND CLASS DIVISIONS IN AMERICAN HISTORY
Aug 24 Introductions—Student Interest Surveys
Aug 26 TS Chapter 1—An Insurrection That Never Happened: The “Christmas Riots” of 1865 by Stephen Nissenbaum
Aug 28 R&O Reading 1—Knights of the Rising Sun by Alan Trelease
Aug 31 R&O Reading 2—A Road They Did Not Know by Larry McMurtry
TS Chapter 6—Willie Boy in Two Worlds: An Episode in Indian-White Relations by James A. Sandos and Larry E. Burgess
Sept 2 R&O Reading 9—Jack Johnson Wins the Heavyweight Championship by Randy Roberts
TS Chapter 7—The Leo Frank Murder Case by Leonard Dinnerstein
Sept 4 Group Presentation Work Day
Sept 7 LABOR DAY—NO CLASS
Sept 9 R&O Reading 20—The Man Who Changed His Skin by Ernest Sharpe, Jr.
Sept 11 R&O Reading 29—O.J. Simpson: The Trial of the Century by Haynes Johnson
TS Chapter 15—Sex, Lies, and Stereotypes: The Politics of the Hill-Thomas Hearings by Michael May and Elaine Tyler May
Sept 14 R&O Reading 5—“She Couldn’t Have Done It, Even If She Did” by Kathryn Allamong Jacob
Sept 16 R&O Reading 24—Why the Shirelles Mattered by Susan J. Douglass
TS Chapter 13—Sherri Finkbine and the Origins of Roe v. Wade by Rickie Solinger
Sept 18 R&O Reading 26—Ms. America: Jane Fonda by Peter Braunstein
Sept 21 Book Response Essay One Due—Monday 21 September 2009
Group Presentation Work Day
Sept 23 TS Chapter 3—The Hatfield-McCoy Feud by Altina L. Waller
R&O Reading 7—Living and Dying in Packingtown, Chicago from The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
Sept 25 R&O Reading 8—Rose Schneiderman and the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire by Bonnie Mitelman
R&O Reading 13—Organized Crime in Urban Society: Chicago in the Twentieth Century by Mark Haller
Sept 28 20th Century Class Distinctions Group Presentation
Sept 30 19th Century Class Distinctions Group Presentation
Oct 2 TS Chapter 8—The Black Sox Scandal by Ronald Story
R&O Reading 11—The Black Sox Scandal by Dean Smith
Oct 5 Unit One Exam
Oct 7
Oct 9
Oct 12
Oct 14
Oct 16
Oct 19
Oct 21
Oct 23
Oct 26
Oct 28
HIST 2326-001, UNIT TWO—WAR AND ITS AFFECTS ON THE INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIETY
ereserve—“A Most Undisciplined and Profligate Crew” by
ereserve—A Gallant Rush to Glory by
TS Chapter 5—Empire in the Philippines: America’s Forgotten War of Colonial Conquest by Stuart Creighton Miller
R&O Reading 6—Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders by Robert J. Maddox
R&O Reading 10—The Trench Scene by Paul Fussell
R&O Reading 19—Okinawa: Of Mud and Maggots by E.B. Sledge
TS Chapter 11—Harlem Hellfighters: The 369th in World War II Hawaii by Beth Bailey and David Farber
R&O Reading 21—American Prisoners of War in Korea by H.H. Wubben
ereserve—Oliver Stone and Vietnam by Randy Roberts and David Welky
Book Response Essay Two Due
Group Presentation Work Day
Group Presentation
Group Presentation
TS Chapter 14—The Iranian Hostage Crisis by Walter LaFeber
R&O Reading 27—Arabs, Israelis, and American Orientalism by Douglas Little
Unit Two Exam
HIST 2326-001, UNIT THREE—THE INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIETY IN AMERICAN HISTORY
Oct 30 ereserve—First Chapter of Children’s Rights by Peter Stevens and Marian Eide
R&O Reading 3—American Assassin: Charles J. Giteau by James W. Clarke
Nov 2 TS Chapter 2—Building the Brooklyn Bridge by Alan Trachtenberg
Nov 4 TS Chapter 4—Coxey’s Army: Dramatizing the Malaise of the 1890s
R&O Reading 4—The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism by Henry M. Littlefield
Nov 6 TS Chapter 9—Deadly Fuel: Autos, Leaded Gas, and the Politics of Science by David Rosner and Gerald Markowitz
R&O Reading 12—Hollywood Scapegoat: The Roscoe Arbuckle Case by Marty Jones
Nov 9 R&O Reading 16—Night of the Martians by Edward Oxford
R&O Reading 17—Superman in Depression and War by David Welky
Nov 11 TS Chapter 10—The Townsend Movement and Social Security by William Graebner
R&O Reading 15—The Black Blizzards Roll In by Donald Worster
Nov 13 R&O Reading 14—FDR’s Extra Burden by Bernard Ashell
Nov 16 R&O Reading 18—Edward R. Murrow and World War II by Mark Bernstein and Edward R Murrow
Nov 18 ereserve—Smoking and Cancer by James T. Patterson
Nov 20 R&O Reading 23—‘Border Ribbons Across the Land’: The Creation of the Interstate Highway System by Logan T. Snyder
Nov 23 Thanksgiving Break—No Class
Nov 25 Thanksgiving Break—No Class
Nov 27 Thanksgiving Break—No Class
Nov 30 Presentation Work Day
Dec 2 Group Presentation
Dec 4 Group Presentation
Dec 7 Book Response Essay Three Due—Monday 7 December 2009
Dec 9 R&O Reading 22—Intellect on Television: The Quiz Show Scandals of the 1920s by Richard S. Tedlow
TS Chapter 12—The Making of Disneyland by George Lipsitz
Dec 11 R&O Reading 28—Perfect Bodies, Eternal Youth: The Obsession of Modern America by Randy Roberts and James S. Olson
R&O Reading 25—Boomer Century by Joshua Zeitz
Dec 14 Unit Three Exam—Monday, 1:30pm-4:00pm
Group Presentations:
The presentation should be a reflection of substantial research (at least two quality sources per person per group of which one
should be a primary source) by group members on the topic you have selected (hard copy and internet sources are both acceptable).
The only “paper” required for presentations is the annotated “Works Cited” page (or two) which must be submitted in class the day of
the presentation or late penalties apply. Annotation may be brief, but each source must be evaluated in the bibliographic citation.
The grading rubric for the presentation works as follows: content (20/75 pts.), historical perspective (20/75 pts.), creativity
(8/75 pts.), use of time/delivery (7/75 pts.), and the annotated bibliography (20/75 pts.). “Content” covers the details about the topic
you bring to the class in the presentation. “Historical perspective” refers to the historical significance of your subject. “Creativity”
reflects the unique approach you use to bring the information to the class. “Use of time/delivery” refers to the overall length of the
presentation (recommended 30-40 minutes, allowing 10-20 minutes for Q&A following the presentation) and the group’s familiarity
with the topic. The annotated bibliography is covered above.
Lastly, each group member should play a role in the group’s in-class presentation. A group grade will be earned based on the
evaluation of the preceding categories. Good luck and I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.
*Disability Statement:* If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit a letter to me from Disability
Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on
documented disabilities. Contact: 303-492-8671, Willard 322, or http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices/
*Decorum Statement:* Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students
who fail to adhere to behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Faculty have the professional responsibility to treat students
with understanding, dignity and respect, to guide classroom discussion and to set reasonable limits on the manner in which students
express opinions. Additional information may be found at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html
**
*Honor Code:* All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic
integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication,
lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council
honor@colorado.edu; 303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to
both academic sanctions from the faculty member and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation,
suspension, or expulsion). Additional information on the Honor Code can be found at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/honor.html
**
*Religious Observance:* Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and
fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required
attendance. If you have a potential class conflict because of religious observance, you must inform me of that conflict by January 31st.
See policy details at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
**
*Sexual Harassment:* The University of Colorado Policy on Sexual Harassment applies to all students, staff and faculty. Sexual
harassment is unwelcome sexual attention. It can involve intimidation, threats, coercion, or promises or create an environment that is
hostile or offensive. Harassment may occur between members of the same or opposite gender and between any combination of
members in the campus community: students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Harassment can occur anywhere on campus, including
the classroom, the workplace, or a residence hall. Any student, staff or faculty member who believes s/he has been sexually harassed
should contact the Office of Sexual Harassment (OSH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information
about the OSH and the campus resources available to assist individuals who believe they have been sexually harassed can be obtained
at http://www.colorado.edu/odh/
Last Word:
I reserve the right to change the daily teaching schedule to facilitate learning, understanding, and critical thinking.
Assignment due dates and the testing schedule may change with as much advance notice as possible. Students will still be required to
fulfill all assignments as outlined unless otherwise notified.
University of Colorado at Boulder, Department of History
HIST 2326-001 Issues in American Thought and Culture
Presentation Form
Date: ______________
Group Members: _________________________
Topic: _____________
_______________________________________
Content:
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Historical
Perspective:
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Creativity:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Delivery/
Use of Time: 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Annotated
Bibliography: 2
4
6
8
10
12
14
18
20
Additional Comments:
Total Points: _____/75
16