American Studies Syllabus
Randolph
Period 6
How can diverse Americans become "one people"? I believe that one path is for us to pursue the
study of the past that includes all of us, making all of us feel connected to one another as "we the
people," working and living in a nation, founded and "dedicated" (to use Lincoln's language) to
the "proposition" that "all men are created equal." Ronald Takaki, A Distant Mirror
Description of the ProgramThe American Studies (AS) Program is a multi-instructor, cross-disciplinary course
that is built on the pillars of inquiry, analysis and criticism, collaboration and
presentation. The course is designed with the intention of asking conceptual
questions that are essential to develop an understanding of our history and culture,
with an eye toward building civic responsibility and participation. Ultimately the
course asks and encourages students to develop their own answer to the question,
what does it mean to be an American?
Themes of the Course-
Units of Study-
The American Dream
The City on A Hill
Individualism
The “melting pot”
The Frontier
“The Others”
Nature
I. Colonialism (1600’s)
II. Romanticism (1700’s)
III. Realism (1803-1861)
IV. Civil War and Emancipation (1861-1877)
V. Realism (1877-1918)
VI. Modernism (1918-1945)
VII. Post-Modernism (1945-)
American Studies Resource Pagehttps://sites.google.com/a/lovettsch.org/american-studies-resource-portal/home
Digital Textbookhttp://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/
US History Wikibookhttp://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/US_History
Outline of US Historyhttp://www.america.gov/publications/books/history-outline.html
Class Web Site-
Policies and PracticesAll assignments will be handed out in paper form and will be available in electronic
form on the website. Assignments are to be completed individually, unless you are
instructed otherwise by the teacher, and you should consider “The Pledge” in effect
on all work both in and out of class. All assignments are due at the beginning of class
unless it is stated differently on the syllabus.
Questions about a given assignment should be directed to your individual History
instructor unless the assignment is noted as cross-disciplinary. Those questions
ahold be asked well in advance of the due date/time.
Make use of tutorial as a place to get answers and extra help.
You are expected to have all of your materials with you each day. That includes
access to relevant handouts, your prepared assignment and your laptop.
Late work will receive a 10% reduction per day.
When electronic submissions are called for it will be indicated on the syllabus.
Your Grade55%- Tests, Essays and Projects
30%- Daily Grades (quizzes, accountability opportunities, graded discussions, oral
argument exercises, extension exercises, etc.)
15%- Final Exam
ParticipationStudent involvement is an essential part of this class. It is expected that you will be
fully engaged and involved in all of the components of the class. Your voice needs to
be heard in discussions, and your point of view needs to be shared in assignments
that call for it. Likewise, it is an expectation that you will be respectful of points of
view other than your own; and that when there is disagreement it will be based on
ideas and not be personal.
HomeworkHomework is given on a nightly basis and is designed to introduce a topic or to
reinforce one that has been covered. It is not optional. All students are expected to
devote themselves to each assignment.
OrganizationOrganization is a critical component to managing information. You will receive
handouts that are important for you to keep so it would be wise to have a threeringed binder and to have all handouts with you during each unit of study. Similarly,
you will be using electronic sources and should have those organized in a manner
that makes them easy to locate for class discussions or to complete an exercise.
Week of: 8/12/2013
CLASS
Wednesday* (A) - Introduction to the class
HOMEWORK
Summer Reading Presentation
Thursday (B)- No Class
Pre-Columbian Readings
Summer Reading Presentation due by 8:15 to me in my inbox
Friday (C)- Summer Reading Presentations
Watch Biography of America:
New World Encounters
Biography of America is a video overview series on the history of the United States.
It can serve as an overview of a given historical period. The site can be accessed at
http://www.learner.org/biographyofamerica/ and you can see the 28 minute
videos online. You can also print out a transcript for note-taking purposes and see
other resources on the site.
Essential Questions for Unit 1:
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What is the myth versus the reality of colonization?
How do Europeans envision 'the Other' in the colonial period?
How did the Puritan vision for a “perfect” community in America evolve over time, from the
1600s up to the Revolution?
How did the Jamestown vision for a “perfect” community in America evolve over time, from the
1600s to the Revolution?
What was the Puritan impact on the development--real or mythical--of the American
character?
Based upon our study of Colonialism, how is history shaped by personal perspective?
Based upon on our study of Colonialism, how is history shaped by choice of language?
Based upon our study of Colonialism, who is 'the Other,' and how is this identity constructed?
Week of: 8/19/2013
CLASS
HOMEWORK
Monday (D)- Conclude Summer Reading
Pre-Columbian America Exercise (ORQ)
Read and Respond (R and R) due
Inventing America
Readings Packet
Tuesday* (E)- No Class
Readings Packet
Wednesday (F)- Discovery and the Creation Myth
Who Was First Readings
Inventing America
Chart Exercise due at the end of class
Thursday (G)- Why the Columbus story?
American Exceptionalism
Crevecouer and Schlessinger
Chart due at the end of class
Watch Biography of America:
English Settlement
Friday *(A)- Colonization as a Case Study
Patterns of Settlement
Readings on the Virginia Colony
Week of: 8/26/2013
CLASS
Monday (B)- No Class
HOMEWORK
Readings on the Virginia Colony
Tuesday (C)- The Virginia Colony
Accountability Opportunity (20 pts.)
Extension Exercise
Wednesday (D)- The Virginia Colony
The Massachusetts Colony
Readings on the MASS Colony
Thursday* (E)- No Class
Readings on the MASS Colony
Friday (F)- The Massachusetts Colony and the Puritan Dilemma VA/MASS Chart
Quiz on the colonies (integrated so it will have
questions from Ms. McCord)
Week of: 9/2/2013
CLASS
Monday- NO SCHOOL
HOMEWORK
Colonial Society reading and T/F
Tuesday (F)- The 13 Colonies as an Entity: The Verdict on Colonialism Test Review
VA/MASS Chart due
Wednesday (G)- Test on Colonialism (will contain History and English info)
Thursday (A)- No History Classes
Friday (B)- TBD
*-45 minute period