San José State University
Department of History
History 176: The Civil War and Reconstruction
Section 1, Spring 2015
4 Unit Course
Instructor:
Office Location:
Telephone:
Libra R. Hilde
DMH 215
(408) 924-5512
Libra.hilde@sjsu.edu
Email:
Office Hours:
Class Days/Time:
Classroom:
Mondays 3:00-4:00 p.m., Wednesdays 3:00-4:30 p.m., or by
appointment
MW 12:00-1:15 p.m.
DMH 163
Faculty Web Page
Copies of course materials can be found on my faculty web page
http://www.sjsu.edu/people/libra.hilde/hist176
Course Description
The Civil War has been described as the greatest crisis in our country’s history and the event that
most “decisively changed the course of national development.” The war deeply divided the
nation, resolved some of the lingering questions left by the American Revolution, created new
revolutions, some of which remain unfinished, and altered the course of American history.
Emancipation destroyed legal slavery, turning human property into free men and women, and
fundamentally changed the social and economic system of the South. In this course, we will take
a topical approach, examining the political, social, economic, military, and ideological
dimensions of the war and Reconstruction to assess its transformative impact on individuals,
groups, institutions, the role of government, and the nation as a whole. The focus will be on the
Civil War and its aftermath as a revolutionary experience rather than solely as a military struggle.
Course Goals and Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will have:

Acquired an understanding of the processes of historical change and continuity. In this
case, they will have developed an understanding of how the Civil War and
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Reconstruction changed this nation in multiple ways and shaped our own society.
Students will emerge from this course able to grasp not only broad contours of historical
change, but able to see how momentous events affected different groups and individuals
and their status in society.

Developed an appreciation for the complexity of the historical process and in particular,
learned how politics, society, ideology, public opinion, and the military influenced one
another.

Worked with primary and secondary sources on a weekly basis and honed their skills in
interpreting and comparing a range of sources and perspectives, and placing those
perspectives in an appropriate context.

Related ongoing questions raised by the Civil War to modern society even if we cannot
definitively answer those questions: For example, how far should dissent be allowed to
go in wartime? What constitutes treason and what constitutes legitimate criticism of
policy? Why do we have romantic notions of certain events, and how does the reality of
warfare differ? What problems does a democratically elected government face when
prosecuting a war?

Learned the complexity of historical causation and why historians generally reject monocausal explanations for significant events.

Developed an ability to use print or online resources to conduct historical research and
how to construct and organize an effective analytical research paper.

Conducted independent historical research using both primary and secondary sources,
interpreting and analyzing the material, and presenting their ideas in effective prose.
Students will emerge from this course with stronger written communication skills.
Required Texts/Readings
The following required readings are available at the bookstore, and have been placed on reserve
at King Library. Please note that we will only read a fraction of the Clinton and Silber text, so
you may choose to use the reserve copy.
Textbook
William Gienapp, ed., The Civil War and Reconstruction: A Documentary Collection
Other Readings
Eric Foner, ed., Our Lincoln: New Perspectives on Lincoln and His World
Stephanie McCurry, Confederate Reckoning
Catherine Clinton and Nina Silber, eds., Divided Houses: Gender and the Civil War
Eric Foner, Nothing but Freedom: Emancipation and its Legacy
Chandra Manning, What This Cruel War Was Over
Joseph Glatthaar, The March to the Sea and Beyond
David Donald, ed., Why the North Won the Civil War
Other equipment / material requirements
Students are required to view three movies outside of normal class hours, Glory, Gettysburg, and
Lincoln. If you cannot find a copy through Netflix or the library, I have DVD’s that you can
borrow.
You will receive a electronic copy of all the song lyrics. Please refer to this document each week.
The songs played each week will match the lecture and reading topics.
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Several other readings will be sent to you in electronic form.
Library Liaison
Nyle Monday is the library liaison for history students. Contact him at 808-2011 or
Nyle.Monday@sjsu.edu
Classroom Protocol
My classroom protocol consists of one simple rule: don’t be dumb. You would be amazed at
what you can see from the front of a classroom. Chances are, if it is rude and disruptive, I can see
it even if you think I cannot.
Dropping and Adding
Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drop, grade
forgiveness, etc. Refer to the current semester’s Catalog Policies section at
http://info.sjsu.edu/static/catalog/policies.html. Add/drop deadlines can be found on the current
academic calendar web page located at
http://www.sjsu.edu/academic_programs/calendars/academic_calendar/. The Late Drop Policy is
available at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/policies/latedrops/policy/. Students should be aware of the
current deadlines and penalties for dropping classes.
Information about the latest changes and news is available at the Advising Hub at
http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/.
Assignments and Grading Policy
Students are expected to arrive in class having carefully and critically read the assigned books,
papers, and documents. The course will combine lecture and discussion every week, so arrive in
class each Wednesday prepared to talk about the readings. Expect a full lecture on Mondays and
a short lecture followed by discussion on Wednesdays. In addition, I will play one or two Civil
War songs each week and hand out copies of the lyrics (in pdf form). Though these songs have
clearly been recorded since the war ended, most are faithful renditions of the sound of nineteenth
century military bands. The lyrics and music serve as yet another primary source that you may
use for exams and papers and to gain insight into the time period.
Class Participation (15%)
Class participation is part of your grade. I do not call on people, so you may choose to
remain quiet, but be aware that this choice will affect your participation grade. In order
to earn an A or even B level participation grade, you must add to our discussions. Keep in
mind that listening is important, and quality of commentary is often preferable to quantity.
A student who is quiet but clearly engaged will earn a higher grade than someone who is
not paying attention. Finally, students may make up for one week of missed class and
discussion by writing a 3-5 page review of one of the optional books listed on the
syllabus.
Response Papers (10%)
Based on the readings, nine short response papers of at least one page (typed, doublespaced) will be due in class each Wednesday (they will not be accepted late). Topics will
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be distributed a week ahead of time. The point of the response papers is to demonstrate
that you have done the reading and thought about it critically, so make sure you use
specific examples. You may write longer responses, but they should be at least one page
long. Please type your responses. If it is clear you have not done the reading, the
response will earn no credit. Response paper questions will often ask you to role play, so
remember to think about the primary sources from a nineteenth century perspective.
Each week, I will hand out study questions for the reading. The response paper
topic/questions will be at the bottom of the page. You will choose nine, though there will
be options nearly every week. It is YOUR responsibility to hand in nine response papers
throughout the semester. Once a week has passed, that topic cannot be resurrected. If we
reach the end of the course, and you have four weeks to go and have not handed in a
response paper, that is your problem—you may not hand in more than one per week.
CLO (1, 2 3, 4 and 5): The response papers and discussions will address how the Civil
War changed the US, what it meant to different groups and individuals, and address
questions raised by the war that remain relevant today.
Midterm Exam (15%)
An in class midterm exam will be given on March 16th.
My exams consist of broad, interpretive essay questions. I do not have a specific answer
in mind when I grade your exam. Rather, I am looking to see how well you can frame an
argument and write a coherent essay using evidence from lecture and the readings to
defend your thesis. CLO (1 and 2)
Film Responses (15%)
Students will write three short papers (2-3 pages each) that analyze the films (see
assignments). Like the research paper, all late film responses will be penalized a third of a
grade per day late. CLO (1, 2, 4)
Research Paper of 10-12 pages (20%)
Students will write a primary-source driven, analytical research paper based on a topic of
their choice, but requiring the approval of the instructor. There are a number of online
resources that can simplify your research, including Civil War Letters and Diaries, and
the Valley of the Shadow Project.
The final papers are due on May 6th. Before that time, you will need to hand in a topic
statement, and have an individual meeting with me to discuss your topic, sources, and
research plan.
When you hand in the research paper, you will be required to submit a copy to
turnitin.com and a hard copy to me. Late papers will be penalized a third of a grade per
day, including weekends.
CLO (6 and 7)
Final Exam (25%)
The Final exam will consist of two broad, interpretive essays (you will have choice). One
question will cover the entire course and the other the information covered since the
midterm. CLO (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5)
The grading scale for this course will be:
97-100= A+
87-89= B+
77-79= C+
93-96= A
83-86= B
73-76= C
Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year
67-69= D+
63-66= D
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90-92= A-
80-82= B-
70-72= C-
60-62= D-
A student with a semester average below 60 will fail the course.
SJSU mandates that a grade of Incomplete be granted only when a student has satisfactorily
completed a substantial portion of the course requirements and is unable to complete the course
because of an accident, illness, or some other event beyond the student's control.
Success in this course is based on the expectation that students will spend, for each unit of credit,
a minimum of forty-five hours over the length of the course (normally 3 hours per unit per week
with 1 of the hours used for lecture) for instruction or preparation/studying or course related
activities including but not limited to internships, labs, clinical practica. Other course structures
will have equivalent workload expectations as described in the syllabus.
Because this is a 4-unit course, students can expect to spend a minimum of twelve hours per week
preparing for and attending classes and completing course assignments. Careful time
management will be required to keep up with readings and assignments in an intensive course
such as this one.
For this class, you will have to undertake additional activities outside the class hours including
viewing three long films and meeting individually with me in the course of developing and
writing your research paper.
University Policies
Academic integrity
Your commitment as a student to learning is evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State
University. The University’s Academic Integrity policy, located at
http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/S07-2.htm, requires you to be honest in all your academic course
work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and
Ethical Development. The Student Conduct and Ethical Development website is available at
http://www.sjsu.edu/studentconduct/.
Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism
(presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person’s ideas without giving
proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. For this class, all
assignments are to be completed by the individual student unless otherwise specified. If you
would like to include your assignment or any material you have submitted, or plan to submit for
another class, please note that SJSU’s Academic Policy S07-2 requires approval of instructors.
Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act
If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make
special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with
me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that
students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the Disability Resource
Center (DRC) at http://www.drc.sjsu.edu/ to establish a record of their disability.
Student Technology Resources
Computer labs for student use are available in the Academic Success Center located on the 1st
floor of Clark Hall and on the 2nd floor of the Student Union. Additional computer labs may be
available in your department/college. Computers are also available in the Martin Luther King
Library.
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A wide variety of audio-visual equipment is available for student checkout from Media Services
located in IRC 112. These items include digital and VHS camcorders, VHS and Beta video
players, 16 mm, slide, overhead, DVD, CD, and audiotape players, sound systems, wireless
microphones, projection screens and monitors.
Learning Assistance Resource Center
The Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC) is located in Room 600 in the Student
Services Center. It is designed to assist students in the development of their full academic
potential and to inspire them to become independent learners. The Center's tutors are trained and
nationally certified by the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA). They provide
content-based tutoring in many lower division courses (some upper division) as well as writing
and study skills assistance. Small group, individual, and drop-in tutoring are available. Please
visit the LARC website for more information at http://www.sjsu.edu/larc/.
SJSU Writing Center
The SJSU Writing Center is located in Room 126 in Clark Hall. It is staffed by professional
instructors and upper-division or graduate-level writing specialists from each of the seven SJSU
colleges. Our writing specialists have met a rigorous GPA requirement, and they are well trained
to assist all students at all levels within all disciplines to become better writers. The Writing
Center website is located at http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/about/staff/.
Peer Mentor Center
The Peer Mentor Center is located on the 1st floor of Clark Hall in the Academic Success Center.
The Peer Mentor Center is staffed with Peer Mentors who excel in helping students manage
university life, tackling problems that range from academic challenges to interpersonal struggles.
On the road to graduation, Peer Mentors are navigators, offering “roadside assistance” to peers
who feel a bit lost or simply need help mapping out the locations of campus resources. Peer
Mentor services are free and available on a drop –in basis, no reservation required. The Peer
Mentor Center website is located at http://www.sjsu.edu/muse/peermentor/
Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year
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History 176, Spring 2013, Course Schedule
Table 1 Course Schedule
Week
1
Date
Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines
January 26
Introduction and Course Overview
January 28
Rising Sectional Tensions, 1820-1860
No Reading
No Response Paper
2
February 2
Secession, and the Outbreak of War
February 4
Reading: Gienapp, The Civil War and Reconstruction: A Documentary
Collection, 3-82.
Optional Reading: Freehling and Simpson, Secession Debated
3
February 9
Abraham Lincoln
February 11
Reading: Foner, ed., Our Lincoln, 19-79, 223-266.
Gienapp, Documentary Collection, 115-130, 165-178.
Film: Lincoln (response due the following week)
4
February 16
Union Politics, Election of 1864
February 18
Reading: Reading: Foner, ed., Our Lincoln, 109-222.
Political Cartoons (pdf)
Film Response Due (Lincoln)
Discuss online sources for research paper
5
6
February 23
The Union Home Front
February 25
Reading: Gienapp, Documentary Collection, 179-196, 261-279.
Paper topic Statement Due
March 2
Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Government, 1861-1865
March 4
Reading: McCurry, Confederate Reckoning, 1-132, OR Escott, After
Secession, 19-134, 169-274.
Gienapp, Documentary Collection, 131-146.
Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year
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7
March 9
The Confederate Home Front
March 11
Reading: McCurry, Confederate Reckoning, 263-361.
Gienapp, Documentary Collection, 197-218, 281-291.
Optional Reading: J. Anderson, ed., Brokenburn: The Journal of Kate
Stone
Women
8
March 16
MIDTERM
March 18
Reading: LeeAnn Whites, “The Civil War as a Crisis in Gender,” chapter 1
of Divided Houses,
Drew Gilpin Faust, “Altars of Sacrifice: Confederate Women and the
Narratives of War,” chapter 10 in Divided Houses, 171-199.
Joan Cashin, “‘Since the War Broke Out’: The Marriage of Kate and
William McLure,” chapter 11 of Divided Houses, 200-212.
Jeanie Attie, “Warwork and the Crisis of Domesticity in the North,” chapter
14 of Divided Houses, 247-259.
MARCH 23-27, SPRING RECESS
9
March 30
April 1
Week 8: Emancipation and Black Soldiers
Reading: James Henry Gooding Letters, from Virginia Adams, ed., On the
Altar of Freedom (1991), selections, pdf.
George E. Stephens Letters, from Donald Yacovone, ed., A Voice of
Thunder (1997), selections, pdf.
Jim Cullen, “‘I’s a Man Now’: Gender and African American Men,”
Chapter 5 of Divided Houses, 77-91.
Foner, Nothing but Freedom, Emancipation and its Legacy, 1-110.
Gienapp, Documentary Collection, 219-234.
Film: Glory
Film Response Due
Optional Reading: Joseph Glatthaar, Forged in Battle: The Military
Alliance between White Officers and Black Soldiers
10
April 6
April 8
Week 10: Soldiers
Reading: Manning, What this Cruel War was Over
Gienapp, Documentary Collection, 235-248.
Reid Mitchell, “Soldiering, Manhood, and Coming of Age: A Northern
Volunteer,” chapter 3 of Divided Houses, 43-54.
David Blight, “No Desperate Hero: Manhood and Freedom in a Union
Soldier’s Experience,” chapter 4 of Divided Houses, 55-75.
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11
12
13
April 13
Week 11: The Military Struggle and Total War
April 15
Reading: Joseph Glatthaar, The March to the Sea and Beyond (split with
the following week).
Gienapp, Documentary Collection, 83-113, 147-163, 249-260.
April 20
Week 12: The Military Struggle Continued
April 22
Film: Gettysburg
Film Response Due
April 27
Week 13: Union Victory, Confederate Defeat
April 29
Reading: Donald, Why the North Won the Civil War, 15-112.
Gienapp, Documentary Collection, 293-314.
During the discussion part of class for this week, we will have a formal
debate and break up into groups assigned during the previous week. Every
student will read the Donald book, which includes essays that present
mono-causal explanations for the Union victory and Confederate defeat
(the teams will be Social, Political, Diplomatic, and Economic). Each
student should come to class prepared to discuss and defend the explanation
given for their subject, and argue against the other groups. Each group will
have equal time to prepare, present their initial arguments, prepare a
rebuttal, and present the rebuttal. At the end, we will vote for the team that
made the best presentation, and hold another vote for the explanation you
deem most effective. Finally, we will discuss the reasons why historians
often reject mono-causal explanations for events.
14
May 4
Memory and the Legacy of the Civil War/Reconstruction
May 6
Reading: David Blight, “’For Something Beyond the Battlefield’: Frederick
Douglass and the Memory of the Civil War,” Journal of American History,
v. 75 (March 1989): 1156-78. (J-STOR).
Catherine Clinton, “Reconstructing Freedwomen,” chapter 17 of Divided
Houses, 303-319.
Foner, ed., Our Lincoln, 269-282.
Research Paper Due
Optional Reading: David Blight, Race and Reunion
15
May 11
Reconstruction
Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year
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Final
Exam
May 13
Reading: Gienapp, Documentary Collection, 315-end.
May 21
The Final Exam for this course will take place on Thursday, May 21, 9:45
a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
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