Nancy K. Bristow
Office: 140 Wyatt Hall
Phone: Ext. 3173
Email: nbristow@ups.edu
Office Hours:
Mon./Fri. 12:00-2:00
Wed. 2:00-3:00
and by appointment
Class Meetings: Wyatt 306
M/W/F 11:00-11:50
History 200
Doing History: An Introduction
Spring 2014
T
To study history one must
know in advance that one is
attempting something
fundamentally impossible, yet
necessary and highly
important. To study history
means submitting to chaos
and nevertheless retaining
faith in order and meaning. It
is a very serious task.
his course will introduce you to the discipline of
history. We will explore the nature of history from
both philosophical and practical perspectives. We
will begin our exploration by thinking and talking
about how historians understand the nature of historical
knowledge. In this preliminary investigation we will seek
to answer the basic question "what is history?" and
--Hermann Hesse, Magister Ludi
consider how historians have answered that question by
developing different historical approaches. Following this
initial introduction to the discipline we will concentrate
our energies on the more practical task of defining and
developing the skills essential to the work of the historian. In particular, we will focus on the
techniques of reading and analyzing both primary and secondary sources, formulating and defending
ideas, and conceptualizing, researching, writing and revising historical projects. In the final weeks of
the semester you will have a chance to practice the techniques we have been exploring as you
develop and complete a first and final draft of your own research paper. This course is designed to
introduce prospective majors and minors to the discipline of history early in their academic careers.
By the end of this course you will have had the chance to think and talk a great deal about the field of
history. I am also hoping that you will have collected and polished your own set of the tools used by
historians. Both of these experiences should
This is a different kind of history course.
leave you more fully prepared to meet the
demands of your chosen major or minor in
--Professor William K. Breitenbach
history. Hopefully they will also encourage your
increasing engagement with, and
excitement about, the study of the past. Because the
instructor’s expertise is in American
history, our readings and your writing will focus on
the history of the United States, but our purposes will always be to think methodologically, rather
than in terms of content.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
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Students in this course will have the opportunity to:
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consider critically the discipline of history and its purposes and place in a democracy
gain command over the methods historians use to analyze the wide range of texts, both
primary and secondary, that are the central building blocks of their work
to develop familiarity with the kinds of writing assignments that may be required in upperdivision history courses such as close readings, source reviews and research papers
to gain skill in conceptualizing issues and questions that can serve as the focus of historical
investigations
to learn about and practice the process of research that includes locating, assessing, reading
and analyzing the sources necessary for a comprehensive exploration of a focused topic
to develop their skill in presenting their work to others and in offering effective responses to
their peers’ work
to continue polishing their skills in cooperative learning
READINGS:
You will have considerable assigned reading in the early weeks of the course, less in the middle
weeks of the course, and very little assigned reading by the final weeks, when you will be conducting
your own research. Readings will be discussed on the day listed in the syllabus. In order to prepare
for class, then, you will need to complete the reading assignments before you come to class on that
day. You should bring your own copy of the reading with you to class to facilitate your participation
in the discussion. In addition to a required COURSE PACKET, the following books are
required, and are available at the university bookstore:
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John A. Arnold, History: A Very Short Introduction (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000).
Jenny L. Presnell, The Information-Literate Historian: A Guide to Research for History Students
(New York: Oxford University Press, 2013).
Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s,
2012).
Timothy B. Tyson, Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story (New York: Three Rivers Press,
2004).
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:
You will do a great deal of writing in this course, both preparatory and formal. These assignments
are intended to give you a wealth of opportunities to polish the skills this course is designed to teach.
Below are brief descriptions of the assignments. Fuller explanations of the formal paper assignments
will be distributed and discussed in class at appropriate times. The essay lengths listed below are not
limits, but are intended to serve only as guides, giving you a rough idea of the scale of paper I am
expecting for each assignment. Your papers in each case may be longer or shorter as needed.
Preparatory Assignments:
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The syllabus provides guidelines for preparation for all class days. I will often ask you to write a
paragraph or to complete a worksheet or some other assignment. After you begin your research
projects, I will often ask you to bring to class materials related to that work. Some of these
preparatory assignments will be turned in. These assignments are described in the syllabus, in
bold print, as part of the preparation for the class day on which each is due. There is also a complete
list of the preparatory assignments that are to be turned in attached to the back of this syllabus, with
their due dates listed. You are responsible for being aware of all assignments and for bringing them
with you to class on the day they are due. These preparatory assignments are important because
they offer us an opportunity for individualized communication about the principles and practices of
history. You will find that completing them with care will facilitate your successful participation in
class discussions as well. Please note, too, that these assignments constitute an important component
of your final grade. To reinforce the pedagogical purposes of these exercises, the preparatory
assignments must be turned in in class, and on the day they are due, except in cases of illness or
emergency. Late assignments will not be accepted.
Formal Papers: More complete descriptions of each assignment will be distributed in class.
Paper #1: What is History? Analyzing Blood Done Sign My Name (3-4 pages)
For your first paper you will engage in an exploration of Timothy Tyson’s Blood Done Sign My Name. Your
job in this paper is to suggest whether Tyson’s work exhibits “historical mindedness” or suffers from the
problems associated with non-historians’ explorations of the past. Due in class on Wednesday, February 5th
Paper #2: Interpreting a Primary Source (3-4 pages)
For your second paper you will write an interpretive paper based in a primary sources. In this paper you will
use these sources to develop and defend your own interpretive argument about the past.
Due in class on Monday, February 24th
Paper #3: Critiquing History--Secondary Source Review (3-4 pages)
For your third paper you will turn your attention to evaluating the work of another historian. For this paper
you will need to locate a secondary source and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, as well as its
significance, as a piece of historical scholarship.
Due in class on Friday, March 14th
Paper #4: Research Paper--Preliminary Draft (roughly 8-10 pages)
After constructing a research project, developing a bibliography, conducting your research and positing a
preliminary thesis statement and outline, you will write a preliminary draft of your research paper. This draft
should represent your best effort to write a fully developed, thoroughly defended and carefully polished paper.
Due in class on Monday, April 21st
Paper #5: Research Paper--Final Draft (roughly 10 pages of text plus an annotated bibliography)
After completing your preliminary draft, you will have the opportunity to do significant revision based on your
assessment of the first draft. Your final draft will reflect these revisions, and will also include an annotated
bibliography.
Due in my office (Wyatt 140) by Wednesday, May 14th, by 2:00 p.m.
Grading Standards for Formal Papers:
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 A typical “A” paper is clearly written and well organized, and most importantly contains a perceptive
and original central argument supported by a well-chosen variety of specific examples that are fully explained.
It demonstrates that the student has grappled with the issues raised by their subject, has engaged in significant
analysis of the appropriate sources, has formulated a compelling, original and sophisticated argument, and has
articulated and defended that argument fully and effectively.
 A typical “B” paper is very good work that shows the student has grappled with important issues, has
analyzed the appropriate sources, and has developed significant and creative insights. A “B” paper will offer a
thoughtful argument, and will present it clearly and convincingly. The paper, though, may need a bit more
polish or may need a bit fuller development or a bit more complexity in its thinking.
 A typical “C” paper has a good grasp of the course material and responds appropriately to the
assignment’s requirements. The author may not have developed his/her ideas deeply, though, or the paper
may need more thorough evidence. Alternatively, the paper may be fully developed, but may have some more
serious problems in presentation such as frequent errors, unclear writing, or confusing organization.
 A paper that receives a grade lower than “C” typically does not respond adequately to the assignment, is
insufficiently developed, is marred by frequent errors, unclear writing, confusing organization, or some
combination of these problems.
CLASS PARTICIPATION:
In addition to doing significant writing, you will also spend a great deal of time in this course talking
about history. While attendance is important in all of your courses, recognize that in this case it is not
only mandatory, but also fundamental to your overall success in this course and in other history
courses in the future. Because this is a methods course, each class day is devoted to working through
a particular skill important to the historian’s work. If you miss a day, you have missed the
opportunity to talk about and think about a particular component of the historian’s craft. Keep in
mind, too, that attendance and contributions to discussions will make up an important part of your
grade. You will notice that for almost every day of class there is a "prep" listed in the syllabus.
Sometimes this involves doing some informal writing. Other times the preparation simply requires
engaging in some careful thinking about questions introduced there. It will be vital to pay attention
to these notations in the syllabus. They will help you prepare for the day's class discussion. The
following suggestions will also help to make our discussions as fruitful as possible:
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Prepare for class: This includes not only reading all assignments before class, but thinking about that
reading and engaging with the suggested preparation, as well. It is generally useful to write down your
responses to the preparatory questions, even if they are not going to be turned in. This not only forces you
to think critically about what you are reading but will often make it easier for you to speak up in class.
Attend class: Unless you are in class, the rest of us cannot benefit from your ideas, and you will miss the
opportunity to benefit from the ideas of your classmates.
Participate in discussions: Several minds are always going to be better than just one. For this reason, we
will all benefit from this course to the degree that each of you participates in our discussions. Each of you
has a great deal to contribute to the class, and each of you should share that potential with the other class
members. In this class, too, you have a fundamental role to play as peer editors for your classmates.
Listen to your classmates: The best discussions are not wars of words, but are a cooperative effort to
understand the issues and questions at hand. Listen to each other, and build on the ideas raised by others.
While we will often disagree with one another, you should always be sure to listen to each other. Always
treat your classmates, their work, and their opinions with the respect they deserve.
Grading Standards for Class Participation:
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 Following each class session I will record a participation mark for each class member for that
day’s discussion. It is on the basis of those marks, then, that your participation grade is based.
Recognize that absences count essentially as zeroes, and have a profound impact on your
participation grade. While illness, emergencies, and obligations on behalf of the university count as
excused absences, they can only be recorded in this way if you let me know the reason for your
absence. Too many unexcused absences may lead to a student being dropped from the course (WF).
 A student who receives an “A” for his or her participation typically comes to every class with
questions and ideas about the readings and/or prep already in mind. He or she engages other students
and the instructor in discussion of their ideas as well as his or her own. This student is under no
obligation to change their point of view, yet respects the opinions of others. This student, in other
words, takes part in an exchange of ideas, and does so on a regular basis. This student also makes use
of specific texts during the discussion, providing depth to their contributions. Perhaps most
importantly, too, this student is attentive to the projects of their classmates and plays an active role in
offering thoughtful ideas and insights about them.
 A student who receives a “B” for his or her participation typically has completed all the reading
assignments on time, but does not always come to class with questions or ideas, or having considered
the readings and prep questions carefully. Rather, this student waits for others to raise interesting
issues. Other “B” discussants are courteous and articulate but do not listen to other students,
articulating their ideas without reference to the direction of the discussion. Still others may have a
great deal to contribute, but participate only sporadically, or may not regularly connect their
contributions to particular texts or specific examples. Most commonly, these students are somewhat
detached from the ongoing work of their classmates or offer only minimal contributions to
discussions of the research projects of others.
 A student who receives a “C” for discussion typically attends every class and listens attentively,
but rarely participates in discussion. Other “C” discussants would earn a higher grade, but are too
frequently absent from class or have not engaged adequately with their classmates about their
ongoing work.
 A student who receives a grade lower than “C” is consistently unprepared, unwilling to
participate, often seems distracted from the discussion, or is too frequently absent.
MOODLE:
Moodle is a system that hosts course websites. An occasional reading for History 200 will be
available only through Moodle. The website also provides a great deal of information about the
course—the course syllabus, assignments, worksheets and important course announcements, for
instance. If you have any problems using Moodle, just come by my office and I’ll help get you
started.
A FEW OTHER RESOURCES TO KNOW ABOUT:
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Office of Accessibility and Accommodations. If you have a physical, psychological,
medical or learning disability that may impact your course work, please contact Peggy Perno,
Director of the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations, 105 Howarth, 253.879.3395.
She will determine with you what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All
information and documentation is confidential.
Reference Librarian: Peggy Burge (pburge@pugetsound.edu) is the History Department
liaison librarian. You will meet her when she conducts some library sessions for our course.
She is also available to meet with you in individual appointments for assistance with your
research. You will find she is a remarkably knowledgeable guide to our library and beyond.
Archivist and Special Collections Librarian: Katie Henningsen
(khenningsen@pugetsound.edu) is the librarian who handles the university archives. She will
have regular office hours as well as open hours at the archives. She, too, is remarkably
knowledgeable and a great resource for this course.
The Center for Writing, Learning and Teaching is available to all Puget Sound students
interested in developing their writing skills. Here you can meet with a writing advisor for help
with every stage of the paper process. To make an appointment with a writing advisor you can
stop by the center, in Howarth 109, or make an appointment by calling 879-3404 or emailing
writing@ups.edu.
Harvard University’s Writing Center has a website loaded with useful advice on writing.
To visit their site, go to: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr. Once there, click on “Writing
Resources” to access their materials.
Patrick Rael, Bowdoin College, Reading Writing, and Researching for History: A Guide
for College Students is a wonderful collection of advice for the history student, available on
the Bowdoin College website. The address is: http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/. I
will ask you to read materials on this site for some of our class days, but I encourage you to
go ahead and peruse the entire guide posted there.
I am anxious to provide whatever assistance I can during this course. I have regular office
hours, and can also meet at other times by appointment. You can also reach me by email, to
which I try to respond quickly.
GRADING SCALE:
In assigning grades, both during the semester and at its end, I will use the following scale:
A+: 97-100
A:
93-96
A-:
90-92
B+:
87-89
B:
83-86
B-:
80-82
C+: 77-79
C:
73-76
C-:
70-72
D+: 67-69
D:
63-66
D-:
60-62
F:
below 60
FORMULATION OF COURSE GRADE:
Your final grade will be assigned according to the following weighting of the component grades:
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Paper #1 (historical-mindedness)…………………………….8%
Paper #2 (primary source essay).......................………...……10%
Paper #3 (secondary source essay)............…………………..10%
Paper #4 (preliminary draft--research paper)............………...15%
Paper #5 (final draft--research paper)....................…………..25%
Preparatory writing assignments……………………...……...17%
Class participation……………………………………………15%
POLICIES:
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In this course, we will operate according to my “48 hour rule.” This means that you can turn
in one paper up to 48 hours late without penalty or explanation. Beyond this, though, late
papers will be accepted only in cases of illness or emergency, or when prior
arrangements have been made, and generally will be penalized except in cases of illness
or emergency. You must contact me to make arrangements for any late assignments.
The 48 hour rule cannot be used on the first draft of the research project or on
preparatory assignments.
No late assignments will be accepted after 5:00 p.m. on Friday of final exam week.
You must complete all formal papers in order to successfully complete this course. Students
missing one of the five formal papers will receive a WF for the course.
Illnesses and emergencies are excused absences, as are those due to approved,
university-related activities. Beyond these, though, other absences are unexcused, and will
count against your participation grade. In addition, too many unaccounted for absences may
lead to a student being withdrawn from the course, so please send me an email if your absence
falls under an excused circumstance.
For any policy issue not covered here, I follow the rules set down in the Student Handbook,
which is available online at:
http://www.pugetsound.edu/student-life/personal-safety/student-handbook/
A WORD ABOUT ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
It is assumed that all of you will conform to the rules of academic honesty and integrity. I should
warn you that plagiarism and any other form of academic dishonesty will be dealt with severely in
this course. Plagiarizing in a paper will be reported to the university, will result in an automatic F on
that assignment and potentially in the course, and may lead to more substantial university-level
penalties. Because academic dishonesty is such an egregious offense, the penalty is not negotiable.
As a member of this academic community, your integrity and honesty are assumed and valued. Our
trust in one another is an essential basis for our work together. A breach of this trust is an affront to
your colleagues and to the integrity of this institution, and so will be treated harshly. Rest assured
that I will make every effort to familiarize you with the rules surrounding academic honesty. If at
any time you have questions about these rules, too, know that I am anxious to help clarify them. In
the end, though, it will be up to you to know the rules and adhere to them.
Schedule of class meetings,
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readings,
and writing assignments
UNIT ONE:
WHAT IS HISTORY?
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This unit explores the nature of the discipline of history, forcing us to grapple with its interpretive
quality. Historians share methodologies—a way of asking and answering questions—that are distinct
to the discipline and on which most historians agree. They also engage, though, in frequent
disagreements—over the content of historical interpretations, and even over the nature and purposes
of the discipline. Beginning with an historian’s account of his own struggles to understand the past,
this unit will give us a chance to develop an understanding of the historian’s work—its goals and its
responsibilities.
“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
--William Faulkner, Requiem for a Nun
“The study of history is not a journey into a dead past but instead offers a way to
understand and live in the present.”
--Jules R. Benjamin, A Student’s Guide to History
1. January 22 (Wed.)
Introduction to the Course and the Historian’s Responsibilities
 Questionnaire (used for History Department assessment)
 Why history matters: Holocaust revisionists
2. January 24 (Friday)
READING:
What is History?
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Syllabus for History 200 (seriously, you need to read this front to back! It is our contract
and you need to know what it contains and what you are agreeing to.)
 Mary Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, pp. 1-5
 John H. Arnold, History: A Very Short Introduction, chs. 1-2
 Timothy B. Tyson, Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story, chs. 1-4
PREP:
Think a bit about the nature of history. What does it mean to suggest that history is always
changing? That history reflects the individual (and the culture) that writes it? What does
Arnold mean when he suggests that history “is an argument between the past and the
present”? When he refers to history as “true stories”? Next think about the book by Tyson.
What is this book about? Why did Tyson decide to write it? What can it tell us about the
nature of history as a field? About what makes the work of the historian difficult? What does
it suggest about our responsibilities? Write a paragraph answering any one of these
questions. Be sure to quote from at least one of our readings in your paragraph. (Prep
Assignment #1)
3. January 27 (Monday)
History: Is it an Art? Is it a Science?
READING:
 Arnold, History: A Very Short Introduction, chs. 3-4
 Tyson, Blood Done Sign My Name, chs. 5-7
 Course Packet: pp. 23-39
*Carl L. Becker, “Everyman His Own Historian”
*Robin G. Collingwood, “The Limits of Historical Knowledge”
PREP: Write a paragraph answering one of these questions: Is history an art or a
science? Can historians be objective? Should they be? (Prep Assignment #2)
4. January 29 (Wednesday) History Matters: The Telling of the Truth
READING:
 Arnold, History: A Very Short Introduction, chs. 5-7
 Tyson, Blood Done Sign My Name, ch. 8-9
 Course Packet: pp. 44-48
*Keith C. Barton, “Research on Students’ Historical Thinking and Learning
*James J. Sheehan, “How History Can Be a Moral Science”
PREP:
Why does Arnold believe history matters? Do you agree? What are the key differences,
according to Barton, between how students and historians approach historical sources and the
past? What does Sheehan suggest about history as a moral pursuit?
5. January 31 (Friday)
Objectivity, Relativism, and the Historian
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READING:
 Course Packet, pp. 49-56
*Documents on the Enola Gay Controversy
 Moodle:
*John R. Dichtl, “A Chronology of the Smithsonian’s ‘Last Act’”
*Charles Krauthammer, “History Hijacked”
*Martin J. Sherwin, “The Assault on History”
PREP:
Write a paragraph (or two) suggesting how the Smithsonian should have handled
the Enola Gay controversy and why this would have been the most appropriate
resolution to the conflict. Cite at least one of the course readings to support your
argument. (Prep Assignment #3)
6. February 3 (Monday)
Historical Mindedness, or How Historians Think
READING:
 Tyson, Blood Done Sign My Name, complete
 Course Packet: pp. 57-77
*Samuel S. Wineburg, “Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts”
*Conal Furay and Michael J. Salevouris, “Historical-Mindedness: The Goal of
Historical Study”
PREP:
Think about what constitutes historical-mindedness. What is the purpose of historical
study? Why does Wineburg describe our work as an “unnatural act”? Where does
“truth” fit in? Given this, how is the way historians approach the past different from
how non-historians do so? Now, do you think Timothy Tyson exhibits historicalmindedness in Blood Done Sign My Name? Why or why not?
What the advocates of our dangerous and deepening social
amnesia don’t understand is how deeply the past holds the
future in its grip—even, and perhaps especially, when it
remains unacknowledged. We are runaway slaves from our
own past, and only by turning to face the hounds can we
find our freedom beyond them.
Timothy B. Tyson, Blood Done Sign My Name
UNIT TWO
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THE RAW MATERIALS:
WORKING WITH PRIMARY SOURCES
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Now that you’ve confirmed your historical-mindedness, you’re ready to begin learning and/or
practicing the historian’s craft. As you know from the reading in Arnold’s book, primary sources are
the historian’s most important building blocks in their construction of historical interpretations. In
this unit you’ll learn how to interrogate primary sources, evaluating their authenticity, reliability and
usefulness. From here we’ll take the next steps, using our interrogations to develop valid inferences
and significant historical interpretations and then communicating our findings to a reader. We will
also have our first individual meetings during this unit, during which we will talk together about a
possible direction for your later research project.
7. February 5 (Wednesday) Library Session #1: University Archives and the Thrill of the Hunt
**We will meet in the University Archives today, on the second floor of Collins
Memorial Library.
READING: No new reading today. Today will be an exciting opportunity to meet both Katie
Henningsen, the University Archivist, and Peggy Burge, the Research Liaison for the History
Department. We’ll have some fun wrestling “truth” from an array of primary sources.
**Your FIRST PAPER is due in class TODAY!!**
8. February 7 (Friday) The Challenges of Primary Sources: Context
READING:
 Presnell, The Information-Literate Historian, pp. 112-116
 Course Packet: pp. 86-122
Documents on the Thomas Jefferson/Sally Hemmings controversy
Elsa Barkley Brown, “African American Women’s Quilting”
Conal Furay and Michael J. Salevouris, “Historical Thinking: Context”
PREP:
Read through the documents on the Thomas Jefferson/Sally Hemmings controversy. Why has
it been so difficult for historians to figure out what happened? What do we need to do to avoid
these difficulties and develop a responsible interpretation of their “relationship”? To begin
answering these questions, read through the essay from Elsa Barkley Brown. What does
Brown mean when she discusses the need to “pivot the center”? How do the suggestions of
Furay and Salevouris correspond to the ideas offered by Brown? How does all of this frame
our approach to the Jefferson/Hemmings controversy? Finally, does the evidence confirm that
Thomas Jefferson fathered one of Sally Hemming’s children? Be ready to explain your
answer to this last question.
9. February 10 (Monday) Interrogating the Witness: Working through a Primary Source
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READING:
 Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, pp. 6-15
 Jenny L. Presnell, The Information-Literate Historian, pp.160-161
 Course Packet: pp. 123-132
Unidentified Historical Cartoon – pick any one of the 5
Joseph McCarthy, “Speech at Wheeling, West Virginia” and “Letter to President
Truman”
PREP:
Read through the pages from Rampolla and Presnell. As these historians make clear, our job
as historians involves approaching our primary sources with a critical eye. Note the range of
questions that Presnell asks about primary sources. How does the importance of these
questions change depending on the source? Why? What, in turn, do they add to your thinking?
Take a look at one of the unidentified historical cartoons. Note how little sense you can make
of it without knowing its context. Now read the speech and letter from Joseph McCarthy. Do
they give you some clues to understanding the cartoon? Even so, recognize how skewed your
perspective is if you don’t look more broadly at the context. Finally, go to the Reference
Room of the library (or online) and learn everything you can about the context for the
cartoons. Begin by placing McCarthy’s speech and his letter to the President in context. What
do we need to know in order to understand McCarthy’s purposes with the speech and letter?
Next return to your political cartoon, and see if you can now discern its full meaning.
Write a paragraph in which you explain what the political cartoon meant to say to its
readers, and identify one bit of context that helped you understand it. How did this
contextual knowledge illuminate your understanding of the cartoon?
(Prep Assignment #4)
10. February 12 (Wednesday) Finding Meaning: Interrogating our Sources
READING:
 Presnell, The Information-Literate Historian, ch. 9 and pp. 116-160
 Rampolla, A Pocket Guide, 39-42
 Moodle: Duck and Cover
PREP:
Using the guidelines on how to read primary sources we talked about in class on Monday, as
well as the additional material from Presnell on visual sources, “read” the film Duck and
Cover, an educational film shown to school children in the 1950s and 1960s. Interrogate the
film to gain a full sense of what it intended to say to its audience, where we might find reason
to question the veracity of the film, and what unintended insights the source might offer to the
critical reader. In turn, scan the reading in Presnell, chapter 9, and begin to imagine the range
of primary sources available to the historian. What kinds of sources might you like to use for
your research project? This can help you determine a focus for your work.
11. February 14 (Friday) Case Study: The Little Rock Crisis Introduced
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READING:
 Course Packet: pp. 138-151
*Dwight D. Eisenhower, “Radio and Television Address to the American People on
the Situation in Little Rock,” 24 September 1957
*Wayne C. Booth, et al, “Prologue: Assembling a Research Argument” and “Making
Good Arguments: An Overview”
*William K. Breitenbach, “Internal Criticism Form”
PREP:
Read the Eisenhower speech and as we did with the film, interrogate it fully, thinking about
issues of author, audience, purpose and genre. Next, begin to imagine topics for which the
speech might prove a valuable source. What limitations would constrain its usefulness? Now
formulate a question about the document that forces it to be a “witness in spite of itself”—i.e.,
a question that makes the document tell you something that Eisenhower did not intend it to
reveal. Find a telling detail in the document that could help you answer your question.
Fill out the Internal Criticism Form and bring it with you to class. (Prep Assignment
#5)
12. February 17 (Monday) Case Study: Asking and Answering Questions about Little Rock
READING:
 Patrick Rael,Reading, Writing, and Researching for History, sect. 3c: “How to Ask
Good Questions,” sect. 3d: “What Makes a Question Good?” and sect. 3e:
“From Observation to Hypothesis” (http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/)
 Handout: “The Watershed Years of the Southern Movement,” from Freedom on My Mind
 Documents on the crisis at Little Rock Central High School in 1957. Available at:
http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/research/online_documents/civil_rights_little_rock.html
(Be sure to read the introductory paragraph that precedes the list of sources on the website.)
PREP:
Primary sources do not simply provide us with “the truth,” and instead serve as the basis for
historical debates about issues of importance. The Little Rock Central High School crisis
offers us one such debate, as historians continue to argue about Eisenhower’s real view on
integration and racial justice, and the motivations that moved him to act in 1957. Compare
the analysis of Eisenhower’s actions in Little Rock presented by the Presidential Library
introduction, and the section from Freedom on My Mind. How do you explain the different
perspectives? Now peruse the primary source documents. Does one of these documents seem
especially useful for making sense of Eisenhower’s actions? What claim would you make
about Eisenhower’s views on integration?
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13. February 19 (Wednesday) Case Study: Imagining Your Papers
READING:
 Course Packet: pp. 152-155
William Breitenbach, “Writing History Papers”
 Rampolla, A Pocket Guide, 29-36, 49-59
 Again, look through the documents on the crisis at Little Rock Central High School at:
http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/research/online_documents/civil_rights_little_rock.html
PREP:
Your second paper will be based in the close analysis of at least three of the documents
included on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library website, relating to the Little
Rock crisis. It will be up to you to frame a question you can answer with sources from the
site, to analyze those sources carefully to find “telling details,” and to construct and prove
your argument in a paper. Your preliminary work on the paper is your prep for today. Bring
your notes with you to class, including the three documents you have selected, the
question they will help you answer, and at least one “telling detail” from each. (Prep
Assignment #6) We will spend class time today doing peer-editing sessions.
14. February 21 (Friday) Writing Workshop I: Clarity, Cohesion and Emphasis
READING:
 Course Packet: pp. 156-161, 295-305
*Michael Harvey, “Paragraphs”
*William Kelleher Storey, “Writing Sentences…” and “Choose Precise Words”
 Rampolla, A Pocket Guide, 59-76
 Patrick Rael, Reading, Writing, and Researching for History, ch. 6, “Writing Your
Paper,” entire (http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/)
PREP: Bring to class one body paragraph of your paper, due Monday. We will use these as
the basis for our first writing workshop exploring clarity, cohesion and emphasis.
UNIT THREE
CONSUMING HISTORY:
WORKING WITH SECONDARY SOURCES
*
*
*
*
*
In this unit you’ll become a participant in the on-going conversation among historians. As you know,
historians often disagree. Even working with the same sources and asking similar questions, we may
reach different conclusions about their meaning, and the answers they offer to historical questions.
In this unit you will learn how to read secondary sources critically and efficiently, and how to
evaluate their quality and discern their historiographical significance. These skills will prepare you
for engaging with others about historical issues and questions. You will also learn how to use
reviews effectively, and you’ll conclude the unit by writing your own review of a secondary source.
15
15. February 24 (Monday) Critical Consumers: Historians and their Secondary Sources
READING:
 Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, 16-26
 Presnell, The Information-Literate Historian, ch. 5
 Course Packet: pp. 162-163
*William Breitenbach, “How to Read a Secondary Source”
 Moodle:
*Seth Jacobs, “’No Place to Fight a War’: Laos and the Evolution of U.S. Policy
Toward Vietnam, 1954-1963,” in Making Sense of the Vietnam Wars: Local, National,
and Transnational Perspectives, Mark Philip Bradley and Marilyn B. Young, eds.
(New York: Oxford University Press, 2008): 45-66.
**Your SECOND paper is due in class today!!
16. February 26 (Wednesday) Secondary Sources: Making Judgments
READING:
 Presnell, The Information-Literate Historian, ch. 10 (skim)
 Course Packet: p. 164
William Breitenbach, “How to Take Reading Notes”
 Patrick Rael, Reading, Writing, and Researching for History, sect. 2.d., “Some Keys
to Good Reading,” http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/
 Moodle:
*Kim England and Kate Boyer, “Women’s Work: The Feminization and Shifting
Meanings of Clerical Work,” Journal of Social History 43(Winter, 2009): 307340. (Moodle)
*Worksheet on Secondary Sources
PREP:
As you read through the article by England and Boyer, complete as much as you can of the
worksheet on secondary sources. Note any areas of difficulty you encounter. What kind of
history is this? How do you know? What do we gain when the use of statistics is added to our
investigations? Bring the worksheet with you to class. (Prep Assignment #7)
17. February 28 (Friday) Secondary Sources: The Range of the Historian’s Reach
READING:
 Course Packet: pp. 234-247 and 194-225
*Conal Furay and Michael J. Salevouris, “The History of History”
*Michael J. Klarman, “Is the Supreme Court Sometimes Irrelevant? Race and the
Southern Criminal Justice System in the 1940s” (course packet pp.
*James H. Meriwether, “`Worth a Lot of Negro Votes’: Black Voters, Africa, and
the 1960 Presidential Campaign” (course packet pp. )
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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
Moodle:
*Richard H. Immerman, “Dealing with a Government of Madmen: Eisenhower,
Kennedy, and Ngo Dinh Diem,” in Columbia History of the Vietnam War,
David L. Anderson, ed. (New York: Columbia University Press, 2013):120-142.
PREP: Review the concept of “historiography” through the reading from Furay and Salevouris.
Now read each of the three articles assigned for today. How would you classify the kind of
history each scholar is doing? What clues led you to this conclusion? Finally, review one of
the three articles more closely, and be prepared to talk about the strengths and weaknesses
you found there.
18. March 3(Monday) Library Session #2: Locating Secondary Sources
READING:
 Presnell, The Information-Literate Historian, chs. 2-4
PREP: Today’s library session will focus on tools for finding secondary sources, both those
we use to begin our research, and those that can take us much more deeply into our subject.
We’ll look especially at Puget Sound WorldCat and America: History and Life. If you have a
laptop, please bring it with you to our library session. By the end of today’s session you will
be ready to locate an article on your research interest that can serve as the focus of your
upcoming paper assignment, due at the end of this unit. The reading for today will make
today’s session especially productive.
19. March 5 (Wednesday) The Historical Conversation: Gutting a Book
READING:
 Moodle: Gutting Worksheet
 Patrick Rael, Reading, Writing, and Researching for History, sect. 2.c.,
“Predatory Reading,” available at:
http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/
PREP: Your job for today is to locate three monographs focused on topics related to your
possible research subject. (You should know what a monograph is from our reading for
Monday’s class.) To identify some possibilities, follow the instructions from our library
session. When you go to the stacks to pick up your selections, also browse the books
nearby. Check out three books that were written by academic historians, that are not
biographies or essay collections, that have either footnotes or endnotes, and that were
published since 1980. Now spend no more than two hours “gutting” the historical
monograph you have chosen and complete the worksheet. (Prep Assignment #8) Bring
all three of your books to class.
20. March 7 (Friday)
Reviewing Books and Articles
READING:
 Rampolla, A Pocket Guide, 36-37
 “Writing Book Reviews,” from Writing Tutorial Services, Indiana University, available
at: http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/book_reviews.shtml
PREP:Use the techniques you learned in our library session to find three book reviews on the
monograph that you gutted. If you cannot find three reviews, choose a different monograph
for which you can find three. Read the reviews and complete the worksheet on book
reviews. (Prep Assignment #9)
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21. March 10 (Monday)
The Range of History: Thinking Historiographically
READING: No new reading for today.
PREP: Today’s class is designed to help you imagine the reach of the historical discipline
and the range of ways in which those who practice history pursue their craft. Put another
way, we want to think historiographically today. To help us with this, in advance of today’s
class we will come up with a topic to research. Then, each of you will use the skills you have
learned to locate at least three different scholarly articles or books focused on this subject.
Skim each of these for approach, source usage, and thesis. Take notes on this work and bring
them with you to class. When we compile these together in class, we will have a chance to
talk through the different kinds of history, and the particular possibilities of each
historiographical lens.
UNIT FOUR
DOING HISTORY: THE HISTORIAN AT WORK
* * * * *
In this unit you will finally be turned loose to “do history” as you complete a research project on a
topic of your own choosing (though I will ask that the projects consider a subject in the history of the
United States since 1860.) You’ll develop a topic and then research, write, and revise a paper on
that topic. While you’ll each work independently on your own projects, we’ll work together as a
group to learn about research methods, the management of your research, and the techniques of
historical writing and documentation. You’ll find that preparation for class will largely be devoted
to applying lessons and techniques to your particular project. Even so, there will be much to do
outside of class. Success in this unit will require diligence, discipline, and persistence. This unit,
then, should prepare you to face the challenges offered by upper-division History courses, including
History 400, the Research Seminar.
22. March 12 (Wednesday)
Getting Started on the Research Project: Strategizing
READING:
 Rampolla, A Pocket Guide, ch. 5
 Presnell, The Information-Literate Historian, ch. 1
PREP:
Let a thousand historical flowers bloom.
By the time you come to class today
History is never a closed book or a final
you will want to have some general
verdict. It is forever in the making.
sense of direction for your research
Arthur M. Schlesinger
project. To begin, purchase a research
New Year’s Day, 2007
log that you can use to track your
research process and to keep notes on
your evolving project. With your research log at the ready, think about a possible topic, then
think about how you might narrow it, and what about it might constitute a research problem.
Using what you’ve learned about library research strategy, set out to acquire background
information about your possible areas of research and to build your bibliography. Find and
read the best overview of your general topic available in a Reference Room encyclopedia or
dictionary. Then begin building your bibliography. We’ll visit the library for additional help
with searching for primary sources as soon as we return from break.
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23. March 14 (Friday)
Research Project Brainstorming
**Your THIRD paper is DUE in class TODAY!!**
*
*
*
*
Have a GREAT SPRING BREAK!!
See you in a week!
*
*
*
*
24. March 24 (Monday)
Planning and Managing Your Research
READING:
 Review Presnell, The Information-Literate Historian, review pp. 12-21
PREP:
Today we will explore the different ways you might organize and manage your research
materials. You will need to decide on a process for building and maintaining a bibliography
and taking notes on your research in the next few days. Those interested in learning to use
Zotero will be able to schedule a meeting with Peggy Burge. As preparation for today’s class
session, continue to build your knowledge of your subject, focusing on encyclopedias and
secondary sources, and imagining the kind of question you would like to investigate.
25. March 26 (Wednesday)
Library Session #3: Finding Primary Sources
READING:
 Presnell, The Information-Literate Historian, review 116-167 and read ch.7
PREP:
Today we will spend time with Peggy Burge in the library, where you will have a chance to
begin searching for primary sources for you research projects. Today’s reading should allow
this to be a largely hands-on process.
26. March 28 (Friday)
Individual Meetings
No class meeting today. At some point during the week, each of you will meet with me to
discuss the research project. Use today’s class time to continue developing the project. Focus
especially on locating primary sources. You will need to show me, next week, that you have
enough materials for your project.
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27. March 31 (Monday)
Using Sources Honestly: Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
READING:
 Rampolla, A Pocket Guide, ch. 6
 University of Puget Sound Logger, section on “Academic Integrity,” available online at
http://www.pugetsound.edu/student-life/personal-safety/student-handbook/academichandbook/academic-integrity/
 Course Packet: pp. 253-272
*Articles on Stephen Ambrose, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and plagiarism
PREP:
Begin by looking over the materials on plagiarism. Make sure you really understand what it
is and how to avoid it. Next consider the cases of Stephen Ambrose and Doris Kearns
Goodwin. Would they have been found guilty if they had been students on our campus?
28. April 2 (Wednesday)
Notes and Bibliographies
READING:
Rampolla, A Pocket Guide, 111-149
PREP:
By today you should be able to demonstrate that there will be sufficient primary
sources for your research paper. Bring a typed version of your bibliography to class.
This should be divided between primary and secondary sources, and the bibliographic
references should be carefully checked for correctness. Also look carefully at the
difference in format for footnote/endnote citations in comparison to bibliographic
formats. (Prep Assignment #10)
29. April 4 (Friday) Using Sources Effectively: Quotations as Evidence
READING:
 Rampolla, A Pocket Guide, 106-111
 Moodle:
Patrick Rael, Reading, Writing and Researching for History, sect. 7.a., “Presenting
Primary Sources in Your Paper,” at http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/
PREP:
To practice making effective use of quotations and citations, select two quotations you
will be using in the first draft of the paper and write a paragraph or two that includes
both of them. Make sure one quotation is long enough to be a block quote, the other
short enough to integrate directly into your prose. Now be sure you introduce them
effectively, contextualizing and introducing them. Double-check that they fit
grammatically and that all punctuation is correct. Then insert note numbers and
include footnotes at the bottom of the page. (Prep Assignment #11)
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30. April 7 (Monday) The Working Hypothesis: A Problem, a Claim, and Telling Details
READING:
 Review Rampolla, A Pocket Guide, 94-96
 Moodle:
Patrick Rael, Reading, Writing and Researching for History, sect. 5.c.: “The
Thesis” at http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/
PREP: Write out your working hypothesis (a claim) and identify your three best pieces of
evidence that support it, and explain the path of logical reasoning that takes you from each
quotation to the working hypothesis. Conclude by writing a couple of sentences about the
historical “problem” your hypothesis helps us solve.
31. April 9 (Wednesday) Formulating, Organizing, and Drafting Your Ideas
READING:
 Course Packet: pp. 283-289
Wayne C. Booth et al, “Drafting Your Report”
 Moodle:
Patrick Rael, Reading, Writing and Researching for History, sects. 5.a., 5.b., and 9.b.,
“Structuring Your Essay,” “The Three Parts of a History Paper,” and “Making the
Case: Sample Essay,” at http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/
PREP:
Formulate and write out your paper’s claim. Underneath it type a “point-based
outline” of your argument, as described by Booth. Remember that a “point-based
outline” organizes not by topics but by ideas. The outline should be built of sentences
that state the key supporting ideas that prove your paper’s thesis.
(Prep Assignment #12)
32. April 11 (Friday) Research and Planning Day
No Class Meeting Today. I will be attending the Organization of American Historians
meeting today.
33. April 14 (Monday)
The Introduction and the Conclusion
5. READING:
 Course Packet:273-282
Wayne C. Booth et al, “Introductions and Conclusions”
PREP:
Think carefully about the significance of your research problem and your thesis. What is the
historiographical context for your work? What is the problem you are solving? What, in turn,
is the contribution your thesis makes to the scholarly conversation? Now think about how
you would like to begin your introduction. How, in other words, will you set up your research
problem? Will you use an historiographical summary? (If not, your introduction will still
need an historiographical footnote, at least.) A revealing fact, quotation or anecdote? Now
write an introduction following the guidelines offered by Booth, and bring two typed
copies with you to class.
(Prep Assignment #13)
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34. April 16 (Wednesday)
Drafting Day / Individual Meetings
No class today. I will be meeting with each of you individually this week to check in about
the projects.
35. April 18 (Friday)
The First Draft: Some Additional Advice
READING:
 Review Rampolla, A Pocket Guide, ch. 4
 Moodle:
Patrick Rael, Reading, Writing and Researching for History, sects8.a., “Paper-writing
Checklist”at http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/
Cantor and Schneider, “Two Student Papers Critically Examined”
PREP:
Read the two student papers included in the essay by Cantor and Schneider with care.
Make a list of the three most important strengths and weaknesses you found in each paper.
Bring these notes with you to class.
36. April 21 (Monday)
The First Draft: De-Briefing
PREP:
Be sure to bring TWO COPIES of the completed draft with you to class. In class you will do
a two-minute presentation of your project to the class. Remember that you may NOT use the
48-hour rule on the first draft assignment. You must turn in some form of a draft TODAY IN
CLASS. No exceptions.
**The FIRST DRAFT of your research
paper is due in class TODAY!**
37. April 23 (Wednesday)
Preparing for Revisions
READING:
 Course Packet:290-294
Wayne C. Booth et al, “Revising Your Organization and Argument”
 Harvard Writing Center, “Revising the Draft”; “Editing the Essay, Part One”; “Editing the
Essay, Part Two” at http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr
PREP:
Today we will talk about ways to proceed with the revision process. Because you have just
finished your first drafts, I won’t expect you to engage these practices with your own papers
just yet. Instead, just do the reading and be sure you understand the approaches offered there.
In class we’ll talk about how to proceed, and also talk a bit more about the peer-editing
process.
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38. April 25 (Friday)
Peer-Editing Workday
No class today. Spend your time resting up from the draft and reading and reviewing
your peer’s papers and beginning the process of revising your own work.
39. April 28 (Monday)
Workshop with Peer Reviewers
READING:
 The paper of one of your classmates.
PREP: For today’s class you will be providing advice for revisions to one of your
classmates. Your responsibilities will be outlined in a separate handout that will include clear
guidelines for peer-editing. You will spend the first part of class today exchanging ideas
about the first drafts. You will need to type up two copies of your comments for the
paper you are peer-editing. You will give one copy to the author of the paper, and one
copy to me. (Prep Assignment # 14)
40. April 30 (Wednesday) Learning from the Draft: Plans for Revisions
No class today.
PREP: By today you need to have made some decisions about your revision work. Using
what you have learned from your own work looking at the draft, as well as the
comments provided by me and your peer reviewer, fill out the self-evaluation worksheet
and turn it in to my office by 2:00 p.m. (Prep Assignment #15)
41. May 2 (Friday) Annotated Bibliography
READING:
 Rampolla, A Pocket Guide, 27-29
 Moodle:
“Annotated Bibliographies,” University of Wisconsin Writing Center, at
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/AnnotatedBibliography.html
PREP:
Read over the information and examples of annotated bibliographies, and begin writing your
own. Bring to class two copies of a full page of your annotated bibliography.
42. May 5 (Monday) First and Last Words: Title, Introduction and Conclusion Revisited
READING:
 Review Course Packet: pp. 273-282
Wayne C. Booth et al, “Introductions and Conclusions”
PREP: Revise your introduction and bring a copy of the new version to class. Also work on
the title of your paper. Does it announce your paper’s key idea? Does it capture the
reader’s interest? Next spend some time thinking about your conclusion. To what broader
theme or issue will you tie your paper and its findings? Do you adequately highlight the
significance of your findings for your reader? Revise your conclusion and bring a copy of
the new version with you to class. (Prep Assignment #16)
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43. May 7 (Wednesday)
History 200 De-brief
In class today we will continue hearing final reports about your projects from each of you.
We’ll also have a chance to de-brief the course and its lessons.
PREP:
Create a bullet-point list of the lessons you have learned from working on this project
that you want to remember for next time. These can be positive and negative, practical
as well as more philosophical. What is it that you want to be sure to remember when
you begin your next big research project?(Prep Assignment #17)
Remember:
Your FINAL projects are due in
my office by 2:00 p.m. on
Wednesday, May 14th
Have a GREAT summer!!
Classroom Emergency Response Guide
At the request of the Academic Dean I am including the following emergency response information:
24
Please review university emergency preparedness and response procedures posted at
www.pugetsound.edu/emergency/. There is a link on the university home page. Familiarize yourself
with hall exit doors and the designated gathering area for your class and laboratory buildings.
If building evacuation becomes necessary (e.g. earthquake), meet your instructor at the designated
gathering area so she/he can account for your presence. Then wait for further instructions. Do not
return to the building or classroom until advised by a university emergency response representative.
If confronted by an act of violence, be prepared to make quick decisions to protect your safety. Flee
the area by running away from the source of danger if you can safely do so. If this is not possible,
shelter in place by securing classroom or lab doors and windows, closing blinds, and turning off room
lights. Stay low, away from doors and windows, and as close to the interior hallway walls as
possible. Wait for further instructions.
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Preparatory Writing Assignments
Your preparatory assignments are due in class on the day listed below. They need to be brought with you to
class, because they will often serve as the basis for some part of our day’s discussion. Each assignment is
graded on a 10 point scale, and is worth 1% of your final grade.
DUE:
ASSIGNMENT:
1. Jan. 24
Paragraph on the Nature of History
2. Jan. 27
History: Art or Science?
3. Jan. 31
Smithsonian Advice
4. Feb. 10
Cartoon and Context
5. Feb. 14 Internal Criticism Form
6. Feb. 19 Notes on ideas for second paper
7. Feb. 26 Secondary Source Worksheet on England and Boyer
8. Mar. 5 “Gutting” Worksheet
9. Mar. 7
Book Review Worksheet
10. April 2 Bibliography
11. April 4 Quotations
12. April 7 Working hypothesis: Claim and 3 “Telling Details”
13. April 14 Introduction
14. April 28 Peer-editing comments
15. April 30 Self-evaluation Worksheet
16. May 5 Revised Conclusion
17. May 7 Lessons Learned Memo