Department of History
Montclair State University
History 517.01 –Graduate Course
Era of Roosevelt
Spring 2005
Dr. F. Hutton
973/ 655-6823
281 Dickson Hall
Office Hours: Thursdays
4:30-5:20 p.m.
By Appointment at 8 p.m.
Required: Franklin Delano Roosevelt by Roy Jenkins with Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., ed.
Scope
During the course of the semester we will examine the leadership of Franklin
Delano Roosevelt and the socio-economic and political climate in America during his
unprecedented election to the United States presidency for four terms, 1933-1945.
Undoubtedly, FDR was one of American’s most extraordinary presidents having led the
nation through the Great Depression, the bombing of Pearl Harbor and World War II. To
his credit, it has been said that he began an unfinished revolution and engineered a
Second Bill of Rights. To his discredit, it has also been suggested that his New Deal
actually prolonged the Great Depression and that he may have deceived America about
Pearl Harbor (see the Stinnett book). As is appropriate in a graduate course, we will get
as far into the events and nuances of the era as time permits. We will use primary and
secondary scholarly sources as well as films, audio tapes and other materials of the era to
approach it from as many perspectives as possible over the course of the semester.
As the 32nd president of the United States, Roosevelt has been assessed to be a
great statesman whose massive achievements helped to transform America. The merits
and mistakes of his presidency are still the source of debate in scholarly circles. Power
attracts power, thus it is fitting that we will also explore Roosevelt’s relationship to other
towering personalities such as Einstein, Churchill and to his wife and cousin, Eleanor
Roosevelt.
Summary of Work
In our effort to plumb FDR and the Era from varied perspectives, there are four
(4) assignments on which you will be graded. These will count equally, that is 25% for
each assignment to make up the whole of your grade. The four assignments are: (1) a
short, focused “Compendium” paper of 3 to 4 pages. This paper has very exact
specifications: it should include 4 sources, (at least one required primary source), based
on the subject category listed below (2) a short, 15 minute, in-class presentation based
on the short compendium paper. For maximum credit, this assignment is to be presented
on time in accordance with the schedule below in this course outline and the guidelines
given in detail in class.
Professor F. Hutton
Page 2, History. 517
(3) a one-page book report/presentation in accordance with guidelines and schedule
given below. (4) One recitation from a Fire Side Chat or some famous speech or
document from the Roosevelt Era, 1933-1945.
(5) An optional 5th element of the course is the opportunity to take a final exam for those
who feel their final average needs enhancement. In addition, up to seven points will be
rewarded to all students with perfect, on-time attendance. The points will be added to the
lowest grade at the end of the semester. Be sure to sign attendance roster.
Regarding the three-page “compendium” paper requirement: Select from the
list of topics below to engineer a concise, well written and grammatically correct
historiographic synthesis of the topic you choose. The short compendium paper is to be a
review of the major or most important literature regarding one of the topics below in a
briefing manner that compares and contrasts the assessments of historians and other
social scientists regarding the topics. Ideally, for the best possible grade, the paper will
not only be a well written synthesis of the major works, but will include at least one
scholarly journal article and one primary source. Please begin thinking about the paper
immediately, at the beginning of the course and start your research asap. This is a very
short paper, but the requirements are exact and adhere to a high caliber appropriate for
graduate work. Write the paper carefully and proofread it thoroughly.
(1) FDR and Churchill
(2) FDR and Eleanor
(3) FDR and Pearl Harbor
(4) FDR and Polio
(5) FDR’s personality and Leadership Style
(6) FDR’s Presidency –Overall
(7) FDR and the Depression
(8) FDR and Lucy
(9) FDR and the New Deal
(10) FDR, Einstein and the Development of the Atomic Bomb
(11) FDR and WWII (Overall)
(12) FDR and African-Americans
(13) FDR and his relationship to vice presidents, (Garner, Wallace and Truman)
Expect to give a well thought presentation of your “Compendium” paper in class. In
essence you will be graded twice on this assignment, once on the research, writing and
synthesis of the material and once on the actual oral presentation that may include
pictures, illustrations, etc. For students who desire extra help, Professor Hutton is
available during office hours to offer pre-write tips and suggestions on this paper beyond
those given in class.
The book report is to be a short summary (a couple of paragraphs) of any book that
treats the Roosevelt Era (see list below), but must address the following criteria for full
credit: (1) Quick two-to three line biography on the author, publication date, number of
pages, etc. (2) Summary of main points of the book (3) Weaknesses of the book (4)
Strengths of the book (5) Your opinion of the worth of the book, overall. Report should not under any
circumstances exceed one typewritten page. (Your responsibility is to focus your report such that the
summary is tightly written and addresses only the points mentioned above. Two or three paragraphs are
sufficient, but be prepared to discuss the book in depth in class and respond to questions as part of your
grade on this assignment.)
The recitation should be carefully timed to 60 seconds. The lines may come from any famous
speech or document connected to the Roosevelt era. The lines should be learned for memory and
preceded by a brief mention of the date and context of the lines selected for the speech. The recitation
is to be lines from some important speech, including Fire Side Chats or other passages from Roosevelt
era personalities such as Churchill, Einstein or Eleanor.
Session Schedule
Thursday, Jan. 20
Thursday, March 3
Thursday, March 10
Course Orientation
Prelude Lecture: Great Depression
Lecture Two: Perspectives on
The First and Second New Deals
Fire Side Chat—Audio Tape
Film: Eleanor Roosevelt
Oral Book Reports Begin A-M
Book Reports Conclude N-Z
FDR and Race issues
TBA
Lecture Three: Roosevelt’s Detractors
Oral Presentations of Compendium Papers, A-L
Oral Presentations of Compendium Papers, M-S
TBA
Spring Break
Thursday, March 24
Thursday, March 31
Oral Presentations Conclude T-Z
See Film “The Manhattan Project”
Thursday, April 7
Thursday, April 14
Thursday, April 21
Thursday, April 28
All Recitations
Field Trip to Hyde Park??
Fire Side Chat, Pearl Harbor , WWII
FDR dies during 4th term/Truman/ Optional Exam
Thursday, Jan 27
Thursday, Feb. 3
Thursday, Feb. 10
Thursday, Feb. 17
Thursday, Feb. 24
Selected Bibliography for Book Reports and Further Reading:
Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of An Epic Friendship by Jon Meacham
Eleanor Roosevelt: Vols. 1 and 2 by Blanche Wiesen Cook
Franklin Delano Roosevelt by Roy Jenkins
How Hilter Could Have Won By Bevin Alexander
Armageddon: The Battle for Germany 1944-45 by Max Hastings
The Longest Winter: The Battle of the Bulge and the Epic Story of WWII’s Most Decorated by Alex Kershaw
Party of the People: A History of the Democrats by Jules Witcover
Our Mother’s War: American Women at Home and at the Front During World War II by Emily Yellin
Nothing to Fear: Lessons in Leadership from FDR by Alan Axelrod
The People and the President: American’s Extraordinary Conversation With FDR by Lawrence W. Levine and
Cornelia R. Levin et al.
Roosevelt’s Secret War: FDR and World War II Espionage by Jim Powell.
FDR’s Folly: How Roosevelt and His New Deal Prolonged the Great Depression by Jim Powel l
Day o Deceit: The Truth About FDR and Pearl Harbor Robert B. Stinnett
The Second Bill of Rights: FDR’s Unfinished Revolution and Why We Need It More Than Ever. By Sunsein
Lucy by Ellen Feldman (Historical Novel)
No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II by Goodwin and Sampson
The Slaughter by Carroll Case