THE UNITED STATES BEFORE 1865
WILLIAM D. CARRIGAN
Room: ROB 101A
Office: Robinson, 216 O
Hours: M W 3pm-4pm and by appointment
Time: MW 9:25pm-10:40pm
Phone Number: 856-256-4500 ext. 3986
Email: carrigan@rowan.edu
Description: This course surveys the history of the United States to 1865. We will begin with the
colonization of the Americas, the resulting conflicts with Native Americans, and the growth of slavery.
After dwelling upon the nature of the American Revolution and the creation of the Constitution, we will
focus upon the process of westward expansion, the development of industrial capitalism, and the rising
sectional differences between North and South that led to the Civil War.
Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to (1) demonstrate an introductory
knowledge of the history of the United States to 1865, (2) refer with familiarity to some of the more
important documents in the early history of the United States, (3) critically analyze historical
monographs, and (4) display the analytical and writing skills necessary to bring historical evidence to
bear upon the reconstruction of the past.
Grading: The students will be evaluated as follows.
First Exam — 10%
Second Exam — 10%
Analytical Essay on Assigned Book— 20%
Primary Source Analysis — 20%
Class Participation and Reading Quizzes —
20%
Final Exam — 20%
Exams: All students will be required to take three exams. The first exam will consist of objective
questions. The second exam will be primarily an essay exam. The final exam will contain both an
objective section and an essay section.
Analytical Essay on Assigned Book: Students must write a short paper (500 words maximum) on one of
four assigned topics (see schedule). The essay will be due at the beginning of class the day the reading is
to be discussed. An essay topic for each book will be distributed two weeks prior to the due date.
Primary Source Analysis Paper: By the last day of class, each student must submit a paper (no more than
750 words) that examines a general topic relevant to the course through the analysis at least one of the
primary sources in the assigned Reserve coursepack and one of the documents in the reader by Howard
L. Green, Words that Made New Jersey. The only works to be cited in the paper should be the
documents themselves (and the course textbook by Jenkins). No additional sources, whether they be
from the web, the library, or any other source, are expected or allowed. The student’s topic must be
approved by the instructor. More information on this assignment will be provided in class.
Attendance and Participation: Your attendance is mandatory. Class will start on time. Three tardies will
be considered one absence for grading purposes. Twenty percent of your final grade for the course will
reflect your participation in class, your attendance record, and your performance on reading quizzes.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is strictly prohibited in this class. Please indicate that you are familiar with
plagiarism by printing and signing the statement on “The Use of Sources in Writing Research Papers."
This statement can be found on the History Department web page. Please attach the signed sheet to your
paper.
Class Preparation: This is a reading INTENSIVE course. We will discuss the readings on the day they
are assigned. The class participation part of your grade will be based largely on your ability to answer
questions and speak informatively on the assigned readings. Students are also encouraged to re-write
their notes from the preceding class before the start of the day's lecture and discussion. Time spent
preparing for class will vary from student to student depending upon prior instruction in history, year in
college, and natural aptitude. Nevertheless, I have found that the more time students put into the class
the more they get out of it and the higher grades they get in it. On average, students hoping to attain an
"A" should spend a minimum of 9 hours outside of class each week doing the reading, preparing for
discussion, and writing. Students seeking a "B" should plan on 6 outside hours of work. Students
seeking a "C" or to get a satisfactory mark from the instructor should spend 3 hours per week outside of
class.
Textbook: Phillip Jenkins' A History of the United States has been selected as the textbook for this
course. The textbook may be purchased at the Rowan Bookstore.
Course Reader: The reader contains a specific set of primary documents for discussion in nearly every
class period. Students should read these documents carefully. Be prepared to respond to specific
questions from the instructor about the content of the documents. Consider their relation and
significance to the current topics being covered in lecture. The reader is available both in hardcopy and
online via Campbell Library’s Course Reserves.
Texts: The following books are required reading for the class. They must be read by the date listed in
the syllabus. Failure to do so will seriously undermine the scheduled classroom discussion. Between the
texts listed below and outside reading, students should be prepared to READ 100 PAGES EACH WEEK
for this class. Total reading for the fifteen-week class will be approximately 1500 pages. The following
works may be purchased at the Bookstore.
David McCullough, 1776
Anthony F. C. Wallace, The Long, Bitter Trail.
Melton McLaurin, Celia: A Slave
Tony Horwitz, Confederates in the Attic.
Howard L. Green, ed., Words that Made New Jersey History
Essay Evaluation: All essays (papers and exam answers) will be graded on the following criteria:
organization (introduction with thesis, supporting paragraphs with topic sentences and examples, and a
conclusion that restates the thesis), clarity of language (clear and simple language, including appropriate
use of grammar), content (strong, yet balanced, argument with well-chosen and historically accurate
examples), and power of argument (forcefulness and creativity of the paper's conclusions).
Week by Week Schedule
1:
September 3 (W): Introduction to the Course
2:
September 8 (M): Europe, Africa, and America before 1500 A.D.
Reserve Reading: Jared Diamond, “The Ancient Ones”
September 10 (W): Early English Exploration of the New World
3:
September 15 (M): The City on a Hill: The Founding of New England
Textbook Reading: Introduction, Chapter One.
Reserve Reading: History of Plymouth Plantation.
September 17 (W): The Founding of the Southern Colonies
Reserve Reading: The Earliest Days of Virginia.
4:
September 22 (M): The Origins of Slavery in British North America
GUEST LECTURE. INSTRUCTOR AT CONFERENCE.
Reserve Reading: John Woolman; Virginia Slave Laws
September 24 (W): NO CLASS. INSTRUCTOR AT CONFERENCE.
5:
September 29 (M): The Founding of the Middle Colonies and the rise of American Nationalism
Reserve Reading: Penn’s Letter to the Indians; Letters from an American Farmer.
October 1 (W): The Causes and Character of the American Revolution
Reserve Reading: Common Sense; The Declaration of
Independence; The Wealth of Nations.
6:
October 6 (M): George Washington and the War for American Independence, Part One
Reserve Reading: George Washington, Recruiting an Army.
October 8 (W): George Washington and the War for American Independence, Part Two
Reading: David McCullough, 1776
Assignment: First Chance to Write Short Paper.
7:
October 13 (M): FIRST EXAM.
October 15 (W): The "Critical Period"
Reserve Reading: The Articles of Confederation; John and Abigail Adams, The Intimate
Revolution.
8:
October 20 (M): The Making and Ratification of the Constitution
Reserve Reading: The Constitution of the United States; Brutus Essay #1 and Federalist #10;
The Bill of Rights (the First Ten Amendments to the Constitution).
October 22 (W): The Rise and Fall of the African Slave Trade
Reserve Reading: Olaudah Equiano, An African View of the Slave Trade.
9:
October 27 (M): Jacksonian America, Part One
October 29 (W): Jacksonian America, Part Two
Reading: Anthony F. C. Wallace, The Long, Bitter Trail
Assignment: Second Chance to Complete Short Paper Assignment.
10:
November 3 (M): Jacksonian America, Part Three
Reserve Reading: The Office of the People; Democracy in America; Legal Disabilities of
Women; What to the Slave is the 4th of July?
November 5 (W): The Crisis of 1831-32
Reserve Reading: The Confessions of Nat Turner; The Liberator; The Pro-Slavery Argument.
11:
November 10 (M): Early American Foreign Policy
Reserve Reading: George Washington’s Farewell Address; The Monroe Doctrine.
November 12 (W): The U.S.-Mexican War
Reading: Manifest Destiny.
12:
November 17 (M): SECOND EXAM.
Textbook Reading: Chapters Two and Three
November 19 (W): The Origins of the Women's Rights Movements
Reserve Reading: Declaration of Sentiments.
13:
November 24 (M): Slavery and the Sectional Crisis, Part One
Reading: Melton McLaurin, Celia, A Slave.
Assignment: Third Chance to Write Short Paper.
November 26 (W): The Sectional Crisis, Part Two
Reserve: P. C. Weston, Rules on a Rice Plantation.
14:
December 1 (M): The Sectional Crisis, Part Three
Reserve Reading: Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom's Cabin; The Dred Scott Decision.
December 3 (W): The First Year of the War
Reserve: Alexander Stephens, Slavery and the Confederacy.
Assignment: Primary Source Analysis Essay.
15:
December 8 (M): The Second Year of the War
Reserve Reading: The Gettysburg Address
December 10 (W): The Conclusion of the Civil War
Reserve Reading: Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address
Reading: Tony Horwitz, Confederates in the Attic.
FINAL EXAM: Monday, December 15th, 10:15am-12:15pm