UNITED STATES LABOR HISTORY
WILLIAM D. CARRIGAN
Building: Science 338
Office: Robinson
Hours: M and W 3pm-4pm and by appointment
Date and Time: Fridays, 9:25am-12:05pm
Phone Number: 856-256-4500 ext. 3986
Email: carrigan@rowan.edu
Overview: This course surveys the history of the working women and men of the United States
from the conquest and colonization of North America to the present. Previous historians of the
American working class have focused far too much attention on the actions and ideas of white
men and their unions. Although we will not neglect such stories, we will explore a wider range
of perspectives. For example, we will pay close attention to the impact of race and gender on the
lives of America's working people. Although class — the analytical category made famous by
Karl Marx — will figure prominently in our discussions throughout the semester, we will treat
class dynamics within their specific historical context. Finally, economic history is quite
important in this class. Any discussion of labor history in the United States requires a thorough
understanding of the transformation of the United States economy.
Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to (1) demonstrate a
detailed knowledge of the economic history of the United States in general and the history of the
American working class in particular, (2) critically analyze both scholarly treatments of the
working class and first-person accounts of working class, (3) convey one's analysis and insights
through both extemporaneous speaking and polished prose, and (4) be able to organize and
execute a research plan in the field of labor history.
Grading: The students will be evaluated as follows. Reading Quizzes — 20%; First Paper —
20%; Class Attendance and Participation — 20%; Research Paper — 40%.
Reading Quizzes: At the beginning of most classes, the instructor will administer a brief quiz on
the week's assigned reading. This quiz will consist of a series of objective questions (fill-in-the
blank, identifications, etc.) and should take no more than ten minutes. The cumulative average
of the reading quizzes will count for 20% of your grade. If you miss a class or do poorly on a
particular quiz, you may write a summary of that week's reading. All such summaries are due by
the last day of class. Students who consistently fail to do the reading on time will not only suffer
on their reading quiz grades but on their class participation grade as well.
First Paper: The first paper due in the class is a work of historical fiction. Students are to write a
three to five page “memoir” of the events described in Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the
Sea. Students must select the perspective of one of the workers on the ship and not one of the
officers. This is partially an imaginary exercise as no such memoir exists, but the paper must be
footnoted with references to Philbrick’s text to show which passages inspired your interpretation.
The paper can be no shorter than 750 words and no longer than 1250 words. Note: If you choose
to use non-standard English in your memoir, be careful as you must document your research for
the slang and spelling that you use in the footnotes. Otherwise, please use standard English and
grammar in your paper.
Research Paper: The main paper for this class is an 8-10 page research paper. The topic must
satisfy three basic criteria. First, the topic of the paper is a particular occupation of working
people, such as carpenters, cobblers, dockworkers, steel workers, truck drivers, domestic
servants, etc. Second, the paper must be located in time carefully, for example, 1789-1820,
1877-1900, 1929-1941, 1945-1960, etc. Third, the paper must be located geographically, for
example by county, city, state, or region. Example of a potential topic: Dockworkers in
Camden, New Jersey, 1929-1941. A proposal with topic, thesis, outline, and bibliography must
be turned in four weeks prior to the final draft (see syllabus for due date). Finally, all students
are required to turn in the research notes (or photocopies) you used to write the paper.
Attendance and Participation: Your attendance is mandatory. Class starts at 9:25am sharp.
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 and your attendance record.
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 the document collection, students should be
prepared to read approximately 100-200 pages each week for this class. Total reading for the
class will be about 1500 pages. The following works may be purchased at the Bookstore.
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Nathaniel Philbrick, In the Heart of the Sea
Scott Reynolds, Steel Drivin’ Man
Hasia R. Diner, Erin's Daughters in America.
Elizabeth Kytle, Willie Mae.
Ben Hamper, Rivethead.
Class Preparation: This is a reading INTENSIVE course. We will discuss the reading 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 go over 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.
Week-by-Week Schedule
PART ONE: WORKING PEOPLE IN EARLY AMERICA
1: September 5
2: September 12
3: September 19
4: September 27
Introduction
Labor in Colonial and
Revolutionary America
Slave Labor in the United States.
Guest Lecture.
INSTRUCTOR ATTENDING
CONFERENCE
Billy G. Smith, “The Lower Sort”,
Introduction.
Excerpts from various Slave
Narratives. Electronic Reserve.
NO CLASS.
PART TWO: WORKING PEOPLE IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
5: October 3
Working at Sea in Early America
6:
7:
8:
9:
The First Industrial Revolution
The Civil War and Reconstruction
The Second Industrial Revolution
Immigration
October 10
October 17
October 24
October 31
Nathaniel Philbrick, In the Heart of
the Sea. FIRST PAPER DUE.
Scott Reynolds, Steel Drivin’ Man.
Diner, entire.
PART THREE: WORKING PEOPLE IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
10: November 7
11: November 14
12: November 21
13: November 28
14: December 5
13: December 12
14: December 15
Strikes in the Early Twentieth
Century U.S.
The Great Depression and the New
Deal
World War II and the American
Boom
Thanksgiving
De-Industrialization and
Globalization
The Third Industrial Revolution
and Contemporary America
10:15am-12:15am
Steve Golin article.
Kytle, entire.
FINAL PAPER PROPOSAL DUE.
NO CLASS.
Ben Hamper, Rivethead, entire.
COURSE EVALS AND FINAL
PAPER DUE.