HIUS 502/ EDIS [ ] Counterpoint Seminar
Spring 2004
Thomas Fallace and Johann Neem, Instructors
The object of this class is to teach students how to read and understand historiographical debates and
how to use historiography to inform how they teach history in the classroom.
Required Texts to Purchase
Lizabeth Cohen, A Consumer's Republic: The Politics of Mass Consumption in Postwar
America (New York, 2003)
Michael McGerr, A Fierce Discontent: The Rise and Fall of the Progressive Movement in
America, 1870-1920 (New York, 2003)
Gary B. Nash et al., History on Trial: Culture Wars and the Teaching of the Past (New York,
2000)
Diane Ravitch, The Language Police: How Pressure Groups Restrict What Students Learn
(New York, 2003)
Sam Wineburg, Historical Thinking and other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of
Teaching the Past (Philadelphia, 2001)
Assignments
The major assignment for this class is the Final Project, which will consist of a historiographical
essay based on your own research and a unit that connects historiographical questions to the
classroom. On the way, we have assigned smaller assignments so that you can practice the various
elements that must be integrated into your Final Project. We will talk about the Final Project at our
first class meeting and you should start working on it from the beginning.
1. Research Proposal for Final Project DUE WEEK 3. One paragraph stating your Final Project
topic and your initial questions.
2. Book Review on McGerr, A Fierce Discontent (3-5 pages). DUE WEEK 6.
3. Content Outline DUE WEEK 9. Lesson Plan on either World War I or the Twenties, based on
lectures and readings.
4. Bibliographical Essay for Final Project DUE WEEK 10 (5 pages).
- Define the major questions in the historiography.
- Identify your major secondary sources.
- Provide a rationale for how you chose your sources.
- Briefly summarize the arguments.
5. Rough Drafts for Final Project (at least 8-10 pages) DUE EITHER IN WEEK 13 or 14.
6. Final Project DUE WEEK 16. Composed of the following elements:
A. Historiographical Essay (12-15 pages)
- Must use at least 6 sources, at least 2 of which are books. One of your sources must
be a lecture in HIUS 202. You may rely on more than one lecture but lectures only
count as a single source for the final project.
B. Classroom Unit
- Rationale (3-4 pages)
- must incorporate course readings and deal with the following issues:
- Content vs. Historical Thinking Skills (Behavior vs. Cognitivism)
- Pluralism vs. Collective Memory
- History vs. Social Studies
- Daily Content Lesson Plan for 5 to 8 days
- Major Themes/Concepts
- Pedagogical Objectives
- Assignments
Topics and Readings
Week 1: Introduction/ History and the Nation
Reading:
David Thelen, "Making History and Making the United States," Journal of American Studies
32, 03 (1998), 373-97. On Toolkit
Week 2: Politics and Textbooks
Reading:
Dianne Ravitch, The Language Police
In Class:
- Research Projects Assigned
- Discussion: How to do Historiographical Research (in computer lab)
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Week 3: Politics and Historiography
Reading:
Nash et al., History on Trial
In Class: Sample Book Review and Discussion on Historiography.
RESEARCH PROPOSAL DUE IN CLASS
Week 4: Historical Narrative and the New West
*Attend Lecture on the New West*
Reading:
1. Peter Sexias, “...Does postmodernism have a place in the schools?,” in Knowing, Teaching
and Learning History. On Toolkit
2. William G. Robbins, "Laying Seige to Western History," Reviews in American History 19,
03 (Sep. 1991), 313-331. On JSTOR
3. William Cronon, "A Place for Stories: Nature, History, Narrative," Journal of American
History 78, 04 (Mar. 1992), 1346-1376 On JSTOR
Week 5: Social Studies vs. History/ Progressivism 1
* Attend Lecture on Progressive Reform*
Reading:
1. Linda Levstik, “NCSS and the teaching of history,”in NCSS in Retrospect On Toolkit
2. "Was the Progressive Movement Really Progressive?" on HIUS 202 website.
3. Daniel T. Rodgers, "In Search of Progressivism," Reviews in American History (Dec.
1982), 113-32. On JSTOR
4. Chapter Readings in HIUS 202 Textbook.
Week 6: Progressivism 2
*Attend Lecture on Theodore Roosevelt*
Reading:
McGerr, A Fierce Discontent
BOOK REVIEW OF MCGERR DUE IN CLASS
Week 7: Behaviorism vs. Cognitive Theory
Reading:
1. Diane Ravitch, “Who prepares our history teachers? Who should prepare our history
teachers?” The History Teacher 31(4). On JSTOR
2. Wineburg, Historical Thinking, Ch. 2.
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Spring Break
Week 8: Classroom Teaching
Reading:
Wineburg, Historical Thinking, Chs. 6, 7
Week 9: CONTENT PLAN DUE IN CLASS
Week 10: BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY DUE/ MEET WITH INSTRUCTORS
Week 11: The Fifties and Beyond
Reading:
Cohen, A Consumer's Republic
Week 12:
*Attend Lecture on the Fifties*
FIRST SET OF ROUGH DRAFTS DUE BY THURS A.M./ CRITICAL GROUPS
Week 13: SECOND SET OF DRAFTS DUE BY THURS. A.M./CRITICAL GROUPS
Week 14: History and Race
Reading:
1. Review Moody, Coming of Age in Mississippi, from HIUS 202.
2. Thomas C. Holt, "African-American History" On Toolkit
3. Thomas Sugrue, "Crabgrass-Roots Politics: Race, Rights, and the Reaction against
Liberalism in the Urban North, 1940-1964," Journal of American History 82, 02 (Sep. 1995),
551-78 On JSTOR
4. Reading TBA
Week 15: FINAL PROJECTS DUE IN CLASS
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