*REVISED 31 MAR 2015* 512:104:01-­‐03| Development of the United States II Spring 2015 Monday/Wednesday 1:10-­‐2:30 Van Dyck 211 Prof. Jamie Pietruska Teaching assistant: Marika Plater pietrusk@rci.rutgers.edu marika.plater@rutgers.edu Office: Van Dyck 101D Office: Van Dyck 009 Office hours: Mondays 11-­‐1, Tuesdays 1-­‐2 Office hours: Mondays 3-­‐4:30 Office phone: 848.932.8544 This syllabus and all course materials will be posted on our course Sakai site: https://sakai.rutgers.edu/portal Course Description This course examines major changes in American politics, economy, and society from the end of the Civil War to the early twenty-­‐first century. We will trace several main themes throughout the course, including the expansion of the federal government; industrialization and the emergence of a mass consumer culture; changing ideas and policies regarding individual rights, equality, and freedom; and the development of American economic and military power in a global context. This is a lecture course with sections that relies on a combination of textbook reading and primary and secondary sources as the basis for discussions and writing assignments. Course Objectives 1. Understand the bases and development of human and societal endeavors across time (SAS Core Curriculum Learning Goal H) 2. Understand the common analytical approaches and the methodological differences among political, economic, social, and cultural history 3. Develop a grasp of the basic chronology of United States history from 1865 to the present, with a focus on major events and turning points 4. Explain the development of the following aspects of American society from 1865 to the present: the expansion of the federal government; industrialization and the emergence of a consumer society; changing ideas about individual rights, equality, and freedom; and the emergence of the United States as an economic and military power on the world stage (SAS Core Curriculum Learning Goal K) 5. Analyze a range of primary sources, including speeches, essays, memoirs, political cartoons, paintings, photographs, propaganda posters, print and television advertisements, and films 6. Write a comparative analytical essay that synthesizes and evaluates different contemporary perspectives on the prevalence of machine politics in late-­‐nineteenth-­‐ and early-­‐twentieth-­‐century cities (SAS Core Curriculum Learning Goal L) 7. Write an analytical essay that combines primary and secondary sources to construct an explanation for the fall of New Deal liberalism and the rise of conservatism in late-­‐twentieth-­‐century politics and society (SAS Core Curriculum Learning Goal K) *REVISED 31 MAR 2015* 8. Communicate complex ideas effectively, in standard written English, to a general audience Course Requirements Attendance Policy I consider each of you a valuable member of our intellectual community this semester, and I expect that you will conduct yourselves accordingly. Students are expected to arrive on time to all lectures and sections and to be active and thoughtful participants in class discussion. More than three (3) unexcused absences (i.e., other than a documented illness, documented emergency, religious observance, or university-­‐
approved absence) will have an adverse effect on your grade. For each unexcused absence beyond the 3 allowed, your final course grade will be lowered by 2 percentage points (e.g., if you accumulate 5 unexcused absences during the semester and have a grade of 83%, your grade will be lowered to 79%). Please note that in order for an absence to be excused, you must provide sufficient documentation from a doctor, dean, or coach that explains your absence. All absences, whether excused or unexcused, should be entered into the University absence reporting website https://sims.rutgers.edu/ssra/, where you will indicate the date and reason for your absence. I will receive an automatic email from this system, so there is no need to send me a separate email regarding your attendance. Attendance involves not only physical presence, but also mental presence. This means that mobile phone use is not permitted in lecture or in section for any reason. If you use your phone during class, you will be marked “absent” for that day, and your class participation grade will be significantly lowered. Laptops may be used for note-­‐taking only. Assignments In addition to regular class attendance and participation, students will be required to write two 5-­‐page analytical essays, and take a midterm exam and a final exam. The reading assignments should be completed for the date on which they are listed. You will need to bring your textbook and any additional readings to lecture and section as we will often refer to specific passages during discussion. Required books (at the Rutgers Bookstore, NJ Books, and on reserve at Alexander): Textbook: Nancy A. Hewitt and Steven F. Lawson, Exploring American Histories: A Brief Survey with Sources, Volume 2: Since 1865 (Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012). ISBN: 0312410018 William L. Riordan, Plunkitt of Tammany Hall: A Series of Very Plain Talks on Very Practical Politics, ed. Terrence J. McDonald (Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1994). ISBN: 0-­‐312-­‐08444-­‐7 Bruce J. Schulman, Lyndon B. Johnson and American Liberalism: A Brief Biography with Documents, 2nd edition (Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007) ISBN: 0-­‐312-­‐41633-­‐4 Additional course readings will be available on Sakai. 2
*REVISED 31 MAR 2015* Academic Integrity The foundation of this course and any scholarly endeavor is academic integrity. I fully expect that all students will adhere to principles of academic integrity in their work. All written work must be a student’s own original work. (Collaboration on essay assignments is not permitted.) Any and all references to other sources within your own paper must be properly documented according to the guidelines in the Chicago Manual of Style, which is available at the Alexander Library. You are responsible for understanding the Rutgers policies regarding academic integrity, as outlined here: http://studentconduct.rutgers.edu/academic-­‐integrity Ignorance of these policies or the consequences for violations is not an acceptable excuse. The Rutgers Writing Program has an excellent webpage that details some of the subtleties of plagiarism, which I urge you to read carefully: http://wp.rutgers.edu/courses/plagiarism The Rutgers Libraries have produced an interactive online tutorial, which I also urge you to consult, that provides concrete examples of what is and what is not plagiarism: http://www.scc.rutgers.edu/douglass/sal/plagiarism/intro.html If you have any questions about quoting, paraphrasing, or referring to the work of others, please ask! It is better to be safe than sorry, better to have too many citations than not enough and thus run the risk of unintentional plagiarism. Any and all violations of academic integrity in this course will result in the formal consequences and disciplinary action that are outlined in the Rutgers policy on academic integrity. I have a zero-­‐tolerance policy for plagiarism and refer all violations directly to the Office of Student Conduct. Grading 25% Paper #1 (5 pages): Analytical essay on machine politics and progressive reform, based on your reading of Plunkitt of Tammany Hall and additional primary sources (A detailed assignment description will be distributed as the course gets underway.) 20% Midterm exam: 10 short-­‐answer identifications (A study guide will be distributed well in advance of the midterm exam.) 25% Paper #2 (5 pages): Analytical essay on the rise of conservatism, based on your reading of Lyndon B. Johnson and American Liberalism and additional primary sources (A detailed assignment description will be distributed as the course gets underway.) 3
*REVISED 31 MAR 2015* 20% Final exam: 10 short-­‐answer identifications (A study guide will be distributed well in advance of the final exam.) 10% Class participation Please note that late paper submissions will be penalized by half a letter grade (e.g., from B+ to B) for each day they are late, unless you have obtained a letter from a doctor or a dean explaining why you were unable to compete your work on time. Also, please be aware that I do not offer extra credit, nor do I grade on the curve. My philosophy is that students earn grades; I do not give them. But I also believe that it is part of my job to help you succeed—so please come to office hours or email me with any question, big or small. I am always happy to help students with the course material and with their writing. Students with Disabilities Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey abides by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments (ADAA) of 2008, and Sections 504 and 508 which mandate reasonable accommodations be provided for qualified students with disabilities and accessibility of online information. If you have a disability and may require some type of instructional and/or examination accommodation, please contact me during the first week of the semester so that we can arrange the accommodations you may need. If you have not already done so, you will need to register with the Office of Disability Services, Lucy Stone Hall, Livingston Campus, 54 Joyce Kilmer Ave., Suite A145. Phone: 848.445.6800 Online: https://ods.rutgers.edu/ Sections Approximately every other week, recitation sections will meet instead of the Wednesday lecture. You enrolled in a section when you registered for the course. Section 01 (Prof. Pietruska) meets on designated Wednesdays, 1:10-­‐2:30 in Van Dyck 211 Section 02 (Marika Plater) meets on designated Wednesdays, 2:50-­‐4:10 in Scott 207 Section 03 (Marika Plater) meets on designated Wednesdays, 1:10-­‐2:30 in Hardenbergh B5 Sections will meet on the following dates: 4 Feb, 11 Feb, 4 Mar, 25 Mar, and 15 Apr. Schedule Week 1: Introduction Wed 21 Jan Course overview / Legacies of the American Civil War Week 2: Race and Violence in the South and the West Wed 28 Jan Lecture: Reconstructing a Nation Reading: Exploring American Histories (EAH), Ch. 14 & Document Project 14 4
*REVISED 31 MAR 2015* Week 3: Industrialization and its Discontents Mon 2 Feb Economic Inequality and Political Insurgency Reading: EAH, Ch. 16 & Document Project 16; EAH, Ch. 17 & Document Project 17 Recommended reading: Rebecca Edwards, “Reach,” chapter 2 of New Spirits: Americans in the “Gilded Age,” 1865-­‐1905 (Oxford UP, 2011 [2006]), pp. 38-­‐59. [Sakai] Wed 4 Feb Sections meet: American Frontiers Reading: EAH, Ch. 15 & Document Project 15; Frederick Jackson Turner, “The Significance of the Frontier in American History” (1893) [Sakai]; primary sources on Chinese Exclusion [folder on Sakai] Week 4: Progressivism & the Urban Scene Mon 9 Feb Progressive Reformers, the City, and the State Reading: EAH, Ch. 19 & Document Project 19; begin reading Riordan, Plunkitt of Tammany Hall, pp. 45-­‐102 Visit the Cornell University ILR School’s Kheel Center online exhibit “Remembering the Triangle Factory Fire”: http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/trianglefire/ Wed 11 Feb Sections meet: Machine Politics (discussion of Plunkitt of Tammany Hall) Reading: Finish Riordan, Plunkitt of Tammany Hall, pp. 45-­‐102; EAH, Ch. 18 Week 5: American Empire and World War Mon 16 Feb Wars of 1898 Reading: EAH, Ch. 20, pp. 621-­‐630 & Document Project 20 Wed 18 Feb Mobilizing Support and Sacrificing Rights on the Home Front Reading: EAH, Ch. 20, pp. 630-­‐642; EAH, ch. 21, pp. 653-­‐658 & Document Project 21 PAPER #1 DUE (hard copy due in class) Week 6: The 1920s and the Great Depression Mon 23 Feb Conservatism and Consumerism in the New Era Reading: EAH, Ch. 21, pp. 658-­‐675 Wed 25 Feb From Economic Prosperity to Economic Collapse Reading: EAH, Ch. 22, pp. 687-­‐696; Walter A. Friedman, “A Selection of Early Forecasting & Business Charts,” available online: http://press.princeton.edu/releases/m10057.pdf Week 7: The New Deal Mon 2 Mar Relief, Recovery, and Reform under FDR Reading: EAH, Ch. 22, pp. 696-­‐710 Wed 4 Mar Sections meet: The Dust Bowl Reading: EAH, Document Project 22; primary sources on the Dust Bowl [folder on Sakai] 5
*REVISED 31 MAR 2015* Week 8: World War II Mon 9 Mar Arsenal of Democracy Reading: EAH, Ch. 23; Margot Canaday, “Building a Straight State: Sexuality and Social Citizenship under the 1944 G. I. Bill,” Journal of American History 90, no. 3 (2003): 935-­‐957. [Sakai] Wed 11 Mar IN-­‐CLASS MIDTERM EXAM SPRING BREAK Week 9: Cold War Politics & Culture Mon 23 Mar Containment in the New Atomic Age Reading: EAH, Ch. 24 & Document Projects 23 & 24; Edward T. Linenthal, “Struggling with History and Memory,” Journal of American History 82, no. 3 (1995): 1094-­‐1101. [Sakai] Wed 25 Mar Sections meet: Postwar Suburbanization Reading: EAH, Ch. 25 & Document Project 25; Betty Friedan, “The Problem That Has No Name,” from The Feminine Mystique (New York: W. W. Norton, 1964), pp. 15-­‐32. [Sakai]; primary sources on Levittown [folder on Sakai] Visit the State Museum of Pennsylvania’s online exhibit on “Levittown, Pa.: Building the Suburban Dream”: http://www.statemuseumpa.org/levittown/one/default.html Week 10: The Sixties Mon 30 Mar Film: Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Movement, 1954-­‐1985, “Bridge to Freedom” episode (1965) Reading: Bruce J. Schulman, Lyndon B. Johnson and American Liberalism, pp. 36-­‐86 Wed 1 Apr New Social Movements and the Rights Revolution Reading: Schulman, LBJ and American Liberalism, pp. 111-­‐132 Week 11: The Decline of Postwar Liberalism Mon 6 Apr War on Poverty and War in Vietnam Reading: Schulman, LBJ and American Liberalism, pp. 87-­‐110, 133-­‐166 Wed 8 Apr MEET IN VAN DYCK 211 Screening of Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam (1988) Reading: Schulman, LBJ and American Liberalism, pp. 167-­‐178 6
*REVISED 31 MAR 2015* Week 12: Age of Limits (1) Mon 13 Apr Political and Economic Crises under Nixon and Carter Reading: EAH, Ch. 27, pp. 859-­‐873 and Document Project 27; Ch. 28, pp. 897-­‐900 Wed 15 Apr Section: Feminism and Anti-­‐feminism Reading: EAH, Ch. 26, pp. 839-­‐841; Beth Bailey, “She ‘Can Bring Home the Bacon’: Negotiating Gender in the 1970s,” in America in the Seventies, ed. Beth Bailey and David Farber (University Press of Kansas, 2004), pp. 107-­‐128 [Sakai]; primary sources on the women’s movement [in folder on Sakai] Week 13: Age of Limits (2) Mon 20 Apr Earth Day and Environmental Politics Reading: Adam Rome, “The Genius of Earth Day,” Environmental History 15, no. 2 (April 2010): 194-­‐205; primary sources on Earth Day [folder on Sakai] Wed 22 Apr Grassroots Conservatism Reading: EAH, Ch. 27, pp. 873-­‐874 and primary sources for Paper #2 [see assignment description and sources on Sakai] Week 14: The Rightward Turn & a New World Order Mon 27 Apr The Reagan Revolution Reading: EAH, Ch. 27, pp. 874-­‐882; Ch. 28 & Document Project 28, pp. 900-­‐908; Ronald Reagan, Farewell Address to the Nation, January 11, 1989. [Sakai] Wed 29 Apr The End of Communism & an Era of Globalization Reading: EAH, Ch. 28, pp. 908-­‐916; Ch. 29, pp. 928-­‐936 Week 15: A New American Century? Mon 4 May A New American Century? / Conclusions Reading: EAH, Ch. 29, pp. 936-­‐950 PAPER #2 DUE (hard copy due in class) FINAL EXAM: May 12th 12-­‐3 PM Van Dyck 211 7