History 152A
AMERICAN EXPERIENCES I: ORIGINS TO 1877
MWF 9:00 to 9:50, Wyatt 313
Spring 2010
William Breitenbach
Office phone: 879-3167
E-mail: wbreitenbach@ups.edu
Web: http://www.pugetsound.edu/faculty-pages/1002752
Office: Wyatt 141
Office hours:
Tu Th 9-10 and 12-1
and by appointment
Nations reel and stagger on their way; they make hideous mistakes; they commit frightful
wrongs; they do great and beautiful things. And shall we not best guide humanity by
telling the truth about all this, so far as the truth is ascertainable?
—W. E. B. Du Bois, “The Propaganda of History”
History 152 has two aims. The first is to familiarize you with the history of the United States
in the years before 1877. As we study this period, our emphasis will be not only on the events
that occurred but also on the beliefs and motives of the people who shaped the events. We'll
focus on these themes: (1) the intertwined experiences of Native Americans, African Americans,
and Euro-Americans; (2) the complicated process by which Americans came to be Americans,
gradually creating for themselves a distinctive national identity, culture, and ideology; (3) the
continuing struggle of the American people to balance their commitment to freedom, equality,
and opportunity with their desire for order, stability, and community. The themes are interrelated
because the peculiarities of American identity emerged out of the historical encounters of these
three peoples. Moreover, the very definition of the American nation—a republican government
based on the principles of popular sovereignty, liberty, and equality—raised questions about just
who “the people” were, how their individual liberty could be squared with the general good,
whether they would make the opportunities of American life equally available to all, and whether
they could associate together in harmonious communities of their own creating. By investigating
these themes, we’ll attempt to understand how and why Americans came to form the kind of
government and society they did during their Revolution, and then how and why they applied the
principles of the Revolution as they did during the nineteenth century.
If one aim of the course is to set you thinking about the aforementioned issues, the other is to
introduce you to history as a discipline of study. History 152 is a broad and wide-ranging
freshman-level course in which no prior knowledge or skills will be assumed. As such, it is
suitable for students who intend to take only one course in history. In this class you will become
apprentice historians. The reading assignments will expose you to various kinds of historical
sources, and the class discussions will teach you to recognize and assess the interpretive quality
of historical explanation. Moreover, the course will give you the chance to try your hand at the
historian's task of making sense of the past. You will scrutinize original sources, devise critical
and creative strategies of analysis, construct convincing historical arguments, and evaluate the
arguments advanced by other historians. By the end of the term, if you work hard and keep your
wits about you, you will have learned a lot about America's past and improved your ability to
read closely, think logically, speak cogently, and write persuasively.
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READINGS
These books are available at the Bookstore and, if marked with an asterisk, on library reserve:
Robert A. Divine et al., The American Story, 3rd ed., vol. 1 (Pearson Longman)* [2nd edition
is on reserve; pagination differs, but the 3rd edition’s table of contents has been inserted]
William Breitenbach, Readings Packet for History 152 [no copy on reserve; buy this book]
Black Hawk, Life of Black Hawk (Dover)*
Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (Dover)*
The following optional recommended books are also available at the Bookstore. They can help
you write better papers in this and other college courses.
Michael Harvey, The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing [found with the course books]
Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, They Say / I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic
Writing [ask Eric Peckham, the textbook manager, where to find this book]
I have placed the following useful books and pamphlets on library reserve:
Neil R. Stout, Getting the Most out of Your U.S. History Course
Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, 4th ed.
Laurie G. Kirsner and Stephen R. Mandell, The Pocket Holt Handbook [advice on grammar,
mechanics, writing essays, paper format, footnotes, etc.]
Write the "A" College Exam Answer [advice on studying for and taking essay exams]
Blackboard Website
Readings identified in the syllabus with “[Bb]” may be found online at the Blackboard website
for History 152 “American Experiences I” (course ID: Hist152aSp10) at http://blackboard.ups.edu/.
I will also place on Blackboard the syllabus, paper assignments, exam review sheets, and some
general advice and useful web links. The password allowing access to the course’s Blackboard site
will be provided in class: ____________________
PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS
Class participation
This will be a discussion class. That means everyone needs to show up on time with the
reading assignment completed, books and notes in hand, and ideas to talk about. To help you get
ready for class, I have provided “prep” questions in the syllabus for each session. I recommend
that you take notes, reducing the main points of each reading assignment and each class discussion
to what you can write on one index card. Always bring the day’s assigned books to class, so you
can refer to particular passages during discussions.
In class be willing to put your ideas out there for classmates to endorse, challenge, and
transform. Be willing to ask a question, confess confusion, take a stand, and change your mind
when presented with better evidence or reasoning. Listen attentively and respond respectfully to
what your classmates have to say. Speaking directly to them (rather than through me) is a way of
showing that you take them and their ideas seriously. Your regular, informed participation will be
important in determining both the success of the course and the grade that you receive in it.
After every class, I’ll evaluate your contribution to other students’ learning. Students who
make outstanding contributions will get a 4; those who contribute significantly will get a 3; and
those who attend but contribute little will get a 2. Students who are not in class will get a 0.
After a ninth absence (which is missing more than 20% of the class sessions), a student is subject
to being dropped from the class with a WF. Send me an email if you are going to miss class.
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Papers and examinations. There are four major writing assignments in this course. Paper
assignment sheets and exam prep sheets will be provided well before the due dates.

a 5-page comparative analysis of two primary source documents, due at the beginning of
class on Friday, February 12.

a midterm examination, given during class on Monday, March 8.

a 5-page paper on either Black Hawk’s autobiography or antebellum women, due at the
beginning of class on Friday, April 16.

a final examination, held in our regular classroom on Monday, May 10, from 8:00 to 10:00
a.m. You must take your final examination at the scheduled time, so arrange your travel
plans accordingly. By university policy, I cannot grant exceptions to this rule.
Studying and writing help
The UPS Center for Writing and Learning is located in Howarth 109. Its mission is to help
all writers, whatever their level of ability, become better writers. To make an appointment, call
879-3404, email writing@ups.edu, or drop by Howarth 109.
Harvard University’s Writing Center has a website with useful advice on writing academic
essays: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/ [Bb]. Click on “Writing Resources” and then on
“Strategies for Essay Writing” to find eighteen online “handouts.”
For additional advice on reading primary and secondary sources, note-taking, and paperwriting, see my handouts in the “Syllabus & Info” section of the Blackboard website for this
course. Several of these handouts were created specifically for students in History 152.
Late work and missing work
If you are facing circumstances beyond your control that might prevent you from finishing a
paper on time, talk to me early. I tend to be more sympathetic before the deadline than after it.
Late papers should be slipped under my office door at Wyatt 141. If Wyatt is locked, you
may send me the paper by email in order to stop the penalty clock, but you must then give me an
unaltered hard copy of the paper on the next day that Wyatt is open.
Late papers will be marked down one-third of a letter grade (3⅓ points on a 100-point scale)
for each day they are late (including Saturday and Sunday), with days measured on a 24-hour
clock beginning at the original deadline. For example, a late paper scored 82 (B-) would receive
a 78⅔ (C+) if submitted during the first 24 hours after the deadline. No paper or exam will be
accepted after 5:00 p.m. on Friday of final examinations week. Students who do not complete all
papers and exams will receive an F for the course.
Grading
Grades will be calculated on a 100-point scale. Grade ranges are: A (93-100), A- (90-92),
B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72), D+ (67-69), D (63-66),
D- (60-62), and F (below 60). I will round up to a higher letter grade when the numerical score is
within 0.2 points of the cut-off (for example, if you make it to 89.8, you’ll get an A-).
Graded work will be weighted as follows: first paper 20%; midterm examination 20%;
second paper 20%; final examination 20%; and class participation 20%.
Other policies
Normally I do not grant extensions or “Incomplete” grades, except for weighty reasons like
a family emergency or a serious illness. To request an exception for these or other reasons, notify
me before the deadline if possible. As appropriate, provide written documentation supporting
your request from a medical professional; the Counseling, Health, and Wellness Services
(CHWS); the Academic Advising Office; or the Dean of Students Office.
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Students who want to withdraw from the course should read the rules governing withdrawal
grades, which can be found in the Academic Handbook (link provided below). Monday, March 1,
is the last day to drop with an automatic W; thereafter it becomes much harder to avoid a WF.
Students who are dropped from the course for excessive absences or who abandon the course
without officially withdrawing will receive a WF.
Students who cheat or plagiarize, help others cheat or plagiarize, mark or steal library
materials, or otherwise violate the university’s standards of academic integrity will be given an F
for the course and will be reported to the Registrar. Before turning in your first paper, read the
discussion of academic integrity in the Academic Handbook (link provided below). Ignorance of
the concept or consequences of plagiarism will not be accepted as an excuse.
In matters not covered by this syllabus, I follow the policies set down in the current
Academic Handbook, which is available online at http://www.pugetsound.edu/studentlife/student-resources/student-handbook/academic-handbook/.
CLASS SCHEDULE
Reading assignments are to be completed before the class meeting for which they are listed. Bring
this syllabus, the day’s assigned books, and your reading notes to class.
Week One
1. Wed., Jan. 20: The Shock of the New
Louis Menand, “Comment: The Graduates,” The New Yorker, 21 May 2007, 27-28 (handout)
Theodore de Bry, engravings of Native Americans from the 1590s (viewed in class)
2. Fri., Jan 22: First Impressions
History 152 Syllabus (This is your agreement with me. Read it!)
Divine, American Story, xxi-xxiii, 1-11, 14-29
History 152 Readings Packet:
Thomas Hariot, Brief and True Report, 3-6
Robert Johnson, Nova Britannia, 6-8
Prep: What were the expectations, intentions, and goals of the English? What view did
the English have of the Indians? Did the English truly desire a biracial community?
Write an index card of notes for each of the two Readings Packet documents.
Week Two
3. Mon., Jan. 25: Cultural Collisions: The English and the Indians
Divine, American Story, 30-41
History 152 Readings Packet:
John Smith, Proceedings of the English Colony, 8-9
Edward Waterhouse, Declaration of the State of the Colony, 10-12
Prep: Why did initial English hopes for a harmonious biracial community collapse by
1622? How can we use Smith’s document to get at Powhatan’s view of the English?
What conclusions can you draw from Waterhouse’s response to the 1622 attack?
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4. Wed., Jan. 27: Death and Servitude in Early Virginia
Divine, American Story, 49-61
History 152 Readings Packet:
Three Demographic Tables, 13-14
Capt. Thomas Dale’s Laws, 15-17
Virginia Company, Letter to the Governor, 17-18
Richard Frethorne, Letter to His Father and Mother, 18-20
Prep: What was life like in early Virginia? In what ways were Dale’s Laws a response to
the conditions of life that are revealed by the other documents? Why is it not
surprising that slavery eventually appeared in Virginia?
5. Fri., Jan. 29: The Emergence of Slavery
Divine, American Story, 11-14, 68-76
History 152 Readings Packet:
Virginia Slavery Legislation, 20-23
Olaudah Equiano, Interesting Narrative, 24-25
Prep: How did slavery differ from indentured servitude? Historians disagree about
whether racism caused slavery or slavery caused racism. Why would this question
matter to them? What evidence in today’s readings might help you answer it?
Week Three
6. Mon., Feb. 1: Winthrop and Puritan Social Ideals
Last day to drop without record
Divine, American Story, 41-49
History 152 Readings Packet:
John Winthrop, Model of Christian Charity, 26-28
John Winthrop, Speech to the General Court, 29-30
Prep: Which colony would be more likely to succeed—Virginia or Massachusetts? Why?
Compare Winthrop’s Model to Dale’s Laws. What was Winthrop’s purpose in
delivering his Model? Who was his intended audience? Did the argument in his
Speech contradict the argument in his Model?
7. Wed., Feb. 3: Shepard’s Religious Experience: The Way to Salvation
Divine, American Story, 62-68
History 152 Readings Packet: Thomas Shepard, Autobiography, 31-33
Prep: What was the appeal of Puritanism? Why was Shepard dissatisfied with each new
stage of his religious awakening? Is there a logical (or perhaps a psychological)
connection between Winthrop’s social ideals and Shepard’s religious experience?
8. Fri., Feb. 5: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis: The Way to Damnation
Divine, American Story, 76-85
History 152 Readings Packet:
Deodat Lawson, Brief and True Narrative of Witchcraft, 34-39
The Case against Sarah Good, 40-43
Samuel Parris, Christ Knows How Many Devils There Are, 44-46
The Confession of William Barker, 47
The Petition of Mary Easty, 48
Prep: Why did the witchcraft crisis occur? Why did it occur in the way that it did? Did
the witchcraft crisis reveal the abandonment or the persistence of Winthrop’s ideals?
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Week Four
9. Mon., Feb. 8: Nathan Cole and the Great Awakening
Divine, American Story, 86-95, 99-102
History 152 Readings Packet: Nathan Cole, Spiritual Travels, 49-53
Prep: Compare the Great Awakening to the witchcraft crisis. Was the Great Awakening
a conservative or a radical event? Would Winthrop have approved of Cole?
10. Wed., Feb. 10: Benjamin Franklin and the Way to Success
Divine, American Story, 95-99
History 152 Readings Packet: Franklin, Autobiography, 54-59
Prep: In what ways was Franklin like and unlike the Puritans? How did his project for
achieving moral perfection differ from Puritans’ conversion experiences? Would
Winthrop have thought more highly of Franklin or of Cole?
11. Fri., Feb. 12: The Coming of Revolution / FIRST PAPER DUE
Divine, American Story, 102-21
Prep: The first paper is due at the beginning of class. Remember to complete and
attach the cover sheet. Bring your Readings Packet to class.
Week Five
12. Mon., Feb. 15: Paine’s Work of Destruction: Making Independence Imaginable
Divine, American Story, 121-35
History 152 Readings Packet: Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 60-64
Prep: What were the practical, cultural, and psychological obstacles to declaring
independence? How did Paine’s pamphlet help Americans overcome them? How
did his writing style differ from that of the other writers we have read?
13. Wed., Feb. 17: Paine’s Work of Construction: Government by Consent
Divine, American Story, 135-45
History 152 Readings Packet: Thomas Paine, Common Sense, re-read 60-61
Declaration of Independence, in Divine, American Story, Appendix, A3-A5
Preamble to the Constitution, in Divine, American Story, Appendix, A6
Prep: Compare Paine’s ideas about government and liberty with Winthrop’s. What can
account for the astonishing shift in values? Why did the revolutionaries trust the
people to rule themselves?
14. Fri., Feb. 19: Domestic Revolutions
Divine, American Story, 146-54
History 152 Readings Packet:
Gen. Nathanael Greene, Letter to Catharine Greene, 65
Abigail Adams and John Adams, Three Letters, with Addenda 66-68b
Esther DeBerdt Reed, The Sentiments of an American Woman, 69
New Hampshire slaves, Petition to the New Hampshire Legislature, 84-85
Prep: How did the experience of the Revolution differ for men and for women? Was the
Revolution revolutionary for women? Were they better or worse off once “the
People” ruled themselves as republican citizens? How did the New Hampshire
slaves use revolutionary ideas in their petitions for freedom?
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Week Six
15. Mon., Feb. 22: The Assault on Aristocracy
Divine, American Story, 154-64
History 152 Readings Packet:
Thomas Jefferson, Letter to John Adams on Aristocracy, 78-79
Thomas Jefferson, Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, 80
William Manning, The Key of Libberty, 81-84
Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address, 86
Prep: How do these documents reveal the radical effects of the Revolution? Which
document is most radical? Was the Revolution’s main goal liberty or equality?
16. Wed., Feb. 24: Constituting a Federal Republic
Divine, American Story, 164-81
Constitution and the Bill of Rights, in Divine, American Story, Appendix, A6-A15
History 152 Readings Packet:
Brutus, To the Citizens of the State of New York, 70-71
James Madison, Federalist, Numbers 10 and 51, 72-77
Prep: What dangers to the republic did Brutus and Madison most fear? What were the
differences and the similarities in their proposed remedies for those dangers?
Which of them seems closer to Winthrop’s views on factions and the public good?
17. Fri., Feb. 26: Jefferson’s Vision of Republican Society
Divine, American Story, 181-203
History 152 Readings Packet:
Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address, 86 (again)
Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, 87-94
Prep: Which groups did Jefferson view as potentially eligible for republican citizenship?
Why did Jefferson seem inconsistent in his attitudes toward Indians and blacks?
Week Seven
18. Mon., Mar. 1: Invading Indian Country
Last day to drop with automatic W
Divine, American Story, 204-15
History 152 Readings Packet:
Thomas Jefferson, Secret Message to Congress, 94-95a
Andrew Jackson, Second Annual Message to Congress, 95b-95c
Life of Black Hawk, xix-32 [skip the “Editor’s Preface (1916)” and “Introduction (1916)”]
Prep: What were the goals and tactics of Jefferson’s and Jackson’s Indian policies? What
were the goals and tactics of the white settlers in Illinois? What were the goals and
tactics of the Sauk in dealings with whites? Why was the Treaty of 1804 so
controversial? Why did the Sauk side with the British during the War of 1812?
19. Wed., Mar. 3: Political Economies in Indian Country
Divine, American Story, 215-30
Life of Black Hawk, 32-55
Prep: How did the economy inside the Sauk nation differ from their external economy
with the whites? How did the Sauk understanding of property differ from whites’
understanding? Why would these differing views of property likely lead to
conflict? Why didn’t the Sauk just stop having economic dealings with whites?
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20. Fri., Mar. 5: The Black Hawk War
Divine, American Story, 231-40
Life of Black Hawk, 56-79
Prep: Compare Black Hawk’s and Keokuk’s strategies for dealing with whites. What
functions did warfare serve in Sauk culture? Why did the Sauk lose the Black
Hawk War? Why was Black Hawk treated as a celebrity when he toured the East?
Week Eight
21. Mon., Mar. 8: MIDTERM EXAM.
22. Wed., Mar. 10: The Market Revolution
Divine, American Story, 240-47
History 152 Readings Packet:
Michael Merrill and Sean Wilentz, “William Manning and the Invention of American
Politics,” 99a
Paul E. Johnson and Sean Wilentz, The Kingdom of Matthias, 99b-99e
P. T. Barnum, Struggles and Triumphs, 99f-103a
Prep: What was the market revolution? Why were Americans ambivalent about it? Did
it promote Jefferson’s goal of an economically independent citizenry? How did
Barnum’s and Matthews’s careers exemplify its consequences?
23. Fri., Mar. 12: Alcohol, Work, and Class Formation
Divine, American Story, 247-55
History 152 Readings Packet:
P. T. Barnum, Struggles and Triumphs, 99f-103a (again)
Paul E. Johnson, A Shopkeeper’s Millennium, 103b-103g
Prep: How and why did economic classes emerge in Rochester, New York? Why did the
classes in Rochester battle each other over alcohol? What cultural values mark
Barnum as a man of the new Northern middle class?
SPRING BREAK: MARCH 15-19
Week Nine
24. Mon., Mar. 22: The Republican Factories at Lowell
History 152 Readings Packet:
Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, section on “Manufactures,” 93-94
Henry A. Miles, Lowell, As It Was, and As It Is, 104-08
Harriet H. Robinson, Loom and Spindle, 109-12
Prep: Why did Americans fear the social and political consequences of industrialization?
How did the owners of the Lowell factories try to reconcile industrialization with
republicanism? Did they succeed? What did factory workers think about it?
25. Wed., Mar. 24: The Laboring Classes
Divine, American Story, 343-52
History 152 Readings Packet:
Harriet H. Robinson, Loom and Spindle, 109-12 (again)
Selections from Factory Workers’ Magazines, 113-15
Orestes A. Brownson, The Laboring Classes, 116-18
(The “prep” for this class appears on the following page.)
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Prep: Were workers’ grievances economic, social, political, or gendered? Were the
democratic and market revolutions at odds? What were Brownson’s objections to
industrialization? Did his goals look forward to the future or backward to the past?
26. Fri., Mar. 26: Democracy and Equality
Divine, American Story, 256-67
History 152 Readings Packet:
James Kent, Speech against Universal Suffrage, 119-20
George S. Camp, Democracy, 120
Frances Trollope, Domestic Manners of the Americans, 121
David Crockett, The Life and Times of Col. David Crockett, 122-23
King Andrew the First (cartoon), 123
George Caleb Bingham, paintings about democratic politics (viewed in class)
Prep: Why did Trollope call the duke’s encounter with the stagecoach driver a lesson in
republicanism? Why did Americans brag about the culture of democratic equality
at the very time that economic inequality was increasing? Compare Crockett’s
views on political leadership with the views held by Winthrop and Madison.
Week Ten
27. Mon., Mar. 29: Majorities and Minorities in Democratic America
Divine, American Story, 267-79
History 152 Readings Packet:
Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 124-25
John L. O’Sullivan, The United States Magazine and Democratic Review, 125-28
John C. Calhoun, A Disquisition on Government, 128-30
Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience, 130-32
Prep: Which did each author consider the greater threat—an oppressive majority or an
oppressive minority? If the four men were debating which movie to go to as a
group, what would be each one’s suggested procedure for deciding?
28. Wed., Mar. 31: Order Internalized: The Culture of the Northern Middle Class
Divine, American Story, 305-15
History 152 Readings Packet:
Temperance Banner, 133
Maria Monk, Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk, 134-36
Charles Grandison Finney, Lectures on Revivals of Religion, 137
Lyman Cobb, New North American Reader, 138
John S. C. Abbott, The Mother at Home, 139-41
Prep: What dangers did these authors fear? What remedies did they propose? Why was
Monk’s book so popular? How would mothers feel after reading Abbott’s book?
What kind of personality were these writers trying to form in young people?
29. Fri., Apr. 2: Reformers and Their Organizations
Divine, American Story, 315-19
History 152 Readings Packet:
Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane, Second Annual Report, 141-44
Charles P. McIlvaine, Address to Young Men on Temperance, 144-45
Dorcas Society of Cincinnati, Constitution, 146
Advocate of Moral Reform and Family Guardian, 147-48a
(The “prep” for this class appears on the following page.)
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Prep: Were reformers conservatives or radicals? Did they seek to change individuals or
change social structures? Were they trying to transform themselves or control
others? Why did they rely on voluntary associations and public opinion?
Week Eleven
30. Mon., Apr. 5: Reform Turns Radical: Abolitionism
Divine, American Story, 319-23, 329-36
History 152 Readings Packet:
Declaration of the American Anti-Slavery Society, 149-51a
Angelina Grimké, An Appeal to the Women of the Nominally Free States, 152-153a
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, vii-xvii (by Garrison and Phillips)
Prep: How did abolitionism differ from other forms of antislavery? What arguments did
abolitionists use against slavery? What tactics did they employ? What motivated
them? Why did they direct so much of their criticism against Northerners?
31. Wed., Apr. 7: Reform Turns Radical: Feminism
Divine, American Story, 323-24
History 152 Readings Packet:
Angelina Grimké, An Appeal to the Women, 152-153a (read it again)
General Ass’n of Massachusetts Congregational Ministers, “Pastoral Letter,” 153b
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Eighty Years and More: Reminiscences, 153c
Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments, 154-55
John Humphrey Noyes, Bible Communism, 156-60
Prep: How and why did abolitionism lead to feminism? How did the Seneca Falls
Declaration go beyond the position taken by the female moral reformers? Was
Noyes’s argument the logical conclusion of abolitionist and feminist principles?
32. Fri., Apr. 9: Historians’ Interpretations of Antebellum Reform
Divine, American Story, 325-28
History 152 Readings Packet:
Carroll Smith Rosenberg, “Beauty, the Beast and the Militant Woman: A Case Study in
Sex Roles and Social Stress in Jacksonian America,” 148b-148m
Leonard L. Richards, “Gentlemen of Property and Standing,” 151b-151n
Prep: Find the thesis of each reading. Were reformers conservatives or radicals? How
would Smith Rosenberg and Richards answer that question? Was reform a reaction
against the market and democratic revolutions or a prerequisite for them?
Week Twelve
33. Mon., Apr. 12: Slave Masters and Paternalism
Divine, American Story, 290-304
History 152 Readings Packet:
George Fitzhugh, Cannibals All! 161-63
Bennet H. Barrow, Diary, 164-67
Mary Boykin Chesnut, Diary, 168-70
Prep: Was Fitzhugh a reincarnation of Winthrop? How was Barrow a paternalistic
master? Was paternalism a restraint on oppression or a form of it? How did the
Chesnuts react when slaves murdered Cousin Betsey? Why were they so shaken?
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34. Wed., Apr. 14: Slaves and Resistance
Divine, American Story, 280-90
History 152 Readings Packet:
Mary Boykin Chesnut, Diary, 168-70 (again)
Mattie J. Jackson, Recollections of Slavery, 171
Ophelia Settle Egypt, Recollections of Slavery, 172-73
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, 1-19
Prep: How, when, and why did slaves resist their masters? How do the opening chapters
of Douglass’s book challenge the paternalistic claims of pro-slavery apologists?
35. Fri., Apr. 16: The Sectional Crisis / SECOND PAPER DUE
Divine, American Story, 336-43, 353-59
Prep: The second paper is due at the beginning of class. Remember to fill out and
attach the cover sheet. Bring Frederick Douglass’s Narrative to class.
Week Thirteen
36. Mon., Apr. 19: Discontent and the Stirrings of Freedom
Divine, American Story, 359-65
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, 19-44 (up to “My term of actual service. . .”)
Prep: How were Sophia Auld and Edward Covey affected by the institution of slavery?
How did each of them unintentionally prepare Douglass to resist slavery?
37. Wed., Apr. 21: The Liberation of Frederick Douglass
Divine, American Story, 365-71
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, 44-69
Prep: Why did Douglass follow his section on Covey with a discussion of the holidays?
Why did Douglass write so much about religion? Why was he able to escape?
38. Fri., Apr. 23: John Brown and the Sectional Crisis
Divine, American Story, 371-77
History 152 Readings Packet:
An Interview with John Brown, 174-77
John Brown, Statement at His Trial, 177-78
Wendell Phillips, The Lesson of the Hour, 178-79
New York Times, The Execution of Brown, 179-80
Gov. Henry A. Wise, Message to the Virginia Legislature, 180-81
Prep: What were Brown’s goals and motives? Was he mad? Was he a hero? Was his
raid a success? How did Northerners react to Brown’s raid and to his execution?
Was Gov. Wise right to view Brown as the embodiment of Northern values?
Week Fourteen
39. Mon., Apr. 26: Abraham Lincoln and the War to Save the Union
Divine, American Story, 378-94
History 152 Readings Packet:
Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Address, 182-84
Abraham Lincoln, Appeal for Compensated Emancipation to the Border States, 184-85
Abraham Lincoln, Address on Colonization to a Delegation of Black Americans, 186
Abraham Lincoln, Letter to Horace Greeley, 187
Abraham Lincoln, Reply to a Committee of Religious Denominations, 187-89
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History 152
Spring 2010
Prep: What did Lincoln view as the ends of the war, and what did he view as the means
for achieving those ends? Does he deserve to be called the “Great Emancipator”?
40. Wed., Apr. 28: Fighting for Freedom
Divine, American Story, 394-405
History 152 Readings Packet:
Abraham Lincoln, Letter to James C. Conkling, 189-90
Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address, 191
Abraham Lincoln, Second Inaugural Address, 191-92
Mattie J. Jackson, Memories of the Civil War, 193
Annie L. Burton, Memories of Childhood’s Slavery Days, 194
Video in class: Glory (dir. Edward Zwick, 1989), we’ll watch brief excerpts
Prep: Why did Lincoln issue the Emancipation Proclamation? Was this a reversal of his
earlier position? How did the Gettysburg Address reconcile Lincoln’s war aims?
What were the war aims of slaves and black soldiers?
41. Fri., Apr. 30: Reconstruction in the South
Divine, American Story, 406-08top, 416-23
History 152 Readings Packet:
Jourdan Anderson, Letter to Col. P. H. Anderson, 195-96
Black Code of St. Landry’s Parish, 197-98
Calvin Holly, Letter to Gen. O. O. Howard, 199
Enoch Braston, Affidavit of Enoch Braston, 200
Prep: Did the Civil War end slavery? Did it change relations between the races? Do the
letters by Holly and Braston imply that liberalism no longer meant, as it had for
Jefferson, the protection of individuals’ liberty from governmental power?
Week Fifteen
42. Mon., May 3: Reconstruction Resisted
Divine, American Story, 408-16; Appendix, A15-A16 (13th, 14th and 15th Amendments)
History 152 Readings Packet:
Thaddeus Stevens, Two Speeches on Radical Reconstruction, 201-02
Constitution and Ritual of the Knights of the White Camelia, 203-05
U.S. Congress, Condition of Affairs in Miss., Ga., S. Car., 206-09
Prep: Did the Confederates lose the war but win the Reconstruction? How did they resist
Reconstruction? What would have been required to make Reconstruction succeed?
Why did racism become so virulent in the years after the Civil War?
43. Wed., May 5: Reconstruction Abandoned
Divine, American Story, 423-35
History 152 Readings Packet:
Rutherford B. Hayes, First Annual Message to Congress, 210-11
Frederick Douglass, Address to the Louisville Convention, 212-14
Henry W. Grady, The New South, 215-16
Prep: What were the constitutional, political, and cultural limits on the willingness to use
federal power to ensure freedom and equality for ex-slaves? What were the historical
roots of these limits? On what basis was sectional reconciliation achieved?
Final Exam: Monday, May 10, from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. in our regular classroom.
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