H106 – American History II (Since 1865)
Cavanaugh Hall 217, MW 3:00-4:15pm
Eric Petenbrink (epetenbr@indiana.edu)
Office Hours: MW 1:30-2:30pm, Cavanaugh Hall 529
Overview: This course focuses on the history of the United States since the Civil War, with an emphasis on the construction of
national identity and the evolution of American citizenship. We will discuss not only the relevant events, individuals, and
movements that have occurred in American history, but also how ideas about the nation and its citizens, its goals, and its role in
the international community have changed over time. In addition to readings and lectures, classroom discussion (especially of
primary sources) will be a major part of the learning environment, as students engage in conversations about the continuities
and changes of the American nation-state from Reconstruction to the present. The class promotes several principles of
undergraduate learning (see http://www.iport.iupui.edu/selfstudy/tl/puls/ for details), including critical thinking, core
communication, and understanding of society and culture.
Readings: Readings should be finished in preparation for class each day and brought to class to facilitate discussion.
• James A. Henretta, et al, America: A Concise History, Vol. 2 (5th edition, ISBN: 978-0-312-64329-4)
• Additional primary source readings are available in PDF format on Oncourse (oncourse.iu.edu)
Grading:
Midterm Exam (March 4):
Final Exam (May 3):
Writing Assignment #1 (Feb. 11):
Grade Scale:
A 100-93
C 76-73
25%
25%
15%
A- 92-90
C- 72-70
Writing Assignment #2 (April 10):
Reading Quizzes (10 total):
Participation:
B+ 89-87
D+ 69-67
B 86-83
D 66-63
B- 82-80
D- 62-60
15%
10%
10%
C+ 79-77
F < 60
Exams contain four sections: multiple choice, timelines, short answers, and an essay. Information on the exam structure can be
found in the appendix to this syllabus, and exam study guides will be posted to Oncourse at the beginning of each unit. The final
exam is not cumulative, and it only covers the second half of the course material.
Each student will complete two Writing Assignments during the semester. Assignments will consist of a 3-5 page paper based
on primary sources, textbook reading, and classroom lecture and discussion. Assignments are posted to Oncourse at the
beginning of the semester, and students are encouraged to look over the essay question so they may prepare as they complete
the readings. Papers are to be submitted electronically via the Assignment Dropbox feature on Oncourse. Guidelines for the
papers, including a rubric and a citation guide can be found in the appendix to the syllabus.
Reading Quizzes will be administered periodically. For these quizzes, students should prepare all readings assigned for a given
day and should have a piece of paper to turn in with your answers. A total of 14 will be administered during the semester; the
top 10 scores will be counted. Format for quizzes will vary between multiple choice and short answer and may cover any of the
readings (textbook or documents) for the class meeting. Use of textbook or primary source readings will be allowed, but only if
you have brought them with you to class. Quizzes are individual assignments and group collaboration is prohibited. Quizzes
will last no more than 5 minutes and will be proctored at the start of class. If you are absent or late to class on the day of a
quiz, there is no makeup quiz without documentation for your absence.
Participation in class is essential. Students should come to each class prepared to discuss the assigned readings, raise questions,
and draw connections between different topics. Opportunities for small group discussion will be provided, but even full-class
discussion is low-risk. I care more that you think and talk than whether you are “right.” Students should engage in civil
discourse at all times: avoid personal attacks, refrain from inappropriate comments, use evidence to support your claims, and
exhibit general respect for your peers.
Attendance and Classroom Policies:
1) Attendance is mandatory and students are required to come to class on time and stay for the duration of the meeting. If you
need to depart before class ends, see me beforehand. Failure to do so will result in being marked absent.
2) For emergencies and illnesses, students are granted 4 absences without penalty for the semester. For each unexcused
absence beyond those four, 3% will be deducted from your final grade.
3) Additional excused absences will only be granted for confirmed university-sponsored events (such as sporting events for
athletes) or with documentation of a medical reason for missing class.
4) In case of inclement weather, class will not meet if the university officially closes or if I contact students 12 hours prior to
our scheduled meeting. In instances when class is cancelled, PowerPoint slides will be accompanied by a brief podcast of
the planned lecture. All assignments are still due to the Dropbox, even if class is not held on the due date.
5) All electronic devices are prohibited. The use of cell phones for texting, in particular, is distracting and will not be allowed.
If you are caught texting, you will automatically be marked absent for that day.
6) Out of courtesy to me and your fellow classmates, students should try to be on time to class and never pack up early until
class is dismissed.
Academic Misconduct: All work completed in this course should be your own. Guidelines for the proper citation for writing
assignments are outlined in the appendix to this syllabus and should be followed. Cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of
academic misconduct will not be tolerated and will result in failure of the assignment and possible further disciplinary action.
The university’s complete academic misconduct policy can be found at http://www.iupui.edu/code/.
For Students with Disabilities: IUPUI provides effective services and accommodation for qualified individuals with
documented disabilities. If you need an accommodation because of a documented disability, please contact Adaptive
Educational Services (http://aes.iupui.edu/). This includes, but is not limited to special accommodations for examinations.
Class Schedule: The key questions beneath each class topic are a self-check on whether you have understood the assigned
reading. You do not need to bring written answers for them to class, but you should be prepared with ideas of how you might
answer them for discussion. PowerPoint slides will be used with lecture each day and uploaded to the Resources Tab in
Oncourse under the Exam Study Guides folder at the end of each week, where students may download or print them out to help
review their notes.
Week 1
Jan. 7: Introduction
Jan. 9: The Promise and Defeat of Reconstruction – Henretta, 446-474
Key Question: 1) How did the plans for Reconstruction approach the problems of post-Civil War America? 2) How did
African Americans work to define freedom during Reconstruction?
Week 2
Jan. 14: Expansion and Conquest in the West – Henretta, 476-504; Chief Joseph, “An Indian’s View on Indian Affairs”
Key Questions: 1) How did Americans justify their expansion into the western territories of North America? 2) What was
the impact of western settlement on Native American tribes?
Jan. 16: America’s Industrial Age – Henretta, 510-528; Andrew Carnegie, “Gospel of Wealth”
Key Questions: 1) How did industrialization change the U.S. economy after the Civil War? 2) What was the impact of
industrial society on the rise of immigration?
Week 3
Jan. 21:
No Class (Martin Luther King Day)
Jan. 23: The World of Workers – Henretta, 528-536
Key Questions: 1) What was the impact of the industrial factory on American workers? 2) What forms of labor activism
arose out of industrialization?
Week 4
Jan. 28: Reform in Urban America – Henretta, 568-596; Jane Addams, “The Subjective Necessity of Social Settlements”
Key Questions: 1) What contributed to the rapid growth of American cities after the Civil War? 2) How did nineteenth
century social reformers try to fix the problems of the new urban environment?
Jan. 30: Woman Suffrage and the Public Sphere – Henretta, 538-566
Key Questions: 1) How did social reform movements change the political role of American women? 2) What methods did
first-wave feminists use in the struggle for woman suffrage?
Week 5
Feb. 4: Progressivism and the Growth of the State – Henretta, 598-626
Key Questions: 1) What were the characteristics of the American political system during the Gilded Age? 2) How did the
efforts of the Progressives reshape the way Americans perceived the role of their government?
Feb. 6: Tragedy at the Triangle – Henretta, 587-595
Key Questions: 1) How did Progressive reformers address the problems of the industrial workplace? 2) What does the
Triangle Fire incident tell us about the successes and failures of early twentieth-century reformers?
Week 6
Feb. 11: Segregation in the American South – Henretta, 605-612; Ida Wells-Barnett, “Southern Horrors”
Key Questions: 1) How did the Jim Crow system try to recreate the racial order of the pre-Civil War period? 2) What
methods did segregationists use to shape race relations in the South?
Feb. 13: America’s Empire – Henretta, 629-644; Albert Beveridge, “The March of the Flag”
Key Questions: 1) What motivated the U.S. to acquire overseas territories by the end of the 1800s? 2) How did imperial
expansion alter U.S. foreign policy by the early twentieth century?
**Writing Assignment #1 Due **
Week 7
Feb. 18: America Fights the Great War – Henretta, 644-657
Key Questions: 1) What were American objectives in fighting World War I? 2) What was the impact of the war on the
American home front?
Feb. 20: The Roaring Twenties and the Culture Wars – Henretta, 660-687
Key Questions: 1) What cultural changes did the nation experience after World War I? 2) How did cultural conservatives
of the 1920s try to slow the transformation of postwar American society?
Week 8
Feb. 25: The Depression and the Crisis of Capitalism – Henretta, 694-700; John Steinbeck, “The Harvest Gypsies”
Key Questions: 1) What were the causes of the Great Depression? 2) How did the Depression impact various parts of
American society during the 1930s?
Feb. 27: The New Deal and the Social Welfare State – Henretta, 700-722; Franklin D. Roosevelt, “Fireside Chat”
Key Questions: 1) How did the programs of the New Deal attempt to combat the suffering of the Depression? 2) What were
the successes and limitations of the New Deal?
Week 9
March 4: Midterm Exam
March 6: World War II – Foreign Policy and the War in Europe – Henretta, 724-732, 745-749
Key Questions: 1) What provoked U.S. engagement in World War II? 2) How did the decision to intervene differ from U.S.
foreign policy since the end of the First World War?
Week 10 – Spring Break (No Class)
Week 11
March 18: World War II – The Pacific Front – Henretta, 749-755
Key Question: 1) How did fighting in the Pacific differ from that in the European theater? 2) How did the Pacific theater
shape U.S. foreign policy and military strategy in the postwar years?
March 20: World War II – Remaking the Home Front – Henretta, 732-745; Monica Itoi Sone, “Nisei Daughter”
Key Questions: 1) What was the impact of the war on American society at home? 2) What impact did the war have on
racial minorities on the home front?
Week 12
March 25: The Cold War – Henretta, 757-770, 778-785
Key Questions: 1) What were the causes of the Cold War? 2) What were the characteristics of the diplomatic and military
competition between the Soviet Union and the United States after World War II?
March 27: The Cold War Home Front – Henretta, 770-778; Joseph McCarthy, “Communists in the U.S. Government”
Key Questions: 1) How did the Cold War affect American politics and society? 2) How necessary were the policies of the
Red Scare and how do we explain its excesses?
Week 13
April 1: The Affluent 1950s and Postwar Prosperity – Henretta, 787-806
Key Questions: 1) Why did the U.S. economy experience such rapid growth after World War II? 2) How did the postwar
economy shape ideas of capitalism, consumerism, and the family structure?
April 3: Middle Class Culture in Suburban America – Henretta, 806-814; William Whyte, “The Organization Man”
Key Questions: 1) What were the characteristics of the 1950s suburban ideal? 2) How did postwar culture both embrace
and challenge the Golden Age of 1950s America?
Week 14
April 8: The Struggle for Civil Rights – Henretta, 817-838; Martin Luther King, “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
Key Questions: 1) What were the goals and tactics of the southern civil rights movement? 2) Why were civil rights activists
successful in their efforts in the early 1960s after years of resistance to racial equality?
April 10: Black Power and the Radical Turn – Henretta, 838-845; Malcolm X, “Ballot or the Bullet”
Key Questions: 1) Why did the tactics of the civil rights movement change from nonviolence by the end of the 1960s?
2) What achievements were made by the black power era of the civil rights movement?
**Writing Assignment #2 Due**
Week 15
April 15: Vietnam and the Crisis of American Liberalism – Henretta, 848-866
Key Questions: 1) How did the Vietnam War fit into Cold War foreign policy? 2) What motivated such widespread antiwar
sentiment during the mid- to late-1960s?
April 17: The End of the 1960s – Henretta, 866-870, 894-903; Phyllis Schlafly, “The Power of the Positive Woman”
Key Questions: 1) What were the key similarities and differences between second-wave feminism and women’s liberation?
2) What were the motivations of the post-1960s conservative backlash?
Week 16
April 22: The 1970s and the Crisis of Confidence – Henretta, 870-894, 903-910
Key Questions: 1) What factors contributed to the crisis of confidence Americans experienced during the 1970s? 2) In what
ways did the Seventies conclude many of the post-WWII developments in American society?
April 24: The Reagan Revolution – Henretta, 912-931, 949-961; Ronald Reagan, “Creators of the Future”
Key Questions: 1) How did Ronald Reagan address the problems that plagued the U.S. by the end of the 1970s? 2) How did
the policies of the Reagan administration exhibit the philosophy of modern conservatism?
Week 17
April 29: The End of the Cold War and Beyond – Henretta, 931-949, 961-971
Key Questions: 1) How did Reagan’s foreign policy contribute to the end of the Cold War? 2) What have been the
approaches of the U.S. to international relations once the Cold War ended?
May 3:
Final Exam @ 3:30pm
Appendix 1: Reading Primary Sources
Primary sources are the building blocks of historical interpretation and are central to any understanding of the past. For this
reason, developing the ability to critically read primary source material is an essential skill to succeed in this class. The
following is a brief guide to reading primary sources that may assist you for brief excerpted documents in the textbook and the
longer sources posted to Oncourse.
• Who is the author? Consider not only the individual or organization that authored the document, but also who that person is.
What is his/her background? How might that influence the point of view expressed in the document? For example, during the
Civil War, perspectives of the Union and Confederate sides would be significantly different on many issues.
• Who is the audience? Documents have an intended audience that helps explain the way arguments are presented, how the
author makes his/her appeal, and who the author is trying to persuade. For example, testimony given before a court will be
very different than a speech given to a general or partisan audience or a personal letter to a friend.
• What is the historical context of the document? All historical events are shaped by the context in which they occur,
including the writing or making of primary source materials. Context can be the direct and immediate circumstances of the
author at the time the document is written, but it can also be the broader world the author inhabits. Take into account the
events, trends, and ideas going on in the world of the author. Consider the date of the document, and compare this with
historical events you know to be going on around this time. Think about not only events or ideas specifically mentioned by
the author, but also more tangential parts of the contemporary context. For the readings in this course, consulting the
introductory paragraph included with each source or background information from the textbook will be essential.
• What is the author’s argument, point of view, or main idea? The most important part of reading primary documents is to
understand what the author hopes to express. In documents intended to persuade (editorials, testimony, speeches), the
argument will be fairly direct, though there may be smaller points in addition to the main idea. Other sources, such as
personal letters, memoirs and autobiographies, or observations, may not make a direct argument in the same way, but these
sources will have main themes and perspectives that are useful to historians.
Appendix 2: Exam Guidelines
I. General Tips
• Exams are not cumulative. The midterm exam covers the first half of the course, and the final exam covers the second half.
Each exam has the same structure, is worth the same number of points, and carries the same set of expectations.
• A study guide for the midterm exam is posted to Oncourse under “Resources” at the beginning of the semester. On the day of
the midterm exam, the final exam study guide will be posted. Students are encouraged to print this out immediately and use it as
they complete their course readings, rather than waiting until just before the exam.
• PowerPoint slides from lecture are posted to the “Resoures” section at the end of each week, creating a second, running study
guide for the class.
• The study guide’s list of key terms is the most important resource, since these events, individuals, ideas, organizations, etc.
will be a part of every section of the exam. When studying, consider the following information: 1) an appropriate date (or range
of dates); 2) an identification of the term; and 3) its significance to the historical time period. Doing so for each term will make
you well prepared for the exam.
• Your answers should reflect information presented both in lecture and in your readings for the course. Keeping up to date on
reading assignments and taking effective notes is the best way to succeed on exams. This includes the primary sources from
Oncourse. You are expected to know the main ideas and arguments of these 7 sources for each exam.
• You will have the complete class period to finish your exam, minus how long it takes to distribute the test. It is essential to
arrive to class on time and prepared to begin the exam promptly. You will not be given additional time.
• Time management is essential to a successful exam. Keep in mind the relative worth of each section (and each question in a
section).
II. Multiple Choice (20 points): This section draws from the list of key terms and primary source documents provided on the
study guide to form multiple choice questions. Students will select the correct answer from four options provided for each of the
10 multiple choice questions, worth 2 points each.
Tips:
• Each question will address important information about a key term or one of the primary sources we read in class. If you have
studied that term or read those sources appropriately, the question asked should not be a surprise.
• Standard strategies for multiple choice questions apply: 1) most questions will have one or two answers that can be rejected
immediately; 2) you should look for the best answer provided; 3) read the question carefully to make sure you select the
appropriate response; and 4) never skip a multiple choice question, since even blind guessing provides some chance of selecting
the correct response.
• You will be asked to write the letter of your answer in a blank space under the question. This should prevent any confusion
associated with circling one answer, then changing your mind. Be sure to answer questions in this manner.
III. Timelines (15 points): This section will provide you with 3 timelines that address key trends or themes from the course.
Each question will include a timeline with 5 dates and 5 related events listed below. Students will be asked to write the
appropriate date next to each event, in essence placing those events in their proper chronological order. The pairing of each
event and date is worth 1 point, for a total of 5 points per timeline.
Tips:
• The goal of this section is not the strict memorization of dates. By putting the events in order, you will demonstrate your
understanding of cause-and-effect relationships in U.S. history. Knowing dates for key terms and events may prove helpful, but
all of the dates are provided and are simply a prompt for ordering the events.
• The majority of events listed for each timeline will correspond key terms on the study guide. Additionally, a list of 5 possible
historical themes or time periods will be included on the study guide, from which the three timelines on the exam will be
selected.
• Throughout the course, brief timelines will appear in the lecture PowerPoints, either as part of the opening informational slide
or in other slides related to the lecture material. These can be taken as useful examples of possible timeline themes and key
events for the exercise on the exam.
IV. Short Answers (25 points): This section will provide 5 questions about key terms or primary source documents from the
study guide. You will need to provide a short answer of 2-3 sentences, with each question worth 5 points.
Tips:
• Every question will refer to one or more of the key terms from the study guide, and at least two short answer questions will
directly address the supplemental primary sources we have read over the course of the semester.
• Short answer questions will general fit an “identify and explain” model. Key terms that include multiple parts (laws with
multiple sections, events with multiple causes, organizations with multiple characteristics, arguments with multiple
justifications) often work best as potential short answers.
• Be sure to answer the question fully. Quality answers will require a few sentences, but should not exceed a short paragraph.
V. Short Essay (40 points): This section will include an essay question related to the large themes of the course, usually on
topics that cover multiple lectures, readings, and time periods. You must write a well-developed analytical essay, including a
thesis statement and multiple specific examples to support your claims.
Tips:
• You will be provided with 3 possible essay questions as part of your study guide; 2 of those selections will appear on the exam
and you will write on 1 of these.
• Remember to answer the entire question in a well-organized essay. This may mean sketching a brief outline for yourself
before you begin writing. Your essay should be several paragraphs in length and should engage the entire scope of the question.
For example, when responding to a question about change over a period of time, your essay should address that time period as
thoroughly as possible for full credit.
• You should use numerous specific examples and explain them and their relevance to the essay question. Your examples
should be as specific as possible, including dates if you can remember them. Here, the most important point is to make sure
your essay is chronologically accurate. Failure to do so will irreparably harm your argument.
Appendix 3: Guidelines for Writing Assignments
Students will complete two analytical essays during the semester. Prompts are posted to Oncourse and due dates are included in
the Class Schedule section of this syllabus. The following appendix provides guidelines for writing and submitting your
assignments. Read carefully over these guidelines and tips for effective writing.
• Papers are submitted to the Assignment Dropbox prior to class. The Dropbox for an assignment will open for submissions 48
hours prior to the deadline and close at the beginning of class on the due date. You are responsible for making sure that your
essay is successfully uploaded in time.
• Papers should be 3-5 pages in length, with standard formatting (Times New Roman, 11-12pt., 1” margins, double-spaced)
with a heading that includes only your name and the title of your paper. All papers will be standardized to this format upon
submission. These guidelines mean that your essay must be at least 3 full pages of writing. Responses that do not fulfill the
page guidelines will be marked down.
• Late papers will be marked down a full letter grade (10%) for each calendar day past the deadline, starting with the due date.
After 7 calendar days, the paper becomes a zero. Late papers need to be emailed to me directly.
• No outside research is required for the writing assignments, nor should it be used. All the material you will need can be found
in the assignment, textbook readings, primary source documents, and lecture notes.
• A simple citation format is adequate for these papers, but specific arguments and information must be cited. Use parenthetical
citations at the end of the sentence, following this format:
Reference from the textbook on pg. 654:
(Henretta, 654)
Reference from Jane Addams on the 3rd paragraph of pg. 2: (Addams, p. 2, par. 3)
Reference from Lecture Notes on February 27: (Lecture Notes, 2/27)
Reference from Theodore Roosevelt’s document included in the assignment prompt: (Roosevelt)
• Your papers will be graded on the following criteria:
1) Clearly and adequately addressing the questions presented in the assignment prompt
2) Effective use of evidence to support your arguments, including the use of primary and secondary sources
3) Evidence of critical thinking and analysis, including the interpretation of your supporting evidence to further your thesis
4) Adherence to the guide for proper citation
5) Clear and grammatical writing and signs that your essay has been proofread prior to submission
6) Adherence to the Guidelines for Writing in History found in Appendix 4.
• If you need assistance with your writing, please consult the Writing Center, located in Cavanaugh Hall 427 or the University
Library, room 2125.
Appendix 4: Guidelines for Writing in History
The following list contains useful guidelines for the two Writing Assignments, and for writing in history courses in general.
Please read these tips before composing your essays and be sure to follow these guidelines as part of your submitted paper.
1) Evidence is everything. Before you can begin to explain something, you have to have information to use. Writing an
analytical paper is not about your opinion, but about your interpretation. Your assertions, generalizations, readings of a
text, and discussion of historical trends have to use supportive and illustrative evidence to be compelling.
2) The Balance of Evidence and Analysis. An analytical essay is a balancing act between evidence from sources and your
own voice. You need evidence to back up and illustrate your interpretations, but you also do not want to simply cut-andpaste a series of claims from other sources without discussing them yourself. Consider using the following model for most
quotations you provide:
Context  Quotation  Discussion of meaning  Relationship to your overall argument
3) Quotations versus Paraphrase. Evidence can be presented through direct quotation or through paraphrase, but this does
not make the two equal. For hard data (population figures, the date something happened), paraphrase can be used with few
drawbacks. With primary sources and discussions of arguments, states of mind, opinions, emotional reactions, and other
personal insights, it is best to err on the side of quotations (or partial quotations, to limit the length of quoted material).
4) No Citations = Plagiarism. All ideas, data, quotations, arguments, and opinions that are not produced by you must be
cited, even if they are not direct quotations.
5) Be Specific and Concrete. Avoid vague statements, sweeping unsupported generalizations, hypotheticals when concrete
examples are available, and meaningless platitudes. Statements such as “since the beginning of history,” “it has always been
the case,” “throughout time,” and “made our country what it is today,” add nothing of substance to your writing.
6) Avoid “fluff” in both grammar and analysis. Concise, direct writing is better in analytical papers. Each word, sentence,
paragraph, and section of a paper should be there for a reason and should serve a purpose. When proofreading, continuously
ask yourself: What is this sentence/word doing? Is it necessary?
7) Proofread. Becoming a good writer takes practice, but the best writing comes from revision and polishing. Read over your
essays at least once, checking for typos, awkwardness, and lack of clarity.
8) Miscellaneous Errors to Avoid:
• When referring to a person, use his/her full name on the first mention in a paper. On additional mentions, use the last
name.
• Make proper use of apostrophes. They are used for possessives and contractions (sparingly in formal writing), not for
plurals. Despite the convention in casual writing, they do not belong in dates (for example, it is 1960s, not 1960’s).
• Avoid making overgeneralizations about past events and their relationship to the present. Unless specifically asked, your
writing should not drift into comparisons of “how things are today,” especially without supporting evidence for these
claims. At most, these past-present connections should be reserved for a brief, concluding paragraph, but can usually be
excluded entirely.
• An essay is a formal form of writing. Modern colloquialisms, slang, text-speak, and profanity should be avoided unless
they serve a specific function (for example, if the primary sources use expletives and you are quoting that material).