American Women’s History
Fort Lewis College: Winter 2009
Professor Jennifer A. Stollman
Office Hours: MW 9:00-11:00
Email: stollman_j@fortlewis.edu
Phone: 970.247.7323
Welcome:
Please read the syllabus carefully. You are responsible for the material within.
Course Focus: Beginning in the 17 century and moving to the present day, this
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course is an introduction to the study of women’s history. Through lectures, discussions, examinations of
primary documents and secondary articles, film, and images, and with attention to the intersections of
race, class, region, and ethnicity, the focus is on women’s experiences in social, political, economic, and
cultural arenas. Additionally, this course examines how scholars uncover women’s experiences,
changing definitions of gender, and produce the American women’s historical narrative.
Course Objectives:
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Gain a survey knowledge of U.S. Women’s history
Think, write and communicate critically on women’s historical issues
Understand the varied women’s experiences through the lens of race, class, ethnicity, religion, region,
and sexuality
Create an issue oriented project marking women’s political, social, and economic contributions
Understand the historiography of U.S. women’s history
Required Readings: May be Purchased at the Salem College Bookstore
DuBois, Ellen Carol and Lynn Dumenil eds., Through Women’s Eyes: An American
History with Documents
Ruiz, Vicki and Ellen Carol DuBois eds., Unequal Sisters: A Multi-Cultural Reader
Reading Load: The reading for this course is heavy Please make sure that you
complete the readings. Please come to class with the readings, full notes and summaries.
Attendance Policy: There is a mandatory attendance policy. Attendance will be
taken at the start of each class period. Missed classes are unacceptable. Additionally, please come to
class on time. Three late entrances will be counted as one missed class.
Late Paper Policy: Under no circumstances will late papers be
accepted. Please plan in advance for emergencies, printer and computer problems, heavy work loads
etc. Getting your paper on time is your responsibility and not the responsibility of the professor. There
are no make-ups for the examinations.
Submitting Papers: Students will submit all papers online.
Process of Evaluation of Students: To receive credit in this course you must
complete all of the assignments. Skipping an assignment results in an automatic failure of the class.
Missed assignments may not be made up. The breakdown of assignments and their weight are as
follows:
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Learning Contract and International Women’s Day (10%)
Weekly Component (40%)
Oral Presentation (25%)
Major Written Assignment (25%)
Grading Scale: All assignments will be graded on a 4.0 scale: A=4.0, B=3.0. C=2.0,
D=1.0 and F=0.0. Please see the Fort Lewis College Handbook for clarification. All of your assignments
will include critiques and strategies for improvement. Please take these into consideration when
completing future assignments.
Honor Code: This class understands the Fort Lewis College Student Code of
Conduct to include honesty within and outside of the classroom. Respect and professionalism will be
expected during class sessions. Students are expected to attend class, arrive appropriately dressed and
prepared to learn. Intellectual honesty will be required. Students caught plagiarizing, will receive and
automatic failing grade, may be asked to excuse themselves from the class, and will be referred to the
Honor Council. Students should be aware that the professor makes use of sophisticated software to
detect plagiarism.
Student Contracts: To fulfill the requirements and achieve the knowledge and skill sets
of this course, students will complete four course components. The attached contract outlines the
choices made by the student. Students will be expected to meet the due dates and turn in assignments
without educator prompts.
In addition to course time, students will develop and staff International Women’s Day
Course Lectures, Reading, and Writing Assignment Schedule:
(Subject to change due to time constraints).
Week One (January 12) Introductions and Understanding Women’s
History Reading Assignment: In Ruiz: articles by Freedman, and Boyd.
(by Wednesday)
Week Two (January 19): First Contact
Reading Assignment: DuBois: “New World Women, to 1750. In Ruiz:
articles by Liu and Gabbaci and Ruiz
Begin planning International Women’s Day. Come in with event ideas.
***Due January 19th: Course Contract***
Week Three (January 26) : Revolutions and Women
Reading Assignment: DuBois: “Mothers and Daughters of the Revolution,
1750-1800.” In Ruiz: articles by Brooks and Morgan.
***Census Date: Late Day for Adding Classes***
Week Four: (February 2) Ideologies of Womanhood, Paid and Unpaid Labor 18001860
Reading Assignment: DuBois: “Pedestal, Loom, and Auction Block, 1800-1860, In
Ruiz: articles by Camp and Boydston,.
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Week Five: February 9) Reform and Resistance Movements and War 1840-1865
Reading Assignment: DuBois: “Shifting Boundaries: Expansion, Reform, and
Civil War, 1840-1865.” In Ruiz: articles by Chavez-Garcia.
Week Six: (February 16) Regional Women’s Roles and Reconstruction 18651900
Reading Assignment: DuBois: “Reconstructing Women’s Lives North and South,
1865-1900.” In Ruiz: articles by Fahs and Brown.
***February 20th is the last day to withdraw from the course with a “W”***
Week Seven: (February 23) Industrialization and Women
Reading Assignment: DuBois: “Women in an Expanding Nation: Consolidation
of the West, Mass Immigration, and the Crisis of the 1890s.” In Ruiz: articles by Mihesuah and
Raibmon.
Week Eight: (March 2) Progressive Era Women
Reading Assignment: DuBois: “Power and Politics: Women in the Progressive
Era, 1900-1920.” In Ruiz: articles by Gordon, Yung, DuBois and Higganbotham..
***Midterm Grades Due: March 2***
Week Nine: Spring Break (March 9) No Classes
Week Ten: (March 16) Women and Modernity
Reading Assignment: DuBois: Change and Continuity: Women in Prosperity, Depression and War,
1920-1945. In Ruiz,: articles by Meyorowitz, Peiss, Pascoe, Ruiz, and Matsumuto.
Week Eleven: (March 23) Different and Differing Feminist Movements (Week
One)
Reading Assignment: Dubois: “Beyond the Feminine Mystique: Women’s Lives,
1945-1965. In Ruiz: articles by DuBois and Higganbotham
Week Twelve: (March 30) Different and Differing Feminist Movements (Week
Two)
Reading Assignment: In Ruiz: articles by Korrol, Orleck, Weber, and Hall.
Week Thirteen: (April 6) Different and Differing Women’s Movements (Week Three)
Reading Assignment: DuBois: “Modern Feminism and American Society, 1965to the Present.” In Ruiz: articles by Wu, Tucker, Howowitz, Fleming
Week 14: (April 13) Reactive Constructions of Women
Reading Assignment: In Ruiz: articles Glenn, May, Haidarali
Week 15: (April 20) Are We in a Post-Feminist Era?
Reading Assignment: In Ruiz: articles by Choy, Camacho and Deeb
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