Southern Maine Community College Spring 2015 HIST 136 – Modern America: The United States since 1945 Instructor: Eben Miller Office: Harborview 302 Office Hours: 9:00-10:00am, MTWTh Office Phone: 741-5683 Email: emiller@smccme.edu Course Number: HTY 136 (01) Class Meetings: TTh, 1:30-2:45 Class Room: Pre-Reqs: ENG 050, ENG 075 Course Description: This course examines the history of the United States since World War II, with special focus on the social, cultural, political, and foreign policy history that has defined the modern American experience. To examine this history, this course will explore a broad range of topics, from Cold War diplomacy through the nation’s current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, from the evolution of major New Left social movements to the impact of technology, immigration, and party politics in contemporary America. Devoting particular attention to primary source documents and historical artifacts, including popular music and television programs, this course endeavors to understand the roots of the modern United States. Course Procedure and Objectives: This course is designed to allow you to engage with the history of modern America as an historian. The historian’s most important responsibility involves the interpretation of historical documents. Such artifacts from the past are known as primary sources. Your work with primary sources will be at the heart of this course: we will discuss the assigned primary sources during nearly every class meeting and each of your major assignments will involve the interpretation of primary sources. The majority of primary sources assigned in this course are collected in the required volumes, The Unfinished Journey, Major Problems in United States History since 1945, and My Lai. I will also regularly provide primary source handouts. To supplement these source-rich volumes, we will also rely on the work of other historians – known as secondary sources – to guide this survey of modern America. These secondary sources include the textbook, The Unfinished Journey; the historical essays collected in Major Problems; and narrative accounts of the Iranian hostage crisis (Taken Hostage) and ordinary soldiers' participation in the Iraq War "surge" of 2007-2008 (The Good Soldiers). We will also rely on several documentary films as complementary secondary sources. Even as this course surveys the history of modern America from the end of World War II through our own contemporary period, we will approach history itself as a discipline to master, not a subject to memorize. Through this approach this class will meet several learning objectives. Specifically, after completing this course I expect you will be able to: 1. Assess the impact of the Cold War on American politics, society, and foreign policy. 2. Describe the origins and importance of significant social movements in the modern United States. 3. Explain the broad political transition from liberalism to conservatism and its significance for American society and culture. 4. Evaluate the historical roots and significance of the nation’s international interventions between the end of World War II and our own contemporary era. 5. Interpret primary documents (that is, contemporary sources) pertaining to the United States since 1945, including examples of popular culture, and use those sources to create original arguments about the past. Finally, by completing this course you will also meet several of SMCC’s core learning competencies. These include the following: Critical Thinking: Competency #1: Read and demonstrate understanding of complex ideas by identifying key concepts. Competency #3: Analyze and evaluate research data to produce a well reasoned argument or position on an issue. Global Citizenship Competency #1: SMCC students can explain how social interactions are influenced by local, regional, national, and/or global cultures. Competency #3: SMCC students can explain historical and/or political developments affecting societies and nations. Course Readings: The following texts are required for this course and are available for purchase at the college bookstore, located in the SMCC Campus Center. William Chafe, The Unfinished Journey: America since World War II, 8th ed., (Oxford, 2015) Natasha Zaretsky and Mark Atwood Lawrence, eds., Major Problems in United States History since 1945, 4th ed. (Cengage, 2014) James Olson and Randy Roberts, My Lai (Bedford/St. Martin’s 1998) 1 David Farber, Taken Hostage (Princeton University Press, 2005) David Finkel, The Good Soldiers (Picador, 2009) Course Requirements and Grading: The following guidelines describe my expectations for this course. If at any point you have a question or concern regarding the course requirements and grading, please contact me immediately. Class Attendance: Class attendance is mandatory. I expect consistent, punctual attendance. After 2 missed classes, failure to attend will result in a significantly lower final course grade. Excessive absences will result in a failure in this course. Missing 2 consecutive classes without contacting me result in an Administrative Failure (AF); that is, you will be dropped from the course. If you know that you will be unable to attend class consistently, do not take this course. Class Participation*: Class participation is likewise mandatory. I expect your thoughtful attention and evidence that you are prepared for the class meeting. You will also be expected to make regular contributions to class discussion. Because this is not a lecture class, being prepared for class discussion is essential. *Cell Phones: Please put cell phones away during the duration of the class meeting. Texting detracts from the thoughtful and respectful attention the classroom requires. Students using cell phones during class will forfeit participation credit for the class meeting and will receive a lowered final course grade. Worksheets: Class worksheets will be required during most class meetings. The worksheets are designed to aid your preparation for class. Unless otherwise directed, the worksheets must be turned in at the beginning of class. Further details will be provided during the semester. Primary Source Analysis Assignments*: There will be 4 primary source analysis assignments (PSAs) required over the course of the semester. There are more PSAs assigned than required. You may choose which 4 PSAs to complete, but you are required to complete at least 1 PSAs during each of the 4 class units. These assignments are not formal essays; they are 1-2 page analyses of the assigned primary sources. Please see the PSA instructions for further explanation of these assignments. Due dates for the PSAs are also listed below in the Course Schedule. *Extra Credit: You may complete additional PSAs (by their due date) for extra credit. I will accept the 4 highest grades for final credit; all additional assignments completed will boost your final course grade. Essays: There will be 2 essays (1500 words) assigned during the semester. It will only be required to complete one of the essay assignments. The first essay will be on a topic related to My Lai and the second will be on a topic related to Taken Hostage. Further details will be provided during the semester. *Extra Credit: You may complete an additional essay (by its due date) for extra credit. I will accept the highest essay grade for final credit; an additional assignment completed will be considered for extra credit. Exams: There will be 2 take home exams assigned during the semester. The midterm exam will be due at midsemester. The final exam will be due at the end of the semester. Further details will be provided during the semester. Grades*: Your final course grade will be determined according to the following assignment averages: Participation (attendance, preparedness, class discussion) 10% Worksheets 20% Primary Source Analysis Assignments (4) 30% Essays (1) 10% Exams (2) 30% *Receiving Your Grades: I encourage you to keep track of your assignment grades over the course of the semester. You will receive assignment grades back from me within one week of the submission due date. By keeping track of your assignment grades, you can simply refer to the above averages to estimate your course grade. Submitting Assignments and Late Penalties: You will have the option to submit all PSAs, Essays, and Exams through the course website. Worksheets will be due in class. All due dates appear below in the Course Schedule and on the course website. Please follow the submission directions found on the course website. I will accept late PSAs and Essays (with the exception of the last take home exam and PSA) for up to one week. There will be a 5-point penalty per each day late. Late worksheets will not be accepted. 2 Academic Honesty: All work submitted in this course must be your own. Copying others' work constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarized assignments will not receive credit, and could result in dismissal from this course as well as other academic pelanties. If at any time you have a question or concern about avoiding plagiarism, please contact me immediately. Statement Concerning Student Accommodations: If you are a student with a documented disability on record at SMCC and wish to have reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please contact me immediately. I will be happy to work with you to help best meet your needs. ADA SYLLABUS STATEMENT: Southern Maine Community College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and employer. For more information, please call 207-741-5798. If you have a disabling condition and wish to request accommodations in order to have reasonable access to the programs and services offered by SMCC, you must register with the Disability Services Coordinator, Sandra Lynham, who can be reached at 741-5923. Further information about services for students with disabilities and the accommodation process is available upon request at this number. Course policies about online testing are modified to suit each individual’s accommodations. Course Schedule: Unit 1: Postwar America, 1946-1964 Week 1 [1] T, Jan 13 Introductions [2] Th, Jan 15 Origins of the Cold War Reading Assignment for 1/15: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 50-72 Major Problems, Ch. 1: docs. #1-5, 7 Week 2 [3] T, Jan 20 Cold War Interventions: Guatemala, Iran, and Cuba Reading Assignment for 1/20: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 187-196 Taken Hostage, pp. 47-62 Major Problems, Ch. 3: docs. #1-7 Primary Source Handout #1 Due 1/15: Worksheet 1 Due 1/20: Worksheet 2 [4] Th, Jan 22 Cold War Society Due 1/22: Worksheet 3 Reading Assignment for 1/22: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 90-99 Major Problems, Ch. 1: docs. #6, 8 Ellen Schrecker, "Anticommunism at Home," pp. 38-47 Primary Source Handout #2 Herblock political cartoons, 1947-1956: http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/herblock/fire.html Week 3 [5] T, Jan 27 Leave it to Beaver and An Era of Affluence Reading Assignment for 1/27: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 76-79, 105-138 Major Problems, Ch. 2: docs. #1-6 Primary Source Handout #3 Due 1/27: Worksheet 4 [6] Th, Jan 29 The Civil Rights Movement Due 1/29: Worksheet 5/PSA 1 Reading Assignment for 1/29: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 79-85, 139-168, 196-207 Major Problems, Ch. 4: docs. #1-4 Primary Source Handout #4 Week 4 [7] T, Feb 3 The Free Speech Movement and the Rise of the New Left Due 2/3: Worksheet 6 Reading Assignment for 2/3: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 306-311 Major Problems, Ch. 6: docs. #1-2 Terry Anderson, “The Movement and the Sixties Generation” (handout) Primary Source Handout #5 3 [8] Th, Feb 5 The Great Society Due 2/5: Worksheet 7/PSA 2 Reading Assignment for 2/5: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 211-235 Major Problems, Ch. 5: docs. #1-7 Isserman and Kazin, "The Limits of the Great Society," pp. 197-204 Lyndon Johnson campaign ads, 1964: "War on Poverty": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1aA8lLA5Mg "Weapons Testing Ban": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5CHYSUfQ_Y "KKK for Goldwater": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWusOhZpq7w Primary Source Handout #6 Unit 2: The Vietnam Years, 1964-1974 Week 5 [9] T, Feb 10 The Vietnam War Due 2/10: Worksheet 8 Reading Assignment for 2/10: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 236-276 My Lai, pp. 1-25 Major Problems, Ch. 8: docs. #1-7 Primary Source Handout #7 Lyndon Johnson campaign ad, 1964: "Vietnam": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDTBnsqxZ3k [10] Th, Feb 12 Film: My Lai Reading Assignment for 2/12: Week 6 [11] T, Feb 17 My Lai Reading Assignment for 2/17: Due 2/12: Worksheet 9/PSA 3 The Unifinished Journey, pp. 277-288 My Lai, pp. 26-113 Due 2/17: Worksheet 10 My Lai, pp. 113-199 Songs on My Lai and Lt. William Calley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JoacW7woBY&list=PL7B34E3CEDEE1D4F2 http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2010/10/the-ballad-of-my-laimp3s.html [12] Th, Feb 19 A Tumultuous Time: 1968-1972 Due 2/19: Worksheet 11/PSA 4 Reading Assignment for 2/19: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 311-314, 321-402 Major Problems, Ch. 5: doc. #8; Ch. 6: docs. #3-7; Ch. 8: doc. #8 Primary Source Handout #8 Nixon campaign ads, 1968: "American Youth": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEXN1SwEfkY "Together": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc91AB7bIeU "Vietnam War": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HBONZIyUE Week 7 [13] T, Feb 24 Two Societies, Separate and Unequal Due 2/24: Worksheet 12 Reading Assignment for 2/24: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 289-306 Major Problems, Ch. 4: doc. #6 Sugrue, "The Continuing Racial Crisis," pp. 152-159 Primary Source Handout #9 4 [14] Th, Feb 26 Feminism and Cultural Transformations Due 2/26: Worksheet 13/Essay 1/PSA 5 Reading Assignment for 2//26: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 314-321, 429-442 Major Problems, Ch. 7: docs. #1-7; Ch. 9: docs. #2, 4 Primary Source Handout #10 Enjoli commercial, 1970s: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X4MwbVf5OA Week 8 [15] T, Mar 3 All in the Family and an Era of Polarization [16] Th, Mar 5 Midterm Exam Due 3/5: Midterm Exam ********Spring Break: March 9-14********* Unit 3: An Age of Limits, 1974-1989 Week 9 [17] T, Mar 17 The Watergate Crisis Reading Assignment for 3/17: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 402-414 Major Problems, Ch. 9: doc. #6 Primary Source Handout #11 Due 3/17: Worksheet 14 [18] Th, Mar 19 Austerity America, 1974-1980 Due 3/19: Worksheet 15/PSA 6 Reading Assignment for 3/19: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 414-418, 442-447 Taken Hostage, pp. 1-47, 62-72 Major Problems, Ch. 9: docs. #1, 3, 5, 7 Jacobs, "The Conservative Struggle and the Energy Crisis," pp. 357-366 Primary Source Handout #12 Oil crisis political cartoons, 1973-1974: http://hti.osu.edu/opper/lesson-plans/energy-crisis Week 10 [19] T, Mar 24 The Iranian Hostage Crisis Reading Assignment for 3/24: Taken Hostage, pp. 73-190 Major Problems, Ch. 10: doc. #1 Primary Source Handout #13 Due 3/24: Worksheet 16 [20] Th, Mar 26 The Rise of the New Right Due 3/26: Worksheet 17/PSA 7 Reading Assignment for 3/26: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 418-428 Major Problems, Ch. 9: doc. #8; Ch. 10: doc, #2 Cowie, "Something's Happening to People Like Me," pp. 347-357 Primary Source Handout #14 Ronald Reagan campaign ads, 1980: "Door Slam": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VgrDmLC26c "Strength Through Peace": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOaXTNVimJI Week 11 [21] T, Mar 31 "It's Morning Again in America": The Reagan Years Due 3/31: Worksheet 18 Reading Assignment for 3/31: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 448-454, 456-459 Major Problems, Ch. 10: docs. #4, 6 Ronald Reagan campaign ads, 1984: “It’s Morning Again in America”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU- IBF8nwSY Primary Source Handout #15 [22] Th, Apr 2 The Reagan Doctrine and the Collapse of the Cold War Due 4/2: Worksheet 19/Essay 2/PSA 8 5 Reading Assignment for 4/2: The American Paradox, pp. 454-456, 460-474 Major Problems, Ch. 10: doc. #3 Primary Source Handout #16 Ronald Reagan campaign ads, 1984: “Peace”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzfF6E- tx7o&feature=related “Foreign Policy”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU1bmFoYPPo&feature=related “The Bear”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpwdcmjBgNA&feature=related Week 12 [23] T, Apr 7 American Society during the 1980s Due 4/7: Worksheet 20 Reading Assignment for 4/7: America During the 1980s (handout) Major Problems, Ch. 10: docs. #5, 7-8 Martin, "The Shock Troops of Direct Action," pp. 395-406 Primary Source Handout #17 (Optional opportunities for further primary source exploration of ACT UP) ACT UP oral histories: http://www.actuporalhistory.org/interviews/index.html ACT UP photos: http://www.thestigmaproject.org/#!history/c1r4y ACT UP exhibit: http://thephoenix.com/Boston/arts/91486-photos-act-up-new-york-activism-art-and- the-aid/ [24] Th, Apr 9 Roseanne and the Age of Limits Due 4/9: Worksheet 21/PSA 9 Reading Assignment for 4/9: Major Problems, Ch. 11: doc. #2 Moreton, "Service Work and the Service Ethos," pp. 436-444 Unit 4: Contemporary America, 1989-2013 Week 13 [25] T, Apr 14 The New World Order and the Gulf War Due 4/14: Worksheet 22 Reading Assignment for 4/14: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 476-482 The Gulf War (handout) Major Problems, Ch. 12: docs. #1-3 Primary Source Handout #18 [26] Th, Apr 16 American Politics at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century Due 4/16: Worksheet 23/PSA 10 Reading Assignment for 4/16: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 482-514, 524-535 Major Problems, Ch. 12: docs. #4-8 Primary Source Handout #19 Bill Clinton campaign ad, 1992: "Hope": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq_x3JUwrU0 "The Change is Coming": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUCNY0b6hN4 Bill Clinton campaign ad, 1996: "America Back": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt-LDpxS5iQ "Harry and Louise" health care ads, 1994: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt31nhleeCg Week 14 [27] T, Apr 21 American Society at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century Due 4/21: Worksheet 24 Reading Assignment for 4/21: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 514-522 Major Problems, Ch. 11: docs. #1, 3-4; Ch. 13: docs. #1-2 Thompson, "Why Mass Incarceration Matters," pp. 518-526 Primary Source Handout #20 George H.W. Bush campaign ads, 1988: 6 "Weekend Passes": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiQslNYqS3I "Revolving Door": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmwhdDv8VrM [28] Th, Apr 23 9/11 and the War on Terror Due 4/23: Worksheet 25/PSA 11 Reading Assignment for 4/23: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 535-552 The Good Soldiers, begin (to be completed on 4/30) Major Problems, Ch. 13: doc. #3; Ch. 14: docs. #1-6 Michael Hunt, "In the Wake of September 11" (handout) Primary Source Handout #21 George W. Bush campaign ad, 2004: "Wolves": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU4t9O_yFsY Week 15 [29] T, Apr 28 Film: No End in Sight Due 4/28: Worksheet 26 Reading Assignment for 4/28: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 552-560 The Good Soldiers, continue (to be completed on 4/30) Primary Source Handout #22 [30] Th, Apr 30 The Good Soldiers Reading Assignment for 4/30: The Good Soldiers, complete (Optional) Documentary Film: Endgame: Due 4/30: Worksheet 27/PSA 12 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/endgame/view/ Week 16 [31] T, May 5 Contemporary America Due 5/5: Worksheet 28 Reading Assignment for 5/5: The Unfinished Journey, pp. 560-601 Major Problems, Ch. 13: docs. #4-8; Ch. 14: docs. #7-8 Primary Source Handout #23 [32] Th, May 7 Final Exam Due 5/7: Final Exam 7