The History of the Marginalized in America:
A Different 20th Century History of the United States
(Course Description)
Instructor:
Dániel Cseh, doctoral student
Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Humanities
Modern and Contemporary World History PhD Program
Contact information:
Mobile: +36-30-274-53-51.
E-mail: csehdani@gmail.com
Course:
Office Hours:
Code: BBN-AME11-322.10
Monday: 13:00-14:00.
Monday: 10:30-12:00.
Wednesday: 13:00-14:00.
Room: R433.
Office: R311.
I. Course description:
During the semester the students will examine the history of the marginalized in America;
minorities who were often marginalized based on their origin, gender, ethnicity, social status,
ideology, or political beliefs. Emphasis will be placed on the relationship between the
marginalized, mainstream society, and the government of the United States during the
twentieth century. The main goal of the course is to acquaint students with the voices of
individuals and communities who were often overlooked, were disenfranchised, and
discriminated against, or were even excluded.
The curriculum will examine the historic events that shaped American politics, society, and
culture, in chronological order, from the perspective of the marginalized to study the role they
played through their activism for social equality, civil liberty, and equal rights to “Life,
Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”, as stated in the Declaration of Independence; rights
that were and are unalienable. We will cover such topics as immigration and the nativist
movement during the early decades of the twentieth century, the class struggle and the labor
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movement, the home front during World War II and the role of women and African
Americans, the exclusion and mass incarceration of people of Japanese descent, McCarthyism
and the birth of the national security state, the civil rights movement, the anti-war movement
and the war in Vietnam, the counterculture, the feminist movement, Native Americans,
multiculturalism, and the conflict between civil liberty and national security throughout the
twentieth century at times of military necessity studied through the cases of individuals who
challenged the government of the United States.
The voices of the marginalized should not be overlooked, because through their activism they
helped write the history of the United States.
II. Requirements:
1. Exam: 35% of the grade; the final test will assess the student’s knowledge of the
course material, and his or her knowledge of the compulsory literature.
2. Research paper: 35%; the research paper has to be 10-12 pages long, with a Title
Page, Work Cited Page, Times New Roman, 12 font size, double space (MLA format).
3. Presentation: 20%; the student has to give a 15 minute long presentation on his or her
research topic, a handout should be prepared for the members of the class.
4. Classroom participation: 10%; regular attendance, based on the student’s
participation, preparedness for the class, and his or her contribution to the class
discussion/debate.
III. Recommended literature:

Andor, László (2002): Amerika évszázada. Budapest: Aula. [BTK-Központi Library]

Bődy, Pál and Aladár Urbán (ed.). (2001): Szöveggyűjtemény az Amerikai Egyesült
Államok történetéhez 1620-1980. Budapest-Pécs: Dialóg Campus. [Seas Library]

Degler, Carl N. (1993): Az élő múlt. Milyen erők formálták Amerika mai képét?
Budapest: Európa. [BTK-Központi Library]

Degler, Carl N. (1970): Out of our past: The forces that shaped modern America. New
York: Harper & Row. [Seas Library]

Frank, Tibor (ed.). (2007): Gyarmatokból impérium. Magyar kutatók tanulmányai az
amerikai történelemről. Budapest: Gondolat. [University Library]
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
Frank, Tibor and Magyarics Tamás (1999): Handouts for U.S. History: A Study Guide
and Workbook. 2nd. Revised Edition. Budapest: Panem. [Seas Library]

Graubard, Stephen (2007): Az elnökök. Az amerikai elnöki hivatal átalakulása
Theodore Roosevelttől George W. Bushig. Budapest: Alexandra. [University Library]

Hahner, Péter (2012): Az USA elnökei. Budapest: Animus. [Seas Library]

Heffner, Richard Douglas and Alexander Heffner (2013): A Documentary History of
the United States: Expanded and Updated Edition. New York: Penguin Group. [Seas
Library]

Huntington, Samuel P. (2005): Kik vagyunk mi? Az amerikai nemzeti identitás
dilemmái. Budapest: Európa. [BTK-Központi Library]

Magyarics, Tamás (2008): Az Amerikai Egyesült Államok története. A rövid XX.
század. Budapest: Kossuth. [Seas Library]

Sellers, Charles, Henry Farnham May, and Neil R. McMillen (1999): Az Egyesült
Államok története. Budapest: Maecenas. [BTK-Központi Library]

Zinn, Howard (2005): A People’s History of the United States. New York: Harper
Perennial. [Seas Library]

Zinn, Howard (1968): Disobedience and Democracy: Nine Fallacies on Law and
Order. New York: Random House. [Seas Library]
IV. Curriculum:
1. Introduction: (Sep. 7)
The ‘Ideal American’: The Nativist Movement in the First Half of the 20th Century.
2. American Society at the Turn of the Century:
The Class Struggle and the First World War, 1900-1920. (Sep. 14)
3. The Great Depression:
From the Roaring Twenties to the New Deal Program, 1920-1939. (Sep. 21)
4. The Home Front:
The United States during the Second World War, 1939-1945. (Sep. 28)
5. The Exclusion and Incarceration of Japanese Americans, 1942-1945. (Oct. 5)
6. The Cold War Home Front:
McCarthyism and the Birth of the National Security State, 1945-1960. (Oct. 12)
7. The Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1968. (Oct. 19)
8. A Culture of Violence:
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The Vietnam War and the Anti-War Movement, 1960-1975. (Nov. 2)
9. The Great Society and the Counterculture, 1960-1975. (Nov. 9)
10. The Disillusioned Citizenry:
From Disillusionment to Activism, 1960s-1980s. (Nov. 16)
11. The Cultural Wars:
Multiculturalism in America, 1990-2000. (Nov. 23)
12. Exam: (Nov. 30)
The research paper is due by November 30.
13. Concluding the course: (Dec. 7)
The War on Terrorism and the Impact of 9/11 on America, 1990-2001.
June 22, 2015.
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