Joe O’Leary
Spring 2012
AMH 2041: Early America
Lecture: TBA, Room: TBA
Discussion Sections: TBA
Professor
TBA
Office Hours: TBA
Office:
Email:
Teaching Assistants
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Office Hours: TBA
Office: DM 392
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Course Description
Welcome to AMH 2041: Early America! This course covers two-hundred fifty years of
American history, from the European colonies of North America until the American Civil War.
This course places heavy emphasis on the various relationships that were formed during the
colonial period in large part lasted until the Civil War. I also hope that my students will get a
sense of the historiography for the period. Historiography is not something to be frightened of,
it’s just the different views that different writers have of history.
Objectives and Outcomes
By the end of the semester, you should be able to
1. Describe the basic chronology of events and trends from the beginning of British
colonization of North America through the United States' first six decades of existence.
2. Explain orally and in writing some of the causes and significance of those events and
trends.
3. Interpret a variety of historical sources (primarily texts and images).
4. Evaluate relevant websites for their suitability for historical research.
5. Conduct basic library research on topics in American history using JSTOR, the library
catalog, and at least one other database.
6. Write a clear, convincing, college-level paper analyzing primary and secondary
sources in the content area of the course.
This course is no longer a ‘Gordon-Rule’ course. It is now a ‘Humanities with Writing’ course!
FIU expects that once completed students exiting ‘Humanities with Writing’ courses should be
able to:
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
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It has a clear purpose and thesis or controlling idea.
The thesis is supported with adequate reasons and evidence.
It shows sustained analysis and critical thought.
It is organized clearly and logically.
Joe O’Leary

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It shows knowledge of conventions of standard written English.
It shows awareness of disciplinary conventions in regard to content, style, form, and
delivery method.
Remember that to get ‘Humanities with Writing’ credit – you MUST pass this course with a C or
better.
Web-Assisted Course
This is a web-assisted course. While you’ll rarely need a computer in class, the course materials
are located on Moodle. Follow these directions to log in:
 Go to http://ecampus.fiu.edu
 Click the Login button
 User ID and password
o User ID = Your My Accounts user ID
o Password = Your My Accounts password
 For login help, call 305-348-2284.
 You can also visit them at GL 249
 If you need to look up your My Accounts user ID or reset your My Accounts password,
go to http://myaccounts.fiu.edu and follow the instructions.
Please log into the course Moodle website as soon as possible. If you’re having log in issues,
please see me or go to ULS in Green Library, you don’t want to fall behind this early in the
semester. If you do not have a computer there are computer labs on campus (one located below
us on the first floor of GC) and the library allows students to check out laptops (both Mac and
PC) for three hours at a time – be on time returning those though, the fine is $30.00 PER HOUR
for returning them late.
We will also use turnitin.com for peer-editing, grading, and plagiarism checking. Turnitin.com
will be directly linked to the course website via Moodle.
If at any point during the semester, you become confused about assignments, and how and when
they should be done, please contact me immediately.
Readings for Course
The readings for this course will be a combination of secondary texts and primary source
documents. The readings will tie into formal written papers and will be discussed at the
appropriate time in the semester.
The works that would be in your best interest to purchase are:
Jack Weatherford, Indian Givers: How Native Americans Transformed the World, New York:
Ballantine Books, 1989. ISBN 0449904962
Joe O’Leary
William Moraley, Susan E. Klepp and Billy Gordon Smith (eds.), The Infortunate: The Voyage
of William Moraley, An Indentured Servant, State College: Pennsylvania State University Press,
2005. ISBN 0271026766
Ann Buermann Wass, Clothing through American History: The Federal Era through
Antebellum, 1786-1860. New York: Greenwood, 2010. ISBN 0313335338
Other works will be scanned and provided for you on Moodle, make sure to check and get these
readings as well.
Reading and Participation in Lecture
I assume that college students will complete the assigned readings, so I won’t lecture on the
books we are reading. My lectures work hand in hand with the text material to provide a full
picture dealing with the history of Early America. We’ll do regular writing exercises in lecture
that will help with understanding the material on which I am lecturing. In addition, I don’t like
powerpoint and my notes will not be available for student usage. It is imperative that you come
to lecture.
Reading and Participation in Discussion Section
Coming to discussion having read the material will allow you to participate in discussion section
and group work. Many of the readings are directly connected to the prewriting and drafting
process of the writing projects, so your writing will be strengthened by critically thinking about
the language within the texts. If something you read is unclear, ask and it will be discussed in
section. It is likely that you’re not the only one who has the same question. In addition, you’ll
earn points for participation based on your contribution to discussion.
Attendance
Because the work that is done in discussion will be directly connected to the formal papers and
exams attendance is crucial in section and will be a significant part of your participation grade.
You must attend 80% of face-to-face discussion section meetings in order to pass this class. This
means that you can pass the papers and the exams with high marks but still fail the course if you
do not attend your assigned discussion section. Exceptions to this policy will be discussed on a
case by case basis, please see me and your TA to discuss.
Joe O’Leary
Grading
You must receive a “C” grade or higher to receive ‘Humanities with Writing’ credit for AMH
2041. Grading weights are shown below.
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Writing Project 1
Writing Project 2
Writing Project 3
Discussion Section
Final Exam
15%
20%
20%
20%
25%
Written Assignments
There will be three formal written papers due in this course. They will be spread over the course
of the semester, so you won’t be writing three papers right at the end of the semester. There will
be a handout given to you in your first discussion section which details the requirements and the
due dates for the written assignments.
Format for Written Assignments
Unless specified otherwise, all formal writing assignments must be typed, double spaced, Times
New Roman 12. The official formatting for formal history papers is Turabian style. It is also
known as Chicago. Please see pages 511-523 in your Everyday Writer (if you took ENC
1101/02) here at FIU. Another useful website is Purdue University’s writing page. Check it out
at: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/01/
Late Writing Project Submissions
All assignments are on the assigned due date. Please see the Moodle calendar for final due dates.
I’ll also make sure to mention upcoming due dates during class. The letter grade will be reduced
½ grade (5%) for every day the writing project is late, and the reduced grade will carry over to
revisions. For example, if you turn in an A paper a day late, it will be reduced to a B+, and
cannot be revised to an A. If you turn in the paper on the due date, but after class has ended, it
will be considered a day late. If you’re going to have an issue getting the paper in on time, talk
to me BEFORE the due date. Being proactive with this will allow me to help you.
If you do not hand in all three major writing projects, you will fail the course.
Joe O’Leary
Revision
You will be able to revise one graded writing project. If the revision shows significant
improvement, you’ll receive a higher grade which will replace the original grade. We’ll discuss
revision throughout the semester.
FIU Writing Center
FIU has a writing center whose mission is to help students improve their writing. They
encourage students make appointments to help them best assist you. Their website is:
http://w3.fiu.edu/writingcenter/
Plagiarism
FIU defines plagiarism as: “The deliberate use and appropriation of another’s work without any
indication of the source and the representation of such work as the student’s own.” While we’ll
have a class period where we discuss plagiarism, it’s your responsibility to make sure that
understand what it is and how to avoid plagiarizing other’s works. Please see FIU’s policies on
plagiarism at: http://coeweb.fiu.edu/plagiarism/FIU_Procedures_in_Plagiarism.htm and take the
plagiarism quiz located at: http://coweb.fiu.edu/plagiarism/quiz_content.htm. Once you have
reached your score on the quiz, do a print screen (hit alt + the Prt Scn button for windows PC’s
or Apple Key + Shift + 3 on a Mac) and then print that image and bring it to class by the end of
the second week. Remember to put your name and your Panther ID on the paper!
Final Exam
The final exam will be held during the final exam period at the end of the semester. It will be a
comprehensive exam that will ask you to synthesize the readings from the semester and show
your masters of their knowledge. The format will likely be a mixture of identification/short
answer and an essay.
Disability Resource Center (DRC)
The following information is taken from the DRC website, located at: http://drc.fiu.edu/
In the postsecondary educational environment a student with a disability is required to selfidentify and complete a thorough intake process. The university is then legally obligated to
provide services and academic accommodations to qualified students. The DRC strongly
encourages students to make the determination of accommodation requests at the beginning of
each semester. Once registered, I’ll receive notification from DRC that the process has been
completed and I’ll be able to help you succeed in this class.
Joe O’Leary
Grievances and Your Rights
If at any point in the semester you have any questions or concerns about your grade or your
standing in the class, please see your teaching assistants first, they’re the ones that interact with
you on a closer basis than I do. If that’s unable to rectify the situation, then please come see me.
Addressing your questions and concerns is part of my job.
As students you’re not helpless, you’ve got rights here at FIU – make sure you know them. Go to
this website: http://www2.fiu.edu/~sccr/. Also make sure you have a copy of the FIU student
handbook, get one from the Office of Campus Life in GC.
Joe O’Leary
Weekly Schedule1
Week 1
Lectures:
 Introduction to course and course expectations.
 Anglo contact with Indians.
Reading:
 There is no reading for this week. Bring your 3 books to section as your section leader
may run a ‘textbook scavenger hunt’ in an attempt to familiarize you with the texts for
this course.
Discussion:
 Introduction to TA’s and fellow students
 Students should receive handout detailing formal papers for this course
Week 2
Lectures:
 English Settlements
 Problems early in Virginia
Reading:
 Read the assigned sections of Weatherford dealing with English-Native American contact
and interaction.
Discussion:
 Possible pop quiz
 TA’s will hold short class discussion on the readings for the week
 TA’s will discuss how to successfully write a college essay
1
This schedule is subject to change at the discretion of the professor.
Joe O’Leary
Week 3
Lectures:
 Settlements elsewhere in the New World
 Compare and contrast of settlements in different parts of New World
Reading:
 Read assigned documents for this week
 TA’s are allowed to pick the documents for their sections from these two sites:
o http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presen
tations/timeline/colonial/virginia/
o http://www.archive.org/details/summervisitofthr00kin
 Continue with useful parts of Weatherford
Discussion:
 Possible pop quiz
 TA’s will hold class discussion on readings for the week
 TA’s will cover first writing prompt.
Week 4
Lectures:
 Problems in Massachusetts: Salem
 Indentured Servants in the 1700s
Reading:
 Begin reading Moraley’s work
Discussion
 Possible pop quiz
 TA’s will hold class discussion on Moraley
 Peer review for papers.
Joe O’Leary
Week 5
Lectures:
 Slavery in the 1700s
 Economics and Politics in 1700s British North America
Reading:
 Continue with Moraley
 Read scanned material from Betty Wood, The Origins of American Slavery: Freedom
and Bondage in the English Colonies.
Discussion:
 Possible pop quiz
 TA’s will hold class discussion on readings for the week
 Paper is due Friday night by midnight.
Week 6
Lectures:
 The lead up to the American Revolution
 The American Revolution
Reading:
 Finish Moraley and scanned material from Wood.
Discussion:
 Possible pop quiz
 TA’s will hold class discussion on readings for the week
 TA’s will explain prompt for next formal essay assignment.
Joe O’Leary
Week 7
Lectures:
 End of the American Revolution
 We’re ‘free’, so now what? The formation of the Republic.
Reading:
 Primary source documents (see Moodle file)
 Read scanned parts from Slavery and Politics in the Early Republic by Matthew Mason
Discussion:
 Possible pop quiz
 TA’s will hold class discussion on readings for the week
 Peer review for the second essay assignment
Week 8
Lectures:
 Jefferson
 When was the War of 1812 fought?
Readings:
 Primary source documents (see Moodle file)
 Finish scanned material from Mason
Discussion:
 Possible pop quiz
 TA’s will hold class discussion on readings for the week
 Paper due Friday night at midnight
Week 9
Spring Break – no class
Joe O’Leary
Week 10
Lectures:
 Economic changes in the post-Revolution North
 Economic changes in the post-Revolution South
Readings:
 Begin reading the second half of Clothing through American History: The Federal Era
through Antebellum, 1760-1860 by Ann Buermann Wass
Discussion:
 Possible pop quiz
 TA’s will hold class discussion on readings for the week
 TA’s will go over prompt for third and final (yay!) essay
Week 11
Lectures:
 It’s more fun when there’s more than one party!: The two party system in the U.S.
 Old Hickory: Jackson in the White House.
Readings:
 Primary source documents (see Moodle file)
 Continue reading Wass text
Discussion:
 Possible pop quiz
 TA’s will hold short class discussion on readings for the week
 Peer Review essay three
Joe O’Leary
Week 12
Lectures:
 The Second Great Awakening
 Abolition and women’s rights
Reading:
 Primary source documents (see Moodle file)
 Finish Wass text
Discussion:
 Possible pop quiz
 TA’s will hold class discussion on readings for the week
 Paper is due by Friday night at midnight
Week 13
Lectures:
 Old South Slavery
 Slave Power and the spread to the Midwest
Reading:
 Primary source documents (see Moodle file)
Discussion:
 Possible Pop quiz
 TA’s will hold class discussion on readings for the week
 TA’s will inform students about rewrite policy
Joe O’Leary
Week 14
Lectures:
 The Compromise of 1850 and Bleeding Kansas
 The rise of the Republicans
Readings:
 Primary source documents (see Moodle file)
Discussion:
 Possible pop quiz
 TA’s will hold class discussion on readings for the week
 Rewrites due Friday by midnight
Week 15
Lectures:
 Secession and Fort Sumter
 The Civil War
Readings:
 Primary source documents (see Moodle file)
Discussion:
 Possible pop quiz
 TA’s will hold review for final exam next week.
Week 16
FINAL EXAM – Please see Moodle for scheduled Final Exam time.