Spring 2013: American History I (H105)
M/W Noon-1:15
**Any changes to the syllabus will be posted to an updated syllabus on OnCourse**
Professor Rebecca Shrum
Office Hours: Friday 10-12 and by appointment
Office: Cavanaugh 503L
Office Phone: 317-274-3916
Teaching Assistant Eric Hamilton
Office Hours: T/Th 10:30-12:30 and by appointment
Office: Cavanaugh 506
Please contact us through Oncourse email. If you need to speak with Professor Shrum directly,
please use rshrum@iupui.edu.
Course Description
History 105 is an introduction to the study of North American history from the period
immediately preceding European colonization through the coming of the Civil War. Lectures,
readings, discussions, and assessments will introduce students to historical method through
a study of pre-contact and settlement-era North America; encounters between Native
Americans, Europeans, and Africans; the development of the American colonies; the creation of
the American Republic; social, political, and economic challenges faced by the new nation;
geographic growth and regional tensions; and the coming of the Civil War. We will pay
particular attention throughout the semester to the diversities of American experiences.
Introduction to Historical Method
Can history be more than just “one damn fact after another”? YES!! At the heart of history is
historical method, which means that history is something that one does; it is not just a body
of “facts.” History involves locating, evaluating and using evidence to reconstruct and
understand the past. It entails asking useful questions (much more on this later) and then
finding out where and how to find the answers. This includes being critical of the evidence
found–are the sources genuine and, even if they are, is the information valid? Even genuine
sources can be wrong. Once it is determined what evidence is credible, it must be organized into
a larger, logical whole that can be clearly communicated to others. In short, historians find
evidence, evaluate it for authenticity and bias, establish its historical context, determine what it
all means, and communicate their findings to others. Not surprisingly, this method of
investigation and reporting has been likened to detective work. People who must use precisely
these skills fill many professional-level jobs in business, industry, and government: analysts of
all kinds, marketing specialists, managers. Persons with historical training frequently have more
aptitude for these jobs than others. (Adapted from Appalachian State University, Department of History)
1
Course Objectives
My objectives for this course embrace not only the content we will cover (the history of early
America), but also how this course will enable you to learn and hone skills critical to your
success as a college student and in your chosen career (historical method).
This course is designed to promote proficiency in IUPUI’s Principles of Undergraduate
Learning. These principles “comprise a common, campus-wide articulation of expectations for
baccalaureate degree recipients. They define a set of higher order abilities and skills that all
undergraduates are expected to master, providing a focused statement of expectations for all
undergraduate students, no matter what their major.”
From http://academicaffairs.iupui.edu/plans/pul/
There are six Principles of Undergraduate Learning:
1. Core Communication and
Quantitative Skills
2. Critical Thinking
3. Intellectual Depth, Breadth, and
Adaptiveness
4. Integration and Application of
Knowledge
5. Understanding Society and Culture
6. Values and Ethics
History 105 focuses on 1, 2, and 5:
 Understand and remember key themes, events, and people from this period of American
history. (PUL 5)
 Understand and practice historical method, developing the critical thinking skills
necessary to meaningfully analyze historical material and arguments (primary and
secondary sources). (PUL 1 and 2)
Books Available for Purchase:
1. The American Promise, Lead Author: James L. Roark, ISBN: 978-1-4576-1937
2. The Slave Ship, Author: Marcus Rediker, ISBN: 978-0-14-311425-3
3. Murder in their Hearts: The Fall Creek Massacre, Author: David Thomas Murphy,
ISBN: 978-0-87195-285-1
EXTRA CREDIT BOOK: The Battle for Christmas: A Cultural History of America’s Most
Cherished Holiday (Author: Stephen Nissenbaum) ISBN: 0-679-41223-9. It is also available at
Amazon on Kindle for $13.99, which can be read on any computer. http://www.amazon.com/TheBattle-for-Christmas-ebook/dp/B004CFAWQ6/ ref=tmm_ kin_title_0?ie
=UTF8&qid=1344864332&sr=8-1. You can download the Kindle software for your computer here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=sv_kinh_1?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771
Additional readings: Primary Sources will regularly be distributed and discussed in class and
made available on Oncourse. These materials will be integral to our course learning and will be
covered on the exams. When you miss class, please check Oncourse to see if any resources are
available there.
Assessment:
Your grade in this course will be comprised of:
Attendance
10%
Quizzes
25%
2
Exam 1
Exam 2
Paper
20%
20%
25%
At the end of the semester, I will average all of your scores to determine your final grade as
follows:
A
93 and above
B+
87-89
C+
77-79
D
60-69
A90-92
B
83-86
C
73-76
F
59 and below
B80-82
C70-72
EXAMS: You will take two non-cumulative exams in this class. Exam format may differ and
will be discussed before each exam. Exams must be taken on the assigned date. Make-up exams
may be given at the instructor’s discretion only in the most exceptional and unavoidable
situations. You must secure our permission to miss an exam before the exam or have written
documentation to show you could not make the exam nor contact the professor. To arrange a
makeup, please email us through Oncourse. Arrangements must be made in writing.
IN-CLASS QUIZZES: Four in-class quizzes will be given over the course of the semester. You
will find the dates in the syllabus. Quizzes cover assigned reading (noted in the syllabus) and will
be given in the first 10 minutes of class. If you arrive late, you will not be able to take the quiz. If
you miss class on the day the quiz is given, you have 48 hours after the beginning of the class
period at which the quiz was given to submit a MISSED QUIZ PAPER. The instructions for
Missed Quiz Papers are available under Assignments on OnCourse. Missed Quiz Papers will be
returned within one week on Oncourse.
PAPER: You will write one paper in this class. It will be on historical method and Murder in
Their Hearts: The Fall Creek Massacre. The paper will be between 1500-1800 words.
Instructions will be made available later in the semester. Late papers will be accepted with a 10point penalty for each 24 hour-period past the due date (which is to Oncourse before class
begins at noon on April 10th).
EXTRA CREDIT: You will have one opportunity to earn extra credit in this course, based on
your reading of The Battle for Christmas. Instructions will be made available later in the
semester. The maximum number of extra credit points you can earn is 10 points on your final
grade in the course.
Attendance: will be taken at every class meeting and in almost all cases will count for 10% (i.e.,
10 points out of the 100) of your final grade. You may miss 3 class meetings with no penalty.
After that, I will deduct 3 points from the maximum of 10 points of your attendance grade for
each missed class. At each class meeting, I will distribute a sign-in sheet. If you are late to class,
it is your responsibility to stay after class to sign in.
Number of classes missed
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Number of attendance points earned
10 (will appear in gradebook as 100)
10 (will appear in gradebook as 100)
10 (will appear in gradebook as 100)
10 (will appear in gradebook as 100)
7 (will appear in gradebook as 70)
4 (will appear in gradebook as 40)
1 (will appear in gradebook as 10)
If you miss more than 6 classes, you will be in serious jeopardy of failing the class. It is your
responsibility to make an appointment by email to speak with Prof. Shrum after your 6th
absence.
3
I am happy to adjust this policy to take into account religious observance or universitysanctioned activities, but you must let us know no later than the end of the 2nd week of the
semester, in writing by email through Oncourse.
Expectations
Academic Integrity The integrity of the classes offered by any academic institution solidifies
the foundation of its mission and cannot be sacrificed to expediency, ignorance, or blatant fraud.
Therefore, I will enforce rigorous standards of academic integrity in all aspects and assignments
of this course (Statement from WVU). Students who cheat or plagiarize will receive a zero for
the work in question. Further action may be pursued at the professor’s discretion. According to
the IUPUI Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, “Cheating is considered to be
an attempt to use or provide unauthorized assistance, materials, information, or study aids in
any form and in any academic exercise or environment… Plagiarism is defined as presenting
someone else’s work, including the work of other students, as one’s own.” For comprehensive
information on IUPUI’s policy on cheating and plagiarism consult Code of Student Rights,
Responsibilities, and Conduct available on-line at http://www.iupui.edu/code/. For additional
information on cheating and plagiarism and IUPUI’s policies on academic misconduct, please
see: “Dealing with Student Academic Misconduct,” http://registrar.iupui.edu/misconduct.html.
Administrative Withdrawal: Attendance has been proven to be a key factor in academic
success. Faculties of IUPUI are supportive of all course coordinators' and instructors' efforts to
ensure that students in their courses are attending course meetings and/or participating in
required course activities. To encourage attendance, the history department uses IUPUI’s
administrative withdrawal in its 100-level courses. This means that if you miss more than half of
the required activities within the first 25% of the course without contacting me, you may be
administratively withdrawn from this course. Our course meets twice per week; thus if you miss
more than four classes in the first four weeks or do not take one of the first two quizzes, you
may be withdrawn from the class. Administrative withdrawal may have academic, financial, and
financial aid implications. Administrative withdrawal will take place after the full refund period,
and if you are administratively withdrawn from the course you will not be eligible for a tuition
refund. If you have questions about the administrative withdrawal policy, please contact me. For
more information, see: http://registrar.iupui.edu/withdrawal-policy.html
CAMPUS RESOURCES If you might require special accommodations for completion of
academic assignments, please notify us within the first two class periods. You may wish to
contact Adaptive Educational Services (AES), Cavanaugh Hall, Suite 001E, 425 University Blvd.,
Indianapolis, IN 46202–5140, Tel: (317) 274–3241, TDD/TTY: (317) 278–2050, Fax: (317) 278–
2051, Email: aes@iupui.edu. Staff there can provide a range of assistance. For more
information, see: http://www.iupui.edu/~divrsity/aes/. If you have a problem you don't know
how to solve, the Student Advocate Office may be of help. They will answer your questions,
direct you to the appropriate departments and people, familiarize you with university policies
and procedures, and give you guidance as you look at ways to solve problems and make choices.
The Student Advocate Office is located in UC002 and can be contacted by phone at 278-7594 or
email at stuadvoc@iupui.edu. For more information, see the Student Advocate website at:
http://www.life.iupui.edu/advocate/
4
IN-CLASS CONDUCT: When you are in my classroom, I expect you to:
1.) Have the necessary materials: assigned readings and note-taking materials.
2.) Be alert and engaged during lectures, discussions, films, and small group work. This
means that you are not reading/working on other materials, using electronic devices (all
electronic devices must be turned off (or to silent and ignored) during class), talking
inappropriately, sleeping, or disrupting class. When working in small groups, I expect
you to be actively engaged with your classmates in the project at hand. If you engage in
any prohibited behavior during our class session, I reserve the right to ask you to leave
the classroom immediately.
3.) One final note about electronics: cell phones and tablets should not be visible while class
is in session—please keep your cell phone (turned off or to silent) in your purse,
backpack, or pocket for the duration of class. Earphones must be out of your ears for the
duration of class. I will award your class 5 extra credit points on each exam for perfect
etiquette in this regard. Each time we see or hear one of these devices (or their
accessories), the ENTIRE CLASS will lose 1 extra credit point on the upcoming exam. If
you need to be monitoring a cell phone for a particular reason, just let us know. I am
happy to make these accommodations. It is alright to use a laptop in class, but if you are
using it for non-class related matters, you will cost the class 1 extra credit point and lose
this privilege for the remainder of the semester.
5
Date
1/7
1/9
1/14-16
Topic
COURSE SCHEDULE
Readings
INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
What is History; Syllabus; Expectations
BEGINNINGS
Native Americans Before European Contact
European Exploration and Colonization
Roark, Ch. 1
“1491”; Roark, Ch. 2
ASSIGNMENT/Notes
QUIZ 1 (Wed.) 5% covers ONLY
“1491.” Missed quiz paper due to
Oncourse 1/18 by noon.
COMPARING/CONTRASTING ENGLISH COLONIAL EXPERIENCES
1/21 MLK
1/23
Virginia
“Meeting a Captive Englishman” on
Oncourse; Roark, 55-59
1/28-30
2/4-6
Virginia, cont.; New England
New England
NATIVE AMERICANS AND AFRICANS IN THE NEW WORLD
Africans
Roark, 60-80 (Mon.); 81-89 (Wed.)
Roark 90-108; 112-116
2/11
2/13
2/18-2/20
Native Americans
Exam One
THE UNITED STATES BEGINS
2/25-27
3/4-6
3/11-13
3/18-20
Strains on Empire
The American Revolution
Spring Break
The New Republic
3-25-27
4/1-3
4/8-10
ANTEBELLUM AMERICA:
NATIONAL GROWTH & ITS CONSEQUENCES
National Growth
Native Americans Face Westward Expansion
African Americans in the Antebellum South
4/15
Week 16,
4/22-24
May 1 10am
The Slave Ship, 41-61, 108-307
Roark, 121-127
QUIZ 2 (Wed.) 5% covers ONLY
“Meeting a Captive Englishman.” Missed
quiz paper due to Oncourse 1/25 by noon.
QUIZ 3 (Wed.) 10% This quiz will have
a different format. Missed Quiz paper due
to Oncourse 2/13 by noon.
Exam 1 Wed. (20%)
Roark, Ch. 6
Roark, Ch. 7
Roark, Ch. 8 and 241-245, 286-290;
The Slave Ship, 308-342
Roark 273-277, 303-9, and Ch. 12
Henretta Chapter (Oncourse)
Roark, Ch. 13
African Americans, cont., 4/15; No Class On Wed. 4/17
The Coming of the Civil War
QUIZ 4 (Wed.) 5% covers ONLY The
Slave Ship chapter. Missed quiz paper due
to Oncourse 3/22 by noon.
Be reading: Murder in Their Hearts (all)
PAPER DUE, WEDNESDAY 4/10
(25%) On Murder in Their Hearts to
Oncourse by noon.
Extra Credit: Battle for Christmas
(Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and the Epilogue)
Exam 1 (20%)
Exam Two
6