HST 201D: History of the United States
Instructor: Max Geier (geierm@wou.edu)
Phone: 838-8369
Fall 2011
http://www.wou.edu/~geierm/
Office: HSS 213
Office Hours: MW 1-3, by appt
Teaching Assistant for 201D: Hannah Marshall (office hours: Tues 11-12 in Hamersly 220 )
Course Objectives: This is a survey course designed to introduce lower-division, undergraduate students to professional standards of
history as an academic discipline involving critical analysis and written interpretation of primary documents. It links these materials
with recent scholarship in the field of American history for the period before 1830. Class meetings are designed to encourage
informed inquiry into assigned readings, with in-class discussions and supplemental lectures that develop contrasting interpretations
and expand on relevant interpretive themes. Student presentations each week focus on assigned primary sources and closely related,
interpretive sources. Students will learn and gain experience with the various tools that historians use to advance our understanding
of the past. By the end of the course, students will develop and demonstrate an improved ability to synthesize and express, in writing
and in oral argument, an effective historical discussion that builds on critical analysis and original interpretation of a variety of
primary source documents as they relate to ideas and evidence from assigned, secondary readings.
Required Texts: successful completion of this course will require a solid grasp of assigned readings in all of these texts, and engagement
with in-class discussions based on these readings. All of these books are available for purchase at the WOU bookstore in the Werner
University Center. Please note: they are ALL required texts.
Henr. 1. James A. Henretta; David Brody, America: A Concise History, Combined Volume, 4th edition (Bedford/St
Martins, 2010) ISBN 978-0-312-48541-2
MHW 2. Make History Website: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/makehistory2e/MH/Home.aspx (sign in as
student and access course modules listed under my e-mail, geierm@wou.edu )
Web. 3. David Weber (ed.), What Caused the Pueblo Revolt of 1680? (Bedford/St Martins, 1999)
Zabin 3. Serena R. Zabin, ed. The New York Conspiracy Trials of 1741: Daniel Horsmanden’s ‘Journal of the Proceedings’
with Related Documents (Boston, MA: Bedford Books, 2004)
Holt 4. Woody Holton (ed.), Black Americans in the Revolutionary Era: A Brief History with Documents
(Bedford/St Martins, 2009)
Ram 5. Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, 6th Edition (Bedford/St Martins, 2011)
Schedule of Readings, Assignments, and Themes for in-class Discussion for the Week of:
Sept 26 & Sept 28
Collision of Worlds: The Paradox of Intercontinental Contact in a Provincial Age
Week #1 Readings (due before class on Wednesday, 28 September): Rampolla, chapters 1, 2, and 6; then read in
Henretta, pp. 2-35, Weber, pp. 1-18. Come to class Wednesday prepared to discuss voices and themes listed below
Discussion themes and Questions:
1.
2.
How did images (pictures, maps, descriptions) of North America affect the assumptions Europeans brought to this continent and
their interactions with North Americans who were already here?
How did a person’s past experiences and background influence their understanding of the “other” in the era of early,
intercontinental contact in North America?
Voices: Making History website collection labeled HST
Oct 3 & Oct 5
201D 2011 Week One
Landscapes of Access and Privilege: Redefining Nature as Property and Calling it “Right”
Week #2 Readings: Henretta, pp. 36-65; Weber, pp. 21-55; voices and images listed below
3.
4.
5.
How did perceptions of the landscape relate to ideas of virtuous behavior, legitimacy, and authority?
How did the idea of property as a “natural right” affect the status of people without property (consider how this relates to
perceptions or depictions of race and gender)?
How did the concept of “found wealth” (furs, gold, land, slaves, etc.) affect ideas of justice and legitimate violence?
Voices: Making History website collection labeled HST
Oct 10 & Oct 12
201D 2011 Week Two
Chaos and Order: Idealized Landscapes and Realized Communities
Week #3 Readings: Henretta, pp. 66-95; Weber, pp. 55-115; Zabin, pp. 1-39; 171-176; voices and images listed below
6.
7.
8.
Compare English, Spanish, and French interactions with Native American Indians? What accounts for the differences?
Similarities?
How did the concept of race slavery evolve between 1650 and 1750 (consider how slavery compared with indentured
servitude and how \ gender and race affected how people experienced life under these systems)?
How did the growth of bound labor affect patterns of resistance and unrest, between 1670 and 1740 in New England and New
Mexico? In what ways did fears of slave rebellion compare with fears of witchcraft in the late 17 th and early 18th centuries?
Voices: Making History website collection labeled HST
201D 2011 Week Three
Analysis Paper #1 due Monday 17 October (formal essay responding to in-class discussion, and based on readings and discussion
from weeks 1, 2, and 3—see “HST 201D Analysis Paper Guidelines” posted on my website at http://www.wou.edu/~geierm/ for
full requirements of this assignment). A focus question for this assignment will be provided in class on Monday 10 October.
Oct 17 & Oct 19
Perils of Growth: Stratified Communities and Circumscribed Lives
Week #4 Readings: Henretta, pp. 96-127; Zabin, pp. 75-159; voices and images listed below;
9. How did the British imperial system affect how people acquired wealth before 1750?
10. Why did religious upheaval coincide with fears of inter-racial violence and slave resistance?
11. How did concerns about slave rebellions exacerbate tensions among Spanish, English, and French ? How did these
concerns relate to the tensions that led to the outbreak of imperial war in 1753?
12. How did race slavery affect notions of justice and legal authority within the British colonies in North America?
13. How did Spanish, French, and British colonial systems differ and how did imperial conflicts affect race and class
interactions in North America during the first half of the 18th century (1700-1750s)?
Voices: Making History website collection labeled
Oct 24 & Oct 26
HST 201D 2011 Week Four
Empire and Community: Individual Experiences and American Identities
Week #5 Readings: Henretta, pp. 128-160; Holton, Part One; voices and images listed below
14. How did localized conflicts after the Montreal surrender and before the Paris peace settlement affect post-war priorities
for colonists? How did that compare with postwar priorities for the British empire?
15. Why did those who supported the revolution label opponents “Tories”? What motivated opponents of the revolution?
16. What factors contributed to the emergence of a unified American resistance movement in the 1760s, and to what extent
did colonial leaders remain divided against each other?
Voices: Making History website collection labeled
HST 201D 2011 Week Five
Midterm Exam on Monday 31 October (covering readings and discussions/presentations from weeks 1 through 5
Oct 31 & Nov 2
Civil War and Uncivil Warfare: Violent Legacies and Reconstructive Imperatives
Week #6 Readings: Henretta, pp. 161-192; Holton, Part Two Ch 1 & 2; voices and images listed below
17. Who were the Loyalists and how did they fare during and after the revolution? How did their experience compare with the
arguments of those who favored a revolution at the outset of the war?
18. What was republicanism and how did that concept relate to the effects of the war on noncombatants?
19. How did revolutionary rhetoric influence the first state constitutions and the Articles of Confederation?
20. Why did opponents of the Articles of Confederation gain influence during the First Republic (1780s)?
Voices: Making History website collection labeled HST
Nov 7 & Nov 9
201D 2011 Week Six
Resisting Reform: Revolutionary Rhetoric and Counter-revolution in the First Republic
Week #7 Readings: Henretta, pp. 193-224; Holton, Part Two Ch 3 & 4; voices and images listed below
21.
22.
23.
24.
How did the economic legacies of the war affect post-war arguments for constitutional reform?
What were the implications of the Constitutional reforms of 1787-1791 for American ideology of republicanism?
What were the implications of Constitutional Reforms of 1787-1789 for African Americans?
How did race relations and slavery affect American decisions for war in 1811-1815? What were the consequences of the war for
American national identity?
Voices: Making History website collection labeled HST
Nov 14 & Nov 16
201D 2011 Week Seven
Property Rules: Governing a Rebellious Populace
Week #8 Readings: Henretta, pp. 225-255; voices and images listed below
25. How did Aristocratic Republicanism compare with Democratic Republican Culture?
26. How did the capitalist transformation affect American notions of republicanism?
27. What were the implications of the Second Great Awakening for American republicanism and the capitalist transformation?
Voices: Making History website collection labeled HST 201D 2011 Week Eight
Analysis Paper #2 due Monday, 21 November (formal essay responding to discussions and assignments for weeks 5, 6, 7, and 8—see
“Analysis Paper Guidelines” for full requirements)
Nov 21 & Nov 23
The Market Revolution: Authoritarian Visions and Popular Ideals
Week #9 Readings: Henretta, pp. 256-289; voices and images listed below
28. How did the Market Revolution influence patterns of residence and community organizing?
29. What were the characteristics of the emerging middle class and how did they compare with the ideals of the business elite and the
urban working class? Compare with the ideals of agrarian republicanism?
30. What were the implications of the market revolution for agrarianism?
31. What were the tenets of Charles Finney's revivalism and what reforms did his movement foster?
Voices: Making History website collection labeled HST
Nov 28 & Nov 30
201D 2011 Week Nine,
Working for Democracy: Industrial Transformations and Human Community
Week #10 Readings: Henretta, pp. 290-318; voices and images listed below
32. How did the Second Great Awakening affect American politics in the late Jeffersonian era?
33. Why was Andrew Jackson able to capitalize on the new mass politics of the era? How did Jacksonian Democracy compare with
Jeffersonian Republicanism?
34. How did the new mass politics affect the status of Native American Indians and Free Blacks? Women?
35. What were the tenets of the emerging Whig opposition and how did they compare with the emergent Labor movement?
Voices: Making History website collection labeled HST
201D 2011 Week Ten
Final Exam: as listed in schedule of classes or at http://www.wou.edu/provost/registrar/finals.php
Accomodations for Students with Documented Disabilities: Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, who
have any emergency medical information the instructor should be aware of, or who need special arrangements in the event of evacuation,
should make an appointment with the instructor as early as possible, and no later than the first week of the term. For more information
on services and support available on this campus, interested students should contact the Office of Disability Services (838-8250v/tty) in
the AP 405.
Citation Guidelines and Academic Honesty Policy: Historians generally adhere to the style and citation standards of the Chicago
Manual of Style. Those guidelines are available in a highly abbreviated format suited to the needs of this course (see required websites
listed above). All papers submitted for a grade in this course must adhere to the conventions of proper English usage and (except for the
final exam) they must fully cite any and all sources referenced, quoted, or otherwise consulted in the course of generating or developing
ideas for these assignments. Students are expected to familiarize themselves with, and adhere to the WOU student code of conduct
in all matters pertaining to this class. Penalties for violating academic honesty guidelines are severe, and may include both failure
in this course and broader sanctions at the campus level, as detailed in the student code of conduct (available on-line at
http://www.wou.edu/student/csr.php ). These matters are further addressed in the Social Science division’s policy on Academic
Dishonesty, which is also available on-line at http://www.wou.edu/las/socsci (click on “student resources” at upper left and then
follow the links). All students are required to complete the tutorial on plagiarism in the first week of classes, including the quiz at
the end of the tutorial. Results of the quiz must be emailed to geierm@wou.edu
Grading System: Opportunity for Grade
Percentage of Grade for the Course
Schedule of Opportunity
Analysis Paper #1
15
see above schedule
Analysis Paper #2
20
see above schedule
Primary source oral presentations/analyses and class participation 30
regular attendance
Midterm Exam
15
see above schedule
Final Exam
20
see schedule of classes
Examination Format: Blue books and an ink writing utensil are required for all exams. The midterm and the final are unit exams of
similar format. Each exam includes an essay section (60 points) and an identification/short answer essay section (40 points). See
guidelines for preparing for lower-division essay exams on my website for more details. Please note that the Final Exam will
cover materials assigned for weeks 6 through 10.
Class Participation and Primary Source Oral Presentations/Analysis:
1.
2.
3.
Regular participation in class discussions accounts for 60 % of the total points available for class participation:
a. 40% of this total is based on the degree to which you constructively participate in student-led discussions
b. 40% of this total is based on contributions during instructor-led discussions of other class material
c. 20% of this total is based on regular attendance (showing up for class and engaged listening)
Primary Sources Oral Presentations/Analyses account for the remaining 40% of class participation
Disruptive behavior, discourteous treatment of other presenters during class discussions, failure to regularly attend class
meetings, or failure to make Oral Presentations when assigned to do so may result in significant reductions in class
participation credit and/or failure in this component of the course.
Guidelines for Primary Source Oral Presentations/Analyses: Each week of assigned readings includes primary
source documents, listed as “voices” in the list of weekly assignments. These voices are located either in the on-line collections at
the bedfordstmartins.com/makehistory2e website or in one of the textbooks assigned for that week of readings. By the first class
meeting for the week indicated, all students are expected to come to class prepared to participate in the student-led discussions of
how those documents relate to other assigned readings for that week and in relation to other course materials and themes presented
in previous weeks. Each week, the instructor will assign individual students the responsibility for introducing a particular primary
source to the class in the subsequent week, and for guiding class discussion and analysis of that source, using the methods
described in the primary source analysis guidelines in the Rampolla text. Students may request, in advance, assignment to a
particular document or a particular week. By the end of the term, each student is required to present and lead the class in
discussion and analysis of at least three different primary sources. Students may present additional sources, as time permits, for
extra credit, at the discretion of the instructor, but only by pre-arrangement with the instructor. Each week, students are
encouraged to meet with other students assigned responsibility for presenting and analyzing sources for that week, to discuss how
their sources are related, and how they relate to the other materials assigned for that week. Students should also consult with the
instructor as much as possible to discuss their understanding of course materials and assigned primary sources. Each class meeting
is an opportunity to demonstrate developing skills of primary source analysis, either as the person assigned to introduce and lead
discussion, or as a student participating in the student-led discussion of that source. In all cases, students should strive to
demonstrate an applied understanding of the methods of analysis outlined in the Rampolla text.
Analysis Papers: Analysis papers are formal essays that critically analyze a focus question that the instructor will provide one
week in advance of the due date of the assignment. Each analysis paper should respond to that focus question, drawing effectively
on assigned readings, with particular attention to demonstrating an understanding of how to develop primary-source documents as
evidence supporting an historical argument that also draws effectively on other course readings and class discussions. Analysis
Paper # 1 is based on materials assigned for weeks 1-3. Analysis Paper #2 is based on materials assigned for weeks 5, 6, 7, and 8.
Each Analysis Paper should (1) respond to the question that the instructor poses for that assignment , (2) develop a thesis with
appropriate examples and evidence drawn from the materials assigned for those weeks (including readings in the Henretta text and
in the other assigned readings), (3) relate that argument to broader themes for the course as identified in lectures, discussions, and
other assigned readings, and (4) demonstrate a critical understanding of the evidence presented in the paper, considering the
overall context of lectures, discussions, and readings pertaining to that unit. Analysis Papers are due on the date indicated. No
late papers will be accepted except by pre-arranged, written authorization from the instructor.
Analysis papers will be graded on:
(a) the degree to which the essay is responsive to the question posed for the assignment,
(b) the degree to which the essay meets the requirements for a scholarly essay, as explained in the on-line guides to writing in
history and strategies for critically analyzing sources (see readings on historical methods of analysis, writing, and document
analysis),
(c) the degree to which the essay effectively deploys the available evidence appropriate to the focus question, including a balance
of evidence drawn from primary and relevant secondary materials,
(d) the degree to which the essay makes an effective and convincing argument that is grounded in the available evidence, and
(e) the quality of the analysis of the evidence on which the argument is based.
Students are encouraged to meet individually with the instructor to discuss plans for each analysis paper, and student presenters
are expected to meet jointly with the instructor during office hours to discuss plans for managing in-class discussion of the
assigned materials. Please note my available office hours and contact me to arrange an appointment during available times.