|
|
American Civilization 900:023 Spring, 2007 Course Overview: This course is an interdisciplinary study of American civilization as a developing society, culture and nation over the last four centuries. It will concentrate on the major themes of power and liberty, gender, race and ethnicity, the reform tradition, war and peace, and religion. This includes discussion regarding the power of government vs. the freedom of the individual, the changing nature of the family in American culture, and the concept of American exceptionalism. Grading Criteria: Three tests will be administered during the semester. Test material will come from lectures and assigned readings. There will be no make-up tests, except for those students who have made prior arrangements or for those with documented evidence of illness or crisis. Final Grade: Final grades will be determined through a number of criteria: three tests; in-class writings; quizzes; and class participation. Each evaluation tool will have an assigned point value. Final grades will be determined by dividing the student’s total points by the total number of points possible for the course to determine a percentage. Letter grades for the course will be assigned based on the following: A = 92% to 100% B = 80% to 91% C = 70% to 79% D = 60% to 69% F = 59% or Below Class Participation: Come to class prepared, having read the materials with a few questions or comments to share with the class. Your participation grade will not be based simply on frequency of comments, but also on the quality of your comments. Additionally, quality listening skills are important to the class. I value highly the ability to build discussion with other class members, respecting the opinions of others (especially those who differ with you), and exhibiting respect for one another in the classroom. Participation points are not automatic; students earn them by attending regularly and participating actively in class discussions. Academic Honesty: Academic honesty is very important to me. I expect that all work presented will represent original effort by the student. Any violations will be dealt with in the appropriate manner. See the University of Northern Iowa Catalog for details concerning academic ethics and integrity. Class Policy: Arriving to class late, the use of cell phones or other electronic devices, talking, reading non-class material (or being otherwise distracted and distracting) are not acceptable classroom activities, are disrespectful to your professor and to other students who want to listen and learn. This type of behavior will not be tolerated. Please let me know immediately if you have a health problem or a disability that necessitates leaving the classroom during lectures/discussion. Similarly, if you are likely to have a problem with getting to class on time, or leaving early, please inform me immediately. Attendance is expected. Students with handicapping/disabling conditions should contact the Office of Compliance/Equity Management (Rod Library Rm. 441/Ph. 273.2846) regarding accommodations that might be made in classroom seating, audio-visual aids, etc. __________________________________ Required Texts: Link Hullar and Scott Nelson, The United States: A Brief Narrative History Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Glenn Jeansonne, Messiah of the Masses Luis Alberto Urrea, The Devil's Highway ___________________________________ Class Schedule and Reading Assignments: January 10 Course Introduction Course Themes: Race and Ethnicity/Power and Liberty/Religion Lecture Topic: “The Meeting of Two Worlds” January 17Course Themes: Religion/Power and Liberty Lecture Topic: “European Settlement in North America” Assigned Readings: Hullar and Nelson, Introduction and Chapter 1 Winthrop, A Model of Christian Charity http://www.4literature.net/John_Winthrop/Model_of_Christian_Charity/ January 24 Course Themes: Gender/Power and Liberty/Reform Tradition Lecture Topics: “Women and Men in Colonial America” “The Tyranny of George III” Assigned Reading: Hullar and Nelson, Chapter 2 January 31 Course Themes: Power and Liberty/War and Peace Quiz/Class Discussion over The Declaration of Independence Lecture Topic: “The Meaning of the American Revolution” Assigned Reading: Hullar and Nelson, The Declaration of Independence, pp 199-202 February 7 First Examination Course Theme: Power and Liberty Lecture Topic: “Framing a New Government” Assigned Reading: Hullar and Nelson, Chapter 3 February 14Course Themes: Religion/Reform Tradition Lecture Topic: “The Pursuit of Perfection” Assigned Readings: Hullar and Nelson, Chapters 4 and 5 Thoreau, On Civil Disobedience http://www.transcendentalists.com/civil_disobedience.htm February 21 Course Themes: Gender/Power and Liberty Lecture Topic: “The 19th Century Democratic Family” Video Presentation: Dreams of Equality Commissioned by the National Park Service for the Women’s Rights National Historic Park in Seneca Falls, New York, the video traces the story of the first women’s rights convention through the interactions between a sister and brother from 1848 to the 1860s. Assigned Reading: Hullar and Nelson, Review Chapters 4 and 5 Stanton, Declaration of Sentiments http://www.nd.edu/~feminist/decofsentiments.html February 28 Course Themes: Race and Ethnicity/Power and Liberty Lecture Topic: “The Politics of Manifest Destiny” Video Presentation: Unchained Memories In the midst of the Great Depression, the Federal Writers Project hired journalists and writers to travel the country and record the memories of the last generation of African Americans born in bondage. This video features dramatic readings from the narratives by Angel Bassett, Don Cheadle, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel L. Jackson and others. Assigned Reading: Hullar and Nelson, Chapter 6 March 7 Course Themes: Race and Ethnicity/War and Peace Quiz/Class Discussion over Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Lecture Topic: “The American Civil War: The 'First Modern War'” Assigned Reading: Hullar and Nelson, Chapters 7 and 8 Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
March 14 No Class Spring Break
March 21 Second Examination Course Themes: Power and Liberty/Race and Ethnicity Topic: "A Dream Deferred" March 28 Course Themes: Reform Tradition/Power and Liberty Lecture Topic: “Progressivism and Empire” Assigned Reading: Hullar and Nelson, Chapters 9, 10 and 11 Twain, The War Prayer April 4 Course Themes: Power and Liberty/Religion Quiz/Class Discussion over Messiah of the Masses: Huey P. Long and the Great Depression Lecture Topics: "The Life and Times of Huey Long" "The Rise of Religious Fundamentalism”
Huller and Nelson, Chapters 12 and 13 Jeansonne, Messiah of the Masses April 11 Course Themes: War and Peace/Race and Ethnicity/The Reform Tradition Lecture Topics: “World War II as Modern Warfare” “The American Civil Rights Movement” Assigned Readings: Hullar and Nelson, Chapter 14 April 18 Course Themes: Gender/Race and Ethnicity Lecture Topics: “Three Waves of American Feminism” “American Immigration Patterns” Assigned Reading: Hullar and Nelson, Chapters 15 and 16 April 25 Course Themes: Power and Liberty/Race and Ethnicity Quiz/Class Discussion over The Devil's Highway Lecture Topic: “The Reagan Years and Beyond” Assigned Readings: Hullar and Nelson, Review Chapters 15 and 16 Urrea, The Devil's Highway May 2 Final Examination 5:00 P.M.
|