Aims of this Course

• to understand broad developmental patterns in American History
• to master the art of using evidence to construct an argument
• to appreciate the value of writing in the learning process
• to enhance writing skills in a variety of contexts

Course Assignments
(Go to Daily Assignment Calendar)
Go to Writing Assignments) (under construction)
Daily reading assignments are listed on the syllabus. For most classes you will have a brief, specific writing assignment that I will spell out at the end of the previous class. Hence, if you miss class, it is imperative that you touch base with someone else in the class so that you can come the next day prepared. On some days I will collect these writing assignments; on other days they will serve as the basis of additional in-class writing. They will always be the foundation for our discussion.

I expect everyone to be active participants in our class activities. On some days you will work in groups; if you have come to class unprepared you will not be able to contribute and thus will not be an effective member of the team. I also expect you to join in class discussions. Just as writing enhances learning, so does discussion.

You will engage in a wide variety of writing assignments. In addition to the short ones mentioned above you will also work in groups to formulate a short story and you will write two 4-5 page papers in which you support a thesis with specific historic evidence.

The topics and due dates are listed on the syllabus.

Attendance Policy
Participation in class discussion and submitting writing assignments is difficult if you are not in class (I will NOT take these writing assignments late). I consider more than three absences excessive; after five absences you will lose 1 point from your final average for every absence over 3.

While I realize that every once in a while we are all delayed, I do not expect anyone to make a habit of wandering in after class has begun. If we start with a writing assignment, you will not be able to make up that work.

Use the Writing Center
This course is designed to use writing as a learning tool and, at the same time, to enhance your use of writing to communicate effectively. The staff at the Writing Center is waiting to help you. Be sure to take with you a copy of the assignment, your outline or rough draft, and other materials that they might need to help you. The Writing Center is about much more than commas and periods!

Consultation
Office: Powell 217C Phone: 2385 e-mail: midgette@elon.edu
Office Hours: TT: 1:30-3:00 PM      MW: 10-11 AM
I am frequently in my office at other hours; you are always welcome to drop by.

Assessment
30% - Two in-class examinations
35% - Graded writing assignments
15% - Informal writing assignments and Participation
20% - Final Exam

This course is designed to help you understand broad developmental patterns in American History since the American civil War. Our emphasis is on grasping the "big picture," using those pesky names, dates and places when they add to our understanding. In short, learning American history is NOT an exercise in memorization.

All of your essays, including the final exam, will challenge your ability to grasp these broad developmental patterns and to explain them using specific evidence to support your conclusions. Facts are important, but only as they enhance your arguments.

The following are themes that we will trace during this semester. Every day we will address one or more of them. As you take notes both from the readings and in class, I would suggest that you keep these themes in mind. You might even have a section of your notebook with a separate page for each theme so that you can jot down important points that will serve as an outline when you prepare for essays.

1. We will trace the process by which Americans of all races have (and have not) adjusted to living and working together in one nation.

2. We will examine the process by which the U.S. abandoned its isolationist foreign policy and became the most powerful nation in the world.

3. We will explore the process by which the U.S. government assumed responsibility for the quality of life of Americans.

4. We will examine the rise of industrial America and the impact of that development on American cities, farmers, and workers.

5. We will trace American social reactions to these political, economic, and military events.

 

Sep. 2	Course Introduction
Sep. 7	A New South?	18; 19 (337-349)
Sep. 9	African-American Alternatives	19 (349-355) Handout
Sep. 14	Industry, Immigrants, and Cities	20
Sep. 16	Transforming the West	21
Sep. 23	American Indians Respond PAPER DUE: How have federal government policies added to factionalism within the Indian community?	Reader, 195-240
Sep. 28	Gilded Age Politics	22
Sep. 30	The Progressive Era	23; Reader, 2-31
Oct.  5	FIRST TEST
Oct. 7	Creating an Empire	24; Reader, 81-113
Oct. 12	America Goes to War	25; Reader, 115-57
Oct. 14	Emergence of Modern America PAPER DUE: Write an essay in which you analyze the explosive nature of the 1920s	26; Reader, 241-280
Oct. 21	Depression and New Deal	27
Oct. 26	Legacy of the New Deal	Reader, 160-92
Oct. 28	World War II	28; Reader, 35-73
Nov. 2	SECOND TEST
Nov. 4	<expansion joint>
Nov. 9	Cold War	29
Nov. 11	Red Scare	Reader, 283-314
Nov. 16	The Confident Years	30, 552-560 Goodwin (all of it!)
Nov. 18	Assessing the Kennedy Presidency	30, 560-568
Nov. 23	Johnson and Vietnam SHORT STORY DUE	31, 570-579
Nov. 30	Frustration with the White House	31, 579-585
Dec. 2	Shaping a New America	32
Dec. 7	Searching for Stability	33

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