Brock University Department of History

GLORY AND DESPAIR:

THE UNITED STATES, 1607-1865

HIST 2P15 FALL 2013

John Gast, “American Progress”

Lectures: Mondays and Fridays, 12:00-1:00PM, TH242

Dr. Mark G. Spencer Associate Professor office hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; 10:00-11:00 (GL 256) tel: 905-688-5550, ext.3506 e-mail: mspencer@brocku.ca Course Description: This course will survey the history of the United States from earliest European settlement in North America to the beginning of the Civil War. Topics will include early contact between Europeans and Native Americans, the developing cultures of colonial America, slavery, the American Revolution, debate on the U.S. Constitution, Jeffersonian America, Jacksonian Democracy, nineteenth-century social reform, Manifest Destiny, and causes of the Civil War. Lectures and readings will combine the perspectives of political, social, intellectual, and cultural history. In their written assignments and seminar discussions, students will be expected to evaluate conflicting historical interpretations and they will be encouraged to develop their own informed assessments of historical events and trends.

GLORY & DESPAIR: THE UNITED STATES, 1607-1865 / HIST 2P15 / FALL 2013

2

Required Readings: Students should purchase the following, all of which are available at the Brock University Bookstore:

• Paul S. Boyer, et al., The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People, Volume 1: To 1877, concise 7th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2013).

• John Hollitz, Thinking Through the Past, A Critical Thinking Approach to U.S. History, Volume 1: To 1877, 4th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth, 2010).

• Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History, 7th ed. (Boston and New York: Bedford/St.Martins, 2012) [earlier editions are fine] OR Joy Dixon & Jeffrey W. Alexander, Nelson Guide to Writing in History, 2nd ed. (Toronto: Nelson Education, 2010).

• Peter Shaw, ed., The Autobiography & Other Writings by Benjamin Franklin (New York: Bantam Books, 1982; reissued 2008).

Grades for this course will be determined according to the following formula: Seminar Participation = 25% Seminar Facilitation = 5% Research Essay = 45% (due, in stages, weeks of Sept. 30, Oct. 21, and Nov. 25) Final Examination = 25% _____ Total = 100% Each component of the grade for this course is a required element. All assignments and the examination must be submitted (or completed) for a student to pass the course. Course Requirements: 1. Lectures: Students are expected to attend twice-weekly lectures. PowerPoint slides from lectures will be posted on Sakai after lecture, but these will only be useful if you have been to lecture. If you miss a lecture, you are strongly encouraged to borrow notes from a classmate. 2. Seminars: Weekly seminars are a core part of this course, and students are required to attend. A missed seminar results in a grade of zero for that week. Missing three or more seminars will constitute a “failure to complete” this aspect of the course requirements, and will result in a failing grade for the course. But attendance is not sufficient on its own. All students must come to seminars having attended lectures and having completed their readings. Attending without participation will result in a failing grade for that week. Taking weekly notes on readings is useful preparation for seminars and also for the final examination. TAs may spot-check for notes or administer spot-quizzes as an indication of preparation for seminar. The key to a good seminar (and a good seminar grade) is thoughtful discussion of course material. To that end, for each

GLORY & DESPAIR: THE UNITED STATES, 1607-1865 / HIST 2P15 / FALL 2013

3

seminar two students will be responsible for co-facilitating discussion of pre-assigned readings (a sign-up sheet will be circulated in the first seminar). The role of the co-facilitators is to:

1. briefly identify and summarize the major themes of the week’s readings (in one, double-spaced page). Facilitators should summarize themes, not individual readings. Think of this summary as an introduction to the questions you will ask;

2. formulate six questions related to the week’s readings. Remember, the purpose of your questions is to facilitate discussion of the course material. Therefore, you will want at least a couple of your questions to be broad ones that relate to large course themes. Answering your questions in most cases ought to necessitate discussing the primary source readings for that week. You may find it useful to draw on the suggested questions found in your Hollitz and Boyer texts, but if you do so be sure that you add your own twist to those questions.

3. each seminar will also incorporate a brief (5 minutes, or so) TA-led discussion related to the historical research essay. Rampolla and Dixon & Alexander will provide a good basis for that discussion.

Co-facilitators must work together and send their summary page and list of questions by e-mail to their Teaching Assistant no later than 4:00P.M. the day before their seminar. Failure to do so will result in a 10% penalty on the seminar facilitation grade.

3. Written Assignments: Students will complete one historical research essay, which will be due in stages. Instructions for that assignment will be distributed well in advance of the due dates for each stage. All assignments should be submitted directly to Teaching Assistants in seminar. Students must keep a back-up copy of all written work. The penalty for late submission of assignments is 10% for the first day and 2% per day thereafter (including weekends). Assignments turned in more than seven days after the due date will not be accepted without prior approval. Remember, too, that plagiarism is the greatest of academic transgressions (see Brock Undergraduate Calendar, Section VII). If you make use of another writer’s ideas or words, acknowledge that you have done so. Failure to credit another’s work may result in a grade of zero for the assignment, and possibly the course. Particularly egregious cases may result in stronger actions. If in doubt, ask your Teaching Assistant or the Instructor. Notes Concerning Assignments:

• use The Chicago Manual of Style (see Rampolla, ch. 7; Dixon/Alexander, ch. 4) • use footnotes • double-space your essay, number your pages, and leave a 1-inch margin • include a title page that provides: your essay’s title, your name, course code,

seminar #, assignment due date, instructor’s name, and TA’s name • Turnitin.com will be used; see assignment instruction sheet for details

4. Examination: Students will write a Final Examination that will cover the entire course. The format of the examination will be discussed in lecture well in advance of the test date. Medical Documentation: All requests for medically excused absences, or late submissions, must be accompanied by a properly completed Brock University “Student Medical Certificate” (downloadable from the Department of History website, among other places).

GLORY & DESPAIR: THE UNITED STATES, 1607-1865 / HIST 2P15 / FALL 2013

4

Lecture Schedule: Sept. 6 (F) INTRODUCTIONS

Sept. 9 (M) Lecture #1: Background to 1607: America

Sept. 13 (F) Lecture #2: Background to 1607: Europe

Sept. 16 (M) Lecture #3: Planting Colonies: Virginia & New England to 1700

Sept. 20 (F) Lecture #4: Restoration Colonies and Colonial Conflicts

Sept. 23 (M) Lecture #5: Slavery in the Atlantic World

Sept. 27 (F) Lecture #6: Cultures of Colonial North America

Sept. 30 (M) Lecture #7: Great Awakening and Enlightenment

Oct. 4 (F) Lecture #8: Benjamin Franklin: Citizen of the World

Oct. 7 (M) Lecture #9: An Imperial Crisis

Oct. 11 (F) Lecture #10: From Resistance to Rebellion

Oct. 14-18 FALL BREAK WEEK: NO CLASSES

Oct. 21 (M) Lecture #11: The War for American Independence

Oct. 25 (F) Lecture #12: Forging a Nation

Oct. 28 (M) Lecture #13: Debating and Ratifying the Constitution

Nov. 1 (F) Lecture #14: Federalists and Republicans

Nov. 4 (M) Lecture #15: Jeffersonian America

Nov. 8 (F) Lecture #16: Jacksonian Democracy

Nov. 11 (M) Lecture #17: Southern Slavery

Nov. 15 (F) Lecture #18: Northern Industry

Nov. 18 (M) Lecture #19: Print Culture in Nineteenth-Century America

Nov. 22 (F) Lecture #20: Reform Movements

Nov. 25 (M) Lecture #21: Manifest Destiny

Nov. 29 (F) Lecture #22: A Crisis Looming & Civil War

Dec. 2 (M) Lecture #23: CONCLUSIONS

GLORY & DESPAIR: THE UNITED STATES, 1607-1865 / HIST 2P15 / FALL 2013

5

Seminar Schedule: Teaching Assistants: Contact information for all HIST 2P15 TAs will be posted on the course Sakai site. Seminar Sections: Section 1, Monday, 10:00-11:00, MCD404 Section 2, Thursday, 8:00-9:00, PL308 Section 3, Wednesday, 11:00-12:00, MCC400 Section 4, Monday, 16:00-17:00, IC116 Section 5, Wednesday, 10:00-11:00, WH8J Section 6, Tuesday, 16:00-17:00, MCD303 Section 7, Tuesday, 15:00-16:00, EA106 ________________________________________________________________________ Week of September 9 Seminar #1: Why Study History? & Seminar Facilitation Sign-up Readings: Rampolla, Chapter 1, “Introduction: Why Study History?” or

Dixon/Alexander, “Introduction.” ________________________________________________________________________ Week of September 16 Seminar #2: Introduction to Early American History Readings: Hollitz, Thinking Through the Past, “Introduction,” and Chapter 1, “The

Truth About Textbooks: Indians and the Settlement of America.” Boyer, The Enduring Vision, Chapter 1, “Native Peoples of America, to

1500,” and Chapter 2, “The Rise of the Atlantic World, 1400-1625.”

Rampolla, Chapter 2, “Working with Sources,” or Dixon/Alexander, Chapter 1, “Historical Sources.”

_____________________________________________________________________ Week of September 23 Seminar #3: Introducing Primary Sources Readings: Hollitz, Chapter 2, “The Primary Materials of History: Childhood in Puritan New England.”

Franklin, “The Autobiography,” Part One and Part Two. Rampolla, Chapter 3, “Approaching Typical Assignments in History,” or Dixon/Alexander, Chapter 2, “Common Writing Assignments in History.”

_____________________________________________________________________

GLORY & DESPAIR: THE UNITED STATES, 1607-1865 / HIST 2P15 / FALL 2013

6

____________________________________________________________________ Week of September 30 Seminar #4: Evaluating Primary Sources: Colonial Pennsylvania Readings: Hollitz, Chapter 3, “Evaluating Primary Sources: Was Pennsylvania ‘The Best Poor Man’s Country’?” Franklin, “The Autobiography,” Part Three. Boyer, Chapter 3, “The Emergence of Colonial Societies, 1625-1700.” Rampolla, Chapter 4, “Following Conventions of Writing in History,” and

Chapter 5, “Writing a Research Paper,” or Dixon/Alexander, Chapter 3, “Research Essays: The Writings Process from Start to Finish.”

• Paper Proposal due in seminar today ________________________________________________________________________ Week of October 7 Seminar #5: Benjamin Franklin and The American Enlightenment Readings: Franklin, “The Autobiography,” Part Four, and Selected Writings sections

on “Newspaper Writing,” “Poor Richard’s Almanac,” “Projects,” “Observations and Experiments,” “Essays,” “Letters,” “Wise, Practical, and Humorous Writings of the Aged Sage,” and “Poems and Epitaph.”

Boyer, Chapter 4, “The Bonds of Empire, 1660-1750.”

Rampolla, Chapter 6, “Plagiarism: What It Is and How to Avoid It,” and

Chapter 7, “Quoting and Documenting Sources,” or Dixon/Alexander, Chapter 4, “Citations: Documenting Your Claims.”

________________________________________________________________________ Week of October 14: FALL BREAK WEEK: NO CLASSES ________________________________________________________________________ Week of October 21 Seminar #6: The American Revolution Readings: Hollitz, Chapter 4, “Evaluating One Historian’s Argument: The ‘Other Side’ of the American Revolution.”

Boyer, Chapter 5, “Roads to Revolution, 1750-1776.”

• Annotated Bibliography due in seminar today ________________________________________________________________________

GLORY & DESPAIR: THE UNITED STATES, 1607-1865 / HIST 2P15 / FALL 2013

7

________________________________________________________________________ Week of October 28 Seminar #7: The War for Independence and Its Consequences Readings: Franklin, Selected Writings section on “Revolutionary Writings.”

Boyer, Chapter 6, “Securing Independence, Defining Nationhood, 1776-1788.”

________________________________________________________________________ Week of November 4 Seminar #8: Constitutional Debates Readings: Hollitz, Chapter 5, “Motivation in History: The Founding Fathers and the Constitution.”

Boyer, Chapter 7, “Launching the New Republic, 1788-1800.” Franklin, re-read his “Speech In the Convention, at the Conclusion of Its Deliberations (1787).” ___________________________________________________________________ Week of November 11 Seminar #9: Jeffersonian America and Jacksonian Democracy Readings: Hollitz, Chapter 6, “Ideas in History: Race in Jefferson’s Republic,”

Chapter 9, “History as Biography: Historians and Old Hickory.” Boyer, Chapter 8, “America at War and Peace, 1801-1824,” Chapter 9,

“The Transformation of American Society, 1815-1840.” ________________________________________________________________________ Week of November 18 Seminar #10: Slavery and Industry Readings: Hollitz, Chapter 10, “History ‘From the Bottom Up’: Historians and Slavery,” and Chapter 11, “Ideology and Society: The Bounds of Womanhood in the North and South.”

Boyer, Chapter 11, “Technology, Culture, and Everyday Life, 1840-1860,” and Chapter 12, “The Old South and Slavery, 1830-1860.”

________________________________________________________________________

GLORY & DESPAIR: THE UNITED STATES, 1607-1865 / HIST 2P15 / FALL 2013

8

________________________________________________________________________ Week of November 25 Seminar #11: Reforming America and The Frontier Readings: Hollitz, Chapter 7, “The Problem of Historical Causation: The Second Great Awakening,” Chapter 8, “Grand Theory and History: Democracy and the Frontier.”

Boyer, Chapter 10, “Democratic Politics, Religious Revival, and Reform, 1824-1840” and Chapter 13, “Immigration, Expansion, and Sectional Conflict, 1840-1848.”

• Historical Research Essay due in seminar today ________________________________________________________________________ Note: Boyer, Chapter 14, “From Compromise to Secession, 1850-1861,” and Chapter 15, “Crucible of Freedom: Civil War, 1861-1865,” will not be discussed in seminars, but students are responsible for those readings as background for lectures and for the exam. ________________________________________________________________________

Winslow Homer, “Skirmish in the Wilderness”