Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles.

—Emma Lazarus, “The New Colossus” (1883)

[PRINTABLE SYLLABUS]

Required Texts (B&N or library reserves)

  • H.W. Brands, American Dreams: The United States Since 1945 (Penguin, 2010)
  • Manisha Sinha, The Rise and Fall of the Second American Republic (Liverlight, 2024)

 

Additional Readings

 

First Essay – Second Republic

By Monday, October 12, students will submit a 3-5 page typed, double-spaced essay answering this question about The Rise and Fall of the Second American Republic:  What was one of the greatest historical triumphs detailed in Manisha Sinha’s book, and what was one of the most disappointing tragedies?  Students should explain their answers within a clear narrative context, covering the period from 1865 to 1920.  All essays must include material from Sinha’s book properly cited with Chicago-style footnotes. Outside research is allowed but not required. Additional information will be available on the annotated assignment guidelines at the course site. Essays will be graded on depth of analysis, use of evidence, and quality of prose. Late essays will be penalized up to 5 points each day.

 

Second Essay –Global America

By Monday, Nov. 9, students will submit a 3-5 page typed, double-spaced essay explaining what they consider to be the most significant ways that American national security policy changed between World War I and the Cold War.  All essays must include material from sources on the syllabus (such as the American Yawp) properly cited with Chicago-style footnotes.  Outside research is allowed but not required. Additional information will be available on the annotated assignment guidelines at the course site. Essays will be graded on depth of analysis, use of evidence, and quality of prose. Late essays will be penalized up to 5 points each day.

 

Oral History Project

The highlight of this semester will be a multi-media oral history project that students will undertake to illustrate an important episode or trend covered in H.W. Brands’ American Dreams.  By Monday, November 30, students should post an annotated transcript (at least 500 words) from their initial interview(s) at the course website, including a list of a half a dozen other sources for further research.  These transcripts and bibliographies will receive comments but not grades.  By Monday, December 14, students should post a full oral history essay that successfully incorporates quoted material from their interview(s) while also putting them into thoughtful historical context using not only American Dreams, but also other relevant primary and secondary sources.  Essays should cover about 4-6 pages (1200-1500 words) and should include Chicago-style footnotes.   All essay posts should include at least 3 to 4 images, properly credited and captioned. Students must also embed a short video documentary (about 1 to 2 minutes) incorporating either audio or video clips from (or about) their oral history interviews.  Additional information will be available on the annotated assignment guidelines at the course site. Projects will be graded on depth of analysis, research and design effort, and quality of prose. Submissions after December 14 typically will not be accepted.

 

Grade Distribution

Class Participation                           20 percent

Essay 1 –Second Republic             25 percent

Essay 2 –Global America               25 percent

Oral history project                          30 percent

 

Day Date Discussion Topic Reading Assignment
Tuesday 9/1 Methods & Expectations —
Thursday 9/3 Reconstruction Yawp, chap. 14
Tuesday 9/8 Prince of Emancipation Goldberg / Pinsker exhibit
Thursday 9/10 NO CLASS
Monday 9/14 Constitution Day:  Jane Calvert Weiss Center, 7pm [REQUIRED –no livestream] [READING]
Tuesday 9/15 Abolition Democracy Sinha, Intro + chap. 3
Thursday 9/17 NO CLASS
Tuesday 9/22 Women’s Rights Sinha, chap. 6
Thursday 9/24 Election of 1876 Sinha, chap. 8
Tuesday 9/29 Struggle Over the West Sinha, chap. 9
Thursday 10/1 Labor and Capital Sinha, chap. 10
Tuesday 10/6 American Empire Sinha, chap. 11
Thursday 10/8 Nineteenth Amendment Sinha, chap. 12
Monday 10/12 Second Republic essay due By 5pm via email
Tuesday 10/13 World War I Yawp, chap. 19
Thursday 10/15 Great Depression Yawp, chap. 21
Tuesday 10/20 NO CLASS (Fall Break)
Thursday 10/22 Coming of WWII Yawp, chap. 22 (Sec. I – IV)
 
Tuesday 10/27 World War II Yawp, chap. 22 (Sec. V – X)
Thursday 10/29 1940s Brands, chap. 1-2
Tuesday 11/3 Early 1950s –Cold War Brands, chap. 3
Thursday 11/5 Late 1950s –Suburbs Brands, chap. 4
Monday 11/9 Global America essay due By 5pm, via email
Tuesday 11/10 Early 1960s –Civil Rights Brands, chap. 5 + Ferry
Thursday 11/12 Late 1960s –Vietnam War Brands, chap. 6 + Bui
Tuesday 11/17 Early 1970s –Time of Change Brands, chap. 7 + Cayouette
Thursday 11/19 Late 1970s –Global Energy Crisis Brands, chap. 8 + Vatanka
Tuesday 11/24 1980s –Reagan Realignment Brands, chap. 9 + Blackwell
Thursday 11/26 NO CLASS –Thanksgiving
Monday 11/30 Oral history interviews due By 5pm via post at course site
Tuesday 12/1 1980s / 90s – End of Cold War Brands, chap. 10-11
Thursday 12/3 1990s –Polarization Brands, chaps, 12-13
Tuesday 12/8 2000s –9/11 and beyond Brands, chaps. 14-15
Thursday 12/10 Lessons & Legacies
Monday 12/14 Oral history projects due By 5pm via post at course site