Course Syllabus

“I happen temporarily to occupy this big White House. I am a living witness that any one of your children may look to come here as my father’s child has.”
Abraham Lincoln, August 22, 1864

We, the successors of a country and a time where a skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president, only to find herself reciting for one.

 

[PRINTABLE SYLLABUS]

Required  Text

  • H.W. Brands, American Dreams: The United States Since 1945 (New York: Penguin, 2010)

Additional Readings

First Essay  –Reconstructing America

On Monday, February 20, students will submit a 3-5 page typed, double-spaced essay on a topic covering post-Civil War American life that will be provided to them in class on Thursday, February 16. All essays must include both primary and secondary source material from the assigned readings properly cited using 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 –Cold War America

On Monday, March 27, students will submit a 3-5 page typed, double-spaced essay on a topic covering Cold War American life provided to them in class on Thursday, March 23. All essays must include both primary and secondary source material from the assigned readings properly cited using 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, April 24, students should post an annotated transcript (at least 500 words) from their initial interview(s) at the course website, including a list of sources for further research.  These transcripts will receive comments but not grades.  By Monday, May 8, 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. Late submissions will be penalized 5 points per day.

Grade Distribution

Class Participation                              20 percent

Essay 1 –Reconstructing America     25 percent

Essay 2 –Cold War America              25 percent

Oral history project                             30 percent

 

Day Date Discussion Topic Reading Assignment
Tuesday 1/24 Methods & Expectations
Thursday 1/26 Reconstruction Prince exhibit
Tuesday 1/31 Second Founding Yawp, chap. 15
Thursday 2/2 Jim Crow Dickinson & Slavery exhibit
Tuesday 2/7 American West Yawp, chap. 17
Thursday 2/9 American Cities Yawp, chap. 18
Tuesday 2/14 Imperial Era Yawp, chap. 19
Wednesday 2/15 LECTURE:  Erica Armstrong Dunbar 7pm, ATS + [Dunbar essay]
Thursday 2/16 Melting Pot Gerstle article
Monday 2/20 Reconstructing America essay due By 5pm via email
Tuesday 2/21 Progressive Era Yawp, chap. 20
Thursday 2/23 Homefront in WWI Yawp, chap. 21
Tuesday 2/28 1920s Yawp, chap. 22
Thursday 3/2 Great Depression Yawp, chap. 23
Tuesday 3/7 Homefront in WWII Yawp, chap. 24 + Popel
Thursday 3/9 1945 Brands, chap 1 + Marthins
Tuesday 3/14 NO CLASS (Spring Break)
Thursday 3/16 NO CLASS (Spring Break)
 
Tuesday 3/21 Late 1940s –Toward Cold War Brands, chap 2 + Forry
Thursday 3/23 Early 1950s –Anticommunism Brands, chap 3 + Meier
Monday 3/27 Cold War America essay due By 5pm, via email
Tuesday 3/28 Late 1950s –Suburbs Brands, chap 4 + Menkes
Thursday 3/30 Early 1960s –Civil Rights Brands, chap 5 + Ferry
Monday 4/3 LECTURE:  Penny von Eschen 7pm, Althouse 106
Tuesday 4/4 Late 1960s –Vietnam War Brands, chap 6 + Bui
Thursday 4/6 Early 1970s –Social revolutions Brands, ch 7 + Cayouette, Pasquali
Tuesday 4/11 Late 1970s –Energy Crisis Brands, chap 8
Thursday 4/13 Early 1980s –Political realignment Brands, chap 9 + Snyder
Tuesday 4/18 NO CLASS
Thursday 4/20 Mid-1980s –Return of Cold War Brands, chap 10 + Krein, Marecheau
Monday 4/24 Oral history interviews due By 5pm via post at course site
Tuesday 4/25 Late 1980s – CNN Effect Brands, chap 11 + Cohane
Thursday 4/27 Early 1990s — Polarization Brands, chap 12 + Kim
Tuesday 5/2 Late 1990s –Culture Wars Brands, chap 13
Thursday 5/4 2000s –Toward Obama Brands, chaps. 14-15
Monday 5/8 Oral history projects due By 5pm via post at course site