HIS 315K: United States, 1492-1865 Fall 2010 Unique Number: 39050 MWF 9:00-10:00 CPE 2.220 Dr. Robert Holmes Office: GAR 3.226 Office Hours: Monday 10:30-12:00, Tuesday 2:00-3:30, and by appointment Email: rholmesiii@gmail.com Office phone: 512-475-6870 Course Overview This course will explore American history from the first contact between Europeans and Native Americans through the end of the Civil War. Through lectures, course readings, and class discussions, we will examine: the age of European colonization in North America and the collision of worlds it brought about, the development of American slavery, the American Revolution and its accompanying political and cultural transformations, religion in America, the expansion of industry and market capitalism, territorial expansion, and the growing sectional tensions that culminated in the Civil War. Our focus throughout will be on the complex interactions between the individuals and groups that came together in North America and formed the fabric of an American society and culture. Evaluation Midterm Exams (2): 30% Final Exam: 30% Friday Quizzes: 20% Attendance and Class Participation: 10% Office Hours Visit: 10% The course will be graded on the plus/minus system according to the following criteria: A= 93-100; A- =90-92; B+ =87-89; B =83-86; B- =80-82; C+ =77-79; C =73-76; C- = 70-72; D+ =67-69; D =63-66; D- =60-62; F =0-59 Course Readings Calloway, Colin. New Worlds for All: Indians, Europeans, and the Remaking of Early America Wood, Gordon S. The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Johnson, Michael P. Reading the American Past: Selected Historical Documents. Vol. 1: To 1877. Fourth Edition. Optional textbook: Davidson, et al. Nation of Nations. Volume 1. This textbook, like all new textbooks, is expensive and you are not required to purchase or read it. If, however, you feel you would benefit from having a textbook as a supplement to course lectures, this is a very good one. Other textbooks, including older editions of Nation of
Nations, are also suitable. Feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions about textbooks. ***All readings are available at the University Co-op. You may also find reasonably priced used copies on Amazon and at stores like Half Price Books.*** Additional readings may be assigned via Blackboard. Classroom Etiquette You are expected to respect the classroom environment and observe standards of etiquette and decency. Refrain from any behavior (talking, internet surfing, etc.) that could distract me or your fellow classmates. You are free to use a laptop to take notes, but please use it for that purpose only. Please silence your cell phone (don t just put it on vibrate) before you enter the classroom. Academic Integrity Cheating in any form will not be tolerated. It is disrespectful to me, to your peers who do their work honestly, and to the university community as a whole. Anyone caught cheating on any assignment will receive an F for that assignment, will likely receive an F for the entire course, and may very well have his/her case reported to the Office of the Dean of Students, which could lead to further disciplinary action. I would advise you to read the university s definition of and policy on scholastic dishonesty: http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/scholdis.php. Knowing what does and does not constitute plagiarism and academic dishonesty can sometimes be difficult to understand (many practices students often think are acceptable are, in fact, plagiarism). Since I will be adhering to the university s guidelines, I recommend you familiarize yourself with them as well. Special Accommodations Accommodations will be provided for students with disabilities that have been documented by the University. If you have a disability requiring accommodation in this class, you must notify me and provide appropriate UT documentation at the beginning of the semester. I also ask that you remind me of your needs in the week before the exam that requires special accommodation. Electronic Communication Course information will occasionally be spread to students via email and Blackboard (available at http://courses.utexas.edu). You will be responsible for keeping your UT contact information up-to-date, ensuring your spam filters do not remove Blackboard-generated emails, and checking your email regularly for class work and announcements. Announcements will sometimes also be made in class, and, of course, you are responsible for these as well.
Course Schedule Week 1 Wednesday, August 25: Course Intro Friday, August 27: Europe, America, and Africa on the Eve of Contact Reading: Reading the American Past, Chapter 1. Begin reading New Worlds for All Week 2 Monday, August 30: Contact and the Creation of an Atlantic World Wednesday, September 1: New World Empires Friday, September 3: Discussion/Quiz Reading: Reading the American Past, Chapter 2 Week 3 Monday, September 6: LABOR DAY NO CLASS Wednesday, September 8: The British Chesapeake Friday, September 10: Discussion/Quiz Reading: New Worlds for All Week 4 Monday, September 13: Puritan New England Wednesday, September 15: The Salem Witch Trials Friday, September 17: Discussion/Quiz Reading: Reading the American Past, Chapters 3 and 4. Begin reading The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin Week 5 Monday, September 20: Unfree Labor in the Colonies Wednesday, September 22: Discussion/Exam preparation Friday, September 24: Exam 1 Week 6 Monday, September 27: British America, 1700-1754 Wednesday, September 29: The Imperial Crisis/Becoming American Friday, October 1: Discussion/Quiz Reading: Reading the American Past, Chapters 5 and 6.
Week 7 Monday, October 4: The Revolutionary War Wednesday, October 6: Revolution or War of Independence? Friday, October 8: Discussion/Quiz Reading: The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin. Week 8 Monday, October 11: The First United States Wednesday, October 13: The Constitution Friday, October 15: Discussion/Quiz Reading: Reading the American Past, Chapters 7, 8, and 9. Week 9 Monday, October 18: Thomas Jefferson vs. Alexander Hamilton Wednesday, October 20: The New Nation Friday, October 22: Discussion/Quiz Reading: Reading the American Past, Chapter 10 Week 10 Monday, October 25: The Jeffersonian Republic Wednesday, October 27: The War of 1812/Era of Good Feelings Friday, October 29: Exam 2 Week 11 Monday, November 1: The Market Economy/American Restlessness Wednesday, November 3: Jacksonian Democracy Friday, November 5: Discussion/Quiz Reading: Reading the American Past, Chapter 11. Begin reading The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Week 12 Monday, November 8: Northern Industry/Antebellum Slavery Wednesday, November 10: Religion and Reform Friday, November 12: Discussion/Quiz Reading: The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Week 13 Monday, November 15: Westward Expansion
Wednesday, November 17: Slavery and the West Friday, November 19: Discussion/Quiz Reading: Reading the American Past, Chapters 12 and 13 Week 14 Monday, November 22: The Crisis of the 1850 s Wednesday, November 24: North and South on the Eve of Disunion Friday, November 26: THANKSGIVING NO CLASS Week 15 Monday, November 29: The Civil War Wednesday, December 1: What Caused the Civil War? Friday, December 3: Discussion/Quiz Reading: Reading the American Past, Chapters 14 and 15 Final Exam: To be scheduled by the University