History 1305: U.S. History Part II: 1877- Present

Course Objectives:
1. A general overview of U.S. history from 1877-present
2. Introduce a variety of different types of history, including political, business, social, urban, women’s, African-American, labor, and ethnic
3. Discuss various historical interpretations of key topics
4. Develop a better sense of time and place as individuals
5. Enjoy the topic

This course can be used for Lib. Ed. Category 7, “Historical and Philosophical Foundations.”

Assigned Paperbacks:
Mary Beth Norton, et al., A People and a Nation, Brief 6th edition, volume 2
Stephen G. Weisner & William F. Hartford, American Portraits, 2nd edition, Volume II

SYLLABUS

Topics, reading assignments and exam dates:
Read chapters as assigned and be prepared to answer discussion questions in Portraits on days assigned.

Jan. 17	Introduction American History in Our Culture Today
Jan. 19	U.S. History up to 1865 Reconstruction The New South Read: Norton, Ch. 16 & Introduction to Unit One and the Turner essay in Portraits
Jan. 24	The Far West Read: Sheridan and Picotte in Portraits and Norton, Ch. 17
Jan. 26	Business and Materialistic Values in the Gilded Age Read: Rockefeller essay in Portraits
Jan. 31	Opportunity Read: Norton, Ch. 18
Feb. 2	Labor and Immigrants Read: Norton, Ch.19
Feb. 7	Urbanization, Social Reform, and Cultural Trends Read: Crane essay in Portraits
Feb. 9	Gilded Age Politics and Agrarian Reform Read: Norton, Ch. 20 Lease essay in Portraits
Feb. 14	Exam on lectures; Norton, Ch. 16-20; and Unit One in Portraits (150 points)
Feb. 16	Teddy Roosevelt and the Progressive Era Read: Norton, Ch. 21 and the Introduction to Unit Two and Teddy Roosevelt essay in Portraits
Feb. 21	Social Reform in the Progressive Era Read: Debs and Dubois essays in Portraits
Feb. 23	Imperialism, Dollar Diplomacy, and Neutrality Woodrow Wilson and America in World War I Read: Norton, Ch. 22
Feb. 28	Video: The Great War: Collapse (VC 2805 PT.6) The Peace Settlement Read: Norton, Ch. 23
Mar. 2	Feminism and Post War Conservatism: Harding and Coolidge Read: Sanger essay in Portraits Norton, Ch. 24
Mar. 7	The Jazz Age Business and Culture
Mar. 9	Business: Prosperity and the Crash Herbert Hoover Read: Norton, Ch. 25
Mar. 14 & 16	Have a great break!
Mar. 21	The New Deal Read: The Eleanor Roosevelt and Long essays in Portraits
Mar. 23	Isolationism and World War II Read: Norton, Ch. 26
Mar. 28	Video: "World War II: War in the Pacific" (VC 184) Read: Norton, Ch. 27 and the Patton essay in Portraits
Mar. 30	Exam on lectures since 1st exam, Norton, chapters 21-27, and Unit Two in Portraits (150 points)
Apr. 4	Truman and the Fair Deal Read: Norton, Ch. 28
Apr. 6	The Cold War, Korea, McCarthyism and Eisenhower Read: Norton, Ch. 29 and the McCarthy and Kroc essays and the Introduction to Unit Three in Portraits
Apr. 11	Kennedy and the New Frontier Read: Norton, Ch. 30
Apr. 13	Vietnam Video: Vietnam: A Historical Document (VC 664) Read: Norton, Ch. 31
Apr. 18	Johnson and the Great Society
Apr. 20	Civil Rights, Women’s Liberation, and the Counter-Culture Read: The King, Friedan, and Chavez essays in Portraits
Apr. 25	Nixon and Watergate Ford, Carter, and Reagan Read: Norton, Ch. 32
Apr. 27	Video: “Nixon, Part I” Colloquium assignment due
May 2	The first Bush and Clinton Norton, Ch. 33 History colloquium assignment due
May 4	George W. Bush Where Do We Go From Here?
May 11	Final: from 4:00-5:55 (150 points), on lectures since second exam, Norton, Chs. 28-33 and Unit 3 in Portraits. No early finals!

Grades will be based on the three exams covering class material and reading assignments plus a 25 point colloquium assignment due April 27. You must earn 158 points to pass and 237 points for a C-. Above that, grades will be curved. Exams will be multiple choice questions. See separate handout for the colloquium assignment. A make-up session will be held near the end of the semester for those who missed an exam. No make-ups earlier.