Texas Wesleyan University Course Syllabus Fall 2018 |
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Course: HIS 2324-31 Modern American History,
1877-present |
Instructor: |
Christopher
Ohan |
Webpage: |
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Office: |
PMC 244 |
Office
Hours: |
Mon/Wed
11-1 (in ASC), Tue 9-12, 4-6, Thurs 9-12, or by appointment |
Office
Telephone: |
817-531-4913 |
E-mail
Address: |
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Departmental
Telephone: |
817-531-4918 |
Student
Resources Page: |
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Course
Login Page: |
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Technical
Support: |
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Blackboard
Tec Support: |
This was the first nation in the history of the world
to be founded with a purpose…. “All men are created equal”—“government by the
consent of the governed”—“give me liberty or give me death.”… In their name
Americans have fought and died for two centuries, and tonight around the world
they stand there as guardians of our liberty, risking their lives. –Lyndon B.
Johnson (1965)
Course
Description: “This course will enable students to develop
and demonstrate an adequate survey knowledge and understanding of American
geography, politics, society, culture, economics, ideas, and beliefs from 1876
to the present.” [Another way to put it:
A survey of major internal and external developments and trends in U.S. history
after the Civil War/Reconstruction period and from its rise as a global power
in the Spanish American War to the present.
Relying on lecture and class discussion of source material, this class
will focus on the importance of ideas for the period surveyed.]
Course
Learning Outcomes: Students should be
able to demonstrate a basic understanding of US history since the 1890s; use
historical comparison as an analytic tool; recognize the different
interpretations of US history; appreciate and interpret multiple forms of
evidence (textual, visual, oral, statistical, artifacts from material culture);
differentiate between the major primary and secondary sources used in
interpreting modern US history and understand how each is used.
This
course is required as a partial fulfillment of the 12 credit hour GEC
requirement in Cultural Literacy.
Learning Objectives Program
Goals
Objective 1: Students
completing this course should be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of
the major events in US history since the 1890s. |
1. Develop a general
knowledge of human history, including a basic chronology of both western and
non-western societies covering time periods from the ancient to the modern. |
Objective 2: Student ought
to be able to use historical comparison as an analytic tool; recognize the
different interpretations of the various themes within this half world
history. |
2. Understand
Historical Interpretation and Historiography. |
Objective 3: Students should
appreciate and interpret multiple forms of evidence (textual, visual, oral,
statistical, artifacts from material culture); differentiate between primary
and secondary sources and understand how each is used via a.
reading essays
and primary sources relative to the period b.
writing DBQ
essays using primary sources. c.
using computer
software to produce all assignments. |
3. Learn the various skills
associated with the craft of history. These skills include: a. Reading Comprehension and
Cognitive Skills b. Historical Thinking
Skills c. Research Skills d. Written Communication Skills e. Oral Communication Skills f. Computer Literacy |
Entrance
Competencies: Students are expected
to poses good reading comprehension, basic writing, logical and rhetorical
skills, ability to listen and take notes.
Required Materials: |
None |
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All materials are found in
Blackboard (as well as the Readings page on my personal site) |
Textbook: |
The American Yawp |
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Instructional Methods/Class Format: The term is divided into
3 units. Each consists of 8-10 lessons
(or modules) containing the following: a lecture/video, reading(s), and
assignment. You are responsible for
listening/watching each lecture video and completing the readings. After the lecture and readings, you will
answer a question prompt for each lesson; these are the “assignments” listed
below and your grade is solely dependent on their completion.
Workload
Expectation: Each lesson lecture (MP4) is approximately
40-55 minutes in duration. While it’s
not usually necessary to watch, I do expect students to listen. Most lessons have reading amounting to 4-8
pages, some have no additional reading at all.
I expect that you spend enough time on the writing assignments so that
what you turn in is grammatical, logical and addresses the question
prompt. If you have trouble with
grammar/writing, please take advantage of the Academic Success Center.
Requirements:
Tests: There are no tests
in this class.
Assignments: Except for the first, each lesson/module (see
schedule) will have a writing assignment.
These short papers—of approximately 250-300 words—will be the basis of
your grade in this class. Each module
will have a question prompt based on information from the lecture and
readings. It is incumbent on you to
listen to the lecture and read the relevant documents so that you can answer
the question(s) asked. All writing
assignments will be marked according to the Module Writing Assignment rubric,
which assigns value based on the following criteria:
1. Information from the lecture (25%)
2. Information from the readings/documents (25%)
3. Mechanics of writing an essay (25%)
4. Answering the question(s) asked (25%)
Submitting Assignments: All assignments will be submitted through the
Turnitin assignment link in each lesson module.
Due Dates:
All assignments for each unit are due in Blackboard by 11:59 pm on the
following dates: Unit One (2-11) assignments
by September 23; Unit Two (12-19) assignments
by October 21; Unit Three (20-29) assignments
by December 2.
Writing for
this course should employ standard academic formatting—double spaced, 12-point
Times font, 1-inch margins all around—with parenthetical citations. Unless specified, none of the assignments
asks you to draw on information other than the lectures and
readings/documents. Please
read/understand this as “You will not use material other than that assigned for
this class to complete the assignments.”
Therefore, no bibliography or works cited page is necessary.
If you need
help with this see the guides on the links page of the class website, the
Wesleyan library or the instructor.
Correct use of source information and citations is assumed on the
college level. Failure to cite or format
correctly will result in a lower grade.
See Grading
Guidelines on the class webpage for specific grading criteria
regarding work.
Late
Submissions: All assignments for each unit are due in
Blackboard by 11:59 pm on the following dates: Unit One assignments by September 23; Unit Two assignments by October 21; Unit Three assignments by December 2. Please do not waste time with excuses; just
get assignments turned in.
Instructor
Feedback: All feedback will be
included in my critique of your lesson assignments in Turnitin’s Feedback
Studio. For other feedback, please send
me an email or come by during my office hours.
Evaluation and Grading: Your grade
for the semester is solely based on the averages of assignments in each unit
according to the following scheme. Unit
One 30%, Unit Two 30%, Unit Three 40%. I
follow the traditional percentage for determining grades: A=95-90 Excellent,
B=89-80 Above Average, C=79-70 Average, D=69-60 Below Average, F=59 and below
Poor.
Attendance As this is an online course, you are expected to
complete (turn in) each unit’s assignments by 11:59 pm on the following dates: Unit One assignments by September 23; Unit Two assignments by October 21; Unit Three assignments by December 2. Please keep in mind that this is an online
course. Students are responsible for
having and using reliable technologies to fulfill course requirements.
Assignments missed due to student technical problems (e.g., ISP connection,
memory, modem speed, etc.) may NOT be made up. The last date to drop is
Tuesday, November 13.
Texas Wesleyan University
Policies:
Academic
Integrity
Familiarize yourself with Wesleyan’s Student Code of
Conduct. Academics are not only devoted
to learning, research, and the advancement of knowledge, but also to the
development of ethically sensitive and responsible persons. By accepting
membership in this class, you are joining a community characterized by free
expression, free inquiry, honesty, respect for others, and participation in
constructive change. All rights and
responsibilities exercised within this academic environment shall be compatible
with these principles.
Academic Dishonesty is a breach of the Student Code of
Conduct. Dishonesty includes:
1.
Plagiarism,
representing the work of another as one's own work;
2.
Preparing work
for another that is to be used as that person's own work;
3.
Cheating by any
method or means;
4.
Knowingly and
willfully falsifying or manufacturing scientific or educational data and
representing the same to be the result of scientific or scholarly experiment or
research;
5.
Knowingly
furnishing false information to a university official relative to academic
matters;
6.
Soliciting,
aiding, abetting, concealing, or attempting conduct in violation of this code.
Academic
Dishonesty will not be tolerated in this course. Any offense will result in an
F in the class (not simply on the assignment) and be referred to the
appropriate academic officials for adjudication. If you have any questions
regarding this subject please see me.
For a detailed description and further clarification, please see the
link for “Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty” on my website, the 2017-2019
Wesleyan Catalog (p. 84-86), or the Student Handbook.
Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA)
·
Texas Wesleyan
University adheres to a disability policy which is in keeping with relevant
federal law. The University will provide appropriate accommodation as
determined by the Director of the Counseling Center, Dr. Michael Ellison.
Students must notify instructors of any permanent or temporary disabilities and
must provide documentation regarding those disabilities prior to the granting
of an accommodation. For assistance, students should consult with Dr. Ellison
at mellison@txwes.edu
or via phone at (817) 531-7565.
·
Course syllabi
are intended to provide students with basic information concerning the course.
The syllabus can be viewed as a 'blueprint' for the course; changes in the
syllabus can be made and students will be informed of any substantive changes
concerning examinations, the grading or attendance policies and changes in
project assignments.
Unified
Discrimination and Harassment Reporting (Including Title IX)
As noted in the catalog under the Unified
Discrimination and Harassment Policy, Texas Wesleyan University is committed to
providing an environment free of all forms of prohibited discrimination and
sexual harassment. If you have
experienced any such discrimination or harassment, including gender- or
sex-based forms, know that help and support are available from the following
resources:
• Complete
online incident report at https://txwes.edu/incident-report-form/
• Contact
Campus Conduct Hotline (24 hours a day): (866) 943-5787
• Campus
security (24 hours a day): (817) 531-4911
• Dean
of Students: deanofstudents@txwes.edu OR (817) 531-4872
• Please
be aware that all Texas Wesleyan University employees, other than designated
confidential resources (i.e., Community Counseling Center) are required to
report credible evidence of prohibited discrimination or harassment to the
University’s Title IX Coordinator, or to one of the Title IX Assistant
Coordinators. If you wish to speak to
someone confidentially, please contact the Community Counseling Center at (817)
531-4859 to schedule an appointment.
Note: Course syllabi are intended to provide students with
basic information concerning the course. The syllabus can be viewed as a
“blueprint” for the course; changes in the syllabus can be made and students
will be informed of any substantive changes concerning examinations, the
grading or attendance policies and changes in project assignments.
Miscellaneous:
My Goal in teaching this class is not that you “learn” the
modern history of the US. (Learning
about the past is, however, an important consequence.) Rather, my goal is to teach you how to think
critically about the past which is more useful.
For our purposes, therefore, ideas will hold precedence over facts,
dates, and the like. It is important
that you consider the writing assignments an open forum for discussion—of
anything related question(s)/topic being addressed. (Of course, any argument must be
supported.) While I may challenge
beliefs/perspectives in my comments and questions asked, realize that my
purpose is not to change them, but merely to take you out of your comfort zone
(to offend you, so-to-speak) so that
you can think critically about them. A
perspective of tolerance is fundamental in any academic environment. Remember—this is a college course where you
ought to be able to discuss things openly, critically, and intelligently.
Class Schedule:
I recommend that you stay current with the lessons (as per the dates listed
below.)
(“Chapter” refer to the American
Yawp and are simply the chapters where relevant information about a given
topic. All other items (lectures, readings, assignments) are accessible in the
individual lesson module in Blackboard.
The question prompts are listed below in red but are
also listed as the assignment in each lesson module.)
Lesson/Module |
Topic |
Unit One |
|
1 (8/20) |
Introduction to the Course |
2 (8/22) |
Isolation to Empire (Yawp Chapters 19) Based on the information in the lecture and the
readings, explain whether or not the US could justify the acquisition of
overseas territory. |
3 (8/24) |
The Gilded Age (Yawp Chapters 18, 20) Explain the contradictions inherent in the Gilded
Age as demonstrated by the attitudes of Carnegie and Gompers. |
4 (8/27) |
The Progressive Era (Yawp Chapter 20) Explain what is meant by “Progressive” and
then show how Addams, Sinclair and DuBois can each be classified as such. |
5 (8/31) |
Wilson and the Great War (World War I)
(Yawp Chapter 21) Begin with an overview of Wilson’s reasons
for entering the war. Then argue
whether or not he was ultimately successful at achieving his goals. (Remember that arguments rely on evidence.) |
6 (9/4) |
Society in the 1920s (Yawp Chapter 22) Describe the climate of fear as explained
in the lecture and show how that fear was manifest in attitudes toward
immigrants and change in general.
Conclude by connecting any of these fears to social issue(s) present
in the US today. |
7 (9/7) |
Politics in the 1920s (Yawp Chapter 22) Explain the significance of mass
production in the US in the 1920s. |
8 (9/10) |
Herbert Hoover and the Great Depression
(Yawp Chapter 23) Based on information from the lecture,
explain the cause(s) of the Great Depression.
Then, using the Lesueur document, provide a depth its effects on
ordinary Americans. |
9 (9/14) |
Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal (Yawp Chapter 23) FDR and Hoover and very different ideas about
resolving the Great Depression. With
each we have a glimpse of different political perspectives. Drawing on the information from both (in
this lecture as well as the previous one) explain both the Republican and
Democratic philosophies of government. |
10 (9/17) |
Introduction to World War II (Yawp Chapter 24) Explain the origins of the Second World War in
Europe and, then, how the US became involved in that conflict. |
11 (9/21) |
The US and World War II (Yawp Chapter 24) The Second World War is generally thought of as a
triumph for the US. Relying on
information in the documents/readings, argue that while the US and its allies
did triumph over the fascists and Japan, the country was not immune to the
racism and violence that it claimed to be fighting against. |
Unit Two |
|
12 (9/24) |
Introduction to the Cold War (Yawp Chapter 25) Based on the documents as well as the lecture,
explain the US policy position toward the USSR/Communism by the end of 1947. |
13 (9/28) |
The US and the Early Cold War (Yawp Chapter 25) The early Cold War produced a climate of fear in the
US not unlike that previously discussed in the 1920s. Explain McCarthy’s position and argue
whether or not he was justified in conducting hearings to discover communists
in the US. |
14 (10/1) |
Vietnam (Yawp Chapter 25) Considering the threat of communism in Vietnam, was
the US justified in a) denying Ho Chi Minh’s claim for independence and, b)
prosecuting a war to defeat communism in the country? |
15 (10/4) |
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam After watching this documentary, demonstrate and
explain how attitudes toward the war in Vietnam changed from 1964 through the
end of the conflict. |
16 (10/8) |
Cold War: 1950s: Cuba and the Middle East (Yawp Chapters 25, 27) For this question, put yourself in the position of
either Nasser or Castro. Argue how the
US’s position toward you and your country has affected your country’s foreign
policy position (i.e. the way you deal with other states). |
17 (10/12) |
The Cold War and Latin America (Yawp Chapters 25, 27) The US often stands for ideals, such as those
espoused by JFK and Carter. Explain
their ideals and based on information in the lecture, argue whether or not
the US lived (or lives) up to those ideals. |
18 (10/15) |
The End of the Cold War (Yawp Chapters 25, 29, 30) Who ultimately should get the most credit for ending
the Cold War and why? |
19 (10/19) |
The Post-Cold War Era (Yawp Chapter 30) By 1991 the US was the lone superpower. The lack of a competitor brought a whole
host of new international problems for the US. Explain at least one of these problems as
it relates to the concept of nationalism. |
Unit Three |
|
20 (10/22) |
Introduction to the Civil Rights movements (Yawp Chapters 15, 26) After watching the lecture, explain the idea of
equality in the American context.
Then, based on the Till video and the readings, characterize the
situation for black Americans until just after World War II. |
21 (10/26) |
Integration (Yawp Chapter 27) Using specific examples, explain Martin Luther King,
Jr’s non-violent approach to accomplishing civil rights. |
22 (10/29) |
Nationalism and Segregation (Yawp Chapter 27) Argue that Malcolm X’s approach to accomplishing
civil rights for African Americans was superior to that of MLK. |
23 (11/2) |
The Chicano Movement: Militancy and Non-violence (Yawp Chapters 22, 27) Based on the video and readings, compare and
contrast the methods of the Chicano movement for civil rights to that already
discussed for black Americans. (While you can discuss method generally for
the black movement, you should provide specific information and examples from
the Chicano movement in your essay.) |
24 (11/5) |
The Chicano Movement: La Raza Unida (Yawp Chapter 27) The advent of La Raza Unida was a unique feature of
the Chicano movement. Why was it
successful and why did it work for the Chicanos in a place like south Texas,
but would probably not have been successful for blacks in the American south? |
25 (11/9) |
Women’s Rights I (Yawp Chapters 21, 22) Describe the various ways that women were empowered
during and following the Second World War (up until the early 1960s). |
26 (11/12) |
Women’s Rights II (Yawp Chapters 27, 28, 29) Explain how Friedan's The Feminine Mystique (1963) and the Roe v. Wade (1973) case represented two fundamental turning
points in the women's civil rights movement. |
27 (11/16) |
LGBTQ+ Civil Rights (Yawp Chapters 28, 30) Explain the difference between legal and moral
concepts as they apply to a) the US Constitution, and B) the LGBTQ+ movement. |
28 (11/26) |
Current Issues in Civil Rights: Immigration (Yawp Chapters 29, 30) Argue that current immigration issues represent the
latest phase of civil rights in the United States. |
29 (11/30) |
An Accounting (Yawp Chapter 30) Taking all of the civil rights movements we’ve
examined into consideration, how can the US come to terms with its own past
while, at the same time, not ignore or forget its history? |