Professor Cornelia F. Sexauer (Connie)
Office number: 326
Office phone number: 261-6304
Office hours: M-F 10-10:50 or by appointment
Office e-mail: csexauer@uwc.edu
HIS102
U. S. History Since the Civil War
Spring, 2003
(T-R 1-2:15 PM or 5:30-6:45 PM)
OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of HIS 102 are to provide University of Wisconsin students an essential understanding of U.S. history from the end of the Civil War to the present. The course seeks to engage the student in history. At the same time the student will be given an opportunity to develop some of the skills of an historian – proficiencies that are useful in other professions as well. The assignments will include learning the expertise of an historian, and building analytical and communication skills. The themes of the course will include:
Industrialization
Urbanization
Immigration
Modernism
Progressivism
World War I – Home Front
Roaring Twenties
Depression
World War II – Home Front
Suburbanization
Cold War Policies
Korean War
Vietnam War
Civil Rights – African-American and Women
Presidential Polices of the 20th century
As the students work through these themes they will have the opportunity to sharpen their analytical tools by personally engaging with scholarly syntheses and primary documents. They will also have the opportunity to sharpen their communication skills through class discussion, written assignments and two written exams. We will be reading personal reflections, historical analyses, and primary sources. Students will be asked to critically assess and discuss these source materials and connect them to the readings, lectures and films. In order to get full credit for discussion sections the student must actively participate in discussions and demonstrate the ability to pull out relevant aspects of the material. Be prepared for an occasional pop quiz on the reading material, which includes books when due for discussion.
In addition to a discussion grade, the students may have short in-class and out of class writing assignments, as well as a book review paper, and 2 exams. Students will not be allowed to consult their texts or notes during the exams. To answer the test questions the students are expected to draw on the lectures, assigned readings (including the books), appropriate primary sources, films and whatever material is presented in the class.
For this course you are being asked not simply to memorize and repeat historic information but to think critically about the questions involved and to come to your own conclusions with support for your conclusions based on materials presented in the class.
The essay, thus, should be structured as an argument in behalf of your conclusion and should be backed up with solid evidence. BE SPECIFIC AND USE EXAMPLES to show you know the material. A good rule of thumb in answering essay exams in this class is to take the role of the instructor as you attempt to teach your reader what you have learned in this class.
The 4-5 page book review paper must contain a cover sheet, have numbered pages, be typed in 12-point font, double-spaced, with appropriate margins. All work turned into the professor must be in full sentence format. Please adhere closely to the page requirements of your assignments and do not produce less than or more than the required pages. Please FOLLOW THE BOOK REVIEW GUIDE provided when you submit your book review paper and if you have questions bring them to the instructor’s attention. Any written work turned in must have the student’s name, the professor’s name, the date, the name and number of the class and the day and time the class meets.
If for any reason a student misses class it is the student’s responsibility to obtain lecture notes, discussion notes, or film notes from another student. If the student is not in class when films are presented he/she must view this film outside of class. The films will be on reserve in the library following their viewing in class. Notes or copies of lectures will not be available from the professor.
Makeup exams are not allowed unless for emergency reasons and must have the approval of the instructor. The instructor reserves the right to ask for a doctor’s note or other authorization.
GRADING FORMULA:
25% Discussion: Class participation, Pop Quizzes, Short in-class and out of class writing assignments.
25% Book Review
25% Mid-Term Exam
25% Final Exam
Grades will be based upon performance on the book review, discussion and two examinations. The book review will be on one of the three books presented in class. This assignment is due on the day of discussion for that book and must be turned in before the class discussion. The overall discussion grade will be based on ACTIVELY participating in ALL class discussions. The two exams will consist of an essay, weighted at 70% and an identification section weighted at 30% of the exam grade. The exams will treat major themes from the preceding one-half of the class. The identification section will require the student to address WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN AND WHY (historical significance) of the three specific persons, events or ideas, from a choice of six. Only terms written on the board will appear on the ID section of the exams. There will be plenty of ID terms throughout the course and these will not only serve as ID’s but could well be used as support for essay answers. All graded work must be the student’s own work.
This grading scale, along with everything else contained in this syllabus, is subject to change. Any changes will be communicated to the students with as much advance notice as possible.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
If you need accommodations because of a disability of any kind, if you have emergency medical information that the professor should be aware of, or if you need special arrangements to succeed in this class please contact the professor at the earliest possible convenience.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
All conditions contained in the student handbook related to academic dishonesty will be in effect during the semester. It would behoove you to familiarize yourself with these conditions. Cheating will not be tolerated. See the special sheet attached on plagiarism.
DROPPING CLASS:
You may drop a course or courses by completing a registration form during the first 10 weeks of a semester-long course. If you drop a course after the second week of classes, a grade of W will be recorded on your official record. A faculty or academic advisor’s signature is required on all drops.
REQUIRED BOOKS:
The following books are required for this course and can be purchased at the University book store. If you have any problems getting the books see the instructor immediately.
Boyer: The Enduring Vision-Voices Map Packet – Later time Period - TEXTBOOK
Edward Bellamy: Looking Backward
Nelson Peery: Black Fire: The Making of an American Revolutionary
Elva Trevino Hart: Barefoot Heart: Stories of a Migrant Child
REQUIRED READINGS:
A reading list will be handed out the first week of classes.
CLASS SCHEDULE:
The reading schedule you will receive gets you ready for the next class. Those required readings and any written assignments are necessary to prepare you for discussions and for material on required tests. Be sure to read and study the material before the class session. DO NOT MAKE THE MISTAKE – THE GRADE-KILLING MISTAKE – of assuming the reading is unimportant. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A COMMAND OF BOTH THE LECTURES AND THE REQUIRED READINGS YOU WILL NOT DO WELL IN THIS CLASS.
If class is cancelled and you wish to make this up you may request an appointment with the professor to discuss the class (i.e. the Apr. 3rd class when I need to attend a conference.)
Tue. Jan. 21 Introduction. Why study history? What do I know? How to do well in this class.
Thu. Jan. 23 America after Reconstruction
Tue. Jan 28 Film: The West
Thu. Jan 30 Rise of Industrialization in America
Tue. Feb. 4 New South
Thu. Feb. 6 Urban Life
Tue. Feb. 11 Film: Trolley
Thu. Feb. 13 Discussion on the Bellamy book – Book Review Due
Tue. Feb. 18 Changing Life Styles
Thu. Feb. 20 Expansion with a Global Face
Tue. Feb. 25 Film: 1904 World’s Fair
Thu. Feb. 27 The Progressive Era
Tue. Mar. 4 How to Write an Essay Exam - Review
Thu. Mar. 6 Mid-Term Exam
Tue. Mar. 11 1920’s A Time of Paradox and Contradiction
Thu. Mar. 13 Return Mid-Term Exams
Tue. Mar. 18 NO CLASS – SPRING BREAK
Thu. Mar. 20 NO CLASS – SPRING BREAK
Tue. Mar. 25 1930’s Depression Years
Thu. Mar. 27 Film: Just Around the Corner
Tue. Apr. 1 Should America Join the War?
Thu. Apr. 3 NO CLASS –
Tue. Apr. 8 Film: Rosie the Riveter
Thu. Apr. 10 Discussion of the Peery book – Book Review Due
Tue. Apr. 15 1950’s Suburbanization
Thu. Apr. 17 Cold War Policies
Tue. Apr. 22 Origins of the Civil Rights Movement
Thu. Apr. 24 Film: Eyes on the Prize
Tue. Apr. 29 Kennedy and Johnson Years
Thu. May 1 Resurgence of the Woman’s Movement
Tue. May 6 Watergate- Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton
Thu. May 8 Discussion of the Hart book – Book Review Due
Review for the Exam
Tue. May 13 EXAM: For the 1-2:15 Class 1-3 PM
For the 5:30-6:45 Class 6-8 PM
ASSIGNMENTS:
You will be given a reading sheet for the textbook and the document packet.
For each discussion listed on the schedule you will turn in a one-two page written
response that demonstrates prior thought on the subject. Use the questions in the
assigned readings to prompt your answer and also record your thoughts for possible
discussion questions or concerns about this reading. This paper will be used to figure
the class participation grade and will not be returned to the student. Since these sheets
part of the discussion grade if you are not in class the day of that discussion you will not
get credit for a sheet turned in late.