Once again, I’ve avoided assigning a textbook this semester.
I constantly wrestle with whether this is a good or bad thing. I tell my
students that history is all about interpretation and debate. I feel like
textbooks contradict this by providing an overly-neat, packaged narrative that elides questioning. And,
as Kerry points out, they’re so expensive. Plus, I’d prefer students spend what I
know is a limited amount of time they have available for reading with sources
that are more interesting than a textbook. On the other hand, without a textbook, they are entirely dependent on me for the narrative I know they are all hungry for. Not to mention there are some
really good textbooks out there ( I, too, like Roark, as well as Foner, and the
new Hewitt & Lawson text from Bedford). This semester, I directed them to
an open-access text on the web as an optional reading. One of my intentions is
to have them assess this text’s coverage of certain events or periods we will
have covered in particular depth using mostly primary sources, but I’m already
not sure we’ll have the time for that. I’ve actually assigned zero books this
semester. This is not altogether out of character of me. In my survey-level classes, I tend to favor using a variety of
short, digitized sources that represent a variety of viewpoints. But I do usually assign at least one
book. This semester I’ve gone for a novella available online (Abraham Cahan’s Yekel) but I worry that having students
read a book online is not at all the same as having them read an ACTUAL book. Finally,
if anyone is familiar with my usual syllabi, which list the topics to be
covered every. single. class. period., you’ll notice that this one is far less
detailed. That’s because I honestly don’t know yet what topics we're going to examine. I'm trying to be flexible and remain willing to sacrifice some content for depth and active-learning strategies.
Dr. Kelly Erby History
112 B/C
Spring 2015 MWF
9-9:50 & 10-10:50 AM
Office: Henderson 311-0 Email:
kelly.erby@washburn.edu
Office Hours: M 12:30-2:30 PM Phone: 785-670-2018and by appointment
U.S. History
Since the Civil War
This class examines
both major developments and everyday moments in U.S. history beginning with the
period known as Reconstruction and continuing through
the turn of the twentieth century, World Wars I and II, the Civil Rights
Movement, and Vietnam. We
will explore a wide variety of perspectives that encompass the political,
economic, social, and cultural diversity of the American past. Lectures,
readings, discussions, exams, films, and assignments seek to bring out and
sharpen critical thinking about past and present American society.
Course Objectives
This course seeks to:
This course seeks to:
1. Introduce
students to significant events, figures, analytical themes, and key debates in
American history since the Civil War
2. Introduce
students to the differences between primary and secondary sources in history
and engage students in locating and evaluating these sources
3. Develop
students’ critical and creative thinking skills, including their ability to
integrate material in support of analysis, determine the meaning of historical
sources, and compare multiple viewpoints in formulating historical questions
and arguments
4. Develop
students’ ability to write clearly and analytically
General-Education
Aim
This class counts toward general-education requirements for
Social Sciences. Here is how the Washburn University catalog defines the aims
of general education: “The General Education component of higher education
specifically focuses on introducing students to ways of knowing, integrative
knowledge, appreciation of historical context, common themes of human
experience, social responsibility, analytical reasoning, civic engagement, and
the development of practical skills and reflective habits of mind. The General
Education requirements at Washburn University are designed with the intent of
providing students with a grounding in liberal arts and sciences and shaping an
informed, capable citizenry through a broad education in a range of
disciplines. These courses ensure that students are equipped with the knowledge
and skills necessary to engage with our rapidly-changing world over their
lifetimes.” General education thus provides the broad platform of learning and
reasoning methods, upon which any particular disciplinary major can then be
constructed.
For each course designated as fulfilling
general-education requirements, we define one Student Learning Outcome (SLO).
For HI 111, and all of the history department’s U.S. history surveys, the
chosen SLO is Critical and Creative
Thinking, which the University defines as follows: “Critical thinking is the intellectually
disciplined process of assessing and evaluating ideas and forms. It involves
clarifying questions, reflecting upon meaning, comparing multiple viewpoints,
and evaluating evidence to make an informed judgment. Creative thinking
involves the production of original ideas, forms or works by making
connections, generating alternatives, and elaborating or exploring new
applications of accepted practices through innovation and/or invention.
Critical and creative thinkers gather information from experience, observation,
reasoning, reflection and communication. They explore and synthesize related
ideas, connect them to prior knowledge, and apply them to new contexts.” You
will notice that the course description and objectives above align closely with
the SLO.
How
do we assess whether a student has accomplished these general-education aims?
History department faculty assess the accomplishment of this SLO through a pre-
and post-test model, examining student written work near the beginning and
again near the end of each semester; ideally, you should all be doing better at
the end than at the start. For those curious about the assessment process, the
rubric we employ is attached at the end of the syllabus. You will notice that
the first three points on the rubric cover the SLO, and the others assess the
course’s historical content.
Course Requirements
- Class Attendance and Participation (10%): Class
sessions will be a mixture of lecture, discussion, and activities. Class
attendance and thoughtful
participation in class discussion and group work are both mandatory.
Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class and absences will
negatively affect your grade. Tardiness will similarly lead to a decrease
in your grade. Periodic in-class assignments and quizzes will also factor
into this grade. Class participation will be evaluated according to the
following criteria:
A: Comes to
class prepared on a regular basis, contributes thoughtfully in
ways that
advance discussion.
B: Usually
prepared, misses fewer than 20% of classes, contributes often in ways that
advance class discussion.
C: Attentive
and possibly prepared but contributes infrequently. Absent for a quarter or
more of class meetings.
D-F: Clearly
unprepared, contributes rarely or not at all. Absent for half or more of class
meetings.
- Exams (45%): There will be three exams during the
semester. Each will be worth 15% of your grade. More details on each exam
will be forthcoming.
- In-class “History Lab” Assignments (30%): There will
be 5 of these assignments throughout the semester that will require you to
work in a group to solve or explore a specific historical problem using
primary sources. Unless you have a legitimate, documented excuse, history
labs cannot be made up.
- Critical Analysis Essay (15%): There will be an
individual paper assignment associated with History Lab 4. Formal
guidelines for this assignment will be distributed in class.
Class Policies
- There
is a D2L site for this course. All registered students should be automatically
assigned to it. It is absolutely necessary that you have regular access to this
site. The majority of your readings are available there, in addition to other
important class documents. I will also regularly post grades to D2L.
- 10%
from the final grade will be deducted from assignments not turned in at the beginning of the class period on which
they are due. An assignment will continue to lose 10% for every day thereafter
it is late. For example, if you earn an A on an assignment but turn it in one
day late, you will receive a B as your grade. Weekends count as one day. Makeup
work (including in-class assignments) not turned in due to legitimate absences
or emergencies (documented illness, death in the family, etc.) will be handled
on an individual basis. It is up to you to contact me in such situations.
Please be advised that travel plans do not constitute a “legitimate” absence.
In addition, exams cannot be made up except under very special, properly documented circumstances.
- I
cannot accept emailed assignments except under very special (and previously
approved) circumstances.
- Tardiness
will negatively affect your grade.
- I
do not allow electronic devices in class except
when they are being used as part of a history lab activity. Please silence your
phone and put it away at the beginning
of the class meeting for the duration
of the meeting. This is a matter of
courtesy and respect for me and for the classroom setting. I will deduct a
point from your final grade each time
I see you using your phone during class time. I’m serious. I also reserve the
right to ask students with a habitual texting “problem” to leave the classroom.
- If you must miss class for athletics or other
University activities, please notify me in
advance.
- Finally,
never hesitate to come see me during
the semester! I am always more than
happy to help students who need extra assistance on an assignment, or who
would like to work harder on their writing or discuss further a topic we’ve covered
in class.
On Writing
I encourage you to seek out assistance with your writing and ways to improve it. I have posted some guidelines (including a the rubric I use for grading essays) on D2L (in the folder called “Writing, Reading, and Note-taking Resources.”) You are always welcome to come and talk to me about your writing. There are also free writing tutoring services available at Mabee Library that I urge you to take advantage of.
*UNIVERSITY ADDITIONS*
Mission of the University:
Washburn University enriches
the lives of students by providing opportunities for them to develop and to
realize their intellectual, academic, and professional potential, leading to
becoming productive and responsible citizens. We are committed to excellence in
teaching, scholarly work, quality academic and professional programs, and high
levels of faculty-student interaction. We develop and engage in relationships
to enhance educational experiences and our community. Washburn
University Board of Regents, 2010
Definition of a Credit Hour:
For every credit hour awarded
for an undergraduate course, the student is typically expected to complete
approximately one hour of classroom instruction, online interaction with course
material, or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two additional hours
of student work each week for approximately 15 weeks for one semester or the
equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time.
Safe Educational Environment:
Washburn
University is committed to providing an environment for individuals to pursue
educational and employment opportunities free from discrimination and/or
harassment. The University prohibits discrimination on the basis
of race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, sex,
sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or marital or
parental status. Each unit within the University is charged with
conducting its programs and activities in accordance with the University
commitment to equal opportunity for all. If you experience behavior you
believe is discriminatory or harassing, contact Dr. Pamela Foster, Equal
Opportunity Director at 785-670-1509 or by email at eodirector@washburn.edu.
Academic Misconduct Policy:
All students are expected to conduct themselves appropriately and ethically in their academic work. Inappropriate and unethical behavior includes (but is not limited to) giving or receiving unauthorized aid on examinations or in the preparation of papers or other assignments, or knowingly misrepresenting the source of academic work. Washburn University’s Academic Impropriety Policy describes academically unethical behavior in greater detail and explains the actions that may be taken when such behavior occurs. For guidelines regarding protection of copyright, consult http://www.washburn.edu/copyright. For a complete copy of the Academic Impropriety Policy, contact the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center Suite 200, or go on-line to: http://www.washburn.edu/academic-impropriety.
Student Services Center:
The Student
Service Center is the place where students can take care of a range of matters
related to admissions, financial aid, student records/registration, and student
accounts. The "one-stop" concept in Morgan Hall, room 152
incorporates the front office services of the Business Office, Financial Aid
and the Registrar in one convenient location. Stop in and visit with a
University Service Advisor for assistance or give us call us at (785) 670-2162.
You can also email us at SSC@washburn.edu.
Student Health Services:
Student Health Services (SHS)
provides support for students experiencing challenges with learning and
adapting to university life. SHS offers
urgent care for illness and injury; sports, school, and travel abroad physicals
(including TB testing); well woman exams; STD and pregnancy testing;
immunizations/vaccinations; and care of chronic illness. Services are provided by Board Certified
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) who collaborate with WU Student
Counseling Services and physicians in the Topeka area. More information can be found at
http://www.washburn.edu/health
http://www.washburn.edu/health
WU Counseling Services
Licensed mental health
professionals are available in the Counseling Services’ office for personal,
academic, and mental health support.
This is accomplished by providing a variety of counseling services as
well as resources and referrals to students. More information can be found
at http://www.washburn.edu/counseling
Disability Services:
The Student Services Office is
responsible for assisting in arranging accommodations and for identifying
resources on campus for persons with disabilities. Qualified students with disabilities must
register with the office to be eligible for services. The office MUST have appropriate
documentation on file in order to provide services. Accommodations may include in-class note
takers, test readers and/or scribes, adaptive computer technology, brailled
materials. Requests for accommodations
should be submitted at least two months before services should begin; however,
if you need an accommodation this semester, please contact the Student Services
Office immediately.
Location: Student Services, Memorial Student
Union/Mosiman Room (MOVED effective 1/6/2014)
Phone: 785-670-1629
E-Mail: student-services@washburn.edu
Students may voluntarily
identify themselves to the instructor for a referral to the Student Services
Office.
Center for Student Success: As a Washburn student, you may experience difficulty with issues such as studying, personal problems, time management, or choice of major, classes, or employment. The Center for Student Success (Office of Academic Advising, University Tutoring and Writing Center, First-Year Experience, and Testing and Assessment) is available to help students either directly through academic advising, mentoring, testing and developing learning strategies or by identifying the appropriate University resource. If you feel you need someone with whom to discuss an issue confidentially and free of charge, contact the center at 785-670-1942, advising@washburn.edu, or visit Mabee Library, Room 201.
Withdrawal Policy:
During fall and spring semesters, students may go online and withdraw from full semester courses through the second week of class with no recorded grade. From the third through the eleventh week a “W” is recorded for any dropped course. After the eleventh week, there are NO withdrawals, and a grade will be assigned for the course. These deadlines will be different for short-term, out-of-sequence, or summer courses. To view the deadline dates for your courses visit the “Last Day” Deadlines web page at: https://www2-prod.washburn.edu/self-service/coursedates.php Depending on the timing of the request to withdraw from a course, students may be eligible for a full or partial refund. Information regarding tuition refunds is available at http://www.washburn.edu/current-students/business-office/tuition-refunds.html Please note: tuition refund amounts and deadlines are changing effective Fall 2014. In addition, depending on the timing of the request to withdraw from a course, students may be responsible for repaying all or a portion of their financial aid. Students who do not attend their courses and fail to officially withdraw themselves will receive a grade of “F” and may also be required to repay all or a portion of their financial aid based on their non-attendance. For further information, contact the Financial Aid Office at 785.670.1151 or e-mail financialaid@washburn.edu.
Attendance/Administrative Withdrawal:
Although it is the student's
responsibility to initiate course withdrawals, an instructor, after due notice
to the student, may request withdrawal of the student from a course because of
nonattendance through the same date as the last day a student may withdraw from
a course. This would NOT absolve the student of financial responsibility for
tuition/fees for the course in question.
The inclusion of this information in the course syllabus is considered
due notice.
Official E-Mail Address:
Your Washburn University e-mail address will be the official address used by the University for relaying important messages regarding academic and financial information and the University will consider this your official notification for important information. It may also be used by your instructors to provide specific course information. If you prefer to use an alternate e-mail address to receive official University notices you can set a forwarding address in the Outlook Web App by following the steps below.
Outlook Web App: Set Forwarding Address
1. Go to http://outlook.washburn.edu
2. Sign in
3. Click the Gear in the upper right
4. Choose Options
5. Select Forward your email from the list on the right
6. In the lower portion of the screen, enter the email address to which you want to forward all your email.
7. Click the start forwarding button
It is your responsibility to ensure that your official e-mail box does not exceed your message quota resulting in the inability of e-mail messages to be accepted into your mailbox.
Success Week:
Success Week for undergraduate
students is designated as the five week days preceding the first day of
scheduled final examinations each Fall and Spring semester. Success Week is
intended to provide students ample opportunity to prepare for final
examinations. For academic programs, the
following guidelines apply:
A.
Faculty are encouraged to utilize Success Week as a time for review of course
material
in preparation for the final
examination. If an examination is to be given during Success Week, it must not
be given in the last three days of
Success Week unless approved by the Dean or Department Chair. Assignments worth
no more than 10% of the final grade and covering no more than one-fourth of
assigned reading material in the course may be given.
B.
Major course assignments (extensive research papers, projects, etc.) should be
due on or before the Friday prior to Success Week and should be assigned early
in the semester. Any modifications to assignments should be made in a timely
fashion to give students adequate time to complete the assignments.
C. If
major course assignments must be given during Success Week, they should be due
in
the first three days of Success Week. Exceptions include class presentations
by students and semester-long projects such as a project assignment in lieu of
a final. Participation and attendance grades are acceptable.
The Success Week policy
excludes make-up assignments, make-up tests, take-home final exams, and
laboratory examinations. It also does not apply to classes meeting one day a
week for more than one hour. All University laboratory classes are exempt from
this policy.
Required Texts
For a variety of reasons, I have not assigned a traditional
textbook. Instead, we will read a variety of different sources relating to
American history and representing multiple viewpoints. The vast majority of
these readings are available electronically on D2L.
If you feel a textbook would help you succeed in this
course, I recommend this free one available online: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/era.cfm?eraID=8&smtID=2
Course Schedule
-
You are expected to come to class having read
the assigned material, as indicated in the schedule below. The amount of
reading due each class period varies so plan accordingly.
- Please
note that the course schedule is subject to change during the semester
depending on class needs and time constraints. I will announce all changes in
class and, when necessary, alert you by (official Washburn) email. It is
ultimately your responsibility to keep track of all changes.
- You
are REQUIRED to bring copies of all assigned readings with you to class for
discussion. It is your responsibility to print those that need printing in time
for class.
Weeks 1-4: The South & West Transformed
Wed. 1/21:
Introductions.
Fri. 1/23: Determining the Meaning of Black
“Freedom.” Reading: excerpt from Eric
Foner, Forever Free
Mon. 1/26: Healing the Nation. Reading: Alan S.
Lichtin, “The Myth of
Secession and States’
Rights in the Civil War”
Wed. 1/28: The Myths of Reconstruction.
Fri. 1/30: Sharecroppers and Railroad Workers. Reading:
“Driving the Last Spike of the
Union Pacific”
Mon. 2/2: Redefining Indian Policy. Reading:
Collection of documents.
Wed. 2/4: The Native Perspective.
Fri. 2/6: The Native Perspective, con't.
Mon. 2/9: History Lab 1
Wed. 2/11: History Lab 1, con’t.
Fri. 2/13: History Lab 1, con’t.
Weeks 5-6: The Gilded Age & Progressive Era
Mon. 2/16: The Rise of Big Business. Reading: Abraham
Cahan, Yekl: A Tale of the New
York Ghetto to p. 20
Wed. 2/18: Immigration & Urbanization. Reading:
Abraham Cahan, Yekl: A Tale of the
New York Ghetto to p. 41
Fri. 2/20: The New Industrial Workers. Reading:
Abraham Cahan, Yekl: A Tale of the
New York Ghetto to end
Mon. 2/23: The Progressives. Reading: Jacob Riis
photographs, How the Other Half
Lives
Wed. 2/25:
History Lab 2
Fri. 2/27: Exam
Mon. 3/2: The War for Democracy. Readings:
Wilson’s 14 Points and Arthur Link,
“Wilson and the War for
Democracy”
Wed. 3/4: The New Woman. Reading: Vickie Ruiz,
“Flappers in the Barrio”
Fri. 3/6: The New Negro. Reading: selections from
Marcus Garvey and W.E.B. DuBois
Mon. 3/9: The Great Depression. Reading: Mirra Komarovsky, The Unemployed Man
and
his Family
Wed. 3/11: The New Deal. Reading: Franklin Delano
Roosevelt, “Fireside Chat on the
Purposes and Foundations
of the Recovery Program”
Fri. 3/13: History Lab 3
Week 9: Spring Break
3/16-3/20: No class.
Week 10: World War II
Mon. 3/23: World War II &
Domestic Policy. Reading: Franklin Roosevelt, “The
Four Freedoms”
speech and Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt, “Removal of
Japanese
Americans from the West Coast”
Wed. 3/25: Women & the Home Front.
Fri. 3/27: Exam
Weeks 11-12: The Post-War Period
Mon. 3/30: Introduction to the
“Cold” War. Reading: Reading: George Kennan, “The
Sources of
Soviet Conduct” and Joseph McCarthy’s speech at Wheeling, West
Virginia
Wed. 4/1: Consensus and Consumerism. Reading:
excerpt from Elaine Tyler May,
Homeward Bound
Fri. 4/3: Gender in the Suburbs. Reading: Betty
Friedan, The Problem that has No Name
Mon. 4/6: History Lab 4
Wed. 4/8: History Lab 4, con’t
Fri. 4/10:
History Lab 4, con’t
Weeks 13-16: Civil Rights and Vietnam
Mon. 4/13: Organizing
for Justice.
Wed. 4/15: From Birmingham to Washington D.C.
Readings: Ella Baker, “Bigger than a
Hamburger”
and watch video footage of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream”
speech
Fri. 4/17: The Rise of Rights Consciousness *CRITICAL ANALYSIS ESSAY DUE
Mon 4/27: History Lab 5
Wed. 4/29: History Lab 5, con’t
Fri. 5/1:
Introduction to Vietnam. Reading: watch Vietnam news footage
Mon. 5/4: The Anti-War Movement. Reading:
collection of student manifestos
Wed. 5/6: A Conservative Backlash.
Fri. 5/8: Coda.
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