History 3401–Spring 2016
Early American history.
Tues/Thurs at 3.40-4.55pm
Office hrs: Boylan 1127a, Thurs., 12.30-1.30
Readings:
- American Yawp (available on-line)
- All journal articles will be e-mailed.
- Primary: documents and maps on this website.
Requirements:
- Exams: 50%
- Quizzes (based on reading, each class; bottom four dropped): 25%
- Group Project, Participation: 25%
- Office hours, Thursday, 12.30-1.30, Boylan 1127a
Peer mentor: John Sakelos (john.sakelos@aol.com)
Schedule:
February 2. Introduction
I. Foundations
February 4. Initial Expansion: The Columbian Exchange, Colonialism, and Slavery
- American Yawp, “The New World“
- Columbus, Letter to the King and Queen (1492)
- Hakluyt on British colonization (1584)
- Winthrop, City on a Hill (1630)
February 11: Road to Revolution
- American Yawp, “British North America“
- Gibson Clough war journal (1759)
- Tea Party retrospective
- Franklin, Albany Plan (1754)
February 16: Revolution
- American Yawp, “The American Revolution“
- Declaration of Independence (1776)
- Articles of Confederation (1777)
- PA State Constitution (1776)
- Northwest Ordinance (1786)
February 18. The Constitution
- Jack Rakove, “Thinking Like a Constitution,” Journal of the Early Republic (2004).
- US Constitution (as written, 1787)
February 23: Debating the Constitution
- American Yawp, “A New Nation,” parts 1-5 only.
- Bill of Rights (1789).
- Brutus v. Federalist, New York ratifying debate, re:
- size of the republic; Brutus No. 1; Federalist No. 10
- judicial power: Brutus No. 11; Federalist No. 78
- military affairs: Brutus No. 8; Federalist No. 8
February 25: Creating the New Government
- American Yawp, “A New Nation” (part)–read only to end of section from link.
- Arthur Garrison, “The Internal Security Acts of 1798: The Founding Generation and the Judiciary during America’s First National Security Crisis,” Journal of Supreme Court History (2009)
- Sedition Act (1798)
- Virginia Resolution (1798)
- Washington Farewell Address (1796)
- American Yawp, “The Early Republic“
- Marbury v. Madison (1803)
- War debate (1811-1812)
- Madison and internal improvements (1815)
- MO Controversy (1819-1820)
- Monroe Doctrine (1823)
II. Political Crisis
- American Yawp, “Democracy in America“
- Jackson BUS veto message (1832)
- Webster-Hayne Address
- American Yawp,” Manifest Destiny“
- John O’Sullivan, Manifest Destiny (1845)
March 10: Political Crisis of the 1850s
- American Yawp, “The Sectional Crisis“
- Justice Steven Breyer, “A Look Back at the Dred Scott Decision,” Journal of Supreme Court History (2010)
- Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)
- Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852)
March 15: Review
March 17: Midterm
March 22: The United States and the Wider World
- Eugene Van Sickle, “Reluctant Imperialists,” Journal of the Early Republic, pp. 107-134.
- Luis Martinez–Fernandez, “Caudillos, annexationism, and the rivalry between empires in the Dominican Republic, 1844-1874,” Diplomatic History 17, pp. 571-599.
March 24: No class
- American Yawp, “The Civil War“
- Republican Platform (1860)
- Crittenden Compromise (1860).
- Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
- Gettysburg Address (1863)
- American Yawp, “Reconstruction“
- 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments
- freed children in SC (1864)
- MS Black Code (1865)
- TX lawlessness (1868)
III. Looking Ahead
- American Yawp, “Capital and Labor“
- Omaha People’s Party platform (1892)
- William Graham Sumner, Social Darwinism (1880s)
- Carnegie, Gospel of Wealth (1889)
- Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
April 7. No class
- American Yawp, “American Empire“
- Mark Twain, “War Prayer” (1904-5)
- William McKinley on US exceptionalism (1903)
- Kipling, White Man’s Burden (1899)
- American Yawp, “The Progressive Era“
- Wilson, New Freedom (1912)
- Jane Addams, social settlements (1892)
- Washington & DuBois on black progress
- American Yawp, “World War I“
- Wilson war declaration (1917)
- Sedition Act (1918)
- American Yawp, “The New Era“
- Ku Klux Klan documents
May 10, 12: Group Presentations
May 10–US and the World, Presidential Power
May 12–Economy and Daily Life, Race in American Society
May 17: Review
Learning objectives for this course include: (1) ability to read and interpret key historical sources; (2) ability to determine how important themes in U.S. history change over time; (3) ability to present key historical arguments orally. Item (1) will occur throughout the course; item (2) will occur in the midterm and final examination; item (3) will occur in the group presentation.
The faculty and administration of Brooklyn College support an environment free from cheating and plagiarism. Each student is responsible for being aware of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and for avoiding both. The complete text of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the Brooklyn College procedure for implementing that policy can be found at this site: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bc/policies. If a faculty member suspects a violation of academic integrity and, upon investigation, confirms that violation, or if the student admits the violation, the faculty member MUST report the violation.
In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations students must first be registered with the Center for Student Disability Services. Students who have a documented disability or suspect they may have a disability are invited to set up an appointment with the Director of the Center for Student Disability Services, Ms. Valerie Stewart-Lovell at 718-951-5538. If you have already registered with the Center for Student Disability Services please provide your professor with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific accommodation with him/her.
State law regarding non-attendance because of religious beliefs can be found on p. 56 in the Bulletin.
