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Spring, 2007 Gary Land

HIST435 Union and Disunion, 1789-1865

MWF 10:30 a.m. -- 11:20 p.m.

BH180

Credit Hours: / 3
Office: / 122A Nethery Hall
Telephone: / Office (269) 471-3511
Home (269) 461-6613
E-mail /
Office Hours: / 3:30-5:00 p.m. T Th
and by appointment
Catalogue Description: / Examines major events and developments through the lenses of religion, race, gender, and class and their impact on the individual's place in American society. Emphasis is given to disestablishment of the churches, concepts of democracy, slavery, westward expansion, and the Civil War.
Course Objectives (Content): / This course will explore four major themes:
1. The expansion of democracy socially and politically.
2. The development of slavery as an institution and as a political issue.
3. The geographical expansion of the United States.
4. The growing sectionalism and eruption of civil war.
Course Objectives (Skills): / This course seeks to improve the student's ability to think historically in three aspects:
1. Ability to organize and synthesize historical information to support arguments regarding change over time, causation, and interpretation of events.
2. Ability to identify and critically analyze the arguments of historians in both articles and books.
Required Texts: / Paul Finkelman, Dred Scott v. Sandford: A Brief History with Documents. Boston: Bedford Books, 1997.
Lawrence B. Goodheart, et. al., eds., Slavery in American Society, 3rd ed. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath, 1993.
Sean Wilentz, The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln. New York, NY: Norton, 2005.
Course Requirements: / 1. Reading Assignments and quizzes: Students are expected to read assignments as indicated in the course schedule below. If classes are cancelled because of weather or illness of the instructor, students are to continue their reading as assigned. At the beginning of the class period, an essay quiz will be given over that day's reading assignment. Four quizzes with the lowest score and/or that have been skipped will be dropped from each student's record at the end of the semester. All quizzes must be completed by 10:40 a.m.; students who arrive late will not be given extra time. Missed quizzes may not be made up.
2. Article Reports: Students are required to read two articles from the Journal of American Historyand two articles from the Michigan Historical Reviewthat address topics within the time period from 1789-1865. Report forms (supplied by the teacher) for each article must be completed, with a photocopy or printout of the article attached, and turned in at the beginning of class as indicated on the course schedule. 20 pts. each.
3. Book review: Students are expected to read one book (250 pp. minimum) of their choice addressing a topic within the time period from 1789 to 1865of American history and write a 3-4 page critical review, to be turned in as indicated on the course schedule. Instructions for the review are included at the back of this syllabus. Notes on the book and at least one rough draft of the review are to be attached to the finished book review. Students wishing to improve their grade on the review may turn in a revised review; the revised version must have the original graded review attached. 50 pts.
4. Document/Historiographical Analysis: Students will write one document analyses and one historiographical analysis of 3-4 pages each, due as indicated on the course schedule. Instructions for the analyses will be provided by the teacher at least one week before the assignment is due. 50 pts. each.
5. Examinations: Students will write two take-home examinations as indicated on the course schedule. Examinations will be comprised of both short and long essay questions and chronology outlines. 100 pts. each
Grading: / Course Components:
Article Reports 10%
Book Review 20%
Document/Historiographical Analyses 30%
Examinations 40%
Grading Scale:
A 96-100%, A- 91-95%, B+ 86-90%, B 81-85%, B- 76-80%, C+ 71-75%, C 66-70%, C- 61-65%, D 50-60%
Missed Examinations and Late Assignments: / The midterm and final examinations may be turned inlate only in the event of illness, with a medical excuse signed by a physician or nurse, or a death in the student’s immediate family. The student must contact the teacher regarding late examinations prior to the date of the examination is due. Ten percent will be deducted from all written assignments for each class period that the assignment is late.
Extra Credit: / Completing the course requirements with distinction will keep you occupied, for you should expect to spend about two hours in preparation for each class. I do not give extra-credit assignments.
Academic Honesty: / Please read the section on academic honesty in the Andrews University Bulletin (p. 28, 2006-07 edition). Any violations of this policy, including such actions as plagiarism on the research paper r using textbooks during quizzes or examinations, will result in a grade of 0 for the individual assignment.
Student E-Mail: / Should I need to send a message to individual students or the entire class, I will be using your Andrews University e-mail address. If you do not use this as your primary address, it is your responsibility to set up your AU account to forward messages to your primary address so that you will receive my messages. You are responsible for any unread or missed messages.
Class Attendance: / An attendance record will be taken each day. Students will lose class participation points if they are absent on a day that they are randomly chosen for questioning. As indicated in the Andrews University Bulletin(p. 28, 2006-07 edition) absences beyond 20% (5 class periods) will result in an F. Also, students are expected to stay in the classroom once attendance has been taken and the class has begun. Students leaving the classroom after this point will be marked absent.
Disability Accommodations: / If you qualify for accommodations under the American Disabilities Act, please see the instructor as soon as possible for referral and assistance in arranging such accommodations.

SCHEDULE:

Date: Topic: Assignment:

Jan. 10 / Introduction
12 / Democracy and the Constitution / Wilentz, xvii-xxiii, 3-39
15 / NO CLASS: MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
17 / Federalists and Republicans / Wilentz, 40-71
19 / Jeffersonian Democracy / Wilentz, 72-98
22 / Jefferson's First Presidency / Wilentz, 99-116; Goodheart, xv-xxii
24 / Jefferson's Second Presidency / Wilentz, 116-40; JOURNAL OF AMERICAN HISTORY ARTICLE REPORTS DUE
26 / The War of 1812 / Wilentz, 141-59; Goodheart, 3-12
29 / The Decline of the Federalists / Wilentz, 159-78; Goodheart, 13-17
31 / Democracy in the North / Wilentz, 181-196; Goodheart, 83-95
Feb. 2 / Democracy in the West & South / Wilentz, 196-217; Goodheart, 99-115
5 / NO CLASS: TEACHER ABSENT FOR MEDICAL REASONS
7 / The Missouri Compromise / Wilentz, 218-40; MICHIGAN HISTORICAL REVIEW ARTICLE REPORTS DUE
9 / The Emergence of Jackson / Wilentz, 240-53; Goodheart, 123-34
12 / Politics of Moral Improvement / Wilentz, 254-80; Goodheart, 134-49
14 / The Aristocracy & Democracy / Wilentz, 281-311
16 / The Jacksonian Era Begins / Wilentz, 312-29; Goodheart, 161-66
19 / NO CLASS; PRESIDENT'S DAY
21 / Radical Democracies / Wilentz, 330-58
23 / The Bank Veto / Wilentz, 359-74; Goodheart, 166-93
26 / The Nullification Crisis / Wilentz, 374-90
28 / The Bank War / Wilentz, 390-403; HISTORIOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS DUE
Mar 2 / The Rise of Abolitionism / Wilentz, 403-24; Goodheart, 217-34
5 / Indian Removal & Hard Money / Wilentz, 425-55
7 / NO CLASS / EXAMINATION DUE, 11:30 a.m.
9 / Democratic Tensions / Wilentz, 456-81; Goodheart, 237-47
12 / The Rise of the Whigs / Wilentz, 482-507
14 / Jacksonian Democracy / Wilentz, 507-18; Goodheart, 247-58
16-25 / SPRING BREAK
26 / Whigs and Democrats / Wilentz, 521-46; Finkelman, 1-26
28 / Antislavery and Texas Annexation / Wilentz, 547-76; Finkelman, 26-52; BOOK REVIEW DUE
30 / Manifest Destiny / Wilentz, 577-601; Finkelman, 55-77
Apr 2 / The Mexican War / Wilentz, 602-32; Finkelman, 77-100
4 / The Compromise of 1850 / Wilentz, 633-45; Finkelman, 100-26
6 / Fugitive Slaves & Free Soil / Wilentz, 645-67; Finkelman, 127-47
9 / Bleeding Kansas / Wilentz, 668-88; Finkelman, 147-67
11 / Republican Consolidation / Wilentz, 688-706; Finkelman, 168-85
13 / Dred Scott and the Panic of 1857 / Wilentz, 707-25; Finkelman, 185-204
16 / Lincoln and Douglas / Wilentz, 725-44; Finkelman, 205-26
18 / The Election of 1860 / Wilentz, 745-67; Goodheart, 259-76
20 / NO CLASS: TEACHER ATTENDING CONFERENCE
23 / Secession / Wilentz, 768-88; DOCUMENTARY ANALYSIS DUE
25 / Civil War and Democracy / Wilentz, 789-96
May 2 / FINAL EXAMINATION DUE, 12:00 NOON

THE CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW

One of the tasks of the professional historian is to critically review new books that appear within his or her area of expertise. Although few if any of you are planning to become professional historians, I believe that it is useful for you to learn to write such reviews, both for the discipline it requires in the reading of and writing about a book and the insight it gives you into history as an academic discipline. Therefore, you are required to write reviews (the number is indicated on your syllabus) of 3-4 typewritten pages in a style that would be acceptable to a historical journal. I recommend that you read several book reviews (because there is more than one way to write a review) in such journals as The American Historical Review or Journal of American History before writing your own review. But do not read reviews of the book that you are evaluating.

The process of writing a review really begins when you are reading a book. As a critical reader you need to examine such things as the author’s purposes and whether they were met, the literary style, the relative objectivity, the types of sources used and completeness of research, and whether the thesis is convincing. Remember that you are reviewing the book the author wrote and not the one you wish he had written. Nonetheless, you must judge whether the author succeeded in his or her self-appointed task and whether that task was worth doing.

Having read the book critically you will then write the review. The review is to accomplish two primary things. First, it should give the reader a clear idea of the author’s main argument or thesis with some indication of the supporting evidence. Secondly, the review should give your judgment of the book and the reasons for your opinion. The function of this part of your review is to help the reader determine whether he should read and perhaps purchase this volume. Although it is usually best to keep these two aspects of the review separate rather than mixing description with critique, you should think of the review as a small essay with a brief introduction and conclusion that contain within their contours a unified statement.

Although historical journals have varied ways of organizing the bibliographical information, all reviews for this class must use the form provided by the example below. Indication of such information as preface pages, illustrations, bibliography, and index will depend upon individual books. This information must be placed at the top of the first page of your review.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION EXAMPLE:

Franklin L. Baumer, MODERN EUROPEAN THOUGHT: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN IDEAS, 1600-1950 (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977), xv + 541 pp. Illustrations, Bibliography, Index.