BROOKLYN COLLEGE, FALL 2013

History 3401-TR2

American Pluralism to 1877"

T/Th, 2:15-3:30 p.m., Room 504 Whitehead
Jocelyn Wills
1127C, Boylan Hall
E-mail: jwills@brooklyn.cuny.edu
http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/pub/Faculty_Details5.jsp?faculty=603
Office Hours: T & Th, 5:00-6:00 p.m.; and by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course explores the history of the United States from 1492 through 1877. Taking a transnational
approach to American history, we will examine the development of the United States within a larger global
context. The emergence and development of the American nation did not occur in isolation; rather, the
birth and evolution of the United States took place under the influence of much broader international
cultural, economic, political, and social events and processes. The creation and expansion of European
capitalism connected the American colonies to Europe, Africa, and the rest of the globe, setting in motion
cultural contact, conflict, and exchange, and a wider circulation of trade, goods, ideas, and people both free
and slave. Transnational developments and movements also created the context for ideas about liberty and
equality that ultimately pushed American colonists toward revolution, independence, and nation-building
efforts of their own. And international slavery and abolitionist movements ultimately paved the way for the
nations first Constitutional crisis and attempts to reconstruct the United States following a bloody, fouryear civil war. All of these transformations shaped the everyday lives of people from various social ranks
and geographical settings, all the while revealing transformations, crises, and continuities in production and
consumption, class, ethnic, gender, and race relations, politics, and belief systems as various actors
struggled for dignity, human rights, equality, and autonomy.
We will focus on six major topics and eras: the Atlantic World and the North American
Colonization Project, including the Americas on the eve of European discovery, the collision of Europe,
the Americas, and Africa, European competition in the New World, and the expansion of capitalism and
slavery; Colonial North America, including European confrontations with the indigenous peoples of the
Americas, the development of North American culture in diverse geographical settings and through
immigration and forced migration, urban-rural settlement, political debate, class conflict, reform movements, and shifting relationships between American colonists and their European counterparts; the
International Context of the American Revolution and Early Republic, including historical connections between the American Revolution and larger global developments, European foundations for the
Constitution of the United States of America, and the influence of the Haitian Revolution on debates over
slavery in the United States; Jacksonian America Within a Transnational Perspective, including the
influence of global developments on domestic policy, economic development, immigration and migration,
ideas about race, class, and gender, and international relations; Nineteenth-Century Capitalism, Domestic Economic Development, and the Expansion of Slavery, including territorial expansion, the boombust nature of the global economy, the influence of international abolitionism, and the expanding importance of the global market in cotton; and Civil War and Reconstruction, including armed conflict as part

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of nation- and empire-building projects, and economic development as central to American identity
formation.
The history of the American people is more than the sum of the extraordinary political (and
military) events that shaped the life of the nation. It is also about pluralismthe diversity of people, views,
and standsand how men, women, and children from various places and positions in society attempted to
influence events while working out their daily lives and struggles over time. We will focus as much on the
desires and everyday experiences of ordinary people as on the nations leaders, as much on the forces of
social and economic change as intellectual and political change, as much on consensus as conflict, and as
much on continuity as change itself. By exploring the challenges that Americans faced from the vantage
point of the diverse actors who built the nation from sparsely populated outposts in 1492 to a major
international empire-in-the-making through 1877, this course seeks to enhance your critical thinking,
reading, and writing skills as we seek to understand the complexity of the historical events, processes,
structures, that shaped the American experience and the historical actors who lived, influenced, performed,
and presented its history over time. We will also explore the dreams, myths, illusions, and realities that
shaped the American experience, including those associated with nation-building, the going-to-smash
side of financial booms and busts, the vicissitudes of downward mobility and unequal opportunities, and
the nervous conditions that continue to flow from unending competition and the living-to-work and livingto-keep-up mentalits that have come to dominate American society. We will begin our journey together by
reviewing the basic plotline of American history through 1877. We will then turn our attention to specific
moments in time, examining both primary as well as secondary sources to see the ways in which different
actors have interpreted the American experience.

REGULAR ATTENDANCE REQUIRED; THOUGHTFUL

AND INFORMED PARTICIPATION BASED ON READING
AND ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT ESSENTIAL

Course Objectives:
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to improve critical thinking, reading, and writing skills (through class discussions and writing
assignments)
to make sense of the historical events, processes, and structures that shaped American history from
1492 to 1877, and the historical actors who attempted to influence, succeed in, and/or
survive that history
to develop an appreciation for understanding the content of and contexts for historical developments and interpretations
to enhance analytical abilities (through exposure to and deconstruction of written, visual, and
audio sources
to recognize multiple perspectives and opposing viewpoints, from a variety of cultural, economic,
intellectual, political, and social vantage points
to understand both historical as well as interdisciplinary contexts, the importance of change over
time, the rules of collecting and employing evidence (both secondary and primary), and
how the present informs historical research and understanding

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to appreciate the connections between economic structures and cultural, ideological, political, and
social practices
to encourage respect for intellectual and cultural diversity

Learning OutcomesBy the End of the Semester, You Should Improve Your Abilities to:
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see how events and processes that occur in the United States connect to events and processes
outside national borders;
trace specific developments in American domestic and foreign affairs between 1492 and 1877,
including the creation of the Atlantic World and global competition for resources (including human
ones), the relationship between the American colonies and imperial rivalries, capitalism and
slavery, nation- and empire-building during the 19th century, and the ways in which diverse inhabitants of what became the United States reacted to, sought to influence, and/or navigated change;
recognize both the benefits as well as the shortcomings of the American experience;
identify and understand the difference between facts and interpretations of American history;
recognize divergent perspectives on the American past and contemporary experiences by improving abilities to identify and analyze historical problems from a variety of viewpoints;
identify the synergies between the market economy and American cultural, ideological, political,
and social practices;
read and comprehend primary and secondary sources;
explain and defend/refute historical arguments;
develop and use research skills;
apply historical knowledge better to understand current cultural, economic, intellectual, political,
and social events and movements at home and abroad; and
see yourself as an actorwhether active or passiveon the global, historical stage.

Required Reading:
Paul S. Boyer, American History: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2012)
Geoffrey Symcox and Blair Sullivan, Christopher Columbus and the Enterprise of the Indies: A Brief
History with Documents (Bedford/St. Martins, 2005)
John Hollitz, Thinking Through the Past: A Critical-Thinking Approach to U.S. History, Volume I: to 1877,
3rd Ed. (Cengage Learning, 2004)you can buy the 2004 or 2009 edition, although the 2004 edition
is much cheaper and very similar to the later edition
Jill Lepore, New York Burning: Liberty, Slavery, and Conspiracy in Eighteenth-Century Manhattan
(Vintage, 2006)
Jane Kamensky, The Exchange Artist: A Tale of High-Flying Speculation and Americas First Banking
Collapse (Penguin Books, 2008)
Melton Alonzo McLaurin, Celia, A Slave (Avon, 1999)
American Pluralism: Course Pack, containing excerpts from various sources (all available as PDFs on our
Course Website, which you will be able to access after September 4, 2013).

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Course Requirements:
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Class Preparation and Thoughtful Participation

Journal, Recording Thoughts on Weekly Readings
Short, In-Class (and unannounced) Writing Assignments and Mid-Term Examination
Final Take-Home Examination

15%
15%
30%
40%

Course Expectations:
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This syllabus constitutes one of the materials for the course. I expect you both to read it, as well
as to know and understand what it says. As your contract for the course, the syllabus places on
you the responsibility for clearing up (sooner rather than later) any questions or doubts you might
have about course requirements. If you need assistance, you can see me after class, stop by during
office hours, make an appointment, send me e-mail, or raise your concerns in class.

Brooklyn College expects you to attend every class, and I share those expectations. During our
time together, you have joined a community of other students, all of whom depend upon your
preparation and participation in class. If you take a day off, we will all notice it, we will all miss
your comments and insights. In addition to letting down the rest of your colleague, I base your
assignments on both readings as well as discussions in class. Academic experience also shows a
direct correlation between attendance, doing the assigned reading, and quality of performance. You
should also adopt the policy that you must attend every class (even if you have not completed the
reading or a written assignment due that day), for every class matters, every discussion matters,
and far too many students imperil their GPAs by skipping class because they did not complete an
assignment on time. Do not fall into that trap. If you find yourself struggling with readings, classroom discussions, or writing assignments, please visit me during office hours, or make an appointment, so we can discuss your concerns. You can send me e-mail as well. Write and visit often, and
contact me early to avoid last-minute panic attacks. In addition, let me know in advance if you
fall under Title I, Article 5, Section 224-a of the New York State Education Law regarding nonattendance because of religious beliefs, so I can make the necessary accommodations for you. And
always let me know if you have an emergency that makes attendance or work submissions problematic. I cannot help you in an emergency if I do not know you have encountered one.

You need to complete each week's reading assignments BEFORE we meet that week, so you
can participate in class discussions. If you do not raise an issue or ask a question in class, but want
to table one for further discussion, please see me after class, stop by during office hours, or send an
e-mail. I endeavor to answer all e-mail within 48 hours, but remember: there are NO substitutes for
the assigned readings, no substitute for attending class. If finances are getting in the way of your
reading, I need to know that so that we can find a way to get you the texts you require to learn
about the topics we will explore. The quality of your degree, and what you can hope to accomplish
with that degree, correlate directly with your own efforts and your engagement with the content
and sources assigned for class. If you have not learned that already, you will learn it soon. A
degree is not a degree is not a degree. Moreover, bosses and creditors can take away our jobs and
money, but they can never take away what we learn, the knowledge we gain through educational
effort, thoughtful and critical reflection, and shared perceptions and wisdom.

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And speaking of shared wisdom, I base part (15%) of your grade on class discussions, so come
prepared each day to participate in the issues raised by readings, films, previous material discussed,
and your writing assignments. There are no dumb questions, and there are no dumb contributions
provided those contributions come from the materials assigned and thoughtful reflection on
topics/assignments under consideration. If you find participation painful, try this trick: before
class, write down two or three things you deem important about what you have read; then, no
matter what happens during class, force yourself to raise your hand and read one of your statements. This strategy really worksit helps you to overcome your shyness, and will allow you to
share important insights with your colleagues. I will plan to lecture on Tuesdays, giving you some
critical information to guide Thursday discussions on assigned readings for the week. But on
Thursdays, I will expect each and every one of you to come prepared to talk and/or write about
what you have read.

During the course of the semester, you will complete both weekly journal entries on the readings
assigned for that week and periodic in-class writing assignments and (if necessary, a mid-term
examination), as well as a 10-page, take-home final examination that will give you the
opportunity to showcase your knowledge and insights about the History of American Pluralism
through 1877. Our writing only improves when we do it, so the journal entries seek to help you to
improve your writing (and thinking) skills. These are low-stake (and ungraded) assignments that
will help you to build a portfolio of thinking/writing for the semester, and which you will employ
in your final examination. In-class writing assignments seek to enhance your critical reading,
thinking, and writing skills even further, to improve your competencies as a scholarly thinker, and
to bolster your abilities to integrate secondary and primary sources into a cohesive narrative. Every
generation rewrites history based upon its own experiences, perceptions, issues, and questions. Inclass assignments and the final examination promise to help you see those phenomena in action. I
will also give you the opportunity to submit multiple drafts of your 10-page final examination
(a take-home assignment based upon readings assigned for the semester). I take improvement over
time into consideration, but you should know that I neither grant individual extensions on assignments nor hand out the dreaded INC (incomplete) grade, for, indeed, I know the deleterious
influence such policies and grades have on long-term student success. When I do offer rare exceptions to such rules, I also demand legitimate, easily documented evidence of the extraordinary
circumstances making it impossible for you to complete your work by the due date(s). In addition,
if you need an extension of any kind, you must put your request in writing, meet with me (in
person, not virtually), and sign a contract. I will hand out specific instructions on journal entry
assignments for the semester at our September 10th meeting; and on that date we will also
discuss how to read more effectively for in-class writing assignments. I will give you a copy of
the final examination topic/questions for consideration at our October 17th meeting.

Read--carefully and thoroughlythe current Brooklyn College Bulletin, for a complete listing
of academic regulations.

Make sure to familiarize yourself with Brooklyn College's rules and regulations on, and
penalties for plagiarism. Plagiarism--using other people's ideas and words as your own--is an
academic sin that can result in course failure and college dismissal. If you have ANY questions
about what constitutes plagiarism, please see me immediately. You should also read the Colleges

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official policies on plagiarism, including the fact that 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. You can find the
complete text of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the Brooklyn College procedure for
implementing at: 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. Faculty members are very
savvy about plagiarism, we know most of the websites from which most students cheat, and most
of us practice a zero-tolerance policy. We also have more important things to do with our time. DO
NOT plagiarize; that kind of stink on your transcript will follow you everywhere. Besides, citing
your sources shows that you understand that your ideas flow from a long history of discussion and
debate, that you have reached a level of maturity in thinking and writing that allows you to give
credit where credit is due and to let your own ideas and insights shine through a chain of collective
wisdom.

The Grading Scale:

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I base grades on the standard scale (90-100=A, for consistently excellent work; 80-89=B, for good,
very competent work; 70-79=C, for satisfactory work; 60-69=D, for passable work; 0-59=F, for
unacceptable university-level work). I take improvement over time into consideration; however,
you should strive to do well from the start so you do not find yourself entangled in the "delinquent"
dilemma (spending the second half of the semester trying to recover from poor attendance/missed
writing assignment due dates). I will hand out an "Evaluation Criteria" sheet and other
important grading information at our class meeting on September 10th.

Policy on Absences and Writing Assignments:

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Class participation constitutes a substantial part of your grade. I will therefore assume everyone
will arrive on time, ready to engage the readings or film assigned, ready to have deep discussions about each reading or filmincluding, but not limited to its thesis, structure, evidence
employed, main arguments, suggestions for further research, and merits and possible shortcomings.
If you do not do the reading, do not attend every class, or wander in late, you cannot fully participate in discussions, which means your participation grade will suffer accordingly (i.e., a gradepoint reduction of approximately 1% per class; and note that arriving late will also constitute
failure to participate fully). Also note: you are responsible for all assigned reading, whether or not
we discuss all of its particulars in collective discussions. During the semester, we will talk about
how to read texts more efficiently, so you have more time to think about what you have read and
where those readings fit into larger contexts and historical debates.

If you fail to meet the deadline for writing assignments, I will deduct 5% for each day late
(excluding weekends and holidays), unless you can provide an acceptable, written excuse (such as
a formal letter from your doctor or other evidence of an emergency). If you have any questions
about these policies, please see me immediately.

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Student Services at Brooklyn College:

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The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a federal anti-discrimination statute, provides
comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, the legislation requires that Brooklyn College guarantee to all students with disabilities a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you have a disability
requiring an accommodation, contact the Director of the Center for Student Disability Services at
718-951-5538. Students who have a documented disability (or suspect they have a disability) must
register with the Center for Student Disability Services before they can receive disability-related
academic accommodations. Once registered, please provide me with the course accommodation
form and discuss with me the specific accommodations you require.

Brooklyn College offers many academic, counseling, and campus services, including the Learning Center (located in 1300 Boylan Hall), which houses both a writing as well as a peer tutoring
center. I encourage you to avail yourself of these services to enhance your educational experience;
however, remember that you should not consider peer tutoring a substitute for meeting with
professors when you have concerns about your assignments. For more information, consult the
current Brooklyn College Bulletin.

Financial Aid, Scholarship Information, and Internship Opportunities You Need to Know
About: Whether or not you plan to apply for student loans to help you to defray some of your
educational expenses and efforts, you should fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA), on line at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/). Like other universities across the nation, Brooklyn
College awards scholarships and prizes to deserving undergraduate and graduate students. Brooklyn College offers more than 600 of these scholarships, awards, and prizes each year, with many
tied to students financial needs. Unfortunately, no matter how deserving, you will not qualify for
the many needs-based scholarships unless you have registered with FAFSA. Do not miss this
opportunity. Visit Brooklyn Colleges Office of Scholarships, located on the 2nd floor of the West
Quad Center (for further information, you can call 718-951-0544 or send an e-mail inquiry to
scholarship@brooklyn.cuny.edu, but I recommend that you visit in person). If you find a scholarship that interests you, and you want to talk about it, please feel free to visit with me. You should
also know that Brooklyn College has an internship office, the Magner Center for Career Development and Internships. Magner Center staff can help you to navigate career programs, services,
and resources, and to prepare you for internship opportunities and part-time employment. For more
information, visit 1303 James Hall, call 718-951-5696, or explore the Centers offerings at
http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/pub/departments/magner/.

Entitlement Programs Students Need to Know About: At Brooklyn College, we understand (or
should understand) that our students must navigate a complex urban environment while simultaneously seeking a high-quality education, that Brooklyn College students often struggle to balance
educational goals with the economic realities of living in New York City, including the need to eat,
pay rent, arrange for child care, and meet obligations to family members and others. As a result, I
take seriously your right to know about services on and off campus that can help you to receive the
education you deserve while simultaneously meeting your other obligations. I also put myself
through school, and understand some of the complexities involved. If you want to visit about your

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particular educational struggles, and what BrooklynCollege needs to do to assist you, please feel
free to visit with me.
On campus, the Office of Student Assistance and Referral (SAR) can help you when
difficulties arise, including counseling about emergency loans and grant funds, providing access to
or help with receiving other college service and program entitlements, and encouraging wider civic
engagement and voter empowerment. For assistance, visit 2113 Boylan Hall, call 718-951-5332, or
e-mail StudentSAR@brooklyn.cuny.edu.
Off campus, Assemblywoman Rhoda Jacobs has a Community Services Office, where
caring staff members can assist you with determining your eligibility for a host of entitlement
programs, including food stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, health insurance, Healthy New York and
Family Health Plus, as well as addressing tenant-landlord and consumer issues. Located at 2294
Nostrand Avenue, between Avenues I and Jjust a short walk from campusthe Community
Services Office provides confidential screening and information, with convenient "walk-in" office
hours from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m., Mondays-Thursdays, and from 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. on
Fridays. You do not need to make an appointment. You can also obtain more information by
calling 718-434-0446.
If you have been denied public assistance in the past, or are currently having trouble
with your benefits, the Legal/Support Services department of Make the Road NY may be able to
help. You can reach them at: 718-418-7690 (301 Grove Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11237in Bushwick). You can also reach out to Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (FUREE),
at 718-852-2960 (801 Willoughby Street in downtown Brooklyn, NY, 11201); and to Community
Voices Heard (CVH), at 202-860-6001 (115 East 106th Street, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10029).

If you reach out to people and they do not help you, please let me know. Also,
if you know of other services that can assist Brooklyn College students (or of other
problems students face), please bring that information to class so that we can make
announcements and I can include better information in future syllabi.

Topics/Readings and Writing Assignments Complete By:

A list of weekly topics, reading assignments, and written work due dates for the semester follows. You
need to complete your readings before Tuesday meetings, so you can participate in discussions about the
themes/debates we will explore each week. Throughout the semester, we will spend some time discussing
how to read more effectively and efficiently so you have more time to think about what you have read
rather than just plowing through the material without retaining the important points (the thesis, evidence,
structure, questions remaining, research topics prompted, and issues ignored). Remember the primary goal:
to improve your critical reading, thinking, speaking, and writing skills. Boyers American History: A Very
Short Introduction and Hollitzs Thinking Through the American Past, Volume I: to 1877 will serve as the
threads, providing the basic plot line for the various stages on which historical actors interact and historical
events/phenomena take place. The other books (and source excerpts) engage a dialogue among a diverse set
of scholars and others who have defined, championed, re-interpreted, and challenged the American History
narrative. Both primary and secondary sources reflect divergent perspectives on the central issues of
American life. Read all the pieces assigned as you would (and should) read newspaper articlesasking
yourself: the authors social position and what argument(s) the he/she seeks to advance (remember, authors
want to convince you about something); what evidence the author employs; what the author includes/leaves

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out (and why); with whom he/she hopes to engage; and why we should consider the argument/document
significant to our understanding of American pluralism and history. You should employ the same strategies
as you record your reflections in journal entries. We will begin by reading through the entire plot line
and relevant sources that either reinforce or test our assumptions about, or offer up an alternative to the
American master narrative. Thereafter, we will consider other, more specific interpretations, by examining
scholarly monographs, contemporary accounts, and fictional representations of American life. Consider all
of the texts part of our collective vocabulary and foci for debate about the dreams, myths, illusions, and
realities that have guided the American experience and the historical actors you meet along the way. Please
visit often to discuss readings and issues in greater depth.

PART ONE, American Pluralism: History & Memory in American Life

Day One: August 29, 2013
Introduction to the Course: Expectations, Readings, Assignments, and Information on
Course Website
Writing Assignment & Work-Life Balance Survey, Both Due in Class, September 3rdlate
penalties apply (5% each weekday). This assignment constitutes part of your participation
grade, and signals your early willingness to engage the History of American Pluralism as a
subject worthy of scholarly attention and contemporary concern. If you submit a
thoughtful essay, you cannot fail to do well.
Write a brief essay (at minimum, a two-page, doubled-spaced, typed one using a 12-point font) on
your current understanding of American history through 1877, and how that history
connects to your own life and experiences in the 21st-century United States. You might
want to organize your essay along the following lines: First, write an introductory section
that tells me a little something about you and your experiences in the United States and
with the history of this country in the larger globe. Think about how the nations history
may have influenced your choice of major, why you enrolled at Brooklyn College, what
you hope to get out of this class and your larger university experience, what career(s) you
have engaged in or hope to pursue, and what sort of life you want to lead. Secondly,
present a definition of American Pluralism as you understand it and a few things you
deem significant from the period we will consider (note: there are NO right or wrong
answers here; only perceptions; and you can tell me as much or as little about yourself and
your thoughts on American history and pluralism as you feel comfortable sharing). Next,
describe how American history has shaped your life, and the lives of your family members,
friends, and associates (whether through cultural assumptions about Americas place
within the globe, or school, work, and other institutions/communities/experiences). For
example, do you think your social background (class, ethnicity, race, religion, education,
gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, etc.) matter within the context of
American/global history, and how you and your family members have navigated the
United States? Has the promise or challenge of American life influenced the work
you/your family members have done/do/hope to do in the future? How does the American
belief system (which you should describe) shape your political decisions, give you opportunities, constrain your movements, etc.? And does American history shape/or is it shaped

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by your cultural traditions (the stories, art, music, customs, practices, and so on, that have
inspired or discouraged you and/or your family members and friends)? While drafting your
essay, you should also think about discussing those things (the
documents/films/music/art/media/other sources) you have studied or know about that have
influenced your thinking about American history and the stories we tell about its past
(particularly in the years preceding 1877), including narratives about native- and foreignborn people in this country, and what those narratives tell us about history and memory,
myth and reality, and American society and culture.
This assignment is not a test of your CNN, History Channel, or Jeopardy "factoid"
knowledge. Instead, I want to see how you organize your thoughts, how you connect your
own life to the assumptions people engage in when they talk or write about American
history. It also helps me (and you) understand how much you know at the beginning of the
semester so that this course advances your educational experience in positive ways, no
matter your major, current interests, or future plans.
To help you think more deeply about this assignment (and how American history has determined
the kind of life you lead), also fill out the Living to Work or Working to Live?
survey handed out on August 29th. You will hand in this survey on September 3rd as
well, and you should feel free to submit it anonymously. I will present aggregate
results of the survey at our class meeting on September 10th. When filling out the
survey, make sure to present an accurate assessment of the time you spend on work and
life in the multiple worlds you inhabit. How many hours do you need to work to put food
on the table, to pay your rent, to survive in New York City? How many credit hours of
course work have you decided to pursue this semester (or in past semesters), and why?
How many hours do you spend transporting yourself to and from home to school and
work. What other obligations consume your time? How have your own work or career
choices/aspirations influenced what you study? And what do all of these things have to do
with both the economic and social realities as well as the political and cultural assumptions
of American life? Both assignments seek to help you see that history matters to the
contemporary landscape you inhabit as you connect the past with the present and
think about your future hopes and anxieties.
Please type your name, major (even if tentative), status (freshman-senior), and preferred e-mail
address (for the purposes of receiving PDF attachments) in the upper right-hand corner of
your introductory paper, and staple it on the upper left-hand corner. Please do the same
(redacting your name if you want to remain anonymous) on the survey. DO NOT put your
assignments in a binder or other cover, unless you plan to make those covers a gift.

Day Two: September 3, 2013

500 Nations: A Continent of Villages to 1500

Day Off: September 5, 2013

COLLEGE CLOSED; NO CLASSES; NO OFFICE HOURS

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Day Three: September 10, 2013

Interpreting American History: A Short Introduction; The Significance Question; and
Work/Life Balance Survey Results (Journal Entry Assignments & Evaluation Criteria
hand-outs available in class)
Reading Complete By September 10: THE SYLLABUS (come prepared to ask questions/raise
concerns about it); and Boyer, American History: A Very Short Introduction, complete
(read the entire short introduction, all nine chapters)come to class prepared to identify
what you see at the most significant events and processes in American history through
1877.
Day Four: September 12, 2013
Interpreting American History, A Longer Introduction; and Reading History (and other
things) More Effectively and Efficiently

PART TWO: The Atlantic World and the North American Colonization Project
Days Five & Six: September 17 & 19, 2013
In 1492, Christopher Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue: What Was He Doing Out There
Anyway?; and The Expansion of Europe & the Planting of Colonies, 1492-1590
Reading Complete By September 17: Symcox and Sullivan, Christopher Columbus and the
Enterprise of the Indies, complete.

Day Seven: September 24, 2013

The Truth About Textbooks
Reading Complete by September 24, 2013: Hollitz, Thinking Through the Past, Title Page
through p. 36 (do NOT skip the preface and introduction); and Out of Many, pp. 28-77, in
American Pluralism Course Pack (PDF available on the Course Website on September
4th).
Writing Due by September 24, 2013: Journal Entry #1, reflections on Symcox & Sullivan,
engaging at least three of the questions posed by the authors of these texts (see journal
entry instructions handed out in class on September 10th).

PART THREE: Colonial North America

Day Eight: September 26, 2013
The Raw Materials of History: Childhood in Puritan New England

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Days Nine & Ten: October 1 & 3, 2013

Capitalism, Slavery, and Empire
Reading Complete by October 1, 2013: Lepore, New York Burning, through p. 128.
Writing Due by October 1, 2013: Journal Entry #2, reflections on Hollitz, Chapters 1 and 2,
engaging at least three of the questions posed.

Day 11, October 8, 2013:

The Cultures of Colonial North America, 1700-1780
Reading Complete by October 8, 2013: Lepore, complete; and Hollitz, pp. 37-55.
Writing Due by October 8, 2013: Journal Entry #3, reflections on New York Burning.
Day 12: October 10, 2013:
New York Burning: Liberty, Slavery, and Conspiracy in Eighteenth-Century Manhattan

Day Off: October 15, 2013:

Conversion DayNo Classes; No Office Hours

PART FOUR: International Context of the American Revolution and Early Republic
Day 13: October 17, 2013:
From Empire to Independence, 1750-1776 (instructions for Final, Take-Home Examination
available in class).
Reading Complete by October 17, 2013: Hollitz, pp. 56-84; and The Decision to Break From
Great Britain: Primary and Secondary Source Excerpts, and The Declaration of Independence, in American Pluralism Course Pack (PDF of multiple documents and The
Declaration available on the Course Website on September 10th).
Writing Due by October 17, 2013: Journal Entry #4, reflections on the decision to break from
Great Britain, engaging at least 3 different arguments provided by diverse authors.

Days 14 & 15: October 22 & 24, 2013:

The Creation of the United States, and Domestic and International Crises, 1776-1800
(Instructions for Mid-Term Examination Available in Class)

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Reading Complete by October 22, 2013: Hollitz, pp. 85-134; and The Constitution of the United
States of America, 1787-present, and Creating a New Government and Dealing with
Problems of the New Nation: Primary and Secondary Source Excerpts, in American
Pluralism Course Pack (PDF of The Constitution and multiple documents available on
the Course Website on September 17th).
Writing Due by October 22, 2013: Journal Entry #5, reflections on The Constitution, and on the
domestic and international dilemmas faced by the new nation, engaging at least 3 different arguments provided by diverse authors.

Day 16: October 29, 2013:

Mid-Term Examination

PART FIVE: Jacksonian America Within a Transnational Perspective; and NineteenthCentury Capitalism, Domestic Economic Development, and the Expansion of Slavery
Day 17: October 31, 2013:
Antebellum America and Expansionist Impulses, Part I: Cotton & the Expansion of Slavery
Reading Complete by October 31, 2013: Hollitz, pp. 105-132.

Days 18 & 19: November 5 & 7, 2013:

Antebellum America and Expansionist Impulses, Part II: Capitalist Impulses North & West
Reading Complete by November 5, 2013: Kamensky, The Exchange Artist, complete.
Writing Due by November 5, 2013: Journal Entry #6, reflections on The Exchange Artist.

Days 20 & 21: November 12 & 14, 2013:

Antebellum and Expansionist Impulses, Part III, The Everyday Lives of Ordinary
Americans
Reading Complete by November 12, 2013: Hollitz, pp. 133-208; and Bottom-Up: Social
Change in Antebellum America: Primary and Secondary Source Excerpts, in American
Pluralism Course Pack (PDF available on the Course Website on October 14th).
Writing Due by November 12, 2013: Journal Entry #7, reflections on the everyday life of
ordinary men, women, and childrenIndian, immigrant, worker, and slavein Antebellum
America, engaging at least 3 different arguments provided by diverse authors.
Days 22 & 23: November 19 & 21, 2013:
Antebellum and Expansionist Impulses, Part IV, Everyday Lives and Impending Crises

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Reading Complete by November 19, 2013: McLaurin, Celia, A Slave, complete; and The Road
to Secession: Primary and Secondary Source Excerpts, in American Pluralism Course
Pack (PDF available on the Course Website on October 14th).
Writing Due by November 19, 2013: Journal Entry #8, reflections on Celia, A Slave.

PART SIX: Civil War and Reconstruction

Day 24: November 26:
Coming Apart: The Panic of 1857 and Roads to War
Day Off: November 28:
THANKSGIVING BREAKNo Classes; No Office Hours

Days 25 & 26: December 3 & 5, 2013:

The Civil War & Reconstruction
Reading Complete by December 3, 2013: Hollitz, pp. 269-327; and Civil War &
Reconstruction?: Primary and Secondary Source Excerpts, in American Pluralism
Course Pack (PDF available on the Course Website on October 14th).

Days 27 & 28: December 10 & 12:

Summing UpComing to Terms with American History
Writing Assignment Due on December 10, 2013: Journal Entry #9, reflections on the Civil War
and Reconstruction.
FINAL Writing Assignment Due by 6 p.m., Thursday, December 19, 2013 (latest): Final
Take-Home Examination (see instructions handed out in class on October 17, 2013).

Important (including Due) Dates at a Glance (for weekly readings, see individual weeks above):
September 3:
September 4:

Introductory Essay & Living to Work or Working to Live? Survey Due, In Class
Course Website available (you will receive an e-mail to your e-mail of choice, inviting
you to join the Website to access information, PDF documents, etc.)
September 5: College ClosedNo Classes; No Office Hours
September 10: Journal Entry Assignment Instructions and Evaluation Criteria handout available in class
September 24: Journal Entry #1 due in class
October 1:
Journal Entry #2 due in class
October 8:
Journal Entry #3 due in class
October 15:
Conversion DayNo class; no office hours

History 3401-TR2
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October 17:
October 22:
October 29:
November 5:
November 12:
November 19:
November 28:
December 10:
December 19:

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Journal Entry #4 due in class; Full instructions for Final, Take-Home Examination available in class
Journal Entry #5 due in class; Mid-Term Examination instructions available in class
Mid-Term Examination (in class)
Journal Entry #6 due in class
Journal Entry #7 due in class
Journal Entry #8 due in class
THANKSGIVING BREAKCollege ClosedNo Classes; No Office Hours
Journal Entry #9 due in class
Final, Take-Home Examination due no later than 6 p.m., no exceptions