INTRODUCTION TO
AMERICAN STUDIES II
Aspects of American
History and Government
AMST 212—SPRING 2009
VOICE: 17438775 (W) 39631156 (H)
Selected
topics, themes and issues in American history, politics and government with
emphasis on their contemporary relevance.
Grading
Policy: 20% for Attendance*; 20% for the Class
Presentation; 20% for the Midterm Exam; 20% for the Research Paper; and 20% for
the Final Exam. A Guidelines sheet will be distributed outlining the
requirements for your Class Presentation and for your Research Paper.
Grading
Scale: 93-100=A; 90-92=A-; 88-89=B+; 83-87=B;
80-82=B-; 78-79=C+; 73-77=C; 70-72=C-; 68-69=D+; 63-67=D; 60-62=D-; 0-59=F
Attendance
Policy*: Attendance in class is mandatory. It is the student’s responsibility to sign
the attendance sheet each day of class; failure to sign the attendance
sheet—even if in attendance—will be counted as an absence. If your unexcused absences exceed 25% of the
total number of lectures of the course in this semester, you will be automatically
withdrawn from the course and be given a grade of (WF) which will be counted
towards your GPA. As well, you are
expected to follow the syllabus and accordingly be prepared for each day's
class. This means that you must read the
pre-assigned readings before class so that you will be prepared to discuss and
debate in class the subject matter scheduled for that day and answer questions
related to the issues being covered.
* Absence from class may be made up by preparing a two-page, typed (i.e. using maximum 12 point font size and maximum
double-spaced text with one-inch margin on all sides), summary on the missed material scheduled to be covered the
day(s) of your absence. The summary must
be in your own words and must not be copied material from the text(s),
the internet, or any other source(s). All
summaries must be turned in to me by the last day of classes if you want
credit for your absences.
Cell
Phone Policy: TURN OFF all cell phones during
class. Any student whose cell phone
rings, sounds alarm, or makes any noise whatsoever during class must immediately
leave the classroom for that day. This
policy applies to any electronic device students carry with them.
Required Texts:
InfoUSA: Information
NOTE: All class
readings from InfoUSA are also available
online and can be printed from the AMST 212 class webpage: [http://userspages.uob.edu.bh/cscpo/amst212.htm]
Feb. 22: Introduction to American Studies II
Feb. 24: Critique &
Discussion of the
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 1, “
Feb. 26: Critique &
Discussion of the
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 2, “Revolution” (30 minutes)
Mar. 1: The Historical
Context of the
Mar. 3:
Mar. 5: [Last day for dropping courses]
Mar. 5: Equality of
States
Mar. 8-Apr. 30: [Withdrawal period with a “W”]
Mar. 8: Constructing A
Mar. 9: Prophet’s Birthday—Holiday
Mar. 10: Constructing A
Mar. 12: Constructing A
Mar.15: Constructing A
Mar. 17: Liberty &
Freedom
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 3, “
Mar. 19: Liberty &
Freedom
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 4, “Wake
Up,
Mar. 22: Interpreting
the Constitution & Formulating Democratic Values
Mar. 24: Interpreting
the Constitution & Formulating Democratic Values
Mar. 26: Foreign Policy
of the
Mar. 29: Hypocrisy of
the Young Democratic Nation: Genocide
& the Taking of
Mar. 31: Hypocrisy of
the Young Democratic Nation: Enslavement
of Africans
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 5, “A Fatal Contradiction” (30 minutes)
Apr. 2:
Disenfranchisement of Non-Whites, Women, and the Poor
Apr. 5:
Apr. 7: The
Apr. 9: The
Breech: Slavery & The
Apr. 12: The
Breech: Slavery & The
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 6, “A War
to End Slavery” (30 minutes)
Apr. 14: Congress:
The Peoples House
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 9, “Working
for Freedom” (30 minutes)
Apr. 16: Midterm Exam
Apr. 19-23: Mid-semester Break [No classes]
Apr. 26:
Apr. 28: The Supremacy
of Elected Civilian Leadership
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 10, “Yearning to Breathe Free” (30 minutes)
Apr. 30: Establishment
of Public Colleges
May 1: International
Labor Day [
May 3: International
Labor Day [
May 5: Establishment of the Federal Civil Service
May 7: Federalism
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 12, “Depression and War” (30 minutes)
May 10: Segregation
Legalized & The Legal Fight Against Segregation
& the Abolition of Segregation in the Armed Forces
May 12: The Civil
Rights Movement: From Protest to
Legislation
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 13, “Democracy
and Struggles” (30 minutes)
May 14: A New
Declaration of
May 17: Immigration
Policy
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 14, “Let Freedom Ring” (30 minutes)
May 19: Freedom of Expression: “Clear and Present Danger”
May 21: Freedom of the
Press & Against Prior Restraint
May 24: The Media and
Foreign Policy [Research Papers Due]
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 15, “Marching to
May 26:
Reapportionment Reform: “One
Person, One Vote” Rule Established [Last Day for In-Class Presentations]
May 28:
Pathway Towards Women’s Rights—Guest lecture by
Fulbright Scholar Nova Robinson
May 31: Women Organize to Demand Their Rights—Guest lecture by
Fulbright Scholar Nova Robinson
June 2: Democracy and
Struggles
Film: Let
Freedom Ring, Episode 14, VHS
June 4:
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 16, “Becoming
Free” (30
minutes)
June 7: Executive
Privilege
June 9: Last day of
classes; Review
June 20: Final Exam
June 27: Last day for
submitting grades