INTRODUCTION TO
AMERICAN STUDIES II
Aspects of American
History and Government
AMST 212—SPRING 2010
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 the Class Presentation; 20% for the
Midterm Exam; 20% for the Research Paper; and 40% 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automatically withdrawn from the course and be given a grade of (WF) which will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. 21: Introduction to American Studies II
Feb. 23: Critique &
Discussion of the
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 1, “
Feb. 25: Critique &
Discussion of the
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 2,
“Revolution” (30 minutes)
Feb. 26: Prophet’s Birthday—Holiday
Feb. 28:
Mar. 2: The Historical
Context of the
Mar. 4: [Last day for dropping courses]
Mar. 4:
Mar. 7-Apr. 29: [Withdrawal period with a “W”]
Mar. 7: Equality of
States
Mar. 9: Constructing A
Mar. 11: Constructing A
Mar. 12-14:
Mar. 16: Constructing A
Mar. 18: Liberty &
Freedom
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 3, “
Mar. 21: Liberty &
Freedom
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 4, “Wake
Up,
Mar. 23: Interpreting
the Constitution & Formulating Democratic Values
Mar. 25: Interpreting
the Constitution & Formulating Democratic Values
Mar. 28: Foreign Policy
of the
Mar. 30: Hypocrisy of
the Young Democratic Nation: Genocide
& the Taking of
Apr. 1: 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. 4: Disenfranchisement
of Non-Whites, Women, and the Poor
Apr. 6:
Apr. 8: The
Apr. 11: The
Breech: Slavery & The
Apr. 13: The Breech: Slavery & The
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 6, “A War
to End Slavery” (30 minutes)
Apr. 15: Midterm Exam
Apr. 18-22: Mid-semester Break [No classes]
Apr. 25: Congress:
The Peoples House
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 9,
“Working for Freedom” (30 minutes)
Apr. 27: The Supremacy
of Elected Civilian Leadership
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 10, “Yearning to Breathe Free” (30 minutes)
Apr. 29: Establishment of Public Colleges
May 1: International
Labor Day [
May 2: International
Labor Day [
May 4: Establishment of the Federal Civil Service
May 6: Federalism
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 12, “Depression and War” (30 minutes)
May 9: Segregation
Legalized & The Legal Fight Against Segregation & the Abolition of
Segregation in the Armed Forces
May 11: The Civil
Rights Movement: From Protest to
Legislation
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 13,
“Democracy and Struggles” (30 minutes)
May 13: A New
Declaration of
May 16: Immigration Policy
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 14, “Let
Freedom Ring” (30 minutes)
May 18: Freedom of
Expression: “Clear and Present Danger”
May 20: Freedom of the
Press & Against Prior Restraint
May 23: The Media and
Foreign Policy [Research Papers Due]
Film: Freedom:
A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 15, “Marching
to
May 25:
Reapportionment Reform: “One Person,
One Vote” Rule Established [Last Day for In-Class Presentations]
May 27: Pathway
Towards Women’s Rights
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Bradwell v.
Illinois (1873)
May 30: Women Organize
to Demand Their Rights
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: NOW Statement of Purpose (1966)
June 1: Democracy and
Struggles
Film: Let
Freedom Ring, Episode 14, VHS
June 3: Vietnam &
the Hubris of Empire
Film: Freedom: A History of US, PBS Video, Episode 16, “Becoming Free” (30 minutes)
June 6: Executive Privilege
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: United States v. Nixon (1974)
June 8: Last day of
classes; Review
June 19: Final Exam 11:30-13:30
June 24: Last day for
submitting grades to Registrar