INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN STUDIES II
AMST 212--Fall 2002
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Colin
S. Cavell, Ph.D. Class SMW: 9:00-9:50 [Ramadhan—8:45-9:25] Office Hours: By appointment |
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Room No.: S17-229 Office No.: S17-263 PH: (H) 729091, (W) 449999, Ext. 5277 |
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.
Attendance Policy*: Attendance in class is mandatory. 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. NOTE:
TURN OFF all cell phones during class.
·
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.
Required
Texts:
Information USA [CD-ROM]. April 1999.
Washington, D.C.: United States
Information Agency.
Sept. 21: Introduction to American Studies II
Sept. 23: Critique &
Discussion of the U.S. Declaration of Independence
Readings: Information USA [CD-ROM]: “The
Declaration of Independence” (1776)
Sept. 25: Critique &
Discussion of the U.S. Declaration of Independence
Readings: Information USA [CD-ROM]: “The
Declaration of Independence” (1776)
Sept. 28: Assessment of
the U.S. Declaration of Independence
Readings: Information USA [CD-ROM]: “The
Declaration of Independence” (1776)
Sept. 30: The Historical
Context of the U.S. “American” Revolution
Readings: Information USA [CD-ROM]: “The Mayflower Compact” (1620); Poor
Richard’s Almanack, 1737: Preface,
“Hints for those that would be Rich,” Maxims
Oct. 2: The Historical
Context of the U.S. “American” Revolution
Readings: Information USA [CD-ROM]: Poor Richard’s Almanack, 1742: Preface, Maxims, “Rules of Health and long
Life,” “Rules to find out a fit Measure of Meat and Drink”
Oct. 5: The Historical
Context of the U.S. “American” Revolution
Readings: Information USA [CD-ROM]: Poor Richard’s Almanack Improved, 1758: Preface (including “The Way to Wealth”),
Maxims
Oct. 7: The Historical
Context of the U.S. “American” Revolution
Readings: Information USA
[CD-ROM]: Patrick Henry “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death,” March
23, 1775
Oct. 9: [Last day for
dropping courses] U.S. Revolutionary
War of Independence 1775-1783
Readings: Information USA [CD-ROM]: Thomas Paine: Common Sense, February
14, 1776
Oct. 12: U.S.
Revolutionary War of Independence 1775-1783
Readings: Information USA [CD-ROM]: Thomas Paine: Common Sense, February
14, 1776
Oct. 14: U.S.
Revolutionary War of Independence 1775-1783
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Thomas Paine: Common
Sense, February 14, 1776
Oct. 16: U.S.
Revolutionary War of Independence 1775-1783
Readings: Handout: Articles of Confederation (1777)
Oct. 19: Constructing A
Union
Readings: Handout:
Articles of Confederation (1777)
Oct. 21: Constructing A
Union
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: The Northwest
Ordinance (1787)
Oct. 23: Constructing A
Union
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Constitution of the
United States of America (1787)
Oct. 26: Constructing A
Union
Oct. 28: Constructing A
Union
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: The Bill of Rights
(10 of 12 proposed in September of 1789 are ratified on December 15, 1791)
Oct. 30: Constructing A
Union
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: James Madison, “The Federalist
No.10” (1787)
Nov. 2: Constructing A
Union
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: The Judiciary Act of
1789
Nov. 4: Constructing A
Union
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: The Farewell Address of President George Washington, Sept. 17, 1796
Nov. 6: [First day of
Ramadhan 1423] Interpreting the
Constitution & Formulating Democratic Values [Ramadhan Schedule—8:45-9:25]
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Marbury v. Madison
(1803); McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Nov. 9: Interpreting
the Constitution & Formulating Democratic Values [Ramadhan Schedule—8:45-9:25]
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Thomas
Jefferson—First Inaugural (1801)
Nov. 11: Foreign Policy
of the U.S.: Hands Off the Americas! [Ramadhan Schedule—8:45-9:25]
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: The Monroe Doctrine
(1823)
Nov. 13: Midterm Exam [Ramadhan Schedule—8:45-9:25]
Nov. 16-20: Mid-semester
break; no classes
Nov. 23: Hypocrisy of
the Young Democratic Nation: Genocide
& the Taking of Native American Land, Enslavement of Africans,
Disenfranchisement of Non-Whites, Women, and the Poor [Ramadhan Schedule—8:45-9:25]
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Black Hawk Surrender
Speech (1832)
Nov. 25: Hypocrisy of
the Young Democratic Nation: Genocide
& the Taking of Native American Land, Enslavement of Africans,
Disenfranchisement of Non-Whites, Women, and the Poor [Ramadhan Schedule—8:45-9:25]
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: The American
Anti-Slavery Society, “Declaration of Sentiments” (1833)
Nov. 27: Character
Building [Ramadhan
Schedule—8:45-9:25]
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM Alexis de Tocqueville, “Democracy in America” (1835)
Nov. 30: Character
Building [Ramadhan
Schedule—8:45-9:25]
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Ralph Waldo Emerson,
“Self-Reliance” (1841)
Dec. 2: Efforts At
Reform [Ramadhan
Schedule—8:45-9:25]
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Dorothea Dix,
“Memorial to the Massachusetts Legislature” (1843); Horace Mann, “Report No. 12
of the Massachusetts School Board” (1848); Seneca Falls Declaration (1848)
Dec. 4: The Breech:
Slavery & The U.S. Civil War [Ramadhan Schedule—8:45-9:25]
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: The Amistad Revolt: A Historical Legacy of
Sierra Leone and the United States (1839-1841)
Dec. 5-7: Eid Al-Fitr
1423—Holiday; no classes
Dec. 9: The
Breech: Slavery & The U.S. Civil
War
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Henry David Thoreau,
“Civil Disobedience” (1846)
Dec. 11: The
Breech: Slavery & The U.S. Civil
War
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Dred Scott v.
Sandford (1857); Abraham Lincoln, “A
House Divided” (1858)
Dec. 14: The
Breech: Slavery & The U.S. Civil
War
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Abraham Lincoln,
“Emancipation Proclamation” (1863); Abraham Lincoln, “Gettysburg Address”
(1863)
Dec. 16: National Day
of Bahrain—Holiday; no classes
Dec. 18: Repairing the
Breech: A New Synthesis
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Morrill Act (1862)
Dec. 21: Repairing the Breech: A New Synthesis, But White Supremacy and
Racism Linger On…
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: People’s Party
Platform (1896); Introduction to the Court Opinion on the Plessy v. Ferguson
Case (1896)
Dec. 23: Repairing the
Breech: A New Synthesis
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Muller v. Oregon
(1908); Theodore Roosevelt, “The New Nationalism” (1910)
Dec. 25: Rise to World
Leadership: World War I
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Woodrow Wilson,
“Fourteen Points Speech” (1918)
Dec. 28: Rise to World
Leadership: World War II
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Franklin D.
Roosevelt, “Address At Charlottesville, Virginia” (1940)
Dec. 30: Human Rights: Universal or Particular?
Readings: Information USA [CD-ROM]: Jack Donnelly, “What are Human Rights?”; March Toward Equality: Significant Moments in the Civil Rights Movement
Jan. 1: The U.S. Civil
Rights Movement & the Legacy of White Supremacy & Racism
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Introduction to the
Court Opinion on the Brown v. Board of Education Case (1954); Two Centuries of
Black Leadership: Biographical Sketches
Jan. 4: The U.S. Civil
Rights Movement & the Legacy of White Supremacy & Racism
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.: Excerpts from Statements and
Speeches; “I Have A Dream” (1963)
Jan. 6: The U.S. Civil
Rights Movement & the Legacy of White Supremacy & Racism
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Civil Rights Act of
1964
Jan. 8: The U.S. Civil
Rights Movement & the Legacy of White Supremacy & Racism; Review; Last
day of classes
Readings: Information
USA [CD-ROM]: Timeline: Human Rights in America
Jan. 18, 2003: Final
Exam 11:30-13:30
Jan. 23, 2003: Last day for
submitting first semester’s grades