History 300: Historiography
Professor Matthew Harris
Monday, 2:30-5:20pm
Fall 2015
Clio: Muse of History
Room: Psych 213
Office: Psych 108
Office Phone: 549-2177
[email protected]
Office Hrs: MWF 12:15-2:30 PM & by appt.
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Course Introduction:
This course is an introduction to historiography – the history of historical
writing. We will study such topics as historical method, schools of
historiography, and methods of historical analysis. The principal component of
each class will be a detailed discussion of the assigned reading. You should
come to class well prepared to discuss the content, strengths, and weaknesses
of the readings and the theoretical, methodological and historiographical
orientations of the authors. This course is heavily reading intensive; you will be
expected to assimilate a lot of material in a short time. Begin to learn strategies
now that will help you to do that effectively.
Grades and Evaluation:
(1) 5 page book review of Rediker, Villains of All Nations—100 pts.
(2) 4-5 page critical review of your colleague’s review—100 pts.
(3) 6-7 page analysis paper on Ward, History in the Making—150 pts.
(4) 15-20 page Historiography paper on Thomas Jefferson and Sally
Hemings—300 pts.
(5) Class participation of the assigned readings—100 pts.
Papers:
The papers will require you to analyze and synthesize what you have been
reading. As you draft your essays do not summarize the readings but instead
offer a considered analysis of the books and articles we have discussed. Good
papers will demonstrate a mastery over the subject matter, punctuated by clear,
lucid prose. You will write your papers based on the following criteria below.
Papers must be typed (double-spaced), in Turabian format, and be free of
spelling, grammatical, and spacing mistakes.
To pass this course, you must complete all of the required papers:
Paper #1: Book Review (5 pages)
All students will write a book review on Marcus Rediker’s Villains of All Nations.
You should follow this format:
I. Your first section or introduction should contain a short summary of the
work. It should also clearly identify the thesis or argument of the book.
II. The middle or body of your review should contain an analysis of the
principal meanings and qualities of the author's argument. What major points
does the author make to support the thesis? Is the author's argument
persuasive? Is it well-argued? Is it readable? What sort of evidence
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(government documents, personal papers, diaries, newspapers, interviews, etc.)
does the author examine? Be advised that this section is the most important
part of the review and the one that should command the most attention in your
paper.
III. The conclusion of your review should be your overall reaction to the book.
Would you recommend it to others in the field? Why or why not?
Paper #2: Peer critique (4-5 page)
Answer these questions as you critique your classmate’s paper: Did the student
convey the thesis of the book? Did they critically appraise the author’s
argument? Did they evaluate his evidence or sources? Is the paper well-written
and free of grammatical mistakes? Did they understand the overall purpose of
the book?
Paper #3: Changing Interpretations of American History (6-7 page)
Using Ward, History in the Making, discuss two historiographic controversies for
which the interpretation has improved over time and one for which it has
digressed over time. Focus on why interpretation has improved or digressed,
taking care to support your position with clear, discernable examples.
Paper #4: Historiographic Essay on Thomas Jefferson and Sally
Hemings (15-20 page)
For this assignment you will evaluate different interpretations of Jefferson,
using a variety of books and articles. Please note that you are required to turn
in a rough draft for the historiography paper. If your paper does not show
substantial progress toward the completion of this assignment, I will reduce
your mark a whole letter grade on the final draft of the paper.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Goals:
 Demonstrate proficiency analyzing primary and secondary sources and
be able to form historical arguments using those sources.
 Demonstrate competence with the variety of historical methods and
approaches and be able to discern schools of thought in historical
writing.
 Demonstrate proficiency reading, analyzing and evaluating the strengths
and weaknesses of a variety of historical interpretations.
 Demonstrate good, vivid writing in clear, lively prose (including
grammar, syntax and organization).
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Required Texts:
1. Gaddis, John Lewis. The Landscape of History: How Historians Map the Past.
New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
2. Kukla, Jon. Mr. Jefferson’s Women. New York: Alfred Knopf, 2007.
3. Pinker, Steven, The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in
the 21st Century. New York: Viking, 2014.
4. Rediker, Marcus. Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden Age.
Boston: Beacon Press, 2004.
5. Storey, William Kelleher. Writing History: A Guide for Students, 3rd ed. New
York: Oxford University Press, 2008.
6. Ward, Kyle. History in the Making. New York: The New Press, 2006.
Discussion
For this class to function smoothly, every student must be actively involved in
discussing the assigned works and audiovisual presentations. Silence is not an
option. Good discussion is characterized by:
Regular participation--every session.
Fluent expression--speak in complete sentences, and refer to specific
names, places, & events.
Clear attribution--what is the work's title, who wrote it, and when?
Detailed description--what does the work say?
Analysis--what does the work mean?
Critical--what shortcomings does the work possess?
Elaboration--can you build on comments already made by your peers and
the instructor?
Comparison--how does the current work compare to those discuss
previously?
Blackboard
All students are required to check Blackboard at least once prior to the next
week’s class. This is how I will communicate with you. I will also post
assignments, documents, and readings that I want you to examine.
Students with Special Accommodations
This University abides by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which stipulates that no student shall be
denied the benefits of an education "solely by reason of a handicap." If you
have a documented disability that may impact your work in this class and for
which you may require accommodations, please see the Disability Resource
Coordinator as soon as possible to arrange accommodations. In order to
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receive accommodations, you must be registered with and provide
documentation of your disability to: the Disability Resource Office, which is
located in the Library and Academic Resources Center, Suite 169.
Plagiarism
Students caught plagiarizing, whether through print form or online, will fail the
course and possibly be removed from the program. For more on plagiarism—
what it is and what it isn’t—please consult Peter Hoffer, “Reflections on
Plagiarism: A Guide for the Perplexed,” on the American Historical
Association website:
http://www.historians.org/perspectives/issues/2004/0402/0402vie1.cfm
Discussion Topics and Reading Schedule
Week 1: August 24
A. Course Introduction – Why Study History?
 Pragmatic: “Those who cannot remember the past are
condemned to repeat it.” – Philosopher, George Santayana
 Radical: “Historians have interpreted the world; the thing,
however, is to change it.” – Economic theorist, Karl Marx
 Conservative: “Civilization depends on preserving the best
which has been thought of in the world.” – Literary Critic,
Matthew Arnold
 Existential: “Until the lions have their historians, tales of the
hunt will always glorify the hunter.” – African Proverb
B. Library Instruction with Karen Pardue: Meet in the LARC 217 at
4:00 pm.
Week 2: August 31
A. What is History?
B. Three metaphors to describe the work of historians:
1. A method actor
2. A detective
3. A lawyer
C. More about metaphors in history
 Read Gaddis, Landscaping History, all
Week 3: September 7
A. What is Historiography?
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 Scot French and Edward Ayers, “The Strange Career of
Thomas Jefferson: Race and Slavery in American Memory,
1943-1993” [handout]
B. Historical Theory
 Mike Austin, “Marxist Criticism” [handout]
C. Writing Book Reviews
 Examples: “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” [handouts]
Week 4: September 14
A. Applying Historical Theory
 Read Rediker, Villains of All Nations, all
B. Class Exercise: Critiquing Your Peers
(Note: Bring TWO copies of your review to class – one for me and one
for your classmate. Make sure the copy you bring for your classmate
DOES NOT have your name on it.)
Book reviews due!
Week 5: September 21
A. Historiography of US History Textbooks
 Read Ward, History in the Making, all
B. Why does it matter how we tell “our” story?
 Thanksgiving and “Desperate Crossing”
 “Reading Like A Historian”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6RkV1jja14
 Battle over the Enola Gay
Week 6: September 28
A. Documents and interpretation
 Storey, Writing History, 59-74
 Class interpretive exercises:
a. Did George Washington chop down the cherry tree?
b. Did Brigham Young declare that “slavery was inspired of
God?”
c. Was Abraham Lincoln a racist?
Ward papers due in class!
Week 7: October 5
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A. Theories of History
 Peter J. Sorensen, “Historical Criticism” [handout]
 David Cowles, “Deconsruction and Postructuralism”
[handout]
 Gail T. Houston, “Female Criticism” [handout]
 Rick Duerden, “ Cultural Poetics: The New Historicism”
[handout]
 Gail T. Houston, “Psychoanalytic Criticism” [handout]
Historiography research topics due!
Week 8: October 12
A. Style
 Read Pinker, The Sense of Style
 Bring two examples of “bad” writing to class and two
examples of “good” writing.
Week 9: October 19
Individual consultations in my office—no class
Week 10: October 26
A. The Historiography of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings
 Read Kukla, Mr. Jefferson’s Women, all
Week 11: November 2
A. Historiographic Research Presentation and discussion in small
groups.
B. Read “Revising and Editing,” Storey, Writing History, 119-123.
The first draft of your paper is due. Please make copies for your
classmates, as this will be the draft they will critique.
Week 12: November 9
Critiques due via email by 5 pm! Please send in MS Word.
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Week 13: November 16
A. Discuss Critiques
B. Plagiarism and Citation
 Read Peter Hoffer’s statement on plagiarism, American
Historical Association (Blackboard)
 Northwestern University Library’s “How to Avoid Plagiarism”
(print the pamphlet and bring to class; will be posted on
Blackboard)
C. Group Exercise: “Historians in Trouble”
 Group 1: “Arming America and ‘Academic Fraud’” [handout]
 Group 2: “The Plagiarists: Doris Kearns Goodwin and
Stephen Ambrose” [handout]
 Group 3: “Lying to Students About Vietnam: The Mythic Past
of Joseph Ellis” [handout]
Week 14: November 23-27
No class—Thanksgiving Break
Week 15: November 30
A. Writing and Researching History
 Read Storey, Writing History, 1-58, 75-118
 Discussion: Research techniques
 Discussion: What makes good writing?
B. Making Historical Arguments
Week 16: December 2
Final drafts due via email by 5 pm! Please send in MS
Word.
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