HIST 512:103
Development of the U.S. to 1865
Fall 2015
T/Th, 3:20-4:40 pm
264 Tillett Hall, Livingston
Professor Walter C. Rucker
Teaching Assistants: TBD
Office Location: 114 Van Dyck Hall
Office Hours:
T/Th, 1:00-2:30 pm
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 848-932-8355
OVERVIEW:
The primary goal of this course is to survey the histories of, and debates about, the development
of British North America and the United States from the Age of Contact to the Civil War. This
course will emphasize the socio-political, cultural, ideological, and economic forces that helped
determine the contours of early American history. Central to the perspectives and interpretations
that guide this survey will be the “voices” of historical actors and agents pushed to the periphery
in many standard histories (e.g., women, Native Americans, Africans, and non-elite whites).
Topics and focal points will include the invasion and conquest of the Americas, the rise of
plantation slavery, the Revolutionary era, and conflict and crises on the eve of the Civil War.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of HIST 512:103, students will be able to:
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Understand and explain the development of multiple aspects of early American society
and culture over time
Employ historical reasoning to study human endeavors
Summarize and analyze contentious debates between historians related to issues in the
rise and development of the United States
Detail the chronology of early American history from 1607 to 1865, with an emphasis on
key events, watershed moments, and historical turning points
Acknowledge the complexities and contradictions within the socio-political, ideological,
and cultural movements that shaped early America
Understand and explain the historical agency of women, Native Americans, Africans, and
non-elite whites in determining the contours of American history
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Each student is required to purchase a total of three books available at the campus bookstore:
1. Norton, Kamesky, Sheriff, Blight, et al., A People and a Nation, Vol. I (10th Edition)
2. Madaras and SoRelle, Taking Sides: Issues in American History, Vol. I (16th Edition)
3. McLaurin, Celia, A Slave
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In addition to the required books, a number of brief essays, articles, and primary sources will be
posted on the course Sakai site.
REQUIRED WORK:
During the semester, there will be weekly lectures and weekly or bi-monthly recitations; a map
quiz; impromptu readings quizzes; two in-class documents-based essays (DBQ’s); one 1,200word interpretive essay; a midterm; and a final exam. Both the midterm and final exam will
include essay questions, short answer responses, and term identification sections. Instructions
and prompts for all assignments will be posted on Sakai and discussed, in detail, in class. For all
written work, students will be expected to write in a clear and organized manner. Also, students
will need to demonstrate critical thinking and original perspectives in their work.
The schedule established for lecture topics and discussions, reading assignments, and assignment
due dates can be changed at the instructor’s discretion. However, matters related to the grading
of assignments cannot by altered. Notice of all changes to the structure of the course will be
made by announcement in class, via email notice, or alterations to the course syllabus posted on
the course Sakai site.
Attendance is mandatory in this course and is critical because quiz and exam material will be
drawn from lectures and recitations. In addition, there will be a number of scheduled and
impromptu in-class assignments during the term. Role will be taken on a daily basis and students
not in their seats within the first ten minutes of class will be counted as absent. Any student
arriving in class after attendance has the responsibility of notifying the instructor or their TA of
their presence. In this case, the student will be counted as late. Students are responsible for
attending lectures and actively participating in recitations. In short, the final course grade will be
determined, in part, by attendance. All students will be allowed a total of three (3) excused or
unexcused absences (with three (3) tardies counting as one (1) absence) during the term. For
each additional absence, students will have—without exception—five (5) points per absence
deducted from their final course grade. Any student accumulating more than ten (10) total
absences during the semester will earn a failing course grade.
GRADING:
Recitation/Citizenship:
DBQ One:
DBQ Two:
Quizzes
10%
10%
10%
10%
Interpretive Essay:
Midterm:
Final Exam:
GRADE SCALE:
Outstanding:
100-93% = A
Very Good:
92-88% = B+
Good
87-83% = B
Satisfactory:
82-78% = C+
Marginal:
77-73% = C
Insufficient:
Failing:
2
20%
20%
20%
72-64% = D
63-0% = F
STUDENT CONDUCT:
Students are expected to be familiar with, and to abide by, the guidelines in the Code of Student
Conduct and the Academic Integrity Policy. In addition students are not allowed to sleep, read
newspapers, leave class early without permission, use cell phones (to text message, email, or
talk), or hold off-topic conversations during the session. In such cases, the instructor will ask
students to leave the class and reserves the right to withdraw students from the course for
frequent disruptions. At the very minimum, your “citizenship” grade will be penalized and
reduced. See the “Citizenship” section below for further details.
Any form of academic dishonesty or misconduct (e.g., cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized
copying or collaboration, forging signatures, etc.) will be directed to the Chief Academic Officer
and the Office of Student Conduct for adjudication before a University Hearing Board. Students
found in violation of the Academic Integrity Policy may receive a disciplinary F (XF) course
grade and may be subject to academic probation, suspension, or permanent expulsion. For more
information, please visit http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/academic-integritypolicy#I_AcademicIntegrity. For information about avoiding plagiarism, please visit
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml.
CITIZENSHIP:
Citizenship, as a component of the final course grade, is a set of expectations, behavioral norms,
and classroom protocols agreed to by all students enrolled in this course as a means of creating
and facilitating an active learning environment. What follows is a non-exhaustive list of a few of
these expectations, norms, and protocols:
1. Attendance and participation in both lecture and recitation are mandatory. For absences,
students are expected to use the University absence reporting system:
https://sims.rutgers.edu/ssra/.
2. For recitation participation, all students are required to engage respectfully with fellow
students, the instructor, and their TA.
3. Students arriving after the class roll must inform the instructor or their TA of their arrival
to avoid being marked absent for the day.
4. Students who miss lecture are responsible for getting notes from a classmate.
5. Students may not leave class early without prior permission from the instructor. Leaving
early from class without permission will constitute an absence in the class roster.
6. Students may not sleep in class; do homework for another course; or read newspapers,
magazines, and other materials not directly related to the course material.
7. Students may not use smartphones, cellphones, tablets/iPads, headphones, laptops, or
similar electronic devices—at any time—during the class session unless specifically
authorized by the instructor. Anyone authorized to use a laptop or tablet will sit in the
very first row of the classroom during lecture.
8. Students are required to use their Rutgers University email accounts when inquiring
about course materials and other items related to the class. Due to federal restrictions
(FERPA), the instructor may not send details about student grades for assignments or the
course to a non-University email account.
9. Students may not record video or audio of class lectures, discussions, or other in-class
activities unless specifically authorized by the instructor.
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10. Assignments not uploaded to Sakai or hand delivered to the instructor by posted due
dates will not be accepted or graded, resulting in a recorded score of zero (0).
11. The only excused absences accepted for late work include absences for authorized
University activities, religious observances required by the student’s faith, verified illness
or injury, and the death of an immediate family member. Any student missing a
scheduled DBQ, midterm, or reading quiz for reasons other than the above will receive
recorded scores of zero (0) for each missed assignment.
DISABILITY SERVICES:
Students who feel they may need accommodations based on the impact of a
disability should contact me to discuss their needs. In addition, please register with
the Office of Disability Services (ODS) at 848-445-6800 (or by email at
[email protected]) located in Lucy Stone Hall, Suite A145 on the
Livingston Campus. Documentation is required in advance from ODS before
accommodations can be made for exams or in-class essays. Visit the internet
address of this office at https://ods.rutgers.edu/ for more information.
SCHEDULE OF LECTURES AND ASSIGNMENTS:
Week 1:
Introduction & Course Overview.
Atlantic Worlds: Atlantic Africa, the Americas, and Europe to the 1600s.
Readings: A People and a Nation, 3-22
Taking Sides, “Is America Exceptional?”
Week 2:
Atlantic Worlds: Atlantic Africa, the Americas, and Europe to the 1600s.
Comparative Conquests: Spanish Hispaniola, Portuguese Brazil, & British Virginia.
Readings: Primary Source, “Columbus, Log of the First Journey” [Sakai]
Primary Source, “De Las Casas, Destruction of the Indies” [Sakai]
A People and a Nation, 22-42, 55-58
No Class on Tuesday, September 8 [Labor Day Makeup for Monday Classes]
Recitation: Lecture & Readings Discussion
Week 3:
Social Death, Middle Passages, & the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
Readings: Primary Source, “Equiano’s Travail” [Sakai]
Lisa Lindsay, “Why Did Africans Sell Slaves?” [Sakai]
A People and a Nation, 74-80
Video:
“Amistad” [clip]
Week 4:
Indentured Servants & Slaves: The Colonial Chesapeake.
Readings: A People and a Nation, 41-46, 62-64, 73-74
Primary Source, “Smith, Description of Virginia” [Sakai]
Taking Sides, “Was Conflict between Europeans and Native Americans
Inevitable?
Video:
“Africans in America: The Terrible Transformation”
Recitation: DBQ #1 on Thursday, September 24
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Week 5:
Puritans & Pilgrims: Colonial New England.
Readings: Primary Source, “Salem Witchcraft Trials and Depositions” [Sakai]
Taking Sides, “Were Socioeconomic Tensions Responsible for the
Witchcraft Panic in Salem?”
A People and a Nation, 46-55, 84-86
Week 6:
The Restoration Colonies: Carolina & Georgia.
Readings: A People and a Nation, 67-68, 81-83
Recitation: Readings Discussion
Week 7:
The Restoration Colonies: The Middle Colonies.
Readings: A People and a Nation, 64-67, 71, 83-84, Ch. 4
Taking Sides, “Was the Colonial Era a ‘Golden Age’ for Women?”
Map Quiz on Thursday, October 15
Week 8:
Ideological, Economic, & Political Precursors to Revolution.
Royalists & Patriots: Imperial Reorganization & the American Revolution.
Readings: Primary Source, “Declaration of Independence,” A People and a
Nation, Appendix, A-1 to A-2 [& Sakai]
Primary Source, “Banneker Letter to Jefferson” [Sakai]
Taking Sides, “Was the American Revolution Largely a Product of
Market-Driven Consumer Forces?”
Taking Sides, “Was President Jefferson a Political Compromiser?”
A People and a Nation, Ch. 5-6
Recitation: Debate: “Was the American Revolution Largely a Product of MarketDriven Consumer Forces?” or “Was President Jefferson a Political
Compromiser?
Week 9:
The Articles of Confederation & the National Congress.
The Constitution & the New Republic.
Readings: Primary Source, “The Bill of Rights” [Sakai]
Taking Sides, Was the Second Amendment Designed to Protect an
Individual’s Right to Own Guns?”
A People and a Nation, Ch. 7
Midterm Exam on Thursday, October 29
Week 10:
American Society & Politics during the Early Republic.
Republicans & Federalists: The Jeffersonian Era.
Readings: A People and a Nation, Ch. 8
Recitation: DBQ #2 on Thursday, November 5
Week 11:
Slavery & the Antebellum South: Culture, Community, & Resistance.
Readings: Primary Source, “Excerpts from Douglass’s Narrative” [Sakai]
Primary Source, “The Confession of Nat Turner” [Sakai]
A People and a Nation, Ch. 9
Video:
“Slavery in the Making of America”
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Week 12:
Slavery & the Antebellum South: Slave Women in Plantation Society.
Readings: Celia, A Slave
Video:
“Twelve Years a Slave” [clip]
Recitation: Readings Quiz and Discussion of Celia, A Slave
Week 13:
The Jacksonian Era: Market Revolutions, Reform Movements, & Removal.
Immigration & the Rise of Sectionalism: Westward Expansion.
Readings: Taking Sides, “Was Antebellum Temperance Reform Motivated
Primarily by Religious Moralism?”
A People and a Nation, Ch. 10-11
No Class on Thursday, November 26
Week 14:
The Texas Revolution & the Mexican War: The Seeds of Disunion.
Readings: Primary Source, “Rep. Lincoln’s Mexican War Speech” [Sakai]
Taking Sides, “Was the Mexican War an Exercise in American
Imperialism?”
A People and a Nation, Ch. 11-12
Interpretive Essay Due on Thursday, December 3
Recitation: Debate: “Was the Mexican War an Exercise in American
Imperialism?”
Week 15:
Confederates & Unionists: Uncivil War and the Remaking of America.
Readings: Primary Source, “South Carolina’s Declaration of Secession” [Sakai]
Primary Source, “John Brown’s Address to the Court” [Sakai]
Taking Sides, “Was John Brown an Irrational Terrorist?”
Taking Sides, “Was the Civil War Fought Over Slavery?”
A People and a Nation, Ch. 12-13
Final Exam: Thursday, December 17, 8:00 – 11:00 am
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