Syllabus, History of the United States II, Spring 2012
1. Course Information
21.512.202
Section 6
3 Credits
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:00pm – 5:20pm, Conklin 346, Rutgers University Newark
Course Description: Political, economic, and social phases of American history that have influenced or
determined the development of the U.S. from 1877 to present.
2. Instructor Information
Ray Ojserkis, PhD
[email protected]
Office Hours Tuesdays, 5:30 – 6:30, Conklin 326
3. Grading Policy
The graded components of your course are as follows:
Exam 1
20%
Exam 2
20%
Exam 3
20%
Participation
20%
Unannounced Reading Quizzes
20%
Each exam will consist of two components: a short answer section designed to test general knowledge and an
essay section designed to test your ability to synthesize information and construct coherent persuasive
arguments.
There are certain minimum expectations:
1) Read the primary sources.
2) Attend class.
3) Take the exams in the designated session.
If you miss an exam for any reason other than those specified in the Rutgers catalog, you will be required to
complete a make-up assignment, which is typically a research essay of significant length.
4.
Classes
Class sessions will be used for examinations, debate, and lectures. Each lecture will detail one or two historic
topics, as listed in the schedule below, and for each of these topics I will distribute a handout listing key points
we’ll discuss. Some of these handouts will include primary reading I addition to that assigned below. I don’t post
the handouts online, as that encourages non-attendance.
Learning can be a collaborative process, and I will involve the class in discussions. Never feel that your
comments or questions aren’t appreciated.
In generating a participation grade, I combine my estimation of effort in class discussions and performance
during the organized debates. I do not give individual or team grades for debates.
5.
Primary Sources
Primary sources are first-hand accounts, often created by participants or witnesses of events, and sometimes
created by first-recorders of events. Examples include, but aren’t limited to, memoirs, speeches, documents,
data, polls, and contemporary newspaper accounts. Secondary sources are sources created by people who
didn’t participate or witness events, but often have the benefit of perspective, and typically draw from a variety
of sources to create a nuanced and complex history that can account for multiple interpretations. Examples
include history books and lectures.
We’ll try to balance the lectures (which are secondary sources) by focusing exclusively on primary sources for
our out-of-class reading.
6. Statement of Academic Integrity
Rutgers provides a statement of academic integrity on Blackboard. Please review and accept the agreement. I
have not made any course-specific materials available on Blackboard.
Tentative Calendar
223
CLASS
DATE
TOPIC
HYPERLINK TO PRIMARY SOURCE
1
Jan 17
Syllabus Review, Industrialization part 1
2
Jan 19
Industrialization, part 2
n/a
3
Jan 24
Immigration
Italian Immigrant Oral Histories
4
Jan 26
Urbanization
Riis, How the Other Half Lives, The Bend
5
Jan 31
Settlement of the West
Dawes Act
6
Feb 2
Jim Crow & Great Migration
Ben Singleton’s testimony and Letters to Chicago Defender
7
Feb 7
Populism & Progressivism
Populist Party Platform, 1892
8
Feb 9
First World War
Zimmerman Note and Fourteen Points speech
9
Feb 14
Exam 1
10
Feb 16
Prosperity & Normalcy
Coolidge’s speech on philosophy of government
11
Feb 21
Prohibition
Volstead Act and article on saloon raid
12
Feb 23
Great Depression
FDR’s inaugural address, 1933 and Frances Perkins speech
13
Feb 28
1930s Isolationism
Lindbergh Testimony in US Senate
14
Mar 1
Class Debate, part 1
15
Mar 6
Class Debate, part 2
16
Mar 8
Second World War
Mar 13
Spring Break –No Class
Mar 15
Spring Break – No Class
17
Mar 20
Second World-War Home Front
World War Two in Posters
18
Mar 22
Post-War Consumerism
GI Bill and John Galbraith, The Affluent Society (read only pages 1 – 6)
19
Mar 27
Civil Rights & Great Society
Brown v. Board of Education ruling and Rosa Parks interview
20
Mar 29
Exam 2
21
Apr 3
Space Race
JFK’s “We Choose to Go to the Moon” speech
22
Apr 5
Vietnam Conflict
Johnson Speech on Vietnam and Kerry speech on Vietnam
23
Apr 10
Counter-culture and New Left
Norman Mailer’s Testimony at Chicago Seven Trial
24
Apr 12
1970s Recessions and Energy Crises
Nixon’s speech on price controls and Time article on Oil Crisis
25
Apr 17
Watergate & Declining Faith in Institutions
Ford’s speech pardoning Nixon
26
Apr 19
Reagan Revolution
Reagan’s Inaugural Address and Reagan’s “Evil Empire” speech
27
Apr 24
Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Bush Commencement speech at USMA
28
Apr 26
2008 Credit Crisis
The Economist, Six Years Into a Lost Decade
May 9
Final Exam (3:00pm)
account of Pearl Harbor attack and Atlantic Charter