Introduction
The 50 years of American
history between 1890 and 1940 witnessed a furious whirlwind of violence,
growth, exploitation, experimentation, failure, and success. It was clear
that because of the Civil War we as a nation would now embrace change,
progress, and expansion, but that still left much to decide. In the closing
of the 19th-century, we acquired an overseas empire, witnessed a rash of
democratic movements and civil rights struggles, and saw sweeping waves
of reform as we struggled with our new national vision. A brash and cocky
youngster of a nation in 1890, by 1940 we were a more mature and recognized
world industrial, economic, and military power. And what makes this 50-year
span really hold together as a block is that during this period the role
and scope of government in American was debated, enlarged, and in fact,
revolutionized. So tell me, what's not to like?
The focused time period under study will allow us to develop a small number of topics in some depth. We will not cover as many aspects of the period as would in a general US survey course (like History 152), instead, we will mercilessly beat to death a few big issues. Therefore, a good knowledge of American history will provide a needed foundation. I have placed a thorough textbook on reserve for your use should you feel a need to brush-up on the facts or some background. This course builds on the foundation of an introductory course, so you will be given a good deal more creative and intellectual freedom in here.
I should note that I try and keep my office door open for drop-in customers. So even if it's not during my posted office hours, please feel free to drop by and discuss the assignments, our course, other history courses you should or will be taking, the major, or anything on your mind.
Readings
We have a couple of bona
fide classics (too often applied to undeserving books, but not here) to
read, plus some just plain old neat stuff. The following two books are
REQUIRED and are available at the University Bookstore:
1. Upton Sinclair, The
Jungle (Bantam, 1906; reprint, 1981).
2. John Steinbeck, The
Grapes of Wrath (Penguin, 1939; reprint, 1976).
And we will be reading extensively
from the following books which have been put on reserve at the circulation
desk of the University Library:
3. George B. Tindall, ed.,
A
Populist Reader: Selections from the Works of American
Populist
Leaders (Peter Smith Publishing, 1976).
4. James Fink, The Car
Culture (MIT Press, 1976).
Grading
Your course grade will
be computed from your performance on the following four opportunities.
There is no extra credit offered in this course.
Midterm 25%
Paper 25%
Classroom Participation 25%
Final Exam 25%
I don't take roll in this
class, but, if you are NOT here to participate in our discussions because
you're pounding Busch Lites at The Zoo, it WILL negatively impact your
classroom participation grade. Therefore, it is clearly in your best interest
to show up to class regularly and contribute when you can. If you have
obligations that will take you from class over multiple days, please let
me know; I worry. My policy for accepting late assignments is fairly simple:
I'll take your late stuff, but not without exacting a penalty. For every
day that your assignment is late it gets docked 1 full letter grade. Hey,
I'm no ogre though. If you have a legitimate situation (I reserve judgement
on what is legitimate) that will prevent you from taking an exam on time,
talk to me beforehand.
My exams have an essay format. The research paper will be at least 20 pages in length on a topic that you develop with me. I will provide more detail on these items later.
Schedule
Week 1 - September 1, 3
Introduction to the Course
. . . and the "New Order"
Alternative Visions for
the Nation's future: The Left
Read: Sinclair, pp. 294-346
Week 2 - September 8, 10
Alternative Visions for
the Nation's Future: Populism
Read: Tindall, pp. 1 -
89
Week 3 - September 15, 17
Alternative Visions for
the Nation's Future: Populism
Read: Tindall, pp. 118-128,
160-165, 201-231
Week 4 - September 22, 24
The 1890's - The "New Order's"
Decade of Consolidation
Week 5 - September 29, October 1
The Progressive Era
Read: Sinclair, pp. 1 -
294
Week 6 - October 6, 8
The Progressive Era
Week 7 - October 13, 15
The Great War
Week 8 - October 20, 22
The Great War
MIDTERM EXAMINATION: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22
Week 9 - October 27, 29
The 1920's - Society and
Politics
Read: Flink, Car Culture,
pp. 4-38, 67-112, 140-189 (on reserve)
Week 10 - November 3, 5
The 1920's - Modern Consumer
Culture and the Automobile
Read: Flink, Car Culture
Week 11 - November 10, 12
Depression and the New
Deal
Read: Steinbeck, The Grapes
of Wrath, all
ROUGH DRAFT PAPER: DUE TUESDAY NOVEMBER 10
Week 12 - November 17, 19
The New Deal
Week 13 - November 24
More New Deal
NO CLASS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26 - THANKSGIVING
Week 14 - December 1, 3
By Popular Demand: Even
More New Deal
Week 15 - December 8, 10
War Clouds on the Horizon
Student Presentations
FINAL DRAFT OF PAPER DUE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11
Week 16 - December 15
Student Presentations
FINAL EXAMINATION: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16,
7:30 am, JFAC THEATER
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