Winter Quarter 2001Prof. J. Wu

Denney 352Office:261 Dulles

Office Hours:T, Th 1:20-2:20 and by appointmentPhone:292-9331

Lectures:T, Th 10:30-11:48Email:wu.287@osu.edu

Discussions:Monday and Wednesday:9:30 or 10:30

Discussion Section Leaders:(You may leave messages for your DSL at 292-2674.)

1.Ellen Fout:efout@hotmail.com, Dulles 009, T 9:15-10:15, W 11:30-12:30

2.Heather McCoy:McCoy.227@osu.edu, Dulles 239, Office hours TBA

3.Joe Pirone:pirone.4@osu.edu, Dulles 239, W 11:30-12:30, F 2:30-3:15 & by appointment

Course Description and Objective:

This course explores the social, political, cultural, and economic developments of the United States since the end of Reconstruction. Lectures, discussions, and course assignments will focus on the diversity of the American peoples and their competing beliefs regarding the nation's culture, government, and identity. Topicsinclude: immigration and regulation of national borders; racial identity and conflict; the growth of the economy and class formation; urbanization and social reform; the evolution and diversity of family structures; changes in gender roles and sexual norms; and the interplay between America's domestic and international policies.

This course is designed to develop the following skills:

1.To develop the ability to assess and think critically about historical issues and how people interpret those issues;

2.To gain a basic factual knowledge of this historical period

3.To develop skills in analyzing historical data and reaching informed conclusions about those data.

This course will satisfy a GEC requirement.

Readings:

The following books will be available for purchase at SBX.

1.John Mack Faragher, et al., Out of Many: A History of the American People.Be sure to purchase volume 2 of the brief 3rd edition.

2.Anzia Yezierska, Bread Givers

3.Assata Shakur, Assata

4.J. Wu, comp., Retrieving the American Past: A Customized U.S. History Reader 

(Important: Retrieving the American Past or RTAP is a customized reader. I have chosen certain essays and documents from a variety of possibilities. The selections are published in a unique version of the reader prepared especially for your class. Make sure you purchase the correct version! Each reader has a sticker on the front cover with the name of the instructor who compiled the version and the academic quarter in which it will be used. The same information is also printed on the first page. Do not use a version prepared by another instructor and do not use a version prepared for a quarter other than the one in which you are taking the course.)

Enrollment:

All students must be officially enrolled in the course by the end of the second full week of the quarter.No requests to add the course will be approved by the department chair after that time.Enrolling officially and on time is solely the responsibility of each student.

Assignments and Expectations:

If you have a learning disability requiring special arrangements for completing assignments, please let your Discussion Section Leader and the instructor know as soon as possible.

1.2 midterms (20% each) and 1 final exam (20%).Each exam mainly focuses on the materials covered in that particular section of the course.However, the secondmidterm and the final also will contain questions relating to materials covered in the previous sections.The exams will consist of short-answer identification as well as essay questions.

If for any family or medical reason, you find it absolutely necessary to miss an examination, you must contact your DSL and the course instructor before the examination and have our consent to your absence if you wish to take a make-up exam.If unforeseen circumstances prevent you from contacting us before the exam, you must contact us within one week of the scheduled exam and present documentation to support your request for a make-up exam.

2.2 critical response papers (2-3 pages in length) to Bread Givers and Assata (20% combined).Write brief essays that analyze these life narratives for their relevance to the historical themes that are addressed in this class.The papers are due at the beginning of the discussion section on January 22 and March 5.

No late papers will be accepted.All work presented in class or turned in must be a student's own.Plagiarism or any other form of academic misconduct will be dealt with in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the University's Committee on Academic Misconduct and will seriously affect a student's grade.

3.Participation and attendance (20%).Attendance in both the lectures and the discussion sections are required.Your DSL will provide more specific guidelines regarding your course participation.Remember, the success of this course depends upon your willingness to complete the assignments before class and being prepared to engage in discussion.

Extra Credit

If you are interested in increasing your course grade, you may write a critical response paper (2-3 pages) to John Okada's No-No Boy, a novel that explores the impact of Japanese American internment.The paper will be due at the beginning of the discussion sections on February 26.In addition, the instructor and your DSL occasionally will offer opportunities for you to attend lectures, films, campus events, etc.You may be able to increase your course grade by submitting reaction responses to these events.

Class Schedule:

January 2:Introduction: America at the End of Reconstruction

January 3:Discussion Section

January 4: The Trans-Mississippi West

Out of Many, ch. 18

January 8:Discussion

RTAP: Davis and Van Tine, "Transformation, Endurance, and Rejuvenation of Native American Societies, 1870-1895"

January 9:The Incorporation of America

Out of Many, ch. 19.

January 10:Discussion

January 11:Nation and Empire

Out of Many, ch. 20.

January 15:no class - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

January 16:Urban America and Progressive Reform - lecturer:Ellen Fout

Out of Many, ch. 21.

January 17:Discussion

RTAP: Hahn/Hogan/Brucken, "The Debate Over Annexing the Philippines, 1898-1900"

January 18:The "New" Immigrants from the "Old World"

Begin viewing Hester Street

Begin Anzia Yezierska, Bread Givers

January 22:Discussion

Anzia Yezierska, Bread Givers

January 23:Complete: Hester Street

January 24:Review

January 25:Midterm

January 29:Discussion

RTAP:Rupp, "The First Sexual Revolution"

January 30:World War I:Over Here

Out of Many, ch. 22.

January 31:Discussion

February 1:The 1920s

Out of Many, ch. 23.

February 5:Discussion

RTAP:Stebenne, "New Deal Liberalism"

February 6:The Depression and the New Deal - lecturer:Joe Pirone -

February 13:The Home Front

View: Rosie the Riveter

February 14:Review

February 15:Midterm

February 19:Discussion

RTAP:Stebenne, "American Life in the 1950s"

February 20:The Cold War

View excerpt from Atomic Cafe

Out of Many, ch. 26

February 21:Discussion

February 22:America at mid-century

View:Eyes on the Prize

Out of Many, ch. 28.

February 28:Discussion

March 1:From Rights to Revolution

View:Eyes on the Prize

Out of Many, ch. 29.

March 5: Discussion:

Assata Shakur, Assata

March 6:War Abroad, War at Home

Out of Many, ch. 30, skim ch. 31

March 7:Discussion/Review

March 8:The Counterrevolution

March 14:Final Exam, 9:30-11:18

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