Zwicker - Hist 251 Syllabus - Spring 2012 - History and Classics ...

HISTORY 251 A1 – U.S. HISTORY SINCE 1865
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA, SPRING TERM 2012
CLASS TIME/LOCATION: M-F 9:00-10:10am, Tory 1-90
INSTRUCTOR:
EMAIL:
OFFICE HOURS/LOCATION:
Katherine Zwicker
kzwicker@ualberta.ca
(Please specify “Hist 251” in the subject line)
Tuesday 10:15-11:30 am, or by appointment.
Humanities 1-27
COURSE OVERVIEW:
This course surveys American history from the Civil War to the present. We will examine
a number of important topics and themes including race, gender, and class relations; the
changing nature of American power and its use both domestically and abroad; the United
States at war; the development of science and technology; and American culture. This is a
lecture course with classroom discussion of readings, primary documents, and films.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
This course aims to provide an introduction to major political, social, and cultural events
in the United States since 1865. You are not required to have any background knowledge
in American history, but you are expected to engage in the topics and issues presented in
class and in readings. Throughout this course you will develop your analytical thinking
skills by questioning interpretations of the past and considering how historical accounts
have been written or constructed. Finally, this course provides you opportunities to
develop or sharpen your research and writing skills. When you are writing your research
paper or answering exam questions, I encourage you to think about not just what you are
saying, but how you are saying it. Strive to express your ideas with clarity!
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Pauline Maier, et al., Inventing America: A History of the United States, Volume 2: From
1865, 2 nd Edition (2006).
Lorence, James J. et al., eds. Enduring Voices Volume II: From 1865. Boston, Mass.:
Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Midterm Exam May 27 30%
Research Paper June 6 or 11 35%
Final Exam June 14 35%

Midterm and Final Exams: A combination of short answer and essay questions. The
midterm exam will cover material up to and including WWI and the final exam will cover
material from WWI-present.
Research Paper: You are required to write an essay that examines some aspect of
American history since 1865. Your essay topic, which may focus on a person, event, or
theme, can be related to, but is not limited to material covered in class. Papers should be
6-7 pages and you must consult at least 4 scholarly sources (books and journal articles).
You may draw on course readings, but these will not be counted towards your 4 required
sources. Please type and double-space your papers and submit them in class on the day
they are due (June 6 if you would like to have your paper returned to you prior to the
exam. June 11 if you would prefer extra time to work on it, rather than have it
returned prior to the exam). Also, please note that I will not accept research papers as
email attachments. If you cannot submit your paper in class or during office hours, please
hand it in to the History & Classics main office (Tory 2-28) where there is a term paper
drop box. A receptionist will empty the locked box at the end of the day, date stamp your
paper and deliver it to my mailbox. I do not normally give extensions and will only
consider doing so in extreme circumstances. Late papers will be penalized 5% per
business day starting on June 12.
WRITING ASSISTANCE & EXAM STRATEGIES:
For assistance with writing and assignments please do not hesitate to see me during office
hours. Alternatively, there are a few resources available to you on campus:
The Academic Support Centre, 780-492-2682 or academic.support@uss.ualberta.ca.
You may view their services online at www.ualberta.ca/ASCNTR or visit the ASC at 2-
703 Students’ Union Building.
The Centre for Writers, 780-492-2639 or centreforwriters@ualberta.ca. You may view
their services online at http://www.c4w.arts.ualberta.ca/ or visit their office at 1-42
Assiniboia Hall.
The Department of History & Classics provides an essay writing guide that can be viewed
on the department website.
http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/historyandclassics/essaywritingguide.cfm.
I will also review a Sample Research Paper in class on May 16. You can view this
resource on Moodle.
SPECIALIZED SUPPORT & DISABILITY SERVICES:
SSDS aims to meet students’ special needs and arrange support services for students with
a disability affecting mobility, vision, hearing, learning, or mental or physical health. If
you require accommodations in this course please contact SSDS: (phone) 492-3381,
(TTY) 492-7269, or (email) sadvisor@ualberta.ca. You can visit SSDS at 2-800 Students’
Union Building or view the SSDS website at
http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/SSDS/ssdsmain.cfm.

UNIVERSITY CODE OF STUDENT BEHAVIOUR:
The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and
honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic
honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are
particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student
Behaviour (online at www.governance.ualberta.ca) and avoid any behaviour which could
potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or
participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in
suspension or expulsion from the University.
Please read the following excerpts from the “Code of Student Behaviour.”
Plagiarism: “No student shall submit the words, ideas, images, or data of another person
as the Student’s own in any academic writing, essay, thesis, project, assignment,
presentation or poster in a course or program of study.”
Cheating: “No student shall in the course of an examination or other similar activity,
obtain or attempt to obtain information from another Student or other unauthorized source,
give or attempt to give information to another Student, or use, attempt to use or possess
for the purposes of use any unauthorized material.”
“No Student shall represent or attempt to represent him or herself as another or have or
attempt to have himself or herself represented by another in the taking of an examination,
preparation of a paper or other Similar activity.”
“No Student shall represent another’s substantial editorial or compositional assistance on
an assignment as the Student’s own work.”
“No Student shall submit in any course or program of study, without the written approval
of the course Instructor, all or a substantial portion of any academic writing, essay, thesis,
research report, project, assignment, presentation or poster for which credit has previously
been obtained by the Student or which has been or is being submitted by the Student in
another course or program of study in the University or elsewhere.”
UNIVERSITY POLICY ON COURSE OUTLINES:
Policy about course outlines can be found in §23.4(2) of the University Calendar.

COURSE OUTLINE
Week 1
May 7: INTRODUCTION
May 8: THE CIVIL WAR
May 9: RECONSTRUCTION
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 17
May 10: RECONSTRUCTION
Readings: Enduring Voices Ch. 16 (Doc. Set 3)
May 11: FILM, “ETHNIC NOTIONS”
Week 2
May 14: INDUSTRIALIZATION
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 18 & Ch. 19 (Pgs. 552-565)
May 15: NATIVE AMERICANS AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI WEST
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 19 (Pgs. 540-551) & Enduring Voices Ch. 17 (Doc.
Set 1)
May 16: *RESEARCH PAPER WORKSHOP*
May 17: AMERICAN EXPANSIONISM
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 21
May 18: *RESEARCH DAY – NO CLASS*
Week 3
May 21: *VICTORIA DAY – NO CLASS*
May 22: THE PROGRESSIVE ERA
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 22
May 23: THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT
Readings: Inventing America Pgs. 579-581
May 24: THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT
Readings: Enduring Voices Ch. 22 (Doc. Set 2 & Pres. Woodrow Wilson document on
page 174)
May 25: WORLD WAR I
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 23 & Enduring Voices Ch. 23 (Doc. Set 1)

Week 4
May 27: *MIDTERM EXAM*
May 28: THE 1920s
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 24
May 29: THE GREAT DEPRESSION & THE NEW DEAL
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 25
May 30: FROM THE DEPRESSION TO WAR
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 26 & Enduring Voices Ch. 26 (Doc. Set 1)
June 1: WORLD WAR II
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 27
Week 5
June 4: THE START OF THE COLD WAR & ARMS RACE
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 28
Film “Radio Bikini”
June 5: THE COLD WAR AT HOME
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 29 (Pgs. 818-833) & Enduring Voices Ch. 28 (Doc.
Set 2)
June 6: THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 29 (Pgs. 833-851), Ch. 30 (Pgs. 860-862) &
Enduring Voices Ch. 30 (Doc. Set 2)
*FIRST PAPER DEADLINE*
June 7: THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT
Readings: Inventing America Pgs. 870-871 & Enduring Voices Ch. 32 (Doc. Set 1)
June 8: LBJ, THE GREAT SOCIETY, & VIETNAM
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 30 (remaining parts) & Ch. 31 (Pgs. 891-901)
Week 6
June 11: THE NEW LEFT & NEW RIGHT
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 31 (remaining parts)
Film, “The Summer Of Love”
*SECOND PAPER DEADLINE*
June 12: THE END OF THE COLD WAR
Readings: Inventing America Ch. 32
June 13: *STUDY DAY – NO CLASS*
EXAM: June 14, Time & Location TBA