U. S. History: Establishing Community and Disestablishing Oppression

 (Integrated two-course program in U.S. History, Spring Ô03)

 

 

Patterns of Community in U. S. History

Gray Cox

 

            This is the historiography and social theory component of an integrated two-credit course program in U.S. History:  Establishing Community and Disestablishing Oppression.  The program introduces some of the principle types of historical narrative (e.g. ecological, diplomatic, political, economic, social, religious, intellectual, autobiographical, quantitative, pictorial, graphic) and uses them to survey factual claims and alternative interpretations of U.S. history from 1491 onwards.  To practice interdisciplinary study and historical interpretation we look, in particular, at ways different methods of historical narrative can illuminate (and be illuminated by) case studies of individuals and groups.  We also focus on peoplesÕ attempts to establish sustainable communities and their struggles to overcome oppression.  The team that is teaching this course is especially interested in the relationship Ð in a variety of kinds of texts/narratives Ð between textuality and truth.  Readings for the historiography and social theory component include: AlbionÕs Seed, A Different Mirror, Crabgrass Frontier, Strike!  and a variety of selections from classic texts in U. S. historical studies.  There will also be several major narrative films viewed during the lab sessions.  Students will complete a series of weekly methodological exercises and a major community history project.  The lab fee of $50 is intended to cover a series of field trips during which we can investigate local and regional  historical resources.   Introductory/Intermediate.  *HS* *HY*  Lab Fee:  $50.00.

 

 

Narratives of American Identities in U.S. History

Karen Waldron

 

This is the literature component of an integrated two-credit course program in U.S. History:  Establishing Community and Disestablishing Oppression.  The program introduces some of the principle types of historical narrative (e.g. ecological, diplomatic, political, economic, social, religious, intellectual, autobiographical, quantitative, pictorial, graphic) and uses them to survey factual claims and alternative interpretations of U.S. history from 1491 onwards.  To practice interdisciplinary study and historical interpretation we look, in particular, at ways different methods of historical narrative can illuminate (and be illuminated by) case studies of individuals and groups.  We also focus on peoplesÕ attempts to establish sustainable communities and their struggles to overcome oppression.  The team that is teaching this course is especially interested in the relationship Ð in a variety of kinds of texts/narratives Ð between textuality and truth.  Readings for the literature component include: Classic American Autobiographies; The Coquette (Hannah Foster) or Our Nig (Harriet Wilson); Ragged Dick (Horatio Alger); Life in the Iron Mills (Rebecca Harding Davis); The 42nd Parallel (John Dos Passos); additional selections highlighting Native American and African American experience; and short stories.  There will also be several major narrative films viewed during the lab sessions.  Students will complete a series of weekly methodological exercises and a major community history project.  The lab fee is intended to cover a series of field trips during which we can investigate local historical resources.  Introductory/Intermediate.  *HS* *HY*  Lab Fee:  $50.00.

 

Texts:

Classic American Autobiographies

The Coquette (Hannah Foster)

Hobomok & Other Writings on Indians (Lydia Maria Child)

Our Nig (Harriet Wilson)

Life in the Iron Mills (Rebecca Harding Davis)

The 42nd Parallel  (John Dos Passos)

Selected supplementary readings and short stories.

 

 

 

Note:  Total lab fee of $100.00 for integrated two-course program.

 

Assignments (projects and assignments are for both classes):

 

[1]    Reading and preparing for class. 

 

[2]    One 1-3 minute memorization of a key community text such as a song, poem, story, or legend Ñ each student will do one over the course of the term.  Sign ups on Day 1.

 

[3]    Eight weekly assignments, due on Fridays, based on methodological exercises related to your term project.  There will be class review and preparation for methodological exercises during the Tuesday sessions.

 

[4]    Term Project Ñ Writing a community history.  The narrative and its conclusion should be directed toward one of two analyses:  of a contemporary historical fact, issue, or population and its relation to the communityÕs history; or of a contemporary literary text by or about a member or members of the community which can be illuminated by historical knowledge. 

 

[5]    Final Exercise Ñ Commentary on syllabus, due Tuesday, June 1.

 

 

Evaluation (projects and assignments are for both classes):

Class participation, reading and preparation, one minute presentation Ð 25%

Eight weekly assignments Ð 30%

Term Project and Presentation at ÒConferenceÓ Ð 30%

Final Exercise Ð 15%

 

Class Schedule:

 

Part One Ñ          Introduction:   Looking Back from the Present;

                              What Can History Tell Us?

 

Tues. April 1         Introductions [and mini-lectures?].   [First day:  meet at 9 to do intros and definition of community.  Send them off to read.  Reconvene at 1 for discussion, movie, and timeline prep.]

                              AlbionÕs Seed:  Preface.

 

                              [reading time]  Additional readings: ÒNew England Forest History  [?excerpt from Savagism and Civilization (Pearce)?]; Literature of discovery, Native American literature (creation story next to Genesis?), early Puritan texts (city on a hill paragraph).

 

                              Prep. for annotated Timeline and definition of community.

 

                              Lab Session Movie:  Paris is Burning

 

Fri., April 4            History as Patterns of Community.  AlbionÕs Seed: i-13; Conclusion, 783-898.

 

                              Lab Session Movie:  Amistad

 

                              Choose a community for Term Project.

 

                              Methodology Assignment 1:  Define Community chosen and write draft of annotated Timeline for Community.  Due Tuesday, April 6.

                             

Part Two Ñ The European Founding of National Identity/Community

 

Tues., Apr. 8          Classic American Autobiographies:  Rowlandson (26-69)

                              AlbionÕs Seed:  Puritans, pp. 13-206 (selections).

                              A Different Mirror:  pp. 1-50.

 

                              Timeline and Community Definition due.

                             

                              U.S. History as His Story:  Biblical rhetoric in Puritan narratives.

 

                              Prep. for Etymology assignment.

 

Fri. Apr. 11           Classic American Autobiographies:  Franklin (71-228).

                              Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville, selections.

                              Samuel de Champlain and Jesuit missionaries, selections.

 

                              Prep for graph and table sequence assignment using demographic statistics from census.

 

                              Methodology Assignment 2 Due:  Etymology of a key word defining your community.

 

 

Tues., Apr. 15        Foster, The Coquette.

                              Annette Kolodny:  ÒUnearthing Herstory,Ó ÒSurveying the Virgin LandÓ and pp. 26-28 from  ÒLaying Waste Her Fields of PlentyÓ in The Lay of the Land:  Metaphor as Experience in American Literature.  [possibly use DeTocqueville too]

 

                              U.S. History as Herstory:  Feminist Methodology Meta-Narrative / Micro-Narrative.

 

Fri., Apr. 18           AlbionÕs Seed:  Back Country Scotch Irish, pp. 605-783.

                              Frederick Jackson TurnerÕs Thesis, selections.

 

                              Lab Session:  Prep for map sequence assignment.

 

                              Methodology Assignment 3 Due:  Graph and Table Sequence. 

 

Part Three Ñ       The American Struggle in Different Identities and Different Communities: The Nineteenth Century

 

Tue., Apr. 22         Hobomok (through Chapter X for discussion Friday)

                              [oHhselections from Last of the Mohicans and lecture (as example for Ed students.  Debrief on lecture]

                              Excerpt from Diamond, Guns, Germs and Steel. [? More]

 

                              U.S. History as Natural History:  Ecological Methodology Meta-Narrative / Micro-Narrative Ñ and  History as Kings and Wars (Realist History).

 

Fri., Apr. 25           Finish and discuss Hobomok.

                              A Different Mirror:  Chapters 4, 6, and 9.

 

                              Lab Session Movie: The Black Robe.

 

                              Prep for close reading assignment. 

 

                              Methodology Assignment 4 Due:  Map Sequence. 

 

Tue., Apr. 29         Classic American Autobiographies:  Douglass (230-327).

                              AlbionÕs Seed:  The South, pp. 207-310.

                              A Different Mirror:  Ch. 3 and 5.

                             

                              U.S. History as Racial/Ethnic History:  History from the Disenfranchised, Part One.  Race in the U.S. and Race/Ethnicity Methodology Meta-Narrative / Micro-Narrative.

 

                              Lab Session Movie: Selections from Roots.

 

Fri., May 2            Our Nig.  Baldwin, [Gosset?  ÒEverybodyÕs Protest NovelÓ]

                              AlbionÕs Seed:  The South, pp. 311-418.

 

                              Lab Session Movie:  Birth of a Nation.

 

                              Prep for Sketch of Theoretical Model and Annotated Bibliography. 

 

                              Methodology Assignment 5 Due:  Close Reading. 

 

                              Criteria for annotated bibliography.  Each entry should note the following:  the articleÕs theoretical point of view, kinds of data used, methodology, experimental basis, and a summary value judgment (good, excellent, limited, etc.).

 

                              Midterm Evaluation and Discussion of Community Histories.

 

Tue., May 6           Horatio Alger, Ragged Dick.

                              Crabgrass Frontier:  pp. 1-86.

 

                              U.S. History as Class Struggle:  Marxist / Class Analysis Methodology Meta-Narrative / Micro-Narrative.

 

                              Prep for telling of a story. 

                             

                             

Part Four Ñ        The American Struggle in Different Identities and Different Communities:  Into The Twentieth Century

 

Fri., May 7            Rebecca Harding Davis, Life in the Iron Mills.

                              Strike! : pp. xxx

                              Classic American Autobiograhies:  Zitkala-Sa.

 

                              History from the Disenfranchised, Part Two:  Making It in the U.S.A.?

 

                              Lab Session Movie:  Matewan

 

                              Continued prep for theoretical model and annotated bibliography.

 

                              Methodology Assignment 6 Due:  Telling a Story. 

 

Tue., May 13         Dos Passos, The 42nd Parallel:  first third (through ÒThe Camera Eye (13)Ó).

                              A Different Mirror: Ch. 11,13,14.

                              Crabgrass Frontier:  TBA.

                             

Fri., May 16          Field Trip:  Boston

                             

                              Selected short readings on National Park Historic Interpretation, Boston, etc.

 

Tue., May 18         Dos Passos, The 42nd Parallel:  second third (through ÒJ. Ward MoorehouseÓ).

                              Crabgrass Frontier:  TBA.

                              Selections from The Power Elite (C. Wright Mills) and Paul FussellÕs Class.

                             

                              U.S. History as News:  The Camera Eye and Headlines.

                             

                              Lab Session Movie: Citizen Kane

 

Fri., May 21          Finish The 42nd Parallel.

                              A Different Mirror: Ch. 7 and 12.

 

                              Prep for visual / image project (collage, drawing(s), photo(s), pictures (representations through art history, bookplates, etc.).

 

                              Methodology Assignment 7 Due:  Theoretical Model and Annotated Bibliography.  

 

Tue., May 27         Selections from The Journal of John Woolman and ÒA Plea for the Poor.Ó

                              AlbionÕs Seed:  Quakers, pp. 419-604, selections.

                              Strike!  TBA.

                             

                              U.S. History as Chronology.

 

Fri., May 28          Continue with AlbionÕs Seed.

                              A Different Mirror:  Ch. 8.

 

                              Lab Session Movie:  The Joy Luck Club

 

                              Methodology Assignment 8 Due:  Visual/Image project.

 

Tue., June 1           Short Story Selections by contemporary ethnic Americans.

                              Crabgrass Frontier:  TBA

 

                              Lab Session:  Preparation for Conference.

 

                              Conclusions in U.S. History:  The Present, the Past, and  Methodological Questions.

 

                              Final Exercise due: Syllabus Commentary and Critique.

 

 

Fri., June 4            History Conference:  Presentation of Community Histories.

 

                              Course evaluations.