Syllabus
HIST 1130
Introduction to U.S. History
R.S. Deese
email: R.Deese@neu.edu or rsdeese@gmail.com
Office Hours: Tuesday & Friday: 8-9:30, 213 Meserve
This course will survey the broad sweep of American history from the colonial era to the twenty-first century. Although we will cover a sprawling and diverse array of subjects over the course of four centuries of American history, certain themes will recur in our lectures discussions, such as the changing role of technology and the environment in American history, and the enduring tension between state and federal power in American political life.
In addition to the midterm and final exams, you will be required to write a paper analyzing two primary sources for this class. The Final Paper (1200 words) will cover one of four subjects: Comparing the Inaugural Addresses of Two Different Presidents from Two Different Parties; US Role in Global Politics before and after WWII; Ecology and Politics since 1945, the Role of Race, Class, or Gender in American Politics since 1945, and the Constitution and the Rise of the Imperial Presidency Since 1945. Students can find and share Primary Source selections on the course blog at: http://hist1130.blogspot.com/
Required Text:
Roark, et al. The American Promise, Value Edition. Combined Version. Boston: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2008.
ISBN-10: 0312487347
ISBN-13: 978-0312487348
Grade Breakdown:
Participation and Attendance: 30%
(ALL READING ASSIGNMENTS TO BE COMPLETED BY FRIDAY OF EACH WEEK)
Midterm Exam: 20% February 25th
Final Paper: 20% Due April 5th
Final Exam: 30% TBA
Regulations Against Plagiarism: Needless to say, the work you present must be entirely your own and all sources must be diligently credited in your footnotes and bibliography. Any attempt at plagiarism, representing the work of another person as your own, will be result in failure in this course and severe disciplinary action by Northeastern University. If you should need more information on this subject, consult the website of the History Department.
HST 130: SCHEDULE OF READINGS
Week One
Topic: The Colonial Era and the Atlantic World
Reading: Roark, Chapters 3 & 4.
Week Two
Topic: Enlightenment and Revolution
Reading: Roark, Chapters 6 & 7.
Week Three
Topic: The Early Republic
Reading: Roark, Chapters 8,9 & 10.
Week Four
Topic: Antebellum America
Reading: Roark, Chapters 12, 13 & 14.
Week Five
Topic: Civil War and Reconstruction
Reading: Roark, Chapters 15 & 16
Week Six
Topic: The Industrial Revolution & the “Gilded Age”
Reading: Roark, Chapters 18&19
Week Seven
Topic: Populism, Progressivism, and the New Imperialism
Reading: Roark, Chapters 20 & 21.
MIDTERM EXAM ON FRIDAY, 2/25
Week Eight
Topic: WWI and Its Aftermath
Reading: Roark, Chapters 22 & 23.
Week Nine
Topic: "Dr. New Deal" and "Dr. Win the War"
Reading: Roark, Chapters 24 and 25.
Week Ten
Topic: The Cold War and the "Liberal Consensus"
Reading: Roark, Chapters 26 & 27.
Week Eleven
Topic: The New Left, the New Right, and the Vietnam Era
Reading: Roark, Chapters 28 & 29.
Week Twelve:
Topic: The Career and Legacy of Ronald Wilson Reagan
Reading: Roark, Chapter 30
FINAL PAPER DUE IN CLASS ON TUESDAY, 4/3
Week Thirteen:
Topic: America in the Age of Globalization
Reading: Roark: Chapter 31.
FINAL EXAM
