History 2333

Twentieth Century America

Dalhousie University

Summer 2003

 

 

Lecturer Michael Butt                                                                        

Office TBA

Phone office

Phone home 463-7361 (please no calls after 10 pm)

E-mail butt_michael@hotmail.com

Office Hourse TBA 

 

Course Introduction

 

This course is designed to introduce students to the major themes in American history in the 20^th century. Although the lectures are organized chronologically, in addition to a basic political overview, this course will view each period through a variety of historical lenses. Students will learn about traditional approaches to writing history and similarly how alterative vantage-points in each period offer different storylines and teach us something about the social, environmental and security and intelligence history of America’s past.

 

 

 Books Recommended For Purchase

 

There is one required book for this course. Students can purchase Peter N. Carroll We the People: A Brief American History Volume Two: Since 1865 (Belmont, 2003) in the University Bookstore. In addition, this course will draw on a variety of multi-media sources such as American Journey Online (http://www.americanjourney.psmedia.com) and other Websites. Students will be expected to access these from home, campus, or elsewhere. 

 

 Assignment

 

There will be one major assignment for students taking this course. Many historians believe that the 20^th century witnessed a tremendous intrusion by the state into the private lives of its citizens. Western capitalist societies were without modern intelligence agencies in 1900 but over the course of the last 100 years this has completely changed. Two US historians Athan Theoharis and Melvyn Dubofsky have thus asserted that the dominant theme or pattern of the recent American past is “the tension between the imperatives of empire and democracy.” Imperial Democracy (xii).

 

How much have security services contributed to this tremendous intrusion by the state into the lives of ordinary citizens? Have they influenced domestic and international events in the 20^th century? What does a concern with issues of democratic rights and freedoms tell us about the American past? How does attention to such matters alter the kind of history we can write, especially with the new sources made available under US Freedom Of Information (FOI) and similar Access To Information (ATI) legislation in Canada?

 

Students in this course will be divided into working groups and will produce a collaborative paper and presentation using a secret intelligence dossier recently released under the US FOI Act. Students will spend a significant portion of class and home time considering how one might approach ‘writing’ history with these sources. Teams will be marked on the originality of their paper, and the strength and reasonableness of their findings, which will be presented during the final week of classes.

 

 

 Marks and Evaluation

 

 In addition to the major collaborative paper and presentation there will be three multiple choice, mix and match quizzes. They will test student knowledge of the preceding week’s lectures and readings and will encourage students to keep “on track” in  preparation for the final exam. Since Monday May 19 is a holiday, the first of three weekly “quizzes” will be held on Tuesday May 20, the second on Monday May 26 and the final quiz on Monday June 2. Each of these tests is worth 10 % of the final course mark. A class project is worth 30 % and the final examination is 40 %.

 

Quiz 1                                                              Tuesday May 20          10 %

Quiz 2                                                              Monday May 26          10 %

Quiz 3                                                              Monday  June 2            10 %

Class Project                                                                            30 % (15 percent paper/ 15 percent presentation)

Final Exam                                                                               40 %

 

 

 Marks and Evaluation

 

According to Dalhousie University regulations to receive an A grade (A-, A or A+) you must exhibit all of the following characteristics:  considerable evidence of original thinking; an outstanding capacity to analyze and synthesize; an outstanding grasp of subject matter; and evidence of an extensive knowledge base.

To receive a B grade (B-, B, B+) you are expected to demonstrate your grasp of subject matter plus provide evidence of a critical capacity and familiarity with the literature. The average grade in a second year history course is B-.

To receive a C grade you must exhibit some understanding of the subject matter and an ability to develop solutions to simple problems.

Student’s who fail to meet the above criteria will not pass the course.

 
 

Reading and Lecture Schedule

 

On most evenings students should divide their time between reading the chapter for the following day and thinking about their major assignment. I will cover the material from the chapter in class and will do so at a pace such that students can take study notes. I will also include additional material in the class, maps, charts, etc. which will be useful to round out one’s knowledge and understanding of the American past. However, since this is a very condensed course students will occasionally be required to read “two chapters” in preparation of a lecture. Recognize that on three evenings marked with asterisks ** one should budget one’s time accordingly. 

 

Finally, for those students interested in making the ‘study’ experience more enjoyable I have also put together a series of chapter crossword puzzles and other games that will be made available to assist in the learning of key terms, dates, events and constitutional amendments.

 

Week One

 

Monday May 12, 2003

Course introduction

-Discussion of major course project: “Using FOI/ ATI materials for historical research” 

“The FBI investigates the Mounties: A Case Study, 1930-1939"

 

- In class assignment, “President Palmer’s Dilemma?”:  The US Constitution and its Amendments.

 

Tuesday May 13, 2003

(L) “Reconstructing the National Identity, 1865-1877"

Carroll We The People pp., 320-345

 

Wednesday May 14, 2003

(L) “The Triumph of a National Marketplace, 1877-1893"

Carroll We The People pp., 347-374

 

Thursday May 15, 2003

(L) “The Crisis of the 1890s”

Carroll We The People pp., 375-398

 

 – Team Review Hour

 

 

Week Two

 

Monday May 19, no class – study –

 

Tuesday May 20, 2003

Quiz #1

(L) “Industrial Society and Progressive Reform, 1900-1915"

Carroll We The People pp., 399-420

 

Wednesday May 21, 2003

(L) “The Corporate Economy and Progressive Politics, 1901-1916"

Carroll We The People pp., 421-442

 

Thursday May 22, 2003

(L) “The Search For World Order, 1913-1920,”

Carroll We The People pp.,443-466

 

– Team Review Hour

 

 

Week Three

 

Monday May 26

Quiz #2

(Ls) “Colliding Cultures and Hard Times, 1920-1939”

Carroll We The People pp., 467-520**

 

Tuesday May 27

(L) “The War against Fascism, 1931-1945"

Carroll We The People pp., 521-548

 

Wednesday May 28

(L) “Cold War Society, 1945 - 1952"

Carroll We The People pp., 549-574

 

Thursday May 29

(L) “A Troubled Consensus, 1952-1960"

Carroll We The People pp., 575-600

 

– Team Review Hour

 

Week Four

 

Monday June 2

Quiz #3

(Ls) “Liberal and National Agendas, 1960-1968"

Carroll, We The People pp., 601-654**

 

Tuesday June 3

(L) “The Imperial Presidency of Richard Nixon, 1969-1974”

Carroll We The People pp., 655-679