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UC BERKELEY EXTENSION
Introduction to the History of the United States: From Colonial Settlement to the Civil War
XBW7A (4 semester units in History)

About the Course

Course Description
This course is a basic introduction to American history, covering the pre-Columbian to Reconstruction era. My goal is to give you a solid understanding of the evolution and development of American intellectual, political, and socioeconomic institutions and the ability to analyze ideological currents, personalities, movements, problems, and challenges that shaped the American experience. Special emphasis will be placed on the psychological/sociological implications of history, as illustrated by the Hamiltonian/Jeffersonian dichotomy, and the multi-cultural richness of immigration as well as the great difficulty America has experienced in extending the democratic ideal to the poor, women, and people of color.

Learning Outcomes
By the time you successfully complete this course, you will be able to Discuss the psychological/social implications of history Analyze and synthesize historical materials by contrasting and comparing divergent points of views Investigate the major cultural characteristics of the indigenous peoples of North America and how their lifestyle was altered and shattered by Spanish conquest and colonization Explain the major geographical/cultural features of the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies by comparing Puritans, Quakers, Southern planters, and African Americans Explore the 1776 revolutionary experience and how its Thermidorian nature lead to the Constitutional Convention of 1789 and the ascendancy of Alexander Hamilton Research the psychological complexity of Jefferson by focusing on the paradox between what he affirmed in the Declaration of Independence and his plantation lifestyle as well as the Louisiana Purchase Characterize the economic and political change that America underwent in the Jacksonian era as observed by Alexis de Tocqueville, and evaluate Jackson's leadership in terms of Indian removal and the U.S. Bank Describe the Westward movement in U.S. history from the Louisiana Purchase to the MexicanAmerican War and the role played by Manifest Destiny in its unfolding mythology Analyze the political and socioeconomic factors that undermined "the geometry of balance" between North and South in the 1850s and the moral issue of race/slavery Assess the significance of the Civil War, the role of Lincoln, and how the victory of the North led to the emergence of the Radical Republicans and the impeachment of President Andrew Jackson

Prerequisites
None

Course Materials / Requirements

Required Textbook

Divine, Breen, et al. America: Past and Present, Vol. I, 9th ed. (Longman, 2011) Larry Madaras and James M. SoRelle, Taking Sides, Clashing Views in United States History, Vol. I, 14th ed. (McGraw-Hill, 2011) Information about ordering textbooks can be found in the Course Information folder near the top of the Modules tab page.

Learning Activities
This course is comprised of nine modules of study. The coursework for each module, as detailed in the module Overview pages, varies, consisting of some combination of Reading assignments in the two textbooks Reading my online commentary Visiting websites related to the material Discussions of controversial issues Written assignments to be submitted to me through assignment drop boxes In addition, you are required to complete A movie critique essay on an appropriate historical film of your choosing A research project on a topic of your choosing A three-hour proctored final examination

Reading Assignments
Course readings: XXXXX. My Commentary: My commentaries on the assigned material are part of each module. They provide guidance through the assigned material and help you focus on key concepts. Supplementary Resources: In the notes I will also provide links to other related Internet resources. Information about ordering textbooks can be found in the Course Information folder near the top of the Modules tab page.

Discussion Assignments
Each of us brings a unique perspective to this class based upon our life experiences and previous studies. But because of the continuous, open-enrollment nature of this course, at times it might be hard to sustain an actual conversation in the discussion threads with your fellow students. So instead, let's look to the discussion threads as a place to connect our multiple perspectives and construct an evolving knowledge base. The process will enrich your own studies, and the words you leave behind will help students who join the class even after you've gone on to new pursuits. We have two discussion forums in this course: The Discussion Assignments forum provides a vehicle for classroom interactivity based on questions created specifically for each module. All post are "public," that is, available for all class participants to read and comment on. When a module has a discussion assignment, please respond to the questions in a manner that reflects critical thinking. Please feel free, as well, to positively critique and offer leads and suggestions to comments and questions that other students have made. The Student Lounge is our place for informal discussion, a place to create new topic threads and

share common issues or experiences, class-related or not. Please use that forum to post questions about the course material, answers to help other students, and general FAQs so that all students in the course may benefit from the exchange. Written Assignments In Modules 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, you'll respond to short-essay and identification questions. Be concrete and specific and use examples to illustrate principles and themes. Movie Critique Essay The Movie Critique Essay is due by the end of Module 8. Essentially, the essay should be a four-page (double-spaced) analysis with a brief summary, either at the beginning or interwoven throughout. In addition, you should include a page of annotations for the sources that you've used. (See the advice on Research and Proper Citation in the Course Information folder near the top of the Modules tab page.) Please save your essay in a rich text format (.rtf) document. Be sure to include your last name and the course number in the title of the document, like so: "your name XB7A movie critique." To make the film meaningful, you need to do additional research and reading essential to providing an appropriate historical context that addresses themes such as time and place, personalities and motivations, challenges and issues, causes and effects, and patterns and relationships. To enrich the analysis, these concepts may be incorporated into the discussion: culture and subculture, metaphor and symbols, archetypes and energy, dark side and dualities. Finally, the conclusion should address the impact the film has on increasing your knowledge and understanding of the period and event; what lessons, if any, you learned from it; and what the film conveys about America today and in the future. Below are some questions you may want to ask yourself as you write your critique. You may also want to take a look at my list of American Historical Movies from colonial times to the Civil War. You'll find the list near the end of the Modules tab page. A. Summarize the movie Introduce the mythical theme, the cultural question, or search that the film addresses. What was it about? How was it presented? What issue(s) was(were) portrayed? Who are the personalities and what themes or archetypes did they embody? B. Historical Setting When does it take place? What are the historical themes? What are the circumstances in society that surround the events (before and after)? C. Characterization Who are the major characters? What motivates them? Identify their energies and archetypes.

What shadows do they exhibit? What is the nature of their conflict? Is it redeemable? D. What metaphors does the film use to express its points or to carry its commentaries? Did they make an impact on you? How did the metaphors change your perspective or understanding? How do the title and names of characters increase mythical awareness? E. What have you learned from this film about yourself, people, thought, cultural trends, socio-economic issues/conflicts and about power/authority? How did the film expand your awareness of the psychological implications of mythology? What lessons, if any, did you learn about the journey of the hero/heroine? What does the film say about transcendence, healing, and the future of humanity? Research Project A course research project will be due in Module 8. You will select a project topic from any module in this course, research your topic using the Web as your primary information resource, and report your findings to me. Your report should include linked and/or annotated material from your sources. It should be about three pages, double-spaced. In addition, you should include a page of annotations for the sources that you've used. (See the advice on Research and Proper Citation in the Course Information folder near the top of the Modules tab page.) While you can select a project topic from any module in this course, your choice must be approved by me and should be narrow in focus. For example, "Module 8: Civil War and Lincoln" is much too broad. Instead, select a research project on a particular person, event, or theme, like "Lincoln and the Black Hawk War," "Sherman and the March to the Sea," "John Wilkes Booth," "Mary Chestnut's Civil War Diary," or "Fredrick Douglas and Abolition." By the end of Module 2, your task will be to preview the rest of the course, find an interesting project topic, and submit it to me for approval. I will either approve it or suggest a modification (a narrowing of the focus, probably). You should also begin checking our Discussion Assignments forum for other students' approved topics, under the M4: Research Project Topics thread. Please save your essay in a rich text format (.rtf) document. Be sure to include your last name and the course number in the title of the document, like so: "your name XB7A research project."

Research, Proper Citation, and Copyright

Before you begin your assignments, please read the guidelines on research, proper citation, and copyright in the Course Information folder at the top of the Modules tab page.

Final Examination
The final examination, which you will take when you have completed all your other assignments in the course, is an open book exam. Memorization is not the thrust of the course, which really emphasizes understanding and the ability to show relationships, patterns, and causality. Open exam facilitates these pedagogical considerations better than memorization. Therefore, you may bring the instructor's lecture notes, the textbook, and a dictionary to the final exam. The exam will be proctored, and you must schedule your appointment with a proctor ahead of time. More information about scheduling and taking your final exam is available in the Course Information folder at the top of the Modules tab page.

End of Course Student Survey

UC Berkeley Extension is committed to improving our online courses and instruction. Please take a few minutes to participate in our End of Course Student Survey to share your opinions about this course. We are interested in your online learning experience, and your candid feedback will help us plan for the future and make improvements. Please take the survey before your course End Date. The survey does not request any personal information, and your responses will remain strictly confidential. To access the survey, please follow the link near the bottom of the Modules tab page.

Reminder: Your Course End Date

Your access to the online classroom will expire on the course End Date, which is indicated in the initial e-mail you received when you enrolled. As you work through the course, please keep the End Date in mind, and if you want to save any commentary or assignments for future reference, please make sure to print or copy/paste those materials before your access ends.

Credit Requirements
Course grades are based on the following: Discussion Participation Movie Critique Research Project Written Assignments Proctored Final Exam 10% 20% 20% 20% 30%

You must pass the examination to pass the course.

Grading Information
Final grades are assigned according to the following percentages: Letter Grade A AB+ B BC+ C CD+ D DF < 60

Percentage 100-94 93-90 89-86 85-83 82-80 79-76 75-73 72-70 69-66 65-63 62-60 All of your assignments will be graded on a 100-point scale. I'll assign one grade for your participation as a whole in the Discussion Assignment forum at the end of the course.

When I grade your writing assignments, I'll be looking at content, organization, and mechanics. Please keep the following criteria in mind: Poor Content Poor writing style with little or no specific details, no evidence of Needs Improvement Adequately written; some points elaborated but with minimal Meets Expectations Well written, most points elaborated with clear and detailed Exceptional Well written, fully elaborates points. Clear and detailed information

having studied the material, and/or off topic.

use of concepts from the material.

information that supports thoughts and ideas and uses concepts from the material. Good organization with few statements out of place. Minor grammatical errors.

supports thoughts and ideas and shows full acquisition of concepts from the material. Clearly organized and remains focused. Few or no grammatical errors.

Organization and Mechanics

Little or no structure present. Grammatical errors interfere with comprehension.

Organization present but awkward. Some grammatical errors present.

In the Discussion Assignments forum, I'll also be looking for evidence of participation: Poor Participation Minimal posts in number or length. Posts show little or no reflection on the topics or previous posts. Needs Improvement Posts address the topic but consist mostly of a rote repetition of the study materials. Little or no reflection on previous posts. Meets Expectations Posts address the topic with reflection. Many responses build on previous posts. Exceptional Posts show a genuine interest in contributing to the overall life of the forum.

Although your grades for assignments are recorded in the course gradebook and are available for you to see through the Report tab, you should not count on seeing your final grade recorded there by the time your access to the course ends. Your final letter grade will be mailed to you by the Registrar's office.

Pacing Yourself through the Course

With this course, you have the freedom to design your study time to meet your schedule. However, this style of learning also requires dedication and commitment to ensure that you get the homework and assignments done in a timely fashion. Use these tips to stay on track and get the most from this class. Get started as soon as possible: Students who submit their first assignment within the first month are more likely to complete the course than those who delay. Please do not wait to submit everything toward the end of the class. Assume that I will need a week to grade each assignment and provide feedback that will help you complete subsequent assignments. Create a planning calendar: Plan your homework and submittal dates, and stick with them. Students who submit assignments regularly are more likely to complete the course than those who do not. Take the time now at the beginning of the course to plan your study time by using the course Calendar tool. Ask questions: You are always encouraged to ask questions. Use course mail to ask me

questions, ask for feedback, or just to request encouragement. I'm always pleased to be of assistance. Use the Student Lounge forum for general questions about the course or assignments that other students might need answered as well. Submit complete assignments: Submit only completed assignments. If you are unsure about a question, e-mail me and ask me first before submitting the assignment. I'm always pleased to be of assistance. Any incomplete assignments will be returned to you to complete and resubmit.

Course Outline
You'll find complete instructions for your assignments within the course modules. Module 1: Native American Cultures: The Pre-Columbian World Read Divine: Chapter 1, pages 2-10 only Read Module 1 commentary 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Entering America Political Systems Warfare Shamanism and Spirituality

Discussion Assignment: Introductions Written Assignment: Short essays Module 2: Columbus and the New World Read Divine: Chapter 1, page 10 to the end Read Madaras: "Was Disease the Key Factor in the Depopulation of Native Americans in the Americas?" Read Module 2 commentary 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 The Humanist Awakening Global Exploration Conversion or Extermination Economic and Cultural Exchange Religion and the Spanish Missions The French Empire in America

Discussion Assignment: Was disease the key factor in the depopulation of Native Americans in the Americas? Module 3: The English Colonies Read Divine: Chapter 2 Read Madaras: "Was the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria Caused by a Fear of Women?" Read Module 3 commentary 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Opening the Way Colonies Founded on Religion The Proprietary Colonies Aristocratic Colonies The Appalachian Settlements

3.6 Slavery in the Colonies Discussion Assignment: give your opinion on the status of colonial women. Written Assignment: Identifications Module 4: Moving Toward Independence Read Divine: Chapters 3, 4, and 5 (up to "Fighting for Independence only) Read Madaras: "Did the American Revolution Produce a Christian Nation?" Read Module 4 commentary 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 An Emerging Nation Benign Neglect An Attitudinal Shift Grievous Taxes and the Shots Heard 'Round the World Causes of the War for Independence Reason and Natural Law

Discussion Assignment: Did the American Revolution produce a Christian nation? Module 5: The Nature of the American Revolution and the Constitutional Debate Read Divine: Chapters 5 (starting with "Fighting for Independence"), 6, and 7 Read Madaras: "Were the Founding Fathers Democratic Reformers?" Read Module 5 commentary 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Phases of the Revolution The Tea Act Tories and Patriots The Roles of Native Americans, Women, and Blacks The Constitution A New Conservativism Social Issues Native American Contributions

Discussion Assignment: Were the founding fathers democratic reformers? Written Assignment: Short essays Module 6: Jeffersonian and Jacksonian Democracy Read Divine: Chapters 8, 9, 10, and 12. Read Madaras: "Did Andrew Jackson's Removal Policy Benefit Native Americans?" Read Module 6 commentary 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 Jeffersonian Democracy Freedom vs. Democratization The Louisiana Purchase and Native Americans The War of 1812 The Missouri Compromise Andrew Jackson The Second Great Awakening Jackson's Policies and the U.S. Bank The Whigs

Discussion Assignment: Did Andrew Jackson's removal policy benefit Native Americans?

Module 7: Manifest Destiny and the Compromise of 1850 Read Divine: Chapters 13 and 14. (Be sure to read "The Case of Dred and Harriet Scott" at the end of Chapter 14.) Read Madaras: "Was the Mexican War an Exercise in American Imperialism?" Read Module 7 commentary 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 The The The The The The Frontier Thesis Mexican-American War Gold Rush Slave Question Free Soil Party Compromise of 1850

Written Assignment: Short essays Discussion Assignment: Was the Mexican War an exercise in American imperialism? Module 8: The Civil War and President Lincoln Read Divine: Chapters 11 and 15 Read Madaras: "Was Abraham Lincoln America's Greatest President?" Read Module 8 commentary 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 The Rise of the Republican Party The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 Kansas and Uncle Tom's Cabin A Fight for Freedom The Great Emancipator Literary and Social Movements Lincoln's Legacy

Discussion Assignment: Was Abraham Lincoln America's greatest president? Movie Critique Essay Research Project Module 9: Reconstruction and the Black Experience Read Divine: Chapter 16 Read Madaras: "Did Reconstruction Fail as a Result of Racism?" Read Module 9 commentary 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Radical Reconstruction The Compromise of 1877 Racism Dynamics of Discrimination

Discussion Assignment: Did Reconstruction fail as a result of racism? Written Assignment: Identifications and short essay Proctored Final Examination
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