History 405.

11 The History of Early America MWF 8:10 am-9:00 am Horton room 210 Instructor: Sarah Batterson email: sarah.batterson@unh.edu Office Hours: MW 9:00-10:00 am in Horton 327 or by appointment

Fall 2010

Course Objectives: History 405 The History of Early America provides an introduction to some of the most important events, people, issues, and themes that shaped American history from the pre-Colonial era through Reconstruction. Because this discipline goes beyond just names and dates, students will learn to think critically about the past, drawing on primary and secondary sources, to understand our nations history. How To Reach Me: You can reach me during office hours or by email. If you have something that requires immediate attention, you may want to make an appointment for a specific time during my office hours to make certain we are able to meet. During the week please allow 24 hours for me to respond to emails, and 48 hours on the weekends. Assigned Readings: The following four books are required reading for the course. They are available for purchase at the UNH Bookstore in the MUB and through Amazon.com. Textbook: Norton et al, A People and a Nation, Volume 1: to 1877 Brief 8th edition. 0547175590. Other Required Reading: Anne Farrow et al., Complicity: How the North Promoted, Prolonged, and Profited from Slavery, Ballantine Books, 0345467833. Horsmanden, Daniel, New York Conspiracy Trials of 1741, Daniel Horsmandens Journal of Proceedings with Related Documents. 0312402163 Giles Gunn, Early American Writing. New York: Penguin Books. 0140390871. Please Note: While I recommend purchasing all books, all readings will be placed on 24-hour Reserve at the Library. Course Overview: You should use the textbook, A People and A Nation Volume 1: to 1877 Brief 8th edition, as a way to learn the basic overview of what happened and why it was important. Do not be overwhelmed by the amount of material covered in the textbook. Use the questions presented in each chapter and the chapters conclusion to help you focus on the most important material in each chapter. The basic overview from your textbook will then serve as a foundation from which you can use my lectures and the other readings to think more deeply about your own interpretation of why things happened the way they did, and about what is important and why. My lectures and discussion will supplement the information in your textbook. Some classes will give you a review of material you have read in the textbook, some classes will focus on one or two specific examples of larger themes discussed in your textbook, while other classes will cover topics your textbook does not cover. That means you should consider the textbook as a useful tool to give you a basic framework before you come to class, but it also means that my lectures and our class discussions are essential too. So youll need to come to class and do the assigned reading. The primary source readings are also an essential part of the coursework for this class. These sources will let you learn how to evaluate historical documents and think about them the ways historians do; because history involves interpretation, it is ESSENTIAL to return to the original sources. There you can employ detective work to determine what really happened, as well as learn the limitations and biases these sources have. Attendance Policy, Assignments & Grading: Class sessions will combine lecture as well as discussion. This format requires that all students come to class prepared to discuss the assigned reading. To make sure that you do not fall behind on the reading, and to help focus your thoughts and many of our discussions, students will complete several shorter writing assignments during the course. The aims of the assignments are to hone your analytical and writing skillsskills that are essential to have in the real world long after you leave this university. These assignments will be graded on a 1 to 5 scale, with 5

being the highest and will be staggered throughout the semester. There may also be short in-class writing assignments or quizzes that will make up part of your class participation grade. Please note: Yes, this class meets early. Very early. If you do not think you can be ready to learn at 8am three times a week, I would suggest switching to a later section of 405. Students who are late to class or do not attend without a note excusing the absence will receive a zero for that class. Attending and being prepared for class, as well as participating meaningfully in any class discussion or group work will set you up well for a good participation grade. Anyone who repeatedly misses class will be penalized accordingly, and anyone who stops attending class altogether may fail the course. It will be difficult to do well in this course if you are repeatedly absent. Course grades will be based on two exams, two papers, assignments and participation in the following proportions: Short Assignments 15% Class Participation 10% Paper #1 20% Paper #2 20% Mid-Term Exam 15% Final Exam 20% Note: You must complete the two papers and two exams in order to pass the course. Papers: Over the course of the semester, you will write two papers of 1200 words (about 4 pages typed and doublespaced). While you may use the textbook as a source, you should utilize the source material assigned. You may NOT use sources from the Web to research or write your papers. All papers are due at the start of class, and all late papers will be penalized a third of a letter grade per calendar day that they are late, including weekends. Papers should be turned in at the beginning of the class as a hardcopy as well as electronically on Blackboard. Papers must include a strong thesis statement (or argument), introduction, conclusion, as well as examples cited from the text to support your arguments. You may use footnotes or parenthetical citations. Academic Honesty and Classroom Citizenship: Academic honesty is essential to any university community. Please read the section on Academic Honesty in the UNH Student Handbook, and make sure you understand it. If you submit written work that is not your own; for instance, if you have copied another student's work, or plagiarized any written material, you will fail that assignment and, if the violation is serious enough, may be in danger of failing the course altogether and/or face expulsion from the University. I take academic honesty very seriously. If you have questions about plagiarism, please come talk to me during office hours. Similarly, good-faith participation in class is crucial. Disruptive behavior is an offense against all of us in the class. This is particularly important in a class of this size. Because class participation is a component of each student's grade, any student whose behavior disrupts the class will receive a grade of 0 for the in-class writing/participation portions of their final grade. It will be difficult to receive a grade higher than a D under these circumstances, and you will be in danger of failing the course. In the event of repeated class disruptions, I will initiate university disciplinary action. This means stowing ALL electronic devices (i.e. cell phones, iPods, etc.). Students with Disabilities and Special Needs: If you have specific physical, psychiatric or learning disabilities and require accommodations, please let me know as soon as possible. If you have not already done so, you will need to register and provide documentation of disability to the Disability Services for Students Office in the Memorial Union Building, Room 118, (862-2607) or email kathy.berger@unh.edu. Because this course places such an emphasis on class attendance, reading, in-class writing, and discussion, it is essential that students with disabilities or special needs make arrangements as soon as possible for reasonable academic accommodations to allow them to fulfill the course requirements.

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History 405.11 Sarah Batterson: Fall 2010

Schedule of Lectures and Assignments: NOTE: Readings should be completed by the first class of the week although you should use the class descriptions to determine what each class will focus on. Part I: The Foundations of America Week One: History and its Interpretation Questions to ponder: What do historical interpretation and perspective mean? How do they influence our understanding of the past? What was North America like before European arrival? Aug 30 Introduction Sept 1 Historical Interpretation Sept 3 Setting the Scene: America in 1491 Readings: Norton et al., pp 3-10 Gunn, skim Introduction and read Native American Mythology, pp 5-19 Week Two: Exploration Questions: How can you characterize the meeting of Europeans, North Americans and Africans? What were the assumptions each group brought to the encounters? How do the primary sources deepen our understanding of the complex nature of these encounters? Sept 6 No class, Labor Day Sept 8 European Conflict and Expansion Sept 10 English Exploration, Assignment #1 due Readings: Norton et al., ch. 1 and ch 2 (pp 32-41) Gunn, Early American Writing: Prefigurations (2): The Literature of Imagination and Discovery: Focus on the writings of Columbus, Vespucci, More, de Vaca, Hariot, Raleigh, Hakluyt, Shakespeare and de Champlain. Assignment #1 due Friday Sept 10: In a paragraph of 250-300 words, write a summary of the accounts of two of the above writers of New World exploration. Be sure to answer the following questions for each: 1) What is the authors point of view? (i.e. where is he from and how might this influence his world-view?) 2) Is the authors perspective objective or subjective? (i.e. does he have an opinion of the New World and its inhabitants or does he report on facts?) 3) What aspect of exploration does he focus on? (i.e. the people, the land or the explorers) In a third paragraph, compare the writings of the two authors. How do their perspectives differ? How are they similar? What appears to be the most important aspect of exploration for these writers? Week Three: English Colonization Questions: Based on your textbook reading and the primary sources, what are the main differences between the settlement of the Chesapeake and of New England? What were the goals of each colony? Consider the differences in social, cultural and religious relations in each. Sept 13 English Settlement of the Chesapeake Sept 15 New England Colonies: Expansion and Resistance Sept 17 Contradictions in New England: Heresy and Witchcraft Readings: Norton et al., ch. 3 (well discuss slavery on Monday, Sept 20) Gunn, Literature of Settlement and Colonization: Focus on writings of John Smith, John Winthrop, Mary Rowlandson, and Cotton Mather Week Four: An Empire of Liberty Questions: How did the Chesapeake and the New England colonies change over time? Why did slavery supplant indentured servitude in the Chesapeake? How did religious fervor and the English notion of Liberty affect the people in the colonies? Sept 20 American Labor System: From Indenture to Slavery and Bacons Rebellion Sept 22 Empire of Liberty and Refinement of America, Assignment #2 due in class

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History 405.11 Sarah Batterson: Fall 2010

Sept 24

Enlightenment and The Great Awakening

Readings: Norton et al., ch. 4 Gunn, read excerpts from Samuel Sewall, William Byrd, and Jonathan Edwardss Sarah Pierrepont (311), Personal Narratives (312), and Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God (320-333) Assignment #2, due Wednesday, Sept 22: Choose one of the above authors and write a paragraph of 250300 words answering the following question: How would this author have compared the colonies to England? Would he have felt it a part of the Empire, a model for Europe, or did he strive to replicate English culture (or religion or liberty) in the colonies? Week Five: An Empire of Liberty? Questions: How did slavery differ in the Chesapeake, South Carolina and New England? What were the factors that caused these differences? What other tensions (political, cultural and social) are reflected in the accounts of slave revolts and so-called conspiracies in the 18th century? Sept 27 Slavery in Colonial America Sept 29 Slavery in New York Oct 1 1763: The Tension Grows Readings: Horsmanden, New York Conspiracy Trials Gunn, excerpts on slavery: Benjamin Franklin (354-5), Gustavus Vassa (511-523) Norton et al., pp 121-130 Part II: The Emergence of the United States of America Week Six: Life, Liberty and Property Questions: Many colonists remained loyal to the crown until the 1770s and as much as 25% of the population remained were Loyalists who considered the Revolution an act of tyranny. What were some of the events and turning points that led to the Revolution? Oct 4 Towards Revolution: Taxes and Resistance Oct 6 The Boston Massacre (Paper #1 due at start of class) Oct 8 excerpts from HBO series John Adams Readings: Norton et al., ch. 5; supplemental readings on Blackboard Week Seven: The Colonies Rebel Questions: What were the main arguments patriots had against the King and Parliament? Could the American Revolution have been prevented? What were the problems the colonists faced? Oct 11 Oct 13 Oct 15 From Rebellion to Revolution excerpts from PBS series, Liberty! Fall Break Day: No Classes Readings: Norton et al., ch. 6, Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation, (Appendix A-1 and A-2) Gunn, Thomas Jefferson (431-436, 442)

Week Eight: A Republic is Born Questions: What were some of the issues the Founding Fathers faced while forming a new government? To what extent was the American Republic a revolutionary movement, or a return to previous ideas of English liberty and republicanism? What was left unsaid and undone in the Constitution? Oct 18 Creating a New Government: Forming the Constitution Oct 20 Things Left Unsaid and Undone in the Constitution Oct 22 Mid-Term Review Readings: Norton et al., ch. 7 Gunn, George Washingtons Farewell Address (418-429), Federalist Papers 538-542, Constitution of the United States of America and Bill of Rights, Appendix A-6

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History 405.11 Sarah Batterson: Fall 2010

Week Nine: Challenging the Republic Questions: What were some of the challenges to the New Republic, both from internal and external forces? To what extent was the War of 1812 a continuation of the American Revolution? Oct 25 Mid-Term Exam Oct 27 Challenges to the New Republic: Domestic Policy and Washingtons Farewell Oct 29 Challenges to the New Republic: Aaron Burr and Partisan Politics Readings: Norton et al., ch. 8 Week Ten: Nov 1 Nov 3 Nov 5 Defining a Nation Challenges to the New Republic: Lewis and Clark and Sectionalism Challenges to the New Republic: The War of 1812 Women in the New Republic, Assignment #3 due

Readings: Norton et al. chs. 9 Gunn: excerpts by Abigail Adams (502-509), Judith Sargent Murray (548-555), Royall Tyler (588), Hannah Webster Foster (589-592), Susanna Haswell Rowson (607-608) Assignment #3 due Nov 5: Drawing on the above readings, write a one page essay of 350-400 words discussing whether or not womens roles changed during and after the American Revolution. How did they change, and what do the authors write about the ideal man and woman versus the reality of men and womens lives in the colonies? Be sure to include a thesis statement and/or argument as well as evidence from the sources. Week Eleven: A Regionalizing Nation Questions: What were some of the arguments for and against slavery? Why was the North modernizing while the South remained largely based in agriculture? What were some of the conflicts experienced during this period? Nov 8 Regional Culture Nov 10 Slavery in the Courts: The Amistad Case Nov 12 The Industrializing North Reading: Norton et al., chs. 10 & 11 Week Twelve: A Democratizing Nation? Questions: To what extent was the United States becoming more democratic? How was the Second Great Awakening linked to the reform movement? Was Jackson truly a common man or king? Who benefited from his policies and who was left out? Why? Nov 15 Reforming America Nov 17 Jackson: Common Man or King Jackson? Nov 19 Trail of Tears: The Cherokee and Government Policy Under Jackson Readings: Norton et al., chs 12 & begin 13 Gunn: Native American Literature (405-413) Week Thirteen: A Nation Expanding Questions: Historians argue that before the Civil War, most of the regional conflict focused on western expansion. What evidence supports this argument? Nov 22 Western Expansion and Conflict Nov 24 Reading day: Begin reading Complicity Readings: Norton et al., finish chapter 13 Week Fourteen: A Nation Dividing Questions: What were the causes of the Civil War? What were the northern justifications and southern justifications for war? Nov 29 The Crisis of Slavery Dec 1 The Civil War

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History 405.11 Sarah Batterson: Fall 2010

Dec 3

A Civilians War Readings: Farrow et al., Complicity Norton et al., ch. 14 & 15

Week Fifteen: A Nation at War Questions: How did Lincoln turn the war of sectional conflict to a moral war? How did African-Americans contribute to the war effort? Was Reconstruction a failure? What were the various arguments for and against Reconstruction programs? Dec 6 Film Glory Dec 8 Film Glory Dec 10 Reconstruction: The Second American Revolution, Paper #2 due in class Readings: Norton et al., ch. 16 Final Exam: Wednesday, December 15th, 8am-10am in Horton 210. Have a great break!

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History 405.11 Sarah Batterson: Fall 2010