| The United States
Since 1877 HIST 1378 University of Houston Spring 2010 |
Instructor: Prof. Clayton
Lust Phone: 713-743-3096 Email: clayton@claytonlust.com Office -TBD Office Hours: By appointment |
Course Description:
The story of the United States since 1877 is one of incredible change and transition. There was a true revolution, as the United States transformed itself, the way it viewed itself, and indeed the way the world viewed it. What we will find, is that the more history we know, the less surprised we are. This survey of U.S. history will show that while the mechanics sometimes are different, the ideals change very little.
Disclaimer - Some of the topics we discuss in this class are violent and provocative, and our discussions will not whitewash anything. At times you may be offended - and you should be offended. Regardless, the history taught in this class will be in no way sanitized.
Objectionable Materials Warning: Some of the film clips that we will watch during the semester contain scenes of explicit violence, sexual brutality, ethnic and gender stereotyping, nudity, obscenity, adult themes, profanity, and offensive language that might be found objectionable by some. There may be also be ideas or practices endorsed by specific motion pictures that some might consider immoral or amoral. All of these films, however, were already in wide circulation in the culture at large and are, in the instructor’s opinion, essential to understanding American cultural history.
Buzzanco, Moretta, and Cox, American Power, American People (TEXT)
Various, As They Said It, Volume II (READER)
Package: Readings and Documents in Post-1945 U.S. History (DOCS); Guthrie, Bound for Glory (GUTHRIE), and King, Why We Can’t Wait (KING).
I will periodically give handouts that either elucidate course material or further explain lecture topics – you are responsible for this material as well.
Grading:
Your grade in this class is arrived at in the following manner. There are 3 closed book, closed note exams, the dates of which are below. The two mid term exams are worth 25% apiece. The final exam is worth 30% of your grade. In addition there are three (3) quizzes from the reader (As They Said It), that are worth a total of 15%. The final 5% is derived from unannounced (pop) quizzes.
Exam 1 February 20 |
Reader quiz 1 Feb. 6 |
Exam 2 April 3 |
Reader quiz 2 March 13 |
Final Exam May 8, 11AM-2PM |
Reader quiz 3 April 24 |
THERE ARE NO MAKE-UPS IN THIS CLASS EXCEPT IN CASES OF DIRE, DOCUMENTED EMERGENCY. WHETHER A MAKEUP WILL BE GIVEN IS AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE INSTRUCTOR. ANY MAKEUP WILL BE IN AN ALL-ESSAY FORMAT, AND WILL BE GIVEN ON MAY 14 AT 8:00 AM IN AH-523
SCALE:
| A = 93 and up | C = 73-76 |
| A- = 90-92 | C- = 70-72 |
| B+ = 87-89 | D+ = 67-69 |
| B = 83-86 | D = 63-66 |
| B- = 80-82 | D- = 60-62 |
| C+ = 77-79 | F = Below 60 |
Classroom Behavior:
THIS IS NOT THE 13TH GRADE. You are adults, and are expected to behave as such. Come to class prepared to take notes every Saturday - a pen and notebook are all you required to bring with you. Additionally I have a few very simple rules.
1. The ONLY person who should be talking is me. If you have a question raise your hand - don't ask the person next to you, unless the person next to you has a PhD in history.
2. NO CELL PHONES. In case that wasn't clear, let me repeat - NO CELL PHONES. When you enter this classroom, cell phones are to be turned off or on vibrate. DO NOT EVER answer a call in class. If you have a situation where it is imperative you be reached, tell me beforehand. Acceptable situations are pregnancy (your own or spouse's), serious family illness, etc. Your boyfriend or girlfriend needing to talk is not an emergency situation. If a phone goes off in class, you will leave for the day. If a second goes off, I leave, and you will be responsible for the material that would have been covered that day.
3. You registered for this class - no one forced you to. When you come to class, you should plan to be here for the entire class period UNLESS you have spoken to me in advance.
4. Do not read materials for other classes, do homework, listen to CD/mp3 players, sleep, or read newspapers.
5. Finally, respect your peers. Periodically we may have discussions in this class where you will be asked to express your own ideas. This classroom and the class list serve must be spaces in which people feel free to express thoughts. Someone may say something you completely disagree with, that even I may disagree with. But I will not tolerate any circumstance where students feel threatened or fearful of expressing ideas - after all that is why you are going to college, to flesh out your ideas and beliefs and find a way to convey those to others.
Course Warning Label :
The instructor recognizes that virtually no learning occurs when students do not attend class regularly. Nor does learning take place when students do not keep up with readings and related course assignments. If you are not interested in attending regularly and if you are not interested in completing assignments, both of which are strong indicators that you are not committed to your own education or learning more generally, then I would encourage you to save us both the hassle, and drop the class now while you can still get your money returned.
Academic Honesty:
All work is expected to be your own. I have a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for cheating. This includes turning in work that is not your own, looking onto another student's exam, using crib/cheat sheets, using electronic devices (i.e. cell phones with text features, side kicks, two-way pagers), and anything that any reasonable person would recognize as cheating. If I catch you cheating I will seek the maximum penalty allowable according to UH policy. If you have questions about cheating please see me or consult the student handbook.
| Schedule: | ||
| Week 1/Jan. 23 | Readings | |
Introduction |
TEXT Ch, 2 |
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| Week 2/Jan. 30 | ||
The most important election in US history |
TEXT Ch. 3 |
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| Week 3/Feb. 6 | ||
The Defeat of the Plains Indians and what it meant
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TEXT Ch. 4 |
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| Week 4/Feb. 13 | ||
Progressive America
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TEXT Ch. 6
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| Week 5/Feb 20 | ||
Exam I - first half of class only. |
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| Week 6/Feb 27 | ||
Causes of the Great Depression
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TEXT Ch. 7
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| Week 7/ March 6 | ||
Hitler and Nazism
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TEXT Ch. 8 |
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| Week 8/ March 13 | ||
The War and the US Homefront
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TEXT Ch. 9 |
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| Week 9/March 20 | ||
No classes – Spring Break March 15-March 20 |
NUNN 146-179 |
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| Week 10/March 27 | ||
Containment
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TEXT Ch. 10
Finish GUTHRIE for final |
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| Week 11/April 3 | ||
Exam II
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TEXT Ch. 11
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| Week 12/ April 10 | ||
JFK - myths and realities
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TEXT Ch. 12 DOCS: 197-220, 223-250 READER 197-200, 215-220 |
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| Week 13/ April 17 | ||
Watergate
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TEXT Ch. 13 |
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| Week 14/ April 24 | ||
The Rise of Globalization |
DOCS: 289-301, 306-320 |
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| Week 15/ May 1 | ||
American involvement in the Middle East
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TEXT Ch. 14 Finish KING for final |
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| Week 16/ May 8 - Final Exam 11AM - 2 PM | ||