Themes in American History: Capitalism, Slavery, Democracy

Schedule

WEEK 1

Wednesday, August 25th

Class introduction

 

WEEK 2: CAPITALISM: 1500–1609

Monday, Aug. 30th; Weds., Sept. 1st

Readings: James Fulcher, A Very Short History of Capitalism, pp. 1–18 (on Blackboard)

American Yawp Vol. 1, Ch. 2, sections IV–VII

 

NO CLASS Mon., Sept. 6th or Weds., Sept. 8th

 

WEEK 3: SLAVERY: 1619–1700

Mon., Sept. 13th

Weds., Sept. 15th: NO CLASS

 Reading: Edmund Morgan, American Slavery, American Freedom, pp. 295–315 (on Blackboard)

American Yawp Vol. 1, Ch.3, sections II–VI

 

WEEK 4: SLAVERY and DEMOCRACY: 1688–1770

Mon., Sept. 20th; Weds., Sept. 22nd

Readings: Ira Berlin, Many Thousands Gone, pp. 109–140 (on Blackboard)

American Yawp Vol. 1, Ch. 4, section III

  • Blog post #1 due Weds., 9/22

 

 

WEEK 5: DEMOCRACY: 1765–1790

Mon., Sept. 27th; Weds. Sept. 29th

Readings: Nikole Hannah-Jones, “Our Country’s Founding Ideals Were False When They Were Written. Black Americans Have Fought to Make Them True,” in New York Times, The 1619 Project and Gordon Wood’s Response (on Blackboard)

American Yawp Vol. 1, Ch. 5, sections II–VII

 

WEEK 6: SLAVERY: 1787–1850

Mon., Oct. 4th; Weds., Oct. 6th

Readings:  Thavolia Glymph, Out of the House of Bondage, pp. 97-135 (on Blackboard)

American Yawp Vol. 1, Ch. 11, sections I–III

 

WEEK 7: DEMOCRACY: 1790–1850

Mon., Oct. 11th: NO CLASS

Weds., Oct. 13th

Reading: American Yawp Vol. 1, Ch. 9, sections II–VIII

Digital primary source text analysis due Weds., 10/13

 

WEEK 8: CAPITALISM: 1790–1850

Mon., Oct. 18th; Weds., Oct. 20th

Readings: “Political Economy” and “Rights of Women,” plus one “Featured Article” from right hand column, on The Voice of Industry, http://industrialrevolution.org/political-economy.html

American Yawp Vol. 1, Ch. 8, sections II, IV–VII

  • Blog post #2 due Weds, 10/20

 

WEEK 9: DEMOCRACY: 1850–1865

Mon., Oct. 25th; Weds., Oct. 27th

Readings:  James McPherson, “The Revolution of 1860,” in Battle Cry of Freedom, pp. 202–233 (on Blackboard)

American Yawp Vol. 1, Ch. 13, sections III–VI; Ch. 14, sections I–V

 

WEEK 10: DEMOCRACY: 1865–1877

Mon., Nov. 1st; Weds., Nov. 3rd

Readings: Eric Foner, A Short History of Reconstruction, pp. 104–123 (on Blackboard)

American Yawp Vol. 1, Ch. 15, sections I–V

 

WEEK 11: CAPITALISM: 1865–1900

Mon., Nov. 8th; Weds., Nov. 10th

Readings: Joshua Brown, Beyond the Lines (page #s t.b.a.) (on Blackboard)

American Yawp Vol. 1, Ch. 15, sections VI–VIII

American Yawp Vol. 2, Ch. 16, sections I–VIII

 

WEEK 12: CAPITALISM: 1900–1929

Mon., Nov. 15th; Weds. Nov. 17th

Readings: American Yawp Vol. 2, Ch. 18, sections I–III

American Yawp Vol. 2, Ch. 23, sections I–II

  • Blog post #3 due Weds, 11/17

 

WEEK 13: DEMOCRACY: 1900–1945

Mon., Nov. 22nd; Weds., Nov. 24th

Readings: Eric Rauchway, Why the New Deal Matters (page #s t.b.a.) (on Blackboard)

American Yawp Vol. 2, Ch. 20, sections I–VII

American Yawp Vol. 2, Ch. 23, sections VII–XIV

Research Paper Assignment Due: Weds. Nov. 24th

 

WEEK 14: DEMOCRACY: 1945–PRESENT

Mon., Nov. 29th; Weds., Dec. 1st

Readings: Lizbeth Cohen, A Consumers’ Republic: The Politics of Mass Consumption, pp. 292–344 (on Blackboard)

American Yawp Vol. 2, Ch. 25, sections I–II, IV

American Yawp Vol. 2, Ch. 26, sections I–VII

 

WEEK 15: CAPITALISM AND DEMOCRACY IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Mon., Dec. 6th; Weds., Dec. 8th

Readings: American Yawp Vol. 2, Ch. 28, sections VI

American Yawp Vol. 2, Ch. 29, sections V–VI, XI

  • Blog post #4 due Weds, 12/8

 

Mon., Dec. 13th: READING/STUDY DAY

 

FINAL TIMELINE PROJECT DUE ON DAY OF FINAL EXAM: DATE TBA