History 120                                                                              Spring 2006

Prof. Andrew R. Heinze                                                            Office: UC 526. Tel: x 6231    

Email: heinzea@usfca.edu                                                         Office Hours: TR 1-2

Homepage: http://www.usfca.edu/fac-staff/heinzea/                    and by appointment

 

 

History of the United States

 

Description

 

This class is a survey of American history, focusing on the post-colonial period and paying special attention to Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson and the eras they helped to define. By looking into the biographies of these outstanding presidents, we will get a clearer idea of what makes for an historic presidency. What qualities do such leaders bring to the office, and how do the crises of their times shape the political horizon? Lincoln’s presidency centered on the crisis of slavery, Roosevelt’s on the rise of big business and overseas expansionism, and Johnson’s on the civil rights movement and Vietnam war. Throughout the course, we will examine the tensions that came with the unprecedented racial, ethnic, and religious diversity of American society.

 

Goals (aka “learning outcomes”)

 

I would hope that, after completing the course, students will a better understanding of: 1) the chronology of U.S. history; 2) the nature of the presidency; 3) the lives of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson; 4) the forces behind freedom and oppression in American history.

 

Requirements

 

In-class requirements: This class relies heavily on the reading assignments, which means every student must come prepared to discuss the day's assignment. I will deepen the class discussion with lecture material, but there will be few standard lectures.  The emphasis on comprehension of the required books requires an active interchange between teacher and student, and among students. 

 

Graded Requirements: 100% of the final grade will be based on four multiple-choice tests, one worth 10 points, and three worth 30 points each.

 

There will be no make-up tests and no extra credit assignments.

If you cannot be present for any one of the tests, you should not enroll in this class.

 

 

Please:  no eating during class, and no note-passing or private chats.

 

Required Texts

 

Carol Berkin, et al, Making America: Brief Second Edition

Ronald Bayor, ed., Race and Ethnicity in America

Stephen Oates, With Malice Toward None

Kathleen Dalton, Theodore Roosevelt

Doris Kearns Goodwin, Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream

 

 

Syllabus

 

Week 1

            Jan 24: Introduction

            Jan 26: Making America, Chapters 2-3

 

Week 2

            Jan 31: Making America, Chapters 4-7

            Feb 2: Test #1 on material covered during weeks 1-2. (10 points)

 

Week 3

            Feb 7: With Malice Toward None, Chapter 1

            Feb 9: With Malice Toward None, Chapters 2-3

 

Week 4

            Feb 14: With Malice Toward None, Chapter 4

            Feb 16: With Malice Toward None, Chapters 5-6

 

Week 5

            Feb 21: With Malice Toward None, Chapter 7

            Feb 23: With Malice Toward None, Chapters 8-9

 

Week 6

            Feb 28: With Malice Toward None, Chapters 10-11

            Mar 2: Test #2 on material covered during weeks 3-6. (30 points)

 

Week 7

            Mar 7: Race and Ethnicity in America, Chapter 5

            Mar 9: Race and Ethnicity in America, Chapter 6.

 

Week 8           Spring Break (Mar 13-17)

 

 

Week 9

            Mar 21: Theodore Roosevelt, Introduction & Chapter 1

            Mar 23: Theodore Roosevelt, Chapters 2-3

 

 

Week 10

            Mar 28: Theodore Roosevelt, Chapters 4-5

            Mar 30: Theodore Roosevelt, Chapters 6-7

 

Week 11

Apr 4: Theodore Roosevelt, Chapters 8-9

            Apr 6:.Theodore Roosevelt, Chapters 10-12

 

Week 12

            Apr 11: Theodore Roosevelt, Chapters 13-14 & Epilogue

            Apr 13: Race and Ethnicity in America, Chapter 7 (No Class Meeting)

 

Week 13

            Apr 18: Test #3 on material covered during weeks 7-12.* (30 points)

                         * Reading for April 13 not included on test #3.

            Apr 20: Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream, Chapters 1-5

                        (No Class Meeting)

 

Week 14        

            Apr 25: Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream, Chapters 6-8

            Apr 27: Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream, Chapters 9-12 & Epilogue

 

Week 15

            May 2: Race and Ethnicity in America, Chapter 8 & Conclusion

            May 4: Making America, Chapters 30-31

 

Week 16

            May 9: Making America, Chapter 32

            May 11: Test #4 on material covered during weeks 12-15. (30 points)