Navigating American History: A Comprehensive Syllabus Overview

This article provides a detailed overview of an American History syllabus, designed to guide students through a rich and complex exploration of the nation's past. The course, typically titled History 103, serves as the first semester of a two-part survey, beginning on the eve of contact between North America, Europe, and Africa, and concluding just after the American Civil War.

Course Overview: Encounters, Labor, and Learning

The syllabus frames early American history not merely as a tale of Pilgrims, Tea Parties, and Declarations, but as a dynamic narrative of cultural collisions, contested ideas about labor, and the rise and fall of empires. Two central themes guide the semester: the encounters of diverse cultures and the debates surrounding free and unfree labor systems.

The course is structured around lectures and discussions, emphasizing active student participation, which accounts for 10% of the final grade. The syllabus explicitly defines the contrast between high school and college learning. In college, students are expected to learn outside of the classroom, using homework to master the material.

Required Texts

Students are expected to acquire the following texts:

Give Me Liberty! An American History by Eric Foner: This textbook provides the general context and basic information for the course, framing lectures and discussions.
Voices of Freedom: A Documentary History by Eric Foner: This primary source reader complements the textbook, offering firsthand accounts and diverse perspectives on historical events.
A monograph, author and title specified separately.

The syllabus emphasizes the importance of purchasing these materials promptly, as delays will not be considered valid excuses for inadequate preparation or late assignments.

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Essential Policies and Expectations

Attendance and Punctuality

Class attendance is mandatory, and no distinction is made between excused and unexcused absences, except in cases of serious, documented emergencies. Exceeding five absences results in automatic failure. Roll is taken at the beginning of each class, and students arriving late must inform the instructor at the end of the session to avoid being marked absent.

Classroom Etiquette

Electronic devices, including phones, laptops, and tablets, are strictly prohibited to maintain a focused learning environment. Bags and purses are not allowed on desks, which should only contain paper, pens, and the student's hands. Disruptive behaviors, such as sleeping, refusing to participate in group work, or causing distractions, will result in the student being asked to leave. Leaving the room during class is discouraged, and students who do so will be marked late.

Communication and Office Hours

Students are encouraged to attend the instructor's weekly office hours to discuss the course, ask questions, and seek feedback. Formal correspondence is expected when communicating with the instructor via email. Contact from parents or guardians is discouraged unless there is an extreme emergency preventing the student from contacting the instructor directly.

Assessments and Grading

Midterm Exam

A closed-book, in-class midterm exam is administered. The exam consists of essay questions and identifications. A review sheet with potential essay questions is distributed one week prior to the exam, and one of the questions will appear on the exam. Essays are expected to include a thesis and address all aspects of the question in a substantial and detailed manner, spanning at least 5-6 paragraphs.

Research Paper

Students are required to write a 5-page paper focusing on local history (New York and Long Island) within a global, Atlantic history perspective. The paper is due at the beginning of class on the specified date, with both a hard copy submitted in class and an electronic copy uploaded to BLACKBOARD. Late papers are not accepted once papers are returned to the class.

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Final Exam

The final exam is a closed-book, in-class assessment covering the material from after the midterm. Similar to the midterm, it consists of essay questions and identifications. A review sheet is provided, and essays are expected to meet the same standards of quality and detail as those in the midterm.

Class Participation and Discussions

The course emphasizes discussions and group work, with regular discussion-based class meetings designed to enhance understanding of primary and secondary source readings. Full participation is expected, and students receive a discussion grade for each session.

Reading Quizzes

Reading quizzes are administered on discussion dates, covering the material assigned between the previous and current discussions. These quizzes account for 10% of the final grade. There are no make-ups for these quizzes, but the lowest quiz grade is dropped. Unannounced reading exams may also be given at any time.

Monograph Exam

A substantial reading exam on the assigned monograph is conducted, using a format of multiple-choice, matching, and true/false questions. Students are required to bring a Scantron to the exam.

Grading Philosophy

The syllabus outlines the grading criteria, noting that "A's" are reserved for exceptional work, "B's" for good, solid work, and "C's" for average work. Improvement throughout the semester is taken into account when calculating final grades. Students are advised against requesting specific grades, as grades are earned, not given.

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Academic Integrity

Cheating and plagiarism are strictly prohibited and will result in an automatic "F" on the assignment and potential further disciplinary action. Students are encouraged to utilize the Writing Center for assistance with their assignments.

Accommodations for Disabilities

Students who may need accommodations due to a disability are encouraged to contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs.

Weekly Schedule and Readings

The syllabus includes a detailed weekly schedule of topics and readings. All reading is due in class on the date listed.

Week 1

Introduction to the course and syllabus.
Reading: Charles Mann, “1491,” The Atlantic, March 2002.

Week 2

Big Picture Topic: Europe and Exploration
Mini-Lectures:
- U1L3: To Please God: How did Europeans imagine the New World opened up new opportunities for them to please God?
- U1L4: Search for a Dumping Ground: Why did European leaders come to view the New World as a place to get rid of its “excess” population?
BLACKBOARD Reading: Daniel Richter, “Confronting a Material New World,” in Facing East from Indian Country.

Week 3

Big Picture Topic: European/Indian Interactions: Spanish, French, and English
Mini-Lectures:
- U1L7: The Pueblo Revolt (1680) (Spanish): Why did the Pueblo Indians (in what today is the state of New Mexico) revolt against Spanish rule in 1680? What did this revolt show about the extent and limits of the Spanish Mission System?
- U1L8: Why a Middle Ground? (French): Why do historians call the relationship between the French and Indians they encountered the “Middle Ground”?
- U1L9: Religion on the Middle Ground (French): Why did French efforts to convert the Indians differ so sharply from Spanish ones? How did the French attempt to gain converts to Christianity/Catholicism?
- U1L10: Murder on the Middle Ground (French): How was murder between Indians and French settlers handled on the Middle Ground?
Short Essay #1: The Causes and Effects of King Philip’s War (1675-1676). Due by 11:59PM on Friday, Sept. 1.

Week 4

Big Picture Topic: The Rise of American Slavery
Mini-Lectures:
- U1L16: Jamestown’s First Labor Force: Why did white indentured servitude become the first labor system for planting Virginia tobacco?
- U1L17: Living Longer in Jamestown: Why did fewer deaths and increased life expectancy make indentured servitude a threat to the gentry planters who dominated early Virginia socially, politically, and economically?
- U1L19: The First Color Line: What was the relationship between slavery and racism in early America?
- U1L20: Colonial Slavery: How did slavery differ by region? Why did South Carolina/Georgia, the Chesapeake, and the Northern colonies develop such different kinds of slave societies?
Big Picture Topic: Family and Power in Early America
U1L22: Patriarchy and Women: What were the roles and “duties” of women under patriarchy? How much/little power did women have?
Short Essay #2: William Byrd’s Diary: Gender, Race, Class and Power in Early America.

Additional Topics and Readings

The syllabus also includes readings and assignments related to:

Principal ideas about humanity, God, nature, and society in American history from Puritan America to 1850.
History of Black migration to the urban South and North, Harlem Renaissance and the New Negro movement.
Colonization through the close of Reconstruction.

Trigger Warnings

The syllabus includes a trigger warning, acknowledging that the course deals with difficult material, including racism, genocide, slavery, sex, domestic abuse, rape, and endemic violence. The instructor includes this material to provide a comprehensive understanding of white supremacy and patriarchy in these eras.

Online Components: Blackboard

The course utilizes Blackboard for access to course materials, lectures, and assignments. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the platform and seek assistance from helpdesk personnel if needed.

Short Essays and Debates

Short essays are based on specific questions related to the readings, requiring students to use specific examples and quotations to support their arguments. Late postings are accepted for reduced credit.

Debates serve as the class discussion component, requiring students to complete the required readings and respond to the debate topic prompt. Students are required to make at least three substantive postings, with at least two replies to other students' postings. Active participation throughout the debate window is encouraged.

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