History
342
The American Revolution
Fall 2011
Professor
Terry Bouton
Phone: 410-455-2056
Email: bouton[at]umbc.edu
Office: 722 Administration Bldg.
Office Hours: Wed., 4:00pm-5:00pm;
Friday, 12:00pm-1:00pm and by appointment
NOTE: It is always best to email before you plan to come to office hours
so that I can block out time for you. (I typically schedule meetings with
students and advisees during office hours, so it's best to contact me before
you plan to arrive to make certain I'm available).
Course Webpage: http://research.umbc.edu/~bouton/History342/342Syllabus2011f.htm
Course Meeting Place: Public Policy 208
Campus Map: http://www.umbc.edu/aboutumbc/campusmap/map_flash.html
Course Meeting Time: Wed./Fri. 2:30pm-3:45pm
Course
Description:
History 342 will explore the era of the American Revolution. We will
examine what many historians call the “long Revolution,” which covers roughly
the period from the 1760s until about 1815. The course will emphasize the
internal revolution within American society which was sparked by the conflict
with Britain. This internal revolution saw different groups of peoples trying
to enact various and often conflicting visions of freedom and democracy. We’ll
view the Revolution through the lens of class, race, gender, religion, and
region as well as from multiple historical perspectives, including social,
economic, political, intellectual, military, cultural, and diplomatic. As part
of this project, we’ll try to understand what the Revolution meant to prominent
“founding fathers” such as Thomas Jefferson and John Adams as well as what it
meant to ordinary people: farmers, artisans, women, slaves, and Indians.
Students will examine such topics as the causes of the American Revolution, the
wrenching experiences of the War for
Learning Objectives:
Books:
1) Marjoleine
Kars, Breaking Loose Together The Regulator Rebellion in Pre-Revolutionary
North Carolina (Paperback), ISBN-13: 978-0807849996
2) Woody Holton, Black Americans in the Revolutionary Era: A Brief
History with Documents (The Bedford Series in History and Culture)
(Paperback), ISBN-13: 978-0312413590 (publication date, January 23, 2009)
3) Alfred F. Young, The
Shoemaker and the Tea Party: Memory and the American Revolution
(Paperback), ISBN-13: 978-0807054055
All of these books are (or will be) available at the campus bookstore.
I have also put a copy of each book on 3-day reserve at the library.
IMPORTANT: The campus bookstore usually
only keeps books in stock for the first half of the semester. Consequently, you
need to purchase your books early in the semester and, preferably, at the start
of the course. I will not accept “the
bookstore ran out” as an excuse for missed reading assignments.
Requirements:
(I reserve the right to make
changes to the requirements or to the schedule.)
Grading:
For undergraduates, the final grade breaks down as follows:
|
MIDTERM
EXAM: |
100
pts. |
|
FINAL
EXAM: |
100
pts. |
|
PAPER: |
100
pts. |
|
READING
POSTINGS: |
100
pts. |
|
TOTAL
GRADE: |
400
pts. |
At the end of the semester:
360-400 points will be an A
320-359 points will be a B
280-319 points will be a C
240-279 points will be a D
Below 240 points will be an F
1)
Examinations:
Both the midterm and the final exams will be composed of an essay
section and a series of identifications (define and explain the significance of
various names, events, places, ideas, etc., drawn from lectures and readings).
For the final examination, the identification portion will NOT be cumulative;
the essay portion will be somewhat cumulative, but will emphasize material from
the second half of the course. Both exams are closed books, closed notes.
The Midterm
Examination will be held in class on: Friday, Oct. 21st.
The Final Examination will be held in
class on: Friday, Dec. 16th from 1:00pm-3:00pm
2) Paper:
Students will write a 7 page paper on a Document from the Revolutionary Era. Your
paper must be typed and double-spaced with normal margins and in a normal font.
The paper will be based on
a little-known
primary source document of your choosing that reveals some larger point about
the American Revolution. The paper will involve describing the document
and then explaining how it helps us understand some aspect of the Revolution.
Students will be expected to consult secondary sources (academic sources: not
encyclopedias or .com websites) to help them put their document in historical
perspective and demonstrate its significance. You can find specific guidelines
for the paper and a link to sources on Blackboard. Due
in class on.
3) Blackboard
The grade for reading discussion will depend on the quality of your posts
to the Blackboard Discussion Board. There will be TWELVE posting
assignments throughout the semester; at the end of the semester I will count
your highest TEN postings (meaning I will drop the lowest two grades). Each
posting will answer a specific question based on the material being read for
that particular assignment. I have listed the questions below in the schedule
and I will also post them on Blackboard. For each posting, students will make an argument that they will support
using SPECIFIC EXAMPLES and QUOTATIONS from the reading. To
receive a high grade, you must use quotations and direct citations from the
book (when appropriate) AND include the page number where you got the example
or quote (you can put the page numbers after the quote or citation). I
will be looking to make sure that you use quotations and examples from
THROUGHOUT the reading and not just from a few pages at the beginning or end of
the book. Think of the postings as mini-papers of about a page of
single-spaced text. Each posting will be worth ten points.
Remember to ANSWER the QUESTION rather than just reporting what the reading
said. These are analytical essays designed to prove an argument; they are
NOT "book reports." If you simply recount what the chapters of the
book said or summarize the book’s narrative, you will not get a good grade. You
need to make an argument that answers the question. I do not care
what argument you make. There are numerous ways to answer the questions and
many different arguments that will earn you an A essay. But to earn that A (or
even a B), you’ll need to MAKE AN ARGUMENT that ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
I grade these postings based on the quality of your reading (as evidenced by
the examples and quotes you use) and your writing. One of my main goals in
these assignments is to improve your skill in writing analytical essays. I take
the postings VERY seriously, as should you. The best answers will be clearly
written and logically structured. They will begin with a brief introductory
paragraph that briefly reveals your answer to the question (i.e. spells out
your thesis) and lets me know what to expect from the subsequent paragraphs. I
will grade your essay based on the how well it succeeds in the elements of writing:
making a clear thesis statement; organizing ideas into coherent paragraphs that
each make a SINGLE argument; stating each paragraph’s argument in a STRONG
TOPIC SENTENCE that BEGINS the paragraph; developing the paragraph’s argument
with explanation and evidence; making effective use of evidence by ensuring
that specific examples and quotations work to prove the argument the paragraph
is trying to make—and, when the evidence is not entirely clear, explaining how
the quotes and examples make your point.
NOTE: To receive full credit, you must make your posting by 2:00pm on the days listed below (class begins at 2:30pm). If you do not finish your posting by class time, do not cut class to submit a posting; simply submit it after class. I will deduct DOUBLE the number of late points for any posting submitted during the time that the class meets (all your submissions to Blackboard are date and time stamped, so I will know when you wrote and submitted them).
IMPORTANT: I require everyone to save a personal copy of all of their discussion postings (as well as the papers) on their home computer, thumb drive, cd, or whatever storage device they choose.
IMPORTANT: Blackboard is occasionally buggy. I HIGHLY suggest that you type out your response with a word processing program and then cut and paste it into Blackboard rather than the other way around. If you have a problem with Blackboard, it is your responsibility to ensure that I receive a copy of your posting by the deadline. DO NOT automatically email me a copy of every posting. ONLY email postings in the event of a Blackboard emergency.
Students enrolled in this course must have an active email account and access
to the internet. HIST 342 uses Blackboard online software. This means that you
will have online access to course materials 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. Most assignments will be submitted online at the Blackboard course
website. As a UMBC student, you have a personal email account and access to the
internet and through the many on-campus computer labs (locations, hours, etc.). You can also
access Blackboard off campus through a personal account or from the UMBC
dial-up.
Getting started on Blackboard: Your registration with the UMBC
Registrar for HIST 342 will make you eligible to enroll in Blackboard. To gain
entrance to discussion boards and course material, you MUST enroll in the
online version of HIST 342 on the course Blackboard site in order to have full
access. BEFORE you do anything else, enroll in the course online at: http://blackboard.umbc.edu.
Academic Integrity:
I expect students enrolled in this course to abide by the UMBC Code of
Student Conduct for Academic Integrity (http://www.umbc.edu/sjp/articles/code.html).
If you are unclear about what plagiarism is, take a look at the
By enrolling in this course, each student assumes the responsibilities
of an active participant in UMBC's scholarly community in which everyone's
academic work and behavior are held to the highest standards of honesty.
Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and helping others to commit these acts are
all forms of academic dishonesty, and they are wrong. Academic misconduct
could result in disciplinary action that may include, but is not limited to,
suspension or dismissal. To read the full Student Academic Conduct
Policy, consult the UMBC Student Handbook, the Faculty Handbook, or the UMBC
Policies section of the UMBC Directory.
I show no mercy toward cheaters.
If you are caught cheating on any test or assignment, you will receive a
zero for that grade and I will submit your name to the proper disciplinary
authority. Rest assured that I will do
all I can to see that those disciplinary bodies take the strongest possible
action against anyone who cheats. At the
very least, you will probably fail the course.
Egregious cases of plagiarism will result in dismissal from the
University. Potential cheaters: you have
been warned.
Turnitin.com:
To ensure authenticity of assignments, students will submit their paper
to SafeAssign through the course Blackboard site. SafeAssign checks papers against everything on the internet
as well as published journal articles and the papers in their databanks. Unfortunately, every semester SafeAssign catches at least one student who plagiarized
some or all of a paper they submitted to one of my courses. That said, I see SafeAssign less as a punitive device than as a measure to
ensure that those who complete assignments honestly do not have their hard work
debased by lowlife cheaters.
Administrative
Issues:
Email:
I will send all email messages to your UMBC email account (yourusername@umbc.edu).
If you do not usually check this account, have messages forwarded to your
preferred email address (such as aol, hotmail, etc.). There are several ways to have your
email forwarded. The best way is to use the forwarding function in myUMBC, this will ensure that users receive ALL UMBC
related email—not just email sent from within Blackboard. Here's how to do it:
After logging into myUMBC, move the cursor over your
name and, when the drop down menu appears, click on “Profile.” When you do, one
of the options will be “Create a Mail Forwarding Address.” For
help with this procedure, or if you have other questions about email, contact
UMBC's Office of Information Technology services or visit the OIT helpsite at http://www.umbc.edu/oit/. Helpdesk personnel in the
on-campus computer labs can usually answer most questions. The helpdesk phone
number is 410-455-3838.
Random Rules:
1) TURN OFF CELL PHONES, BEEPERS, WATCH ALARMS, or any other device
that might disturb the class. I will make examples of those who violate
this rule (for example, if your phone rings, I will take the call).
2) On test days, students will not wear hats of any kind.
If you come to class wearing a hat, you will be asked to remove it.
3) On test days, if you leave the room for any reason, I will consider
your test to be completed. In other words, make your trip to the restroom
before the test begins. If you need a drink, bring one; if you have a cold,
bring Kleenex.
4) Laptops in the Classroom: I’m fine with people using their
laptops to take notes in class. But it is both rude and disruptive for you to
be emailing, surfing the web, playing World of Warcraft,
IMing in Google chat, visiting your Second Life,
watching SNL clips on Youtube, or updating your
Facebook profile while you’re sitting in my class. If you don’t think I can
tell, you’re wrong. (Hint: you staring at your laptop screen, smiling and
laughing when we’re talking about, oh say, slaves being tortured is something
of a giveaway). If I have to speak to you about this, you’re not going to be
happy. So try to curb your net addiction for the 75 minutes we’re in class.
Thanks!
5) Coming to class late. Everyone is occasionally late for
reasons beyond their control. I understand that. But when you start making a
habit of coming to class late, you’re disrupting me and your fellow students
who have their acts together and can actually get to class on time. If you’re
perpetually late, I will stop lecture and yell at you. In class. In front of
everyone. And then I will talk to you after class and yell at you some more. So
don’t do it. Thanks!
Schedule of
Lectures, Exams, and Assignments
(You will be informed of
changes to lecture topics, assignments, and due dates)
Part I: Making the Revolution
Week 1:
Wed.,
Aug. 31: Introduction
Outpost of Empire: How did the
thirteen colonies fit into the British empire on the
eve of the American Revolution?
Fri., Sept. 2: Democracy and Power in the Thirteen Colonies: Who held power in America before 1776? How democratic was life under British rule? How did ordinary people express their grievances?
Post 1: Post
Discussion by 2:00pm for Documents on Power in Colonial America: 1) The Power of the Gentry; 2) Rough Music; 3) William
Byrd’s Diary. Question:
What do these documents reveal about the power relations underlying class and
gender relations in colonial
Week 2:
Wed., Sept. 7: Gender in Colonial America: What social roles were men and women supposed to play during the colonial period? How much power did women have?
Fri.,
Sept. 9: Race in Colonial America: What
was life like for African Americans and Indians in British North America? How
were race relations governed?
Reading: Breaking Loose Together,
1-76.
Week 3:
Wed., Sept. 14: Great Awakening and the French and Indian War: How did religious revivals help to spark the American Revolution? a serve as a catalyst for the American Revolution?
Fri.,
Sept. 16: Class and the Internal Revolution: How
did the crisis with Britain trigger conflict between Americans along class lines?
Reading: Breaking Loose
Together, 77-130
Post 2: Post Discussion by 2:00pm for Breaking Loose Together, 1-130. Question: What was the main factor driving the uprising of farmers in North Carolina?
Week 4:
Wed., Sept. 21: Race and the Internal Revolution: How did slaves and Indians pushing for their own notions of freedom deepen the conflict between Britain and the colonies?
Fri., Sept. 23: No Class Meeting: Web Assignment—How do popular historical websites portray the origins of the Revolution?
Post 3: Post
Discussion by 2:00pm: Search three different websites that address the origins
of the American Revolution. What factors do these websites cite as being
responsible for causing the Revolution? How do these websites portray different
possible causes (economic, political, constitutional, ideological, etc)? What was you impression of how the sites presented
the Revolution’s causes? You MUST include the URL address for the websites you
viewed and specific examples from the text of the sites to demonstrate your
points.
Week 5:
Wed., Sept. 28: The Imperial Crisis: What events led the colonies to war with Great Britain?
Wed., Sept. 30: Organizing a Revolution: How was the Revolution organized? What was the relationship between the founding elite and “the people”? How was resistance mobilized at the local, colony, and “continental” levels and coordinated between those levels?
Post 4: Post Discussion by 2:00pm for Breaking Loose Together, 131-218. Question: Why did the Regulation fall short? Did the Regulators make mistakes? Could their plans have succeeded?
Week 6:
Wed., Oct. 5: The Many Meanings of Freedom: What were the keywords of the Revolution? How did different Americans define terms like “liberty,” “equality,” and “independence”? How were those ideals reflected in the Revolutionary governments of 1776?
Fri., Oct. 7: The Revolutionary War: When war broke out, who chose which sides and why? What was the militia and what were its strengths and weaknesses? Why did the colonies do well at the beginning of the war?
Post 5: Post
Discussion by 2:00pm for Documents on Democracy in
1776 (click here). Question: How “revolutionary” were the changes
many people were calling for by 1776?
Week 7:
Wed., Oct. 12: Wartime Troubles: Why did the colonies start losing in 1776? Why did they have such a difficult time waging war?
Fri., Oct. 14: The
Changes Wrought by War: How did war transform the home front? How did
it change politics and society?
Post 6: Post
Discussion by 2:00pm for Revolutionary War Pension Applications: http://www.usgwarchives.org/pensions/revwar/.
Question: This link takes you to a website filled with transcribed
pension applications from Revolutionary War veterans and their widows. Most of
the applications were filed under 1818 and 1832 pension laws that sought to
address the issue of poverty among veterans of the War for Independence. As
part of the application process the veteran or widow had to describe the
veteran’s service during the war. The applications also served as a window into
the postwar lives of the soldiers and their families. Use a minimum of FIVE
pension files to draw some conclusions about the wartime and postwar
experiences of the men who fought the Revolutionary War and their families.
Bear in mind that not every file is a good one to use: many are incomplete and
provide little detail about wartime or postwar service. Choose carefully! (Keep
in mind the Maryland ones are among least complete of the lot).
Week 8:
Wed., Oct. 19: Victory: Why did the tide of war turn in the colonies favor? How and why did the colonies ultimately win the war?
Fri.,
Oct. 21: MIDTERM
EXAM (Click here for midterm exam study guide)
Part II: Tying Up the Revolution
Week 9:
Wed., Oct. 26: Origins of the Counter-Revolution: Why did many of the founding elite think the Revolution had gone too far and how did they think it should be scaled back? What were the results of those efforts?
Fri., Oct. 28: Defending Democracy: How did ordinary Americans respond to the economic crisis and the narrowing of democracy? Why did they have such a hard time getting the political reforms they wanted?
Post 7: Post Discussion by 2:00pm for Black Americans in the Revolutionary Era, introduction-Ch
Week 10:
Wed.,
Nov. 2: Rings
of Protection: How did ordinary
Americans respond when political reforms fell short? How did these efforts
threaten the founding elite?
Fri., Nov. 4: Road to the Constitution: What factors led the founding elite to desire a stronger national government?
Post 8: Post Discussion by 2:00pm for Documents on the Federal Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Question: Placing these documents in context, how revolutionary were the federal Constitution and the Bill of Rights?
Week 11:
Wed.,
Nov. 9: The Constitution: How did the framers intend for the
Constitution to create barriers against democracy? Why did the states
ratify a document that promised to scale back democracy?
Fri.,
Nov. 11: The Bill of Rights: How
was the Bill of Rights created? How did James Madison who had opposed a
bill of rights during the writing of the Constitution emerge as its so-called
"father"? How did Americans differ over their understanding of
their "rights"?
Web Assignment on Democracy and the creation of Constitution.
Post 9: Post
Discussion by 2:00pm: Examine at least three websites that deal in some way
with the creation of the Federal Constitution. How do the sites portray the
factors leading to the Constitutional Convention in 1787? According to the
sites, what were the founders’ motivations in creating a new form of
government? Do the sites address the question of democracy? If so, how do they
handle it?
Week 12:
Wed., Nov. 16: The Federalist Era: How did the Federalists try to reshape the social, political, and economic landscape of the new republic? How successful were their efforts?
Fri., Nov. 18: Revolution of 1800: Who were the Jeffersonians and how revolutionary was their “Revolution of 1800”?
Post 10: Post
Discussion by 2:00pm for Black
Americans in the Revolutionary Era, Chapters 3-4. Question: How did
the Revolution challenge the institution of slavery and what was the legacy of
that challenge in the decades that followed? (You must support your answer with
evidence from the primary documents themselves, not from the book introduction
or paragraphs introducing the documents!!)
Week
13:
Wed., Nov. 23: The
Revolution of Work: How did the Revolution help to transform how things
were made in America? What did these changes mean for different groups of
Americans? How did workers respond to the new workplace?
Fri.,
Nov. 25: No Class Meeting: Thanksgiving
Break
Post 11: Post
Discussion by 2:00pm: Shoemaker and the Tea Party, 1-84. Question: What did the Revolution
mean for Robert Twelve Hughes?
Week 14:
Wed., Nov. 30: Was
there a Revolution for Slaves?: What difference did the
Revolution make for slaves in the North and South?
Fri.,
Dec. 2: Was There a Revolution for Women?: In what ways was life the same for women before and after
the Revolution? What changes did the Revolution bring for women?
Post 12: Post Discussion by 2:00pm for Shoemaker
and the Tea Party, 85-207. Question:
How and why did public memory of the Boston Tea Party (and the Revolution)
change over time?
Week 15:
Wed., Dec.
7: Was there a Revolution for
Indians?: How and why did the Seneca
accommodate the new order the US was trying to impose on them? What were the
results? How and why did other Indian peoples resist? What were the results?
Fri.,
Dec. 9: Making
an American Culture: How did the new middle class try to fashion an
American culture? What messages did this new culture promote?
PAPER
DUE
Remember to submit your
paper to SafeAssign on Blackboard